Addressing child poverty: the most successful combinations of policy steps

Petra Hoelscher. University of Dortmund, 2004

Although this study is confined to European countries and the United States, its wider interest lies in its transnational comparative methodology and its work on conceptualizing child poverty and social exclusion and attempting to measure them. The study also:

• Develops risk factors for poverty and social exclusion.
• Documents longer term consequences and coping strategies that allow some children to “do remarkably well in spite of adverse living conditions”.

The study proceeds to analyse specific policies to combat poverty within various welfare systems. It observes a growing strategic convergence across the European Union despite quite disparate conditions. And the conclusion is drawn that it is possible to identify some common strategies that are potentially effective. However, ultimately success lies in getting right the mix of strategies in place and effectively integrating them.

Full text
A thematic study using transnational comparisons to analyse and identify what combinations of policy responses are most successful in preventing and reducing high levels of child poverty, Hoelscher