八年以後：新貧家庭貧窮動態追蹤研究

Eight Years Later-- a Follow-Up Study of New Poor Families

台灣近年來因為社會經濟變動，形成一「新貧」人口群，至今仍方興未艾，亟待深入研究並尋求解決之道。本研究針對2005年所訪新貧家庭進行的八年後之追蹤研究。本研究採深度訪談的方式，針對13個新貧家庭之家計負擔者進行深度訪談，了解其其在八年以後的經濟、就業困境、再就業的歷程，所獲政府的協助、對這些方案的評價，以及新貧失業對其家庭的影響。受訪新貧家庭在失業貧窮的持續時間約為四到十年，期間他們多曾申請低收入戶補助，但除兩名以外，餘皆未獲通過，無法取得救助的主要障礙為自己或家人有收入或房產。我國社會救助法雖於2011年7月實施新制，擴大對貧窮人口的救助，但本研究發現，新貧階級仍系統性地被排除於社會救助體系之外。受訪新貧家庭脫離貧窮困境的主要途徑為「找到一份穩定的工作」。研究發現他們之中有12位已找到工作，且都是全職工作，本研究分析其找到工作的三個主要途徑。新貧家庭最後雖多能脫離貧窮困境，但在失業貧窮歷程中，個人及家庭卻付出沉重的代價。本研究最後提出建議應檢討現行立基於舊貧的社會救助思惟，挹注更多的資源來協助新貧家庭，以因應全球化下新的勞動形勢與風險。

In 2005, the researcher conduced a research to explore the “new poor” phenomenon in Taiwan. This is a follow-up study to explore new poor families' current situation, their experiences in the poverty process, and their paths to exit from poverty. Adopting in-depth interviews, this study interviewed thirteen breadwinners of the new poor families. This study finds that of the thirteen interviewees, twelve had found jobs, and all were full-time jobs. Their main route out of poverty was “finding a stable job.” The duration of poverty ranged from four to ten years. Most of the participants applied for low-income housing but all, except for two, were denied because they had housing property. In spite of the amendments of the Public Assistance Act undertaken in 2011 that relaxed the standard and were intended to include the new poor in the social assistance system, our study found that the new poor families were systematically excluded from the social assistance system. This study also found that most new poor families managed to exit poverty, but they had paid a heavy price, including physical deterioration, marital alienation, weakening the human capital of children, etc. The new poor phenomenon is a result of industrial structural change and globalization, yet the existing welfare system is inadequate to build a safety net for the new poor families. Policies to respond to the new risk of poverty are further recommended.