This book brings together a range of theoretical and empirical perspectives on conceptualization, measurement, multidimensional impacts, and policy and service responses to address child and family poverty. It illuminates issues and trends through country level chapters, thus shedding light on dynamics of poverty in different jurisdictions. The book is structured into three sections: The first includes introductory chapters canvassing key debates around definition, conceptualization, measurement, and theoretical and ideological positions. The second section covers impacts of poverty on specific domains of children’s and families’ experience using snapshots from specific countries/geographic regions. The third section focuses on programs, policies and interventions, and addresses poverty and its impacts. It showcases specific interventions, programs and policies aimed at responding to children and families and communities and how they are, or might be evaluated. Through cross national case studies and evaluations this international collection illustrates the diversity of approaches and outcomes.

Contents

1. Understanding Child and Family Poverty: An Introduction to Some Key Themes and Issues (Elizabeth Fernandez)
2. Child Poverty in the International Context (Elizabeth Fernandez and Ioana Ramia)
3. Not Just Statistics: Making Children’s Poverty More Visible (Peter Saunders)
4. Child Poverty and Child Well-Being in International Perspective (Jonathan Bradshaw)
5. Why Are Poor Children Always with Us? Theory, Ideology and Policy for Understanding Child Poverty (Michael Wearing and Elizabeth Fernandez)
6. Disadvantage, Equity and Children’s Rights in Twenty-First Century Australasia (Marie Connolly)
7. Children’s Subjective Well-Being in Disadvantaged Situations (Carme Montserrat, Ferran Casas, and James Ferreira Moura Jr.)
8. Child Poverty in Germany: Conceptual Aspects and Core Findings (Sabine Andresen, Susann Fegter, Klaus Hurrelmann, Monika Pupeter, and Ulrich Schneekloth)
9. Poor for How Long? Chronic Versus Transient Child Poverty in the United States (Sara Kimberlin and Jill Duerr Berrick)
10. Child Poverty Reduction in Brazil: Reversing Bismarck? (Armando Barrientos and Amanda Telias Simunovic)
11. Poverty and Social Exclusion of Children and Families in Italy and Europe: Some Comparisons (Cinzia Canali and Devis Geron)
12. Poverty in Italy and Generative Welfare Approach (Tiziano Vecchiato)
13. A Family-Centred Approach in Helping Poor Children in Hong Kong (Joyce Lai Chong Ma)
14. Young People at Risk of Lifelong Poverty: Youth Homelessness in Australia (Patricia McNamara)
15. Poor Children, Poor Services, Poor Outcomes: Child Poverty and Its Impact on Referral and Placement in Public Care System in Hungary (Maria Herczog)
16. In What Ways Might Poverty Contribute to Maltreatment? (Marian Brandon)
17. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families in Australia: Poverty and Child Welfare Involvement (Clare Tilbury)
18. Family Poverty: Reviewing the Evidence for an Integrated Community-Based Practice (Anita Lightburn and Chris Warren-Adamson)
19. Reducing Poverty and Investing in Children and Families (Elizabeth Fernandez, Anat Zeira, Tiziano Vecchiato, and Cinzia Canali)