Most children in the Nordic Region grow up in families with a stable economy and in safe, caring environments. However, some families face challenges. In the post-pandemic period, some parents have encountered greater difficulties in the labour market. In some of the Nordic countries, the number of families struggling financially is increasing, and the gap between the highest and lowest income groups appears to be widening. If parents are unable to meet their basic needs over time due to unemployment or insufficient income, this has a negative impact on their children. A key concern is the risk that the interaction between the family’s economic, social and health challenges will reinforce each other in a negative way. In the long term, this can increase the risk of the children themselves experiencing marginalisation and social exclusion.
This project aims to increase knowledge about interventions for children growing up in families with persistently low income in the Nordic Region, gathering and collating the experiences and knowledge of the Nordic societies in this field in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will result in a report highlighting good practice examples and policies that aim to increase social mobility and inclusion for children and young people growing up in families with persistent low income. In this project, we will focus on effective measures that support the family situation and the children’s opportunities. Moreover, the report will focus on what we know about the experiences of children and youth growing up in families with persistently low income.
The project is supported by a Nordic Steering Group and a network of Nordic researchers is invited to contribute to the Nordic cooperation. The network of researchers and the steering group will contribute to the Nordic Welfare Centre’s efforts to select sources that describe children’s and young people’s own experiences and perceptions of growing up in a family with a persistently low income. Nordregio will develop maps and indicators on child poverty and social exclusion risk in the Nordic Region.
