### Question
What does aid to families with dependent children mean?


### Answer
**Aid to families with dependent children** has the following meaning in *42 U.S.C. § 606*:

> money payments with respect to a dependent child or dependent children, or, at the option of the State, a pregnant woman but only if it has been medically verified that the child is expected to be born in the month such payments are made or within the three-month period following such month of payment, and who, if such child had been born and was living with her in the month of payment, would be eligible for aid to families with dependent children, and includes (1) money payments to meet the needs of the relative with whom any dependent child is living (and the spouse of such relative if living with him and if such relative is the child's parent and the child is a dependent child by reason of the physical or mental incapacity of a parent or is a dependent child under section 607 of this title), and (2) payments with respect to any dependent child (including payments to meet the needs of the relative, and the relative's spouse, with whom such child is living, and the needs of any other individual living in the same home if such needs are taken into account in making the determination under section 602(a)(7) of this title) which do not meet the preceding requirements of this subsection, but which would meet such requirements except that such payments are made to another individual who (as determined in accordance with standards prescribed by the Secretary) is interested in or concerned with the welfare of such child or relative, or are made on behalf of such child or relative directly to a person furnishing food, living accommodations, or other goods, services, or items to or for such child, relative, or other individual, but only with respect to a State whose State plan approved under section 602 of this title includes provision for—


(A) determination by the State agency that the relative of the child with respect to whom such payments are made has such inability to manage funds that making payments to him would be contrary to the welfare of the child and, therefore, it is necessary to provide such aid with respect to such child and relative through payments described in this clause (2)

#### Citation:
  - *42 U.S.C. § 606*
  - Heading: **CHAPTER 6-THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU > SUBCHAPTER IV-GRANTS TO STATES FOR AID AND SERVICES TO NEEDY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND FOR CHILD-WELFARE SERVICES > Part A-Aid to Families With Dependent Children**

