The U.S. child poverty rate could be cut by as much as 50 percent in the next 10 years through the adaptation and packaging of existing policies and programs, according to a recent report from The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS). The report highlights changes to programs and policies related to employment, housing, safety net programs, and immigration that can have the biggest impact on reducing child poverty.

How do these recommendations apply to U.S. Hispanic children and families, who are disproportionately affected by poverty? According to the report, Hispanic children are projected to experience a larger reduction in poverty in a simulation model that expands housing vouchers and increases immigrant access to safety net programs. Conversely, expanding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and policies introducing a universal child allowance decreases poverty to a lesser extent for Hispanics when compared with other groups.

To cut child poverty in half over the next decade, policies and programs should apply a racial equity lens and identify actionable steps to reduce poverty and improve the economic well-being of Hispanic children, one of the largest and fastest growing racial/ethnic group among children.

Suggested Citation:

National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families. (2019). Promising policy approaches to reducing child poverty. (Hispanic Family Facts series). https://doi.org/10.59377/795e1023w