Child poverty is higher in the United States than in any other wealthy nation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, close to one in three children in the United States lived in or near poverty. The status quo left children particularly vulnerable going into the COVID-19 crisis. We know that families with children need cash during an economic crisis and that even short-term poverty has long-lasting effects on children. While federal relief such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has blunted the worst of the projected poverty increases, it has still left many families facing hardship.

As the CARES relief is set to expire soon, there are calls to provide regular cash support for children delivered on an ongoing basis during the crisis. We looked to research from other nations that include a form of a child allowance to help with the costs of raising children, in particular the Canada Child Benefit. We discussed using a child allowance to cut child poverty and the long-term benefits it would provide.

Presented by The Century Foundation’s Bernard L. Schwartz Rediscovering Government Initiative and the Columbia Center on Poverty and Social Policy.

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