Cutting Child Poverty in Half and More: Pandemic-Era Lessons From Child and Family Advocates and Organizers
The following Foundation for Child Development paper co-authored by Olivia Golden is republished here with permission.
The Foundation for Child Development’s policy paper, Cutting Child Poverty in Half and More: Pandemic-Era Lessons From Child and Family Advocates and Organizers, delves into the chronic underinvestment in children in the United States and highlights the essential link between parents’ well-being and children’s prospects. It provides a comprehensive analysis of pandemic-era policies, identifying key measures that contributed most to reducing child poverty and examining the varied state responses to longstanding failures to invest in young children’s health, care, nutrition, and housing, among other gaps, providing a blueprint for future permanent solutions.
In 2020-21, the U.S. achieved a monumental, yet temporary, milestone by enacting federal policy reforms that halved child poverty and uplifted low-income families, including immigrant families and families of color, amidst a global pandemic. These unprecedented reforms, though now largely ended, provide valuable lessons for future policy efforts.
The policy paper distills five key lessons learned from interviews with over 30 organizers and advocates who contributed to the 2020-21 success. Its draws on their insights to inform future efforts to transform federal and state policies on behalf of young children marginalized by racism, xenophobia, and economic inequality and their families and caregivers.
- Center families with lived experience: Learn how centering families, especially those of color and immigrant backgrounds, enhances policy design and implementation.
- Expand coalitions to engage families, care workers, and allies: Discover the power of uniting families, care workers, and allies to build stronger advocacy efforts.
- Build federal-state strategies to achieve equity: Understand the importance of federal and state collaboration to achieve equity and scale.
- Strengthen coalition infrastructure: Gain insights into building robust coalitions with diverse perspectives and strong governance structures.
- Sustain long-term efforts: Recognize the importance of long-term advocacy and organizing to create lasting policy changes.
Download the Executive Summary (PDF)