SVP Quarterly Review of National Social Issues
The Society of St Vincent de Paul has examined State supports given to help families with children and has made a submission to the Department of Social and Family Affairs on the ‘Value for Money and Policy of Child Income,’ in which it has called for a “fundamental policy shift.”
Requests for assistance received by the SVP’s Regional offices across the country show that the majority come from families with children. Lone parents are a particularly vulnerable group. The main source of income of most of those asking for help is social welfare. Child income support and its role in preventing and eliminating child poverty is therefore a key policy priority. The Social Justice and Policy Committee of the SVP says that the experience of the Society, working with children in poverty and their families, demonstrates that “the current system of supporting children is not working to its best effect.”
“Making small changes to the existing system could result in inconsistencies and unintended consequences in other areas. There are better ways of using public money, which would maximise positive outcomes for children in low income households,” the Committee has told the Department. It also comments on suggestions for the taxation or means-testing of child benefit due to its cost to the State and concern that it is being received by high income families.
“The decision in Budget 2010 to cut Child Benefit and compensate families in receipt of Family Income Supplement and the Qualified Child Increase was welcomed by the SVP as the best solution available at the time. However,
this fails to treat all low-income families equitably, as some families on low incomes are not in receipt of either of these payments,” the Society’s submission to the Departments says and advocates ‘tailored universalism’ as a solution. This would involve payment of a universal child benefit, alongside a targeted second-tier child income support to replace Family Income Supplement and the Qualified Child Increase. Under this, all families with children would receive some support through Child Benefit, for the costs associated with having children, but families on the lowest incomes would receive additional support in the form of a supplement. This would be a shift in policy in the delivery of child income supports and would require integration of the tax and welfare systems.
• Full details of the proposals in regard to child benefit are on the SVP website at www.svp.ie