What is child poverty, what evidence is there of such poverty in New Zealand and why does it matter? These questions regularly attract answers accompanied by conjecture and prejudice. This short book uses the latest evidence and a non-partisan approach, identifying child poverty as a critical issue for New Zealand’s future. Jonathan Boston and Simon Chapple’s succinct introduction to this challenge, drawn from their widely acclaimed full-length book Child Poverty in New Zealand and updated with new data, is essential reading.

Jonathan Boston and Simon Chapple have written the definitive book on child poverty in New Zealand. Dr Russell Wills, Children’s Commissioner Between 130,000 and 285,000 New Zealand children live in poverty, depending on the measure used. These disturbing figures are widely discussed, yet often poorly understood. If New Zealand does not have ‘third world poverty’, what are these children actually experiencing? Is the real problem not poverty but simply poor parenting? How does New Zealand compare globally and what measures of poverty and hardship are most relevant here? What are the consequences of this poverty for children, their families and society? Can we afford to reduce child poverty and, if we can, how? Jonathan Boston and Simon Chapple look hard at these questions, drawing on available national and international evidence and speaking to an audience across the political spectrum. Their analysis highlights the strong and urgent case for addressing child poverty in New Zealand. Crucially, the book goes beyond illustrating the scale of this challenge, and why it must be addressed, to identifying real options for reducing child poverty. A range of practical and achievable policies is presented, alongside candid discussion of their strengths and limitations. These proposals for improving the lives of disadvantaged children deserve wide public debate and make this a vitally important book for all New Zealanders.

This classic text presents Blair's Beveridge Lecture alongside the views of some of Britain's foremost policy analysts and commentators. It provides a rich tapestry of analysis, insight and reflection that will stimulate critical debate about the shape of British welfare for some time to come.

Child poverty in Scotland has reduced significantly since 1997 due to unprecedented levels of investment and a political determination to reduce poverty, but the Scottish Affairs Committee expresses some concern that such progress maybe slowing. The objective of halving child poverty by 2010 will require extra resources and commitment. Poverty can be endemic from generation to generation, but reducing child poverty can break such a cycle of deprivation. Child poverty reduction can occur through improving the incomes of parents, but an integrated strategy between the Scottish Executive and local authorities could bring about greater improvements, though problems still remain with inconsistencies and complexies within the welfare system. The Committee believes the key to the reduction of child poverty lies in tackling low pay, job retention and career advancement. Also access to affordable childcare could improve the opportunities for parents to undertake training. Child Tax Credits have also been a key factor in reducing child proverty, but greater awareness of individual entitlements could be improved. Also the tax and benefits system must be flexible enough to respond to the changing needs of individuals in moving out of poverty trap.

This book discusses the emergence of care for orphaned, abandoned and poor children in Lithuania from the early twentieth century to the beginning of the Second World War. In particular, it focuses on how such practices were influenced by nationalist and political discourses, and how orphanages became privileged institutions for nation building. Emerging during the humanitarian crisis following the First World War, the Lithuanian orphaned and destitute children’s assistance network had an eminently ethno-national character, and existed in parallel with, and was challenged by, Polish poor child assistance institutions. By analysing such care for children, this book explores concepts such as the nation state and citizenship, as well as the connections between poverty, childhood and nationalism.

Child poverty increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 alone, the number of children suffering from poverty in the EU increased by 19 percent, or close to 1 million. Left unaddressed, this would not only affect individuals’ life prospects and well-being but also have long-term economic implications. This paper argues that, to limit this potential scarring effect of the pandemic, policies should be deployed to reduce rapidly the number of children affected by poverty and mitigate the long-term impact of poverty. Reducing the number of children affected by poverty can be achieved by (i) labor policies and reforms that increase parental work and the labor income of poor parents and (ii) fiscal spending on family and children that can have a powerful and immediate impact. These policies need to be complemented by public investment in education and childcare, health, and housing to mitigate the long-term impact of child poverty.

This report provides a summary of the results from a major international research project, funded by UNICEF, on child rights and child poverty in the developing world.