Can work eradicate child poverty?

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Inclusion was commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to write an essay on the possible extent to which tackling worklessness can contribute to the eradication of child poverty by 2020. This is one of a series of essays covering a wide range of child poverty related issues, but sees how far the Government's view that much of the eradication of child poverty can be achieved by tackling worklessness can be validated, and the scale of change needed.

The final report identifies a number of issues that necessarily arise if work is seen as the best route out of poverty.

The Government has repeatedly stated that work is the best route out of poverty. This implies that work is not the only route, but is the preferred or main route in tackling child poverty. This report examines the extent to which there is underemployment among parents and a desire to work among parents who are not currently working. It examines patterns of work and worklessness among parents and flows between work and workless states for parents, both using survey data and lone-parent benefit claims.

The report:

• identifies the constraints and barriers to parents working
• looks at family work patterns and their impact on child poverty
• identifies the trends and patterns in parents moving into and out of work, and looks at alternative scenarios
• examines the contribution of welfare-to-work, and the likely effects of current plans.