Child poverty is one of the most critical issues facing public policy in Ireland and is also an issue at an international level. As well as the level of child poverty, the duration of child poverty is equally important because the longer the time spend in poverty, the worse the consequences. A key component of ending child poverty is thus to better understand the flows into and out of child poverty and to investigate the links between child poverty in one generation and adult poverty in another.
Day In, Day Out, Understanding the Dynamics of Child Poverty enhances our understanding of the dynamics of child poverty in Ireland. The study draws on longitudinal data over an eight-year time period (1994-2001) and equivalent data for EU countries. It investigates two distinct components of the longitudinal aspect of child poverty: how many years of poverty were experienced by children over time (the persistence of child poverty) and the length of the spells children spend in poverty (the duration of child poverty). This dynamic perspective captures the cumulative length of time that children spend in poverty and the key factors that lead to children staying in poverty over a long period of time. The study also looks at the childhood background of adults in poverty and the factors that impact on adult outcomes.
The findings of this study will contribute to the debate around the most effective and efficient policy responses to ending child poverty in Ireland. It is of relevance to policy makers, people working with children (service providers and non-governmental organisations) and researchers concerned with child poverty issues (including students and teachers).