Child Poverty in Context: Multidimensional Challenges and Social Work Responses

Abstract

Child poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon that affects children’s health, education, and psychosocial development, with long-lasting consequences across the life course. It extends beyond financial deprivation to include limited access to food, housing, healthcare, education, and supportive environments, perpetuating cycles of inequality across generations. Addressing child poverty therefore requires a comprehensive approach that combines immediate relief with long-term structural change. Social work plays a central role in this process by responding directly to the needs of children and families while simultaneously advocating for policies that reduce inequality and strengthen social protection systems. Preventive interventions, such as early childhood education, school-based programs, and family resilience initiatives, can provide protective factors that help break the cycle of deprivation. At the same time, a rights-based and community-oriented approach is necessary to ensure that children’s voices are included in decision-making processes and that services are culturally sensitive and inclusive. The future of social work in combating child poverty lies in evidence-informed practice, cross-sectoral collaboration, and active policy advocacy. By combining micro-level support with macro-level change, social work contributes to building a more just society in which every child has the opportunity to thrive free from poverty.