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Meeting the Basic Needs of Children: Does Income Matter?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Gennetian, LA; Castells, N; Morris, P
Published in: Children and youth services review
September 2010

We review existing research and policy evidence about income as an essential component to meeting children's basic needs-that is, income represented as the purest monetary transfer for increasing the purchasing power of low income families. Social scientists have made great methodological strides in establishing whether income has independent effects on the cognitive development of low-income children. Our review of that research suggests that a $1,000 increase in income has positive, but small, effects on children, rarely exceeding 1/10(th) of a standard deviation change in outcomes for children. We argue that researchers are well-positioned for more rigorous investigations about how and why income affects children, but only first with thoughtful and creative regard for conceptual clarity, and on understanding income's potentially inter-related influences on socio-emotional development, mental, and physical health. We also argue for more focus on the effects of income transfers, including when conditional on employment, as compared to more targeted direct investments in children. We end with a description of two-generation and cafeteria-style programs as the frontiers of the next generation in income-enhancement policies, and with the promise of insights from behavioral economics.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Children and youth services review

DOI

EISSN

1873-7765

ISSN

0190-7409

Publication Date

September 2010

Volume

32

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1138 / 1148

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Work
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 4409 Social work
  • 1607 Social Work
  • 1402 Applied Economics
 

Citation

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Gennetian, L. A., Castells, N., & Morris, P. (2010). Meeting the Basic Needs of Children: Does Income Matter? Children and Youth Services Review, 32(9), 1138–1148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.03.004
Gennetian, Lisa A., Nina Castells, and Pamela Morris. “Meeting the Basic Needs of Children: Does Income Matter?Children and Youth Services Review 32, no. 9 (September 2010): 1138–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.03.004.
Gennetian LA, Castells N, Morris P. Meeting the Basic Needs of Children: Does Income Matter? Children and youth services review. 2010 Sep;32(9):1138–48.
Gennetian, Lisa A., et al. “Meeting the Basic Needs of Children: Does Income Matter?Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 32, no. 9, Sept. 2010, pp. 1138–48. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.03.004.
Gennetian LA, Castells N, Morris P. Meeting the Basic Needs of Children: Does Income Matter? Children and youth services review. 2010 Sep;32(9):1138–1148.
Journal cover image

Published In

Children and youth services review

DOI

EISSN

1873-7765

ISSN

0190-7409

Publication Date

September 2010

Volume

32

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1138 / 1148

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Work
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 4409 Social work
  • 1607 Social Work
  • 1402 Applied Economics