Child Poverty: Literature Survey

Child poverty is a state that involves children living in poverty. The situation mainly arises due to family-related financial difficulties that force a minor to live in such conditions. Many factors cause child poverty, such as government policies, unemployment, adult poverty, discrimination and disabilities, and economic and demographic factors. According to the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC), the condition is a structural issue and not an individual's fault. In consideration of source materials and research interventions, most scholars establish a significant cause of child poverty. Therefore, the article seeks to support that the primary cause of child poverty is low household income since the factor leads to the existence of financial difficulties.

In an article concerning a study conducted in South Africa, the researchers identified that household income was the primary cause of child poverty. However, the report established other essential factors, such as the household size and qualification of the head, which are all factors affecting or affected by a person's income. Moreover, the study categorized the causes of poverty into either structural, fate, and individualistic measures (Dunga et al., p27). In this perspective, support for household income as the main factor supports the stand of NECPC that poverty is a structural issue. The results, however, came from responses of adults associated with child poverty to avoid the existence of a multivariate response. In this consideration, the factor relates to other causes such as unemployment and adult poverty hence creating a correlation between the elements. Apart from the study, in an interview with one of my Social Science professors to see her thoughts on the causes of child poverty, the responses were income as the most significant, followed by unemployment, and government policy. Other points were made, such as stress, but these 3 causes were the main points. In this perspective, the explanation provided was that low income exists in the presence of employment and appropriate government policies.

Furthermore, in another article, the authors sought to establish and elaborate on theories causing child poverty. The text proposed that political, behavioral, and structural theories were the most significant concepts explaining the existence of child poverty. In an explanation of the ideas, behavioral relates to a people's traits, political theory entailed policymaking, and structural concept involved issues related to the labor market and demographics. Moreover, the article further explained that 'structural theories emphasize the demographic and labor market context, which causes both behavior and poverty' (Brady et al.). This means that the factor is the most significant since it serves as the independent variable in this case scenario. Regarding household income, the factor lies under structural factors, which means that the article supports the thesis for the paper (Brady et al.). Behavioral factors entail factors such as disability and discrimination, whereas political element involves government policies.

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Additionally, in another article that compared child poverty in the United States to that of other nations, the researchers identified 'Among child poverty drivers, household composition and parent's labor market participation matter a great deal' (Smeeding et al.). The latter related to the issue of household income since the labor market defines wages. Moreover, the inclusion of the word participation in the text connects more to income since the more the intervention, the higher the returns. In this regard, the article indirectly argues that a person's income depends on an individual's involvement in the market. Similarly, the paper identified that government policy plays an essential role in determining child policy through the implementation of friendly measures (Smeeding et al.). In an elaboration of the point, this factor still supports that income is an essential consideration since the policies suggested a focus on improving the participation of people in the labor market. Moreover, in another article that elaborates on child poverty in the Scandinavian context, the researchers identified that most poor-stricken children faced issues related to lack of basic needs and education. The paper continued to state that the most significant cause of the situation was due to a family's financial state (Harju et al. p290). In this regard, the paper established that children are mostly powerless to situations facing them within the family context.

Furthermore, in a text that sought to determine the cause of child poverty, the authors established that 'understanding the root causes of poverty cannot ignore the legal structures' (Minujin et al. p22). The book further explains that these structures create wealth and income imbalances within the community. On the contrary, this point establishes that the situation leads to financial difficulty in families and society. However, the book identifies that legal structures influence child poverty the most since it states that with appropriate legal frameworks, there are minimal hurdles facing the economy (Minujin et al. p24). Moreover, in another text, the authors established that household monetary metrics are not efficient in the determination of a child's poverty level. In this regard, the article identifies that household composition is vital in defining child poverty since the factor determines the allocation of resources within the home. Additionally, the paper argues that it is crucial to consider other factors such as health and education (Chzhen et al. pg708). Despite the argument, the article supports that household income is an essential factor in defining child poverty.

In conclusion, five of the six articles establish that household income plays an essential role in determining child poverty. However, in one of the materials, the author explains that legal structures have the most influence on the situation. Therefore, the thesis that the primary cause of child poverty is low household income since the factor leads to the existence of financial difficulties is supported by the majority. Furthermore, the contrasting article states that legal structures affect wealth and income distribution. In this regard, it is evident that the main concern entails situations relating to financial circumstances.