Poverty & Family Economics

One in five children live in poverty today.  Economic insecurity in childhood can often lead to lifelong disadvantages, ranging from poor health to low achievement in school.  Federal investments like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit lift millions of children and families out of poverty every year, but yet children still continue to bear the brunt of the recession’s effects.  The good news is that we know how to reduce child poverty.  We can look to the United Kingdom, where the British government halved child poverty in 2009 through a coordinated strategy of investments for children, measures to make work pay, and efforts to increase financial support for families.  We can also look to what has worked here in the US and our success in significantly reducing senior poverty through federal investments like Medicare and Social Security.  We need to build on what works and help working families provide the security that is essential to ensure that all children can fulfill their potential.

Resources


Fact Sheet: The Need for Baby Bonds in The United States

| June 5, 2023 |

Long-standing systemic and institutional racism and its continued effect on government policy have created unacceptable outcomes across the spectrum of child well-being for children


Letter: White House must protect the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in debt ceiling talks

| May 19, 2023 |

Today, First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris urging them to protect the Temporary Assistance for


Letter: Congress must protect the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in debt ceiling talks

| May 19, 2023 |

Today, First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to House Speaker McCarthy, House Minority Leader Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, and Senate Minority


Letter: Exclude Medicaid work requirements from debt ceiling and federal budget negotiations

| May 19, 2023 |

First Focus Campaign for Children has joined other leading organizations on a letter to Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker McCarthy, and Minority


Letter: American Family Act is key to children’s well-being

| May 18, 2023 |

Focus Campaign for Children has sent a letter to Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Suzan DelBene and Ritchie Torres expressing our strong support for their American


Letter: In opposition to the Let’s Get to Work Act of 2023 (S. 39)

| May 3, 2023 |

Today, First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to Sen. Rick Scott, author of the Let’s Get to Work Act of 2023 (S.


Nearly 300 advocates push Congress to restore improved Child Tax Credit

| December 8, 2022 |

Improved CTC “kept children fed and warm and in their homes” Nearly 300 organizations today urged Congress to lock in tax credits that support


Letter: Enhance the CTC & EITC before end of session

| December 8, 2022 |

Today, First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to Congressional leaders signed by over 280 organizations calling on them to take action to


Letter: Pass the Child Poverty Reduction Act

| March 14, 2022 |

Today, the U.S. Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to Congress signed by over 100 organizations


More than 100 organizations back child poverty reduction bill

| March 14, 2022 |

More than 100 national and state-based organizations called on Congress today to establish a national child poverty reduction target that would cut child poverty in half within a