ABSTRACT
In the United States, children under age six are at a higher risk of living in poor or near-poor (often termed “low-income”) households than older children. Living in low-income households is associated with lower levels of well-being for children across a range of domains. This chapter first explores the complexities in measuring poverty and identifies links to child development. Second, potential pathways through which poverty may influence child development are considered. Third, federal programs and policies that provide money as well as food, housing, and health care to poor and near-poor families with the aim of reducing poverty are reviewed. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of how programs available to low-income families have changed over time and the role that these programs play in reducing child poverty.
