The fact that 10 million children in the
United States live in families with
incomes below the poverty line means
that their chances of growing up and
being healthy and productive adults is
compromised. The United States reduced
its child poverty rate by 50 percent
over the last 35 years. In the United
Kingdom the government of Tony Blair
embarked on a poverty reduction program
and reduced child poverty by 50% in
seven years.
The kind of programs that we considered
varied widely -- employment support
programs, earning support programs like
the Earned Income Tax Credit, income
support programs like food stamps. We
developed a child allowance based on the
child tax credit.
Moreover we designed these packages in
ways that combine income support with
work support so that not only was
poverty reduced by 50 percent but at
the same time employment among
low-income adults was increased.
