How can parents escape from recurrent poverty? Findings Informing change

Parents start of a cycle of recurrent poverty (exiting poverty and and professionals highlighted some of the problems later falling into it again); or a cycle of low pay/no pay arising from low-paid jobs, such as family stress and (where employment does not pull the household out of demoralisation. [...] (Emily, lone parent with two children, unemployed) The availability, cost and quality of childcare was of benefits and tax credits were insufficient to break a consistent issue for parents of children of all ages, the low-pay/no-pay cycle. [...] The cost of childcare regularly and the slow re-establishment of benefits when made low-paid work financially unviable, even for those people leave paid employment were seen as strong parents receiving the childcare element of the Working disincentives to move from benefits into work, Tax Credit (WTC). [...] • In terms of the childcare element of WTC, the main concerns were that it is received four weeks after The types and conditions of jobs available (such starting work, even when parents have to pay as working hours) were often at odds with household childcare in advance, and that it creates confusion needs, childcare arrangements and the desire to because it is not clearly differentiated from the. [...] The researchers conclude that considerable improvements are needed to support parents on low Some practitioners saw the prevalence of a ‘target culture’ incomes who wish to work: within government bodies and supporting agencies as a barrier to providing appropriate support to those trying to • make work pay; escape the low-pay/no-pay cycle, because of the focus • enable access to affordable, good.