Child Poverty Reduction

Nearly one in five New York children live in poverty, and that rate approaches one in three among children of color and in some under-resourced communities. The chronic stress of poverty can have devastating effects on growing families and impacts the brain development of young children.  

Historically, many parents of young children do not have access to or enough information about state programs — including the Empire State Tax Credit and enough financial aid to afford college — aimed at putting New Yorkers on the path to more economic stability and reducing child poverty.

Report: Reducing child poverty in New York State through the Empire State Child Tax Credit

Although New York was among the first states in the nation to offer a child tax credit, it has quickly fallen behind as other states have instituted more generous credits in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this report, we analyze the Empire State Child Credit, compares it to other state models, and provide recommendations on how New York can ensure the ESCC effectively reaches all eligible families to tackle our state’s child poverty problem.

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