Future Security for Children

Child poverty in Austria continues to affect around one in five children and remains a key social and economic policy challenge despite a comprehensive welfare state. Poverty and social exclusion risks have long-term consequences for educational participation, health, and social inclusion, with broader implications for the economy and society. Against the backdrop of the European Child Guarantee and planned reforms to secure children's future, the study examines the effectiveness of the existing system of cash and in-kind benefits. It analyses children's living conditions and current support and policy instruments, identifies gaps in provision, and develops and quantifies short- and medium-term policy interventions to reduce poverty risk and improve future opportunities for children.