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Child Poverty and Family Transfers in Southern Europe

Author

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  • Matsaganis, Manos

    (Athens University of Economics and Business)

  • O'Donoghue, Cathal

    (National University of Ireland, Galway)

  • Levy, Horacio

    (University of Essex)

  • Coromaldi, Manuela

    (University of Rome Tor Vergata)

  • Mercader-Prats, Magda

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

  • Rodrigues, Carlos Farinha

    (Universidade Técnica de Lisboa)

  • Toso, Stefano

    (University of Bologna)

  • Tsakloglou, Panos

    (Athens University of Economics and Business)

Abstract

The drive to reduce child poverty is of particular interest in southern Europe, where the subsidiary role of the State in matters of family policy has implied that programmes of public assistance to poor families with children are often meagre or not available at all. The paper examines the effect of family transfers (used broadly to include contributory family allowances, non-contributory child benefits and tax credits or allowances) on child poverty in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Using the European microsimulation model EUROMOD, the paper first assesses the distributional impact of existing family transfers and then explores the scope for policy reforms. By way of illustration, the effects of universal child benefit schemes similar to those in Britain, Denmark and Sweden are simulated. The paper concludes with a discussion of key findings and policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Matsaganis, Manos & O'Donoghue, Cathal & Levy, Horacio & Coromaldi, Manuela & Mercader-Prats, Magda & Rodrigues, Carlos Farinha & Toso, Stefano & Tsakloglou, Panos, 2005. "Child Poverty and Family Transfers in Southern Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 1509, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1509
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    1. Smeeding, Timothy M, et al, 1993. "Poverty, Inequality, and Family Living Standards Impacts across Seven Nations: The Effect of Noncash Subsidies for Health, Education and Housing," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 39(3), pages 229-256, September.
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    11. Sutherland H, 2003. "The take-up of Income Support by pensioners: estimates from POLIMOD using the Family Resources Survey," Microsimulation Unit Research Notes MU/RN/42, Microsimulation Unit at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tess Penne & Tine Hufkens & Tim Goedemé & Bérénice Storms, 2018. "To what extent do welfare states compensate for the cost of children? A hypothetical household approach to policy evaluations," Working Papers 1811, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    2. Miles Corak & Christine Lietz & Holly Sutherland, 2005. "The Impact of Tax and Transfer Systems on Children in the European Union," Papers inwopa05/30, Innocenti Working Papers.
    3. Lucía Gorjón García & Antonio Villar, 2019. "The Minimum Income Scheme as a poverty reduction mechanism:the case of the Basque Country," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2019-10, FEDEA.
    4. Maggie Ka-Wai Lau & Kee-Lee Chou, 2019. "Targeting, Universalism and Child Poverty in Hong Kong," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(1), pages 255-275, February.
    5. Ive Marx & Brian Nolan & Javier Olivera, 2014. "The Welfare State and Anti-Poverty Policy in Rich Countries," Working Papers 1403, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    6. Morawski, Leszek & Levy, Horacio & Myck, Michal, 2008. "Alternative tax-benefit strategies to support children in Poland," EUROMOD Working Papers EM3/08, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    7. , - & Sutherland, Holly, 2005. "Micro-level analysis of the European social agenda: combating poverty and social exclusion through changes in social and fiscal policy: final report," EUROMOD Working Papers EM8/05, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    8. Olga Cantó & Coral del Río & Carlos Gradín, 2007. "What helps households with children in leaving poverty? Evidence from Spain," Research on Economic Inequality, in: Inequality and Poverty, pages 1-29, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    9. Francesca Gastaldi & Paolo Liberati, 2009. "Tax credits for dependent children and child benefits: what do we learn from the Italian experience?," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 12(3), pages 219-234.
    10. Silvia Avram & Eva Militaru, 2016. "Interactions Between Policy Effects, Population Characteristics and the Tax-Benefit System: An Illustration Using Child Poverty and Child Related Policies in Romania and the Czech Republic," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 1365-1385, September.
    11. Philippova, Anna & Kolosnitsyna, Marina, 2018. "Child benefits’ impact on poverty: Multivariate probit estimates," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 52, pages 62-90.
    12. Pasi Moisio & Kirsi-Marja Lehtelä & Susanna Mukkila, 2014. "Estimating the poverty reduction effect of tax and benefit policies in Finland 1993-2013 using a microsimulation method," ImPRovE Working Papers 14/06, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    microsimulation; child poverty; social transfers; fiscal benefits; south Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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