Welfare Timeline
Evolution of Federal Assistance to the Poor
1909 — A White House Conference on Dependent Children signals a change in government interest in children’s welfare. Previously considered a local or private charitable concern, children’s welfare receives Federal attention with the creation of a U.S. Children’s Bureau. 1921 — The American Association of Social Workers is established at a conference in Milwaukee. This movement toward a more professional approach evolves throughout the early decades of the twentieth century. 1932 — Local and State efforts to fund relief efforts are strained to the limit. Congress and President Herbert Hoover agree to shift some relief efforts to the Federal level…
