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Child poverty rates may rise as federal assistance programs expire

Child from chest down sitting on a bench
Michał Parzuchowski
/
Unsplash

Childhood poverty and hunger remains an issue across the world, including here in the U.S. It has been shown to result in lifelong health and economic insecurity. Particularly strong inequities exist in Latino and Black communities, where children are three times more likely than white children to live in poverty.

Research has shown significant improvements here in the United States over the past 26 years. Childhood poverty has decreased by 59% from 1993 to 2019. The most significant factor in this decline is an increase in federal government economic assistance. Dr. Avenel Joseph is the Vice President of Policy at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“The drive down of childhood poverty rates during that period of time was largely due to the expanded social safety net," Dr. Joseph said. "These are things like the child tax credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, food assistance or food stamps.”

While this looks promising, recent policy changes have resulted in concern over continuing progress being made to combat childhood poverty.

“Many of these additional economic supports that were offered during the pandemic have expired. And that's been compounded by the significant rise in prices. And as a result, we're at risk of undoing the progress we've worked so hard to achieve over the last quarter of a century,” Dr. Joseph said.

Losing progress on childhood poverty could have significant effects on children today as well as future generations. Given inflation rates this year, it is particularly important to continue support through congressional measures.

“Congress can make this a priority to to happen now that the election dust is close to settled," Dr. Joseph said. "When Congress reconvenes again, before the holidays, they can make this something that they want to get done and sent to the President's desk to sign.”

For more information visit everyfamilyforward.org or childtrends.org.

Erin Lewis is a science reporter at Utah Public Radio and a PhD Candidate in the biology department at Utah State University. She is passionate about fostering curiosity and communicating science to the public. At USU she studies how anthropogenic disturbances are impacting wildlife, particularly the effects of tourism-induced dietary shifts in endangered Bahamian Rock Iguana populations. In her free time she enjoys reading, painting and getting outside with her dog, Hazel.