Fixing a Leaky U.S. Social Safety Net: Diapers, Policy, and Low-Income Families

Abstract

Changing work, family, and policy trends converged to increase diaper need in recent decades. Safety net programs do not cover diapers, and diaper policy proposals have met limited success. Based on interviews with seventy mothers who experienced diaper need, this article examines how diapers shape low-income parents’ caregiving and why income and public aid are not always enough to cover diapers. Mothers described stigma associated with lacking diapers and mixed experiences seeking diaper support. These experiences suggest effective policy responses, including diaper vouchers and extending changes to tax credit policies.