Policy Brief: Child Poverty
Child Poverty Policy Brief | State of the Children in the EU 2024
About
About
Child poverty is not only about the amount of money that families have but also whether children’s basic needs (e.g., food, shelter) are met and whether they have access to essential services (e.g., health, education).
The picture in the EU There are currently around 20 million children (almost one in four) in the 27 countries of the EU who are defined as ‘at risk of poverty or social exclusion’ (AROPE), which is a key indicator for the EU 2030 targets.3
This means that they live in households in one or more of the following conditions:
1. Severe material and social deprivation. Households who have an enforced lack of at least 7 out of 13 basic conditions (e.g., able to keep the home adequately warm, being able to replace worn-out clothes).
2. At risk of poverty (low income). Households with income (taking into account household size) below 60 per cent of the national median income.
3. Low-work intensity. Households where adults work less than 20 per cent of their total working
