Child welfare statistics: global challenges and trends

Abstract

In recent years, the Government of Georgia has significantly expanded its child benefit program, which by 2022 covered 28.6% of all children under the age of 16. However, a concerning issue is that nearly half (47%) of materially deprived children do not benefit from the program, potentially because their families are considered above the poverty threshold. This gap leaves many vulnerable children without the necessary financial support. Additionally, 15.5% of families with materially deprived children requested social assistance in the 12 months before the survey but were denied. The Child Welfare Survey (CWS) also highlights that 5.8% of Georgian children have functional difficulties that substantially limit their daily lives. Yet, only 12.6% of these children have an official disability status, primarily because disability determination still follows a medical model that overlooks functional limitations and the broader psycho-social dimensions of disability. There is a higher incidence of functional difficulties among children aged 5-17 years (6.5%) compared to younger children aged 2-4 years (1.8%). Moreover, children experiencing material deprivation are four times more likely to face functional difficulties (10.5%) compared to their peers from non-deprived families (2.8%). These findings underscore the need for a more inclusive social protection system and a broader approach to disability assessment, one that considers both medical and psycho-social factors to better support children with disabilities. The recent findings on children's welfare in Georgia highlight several critical issues, particularly in relation to access to educational resources, nutrition during school hours, and healthcare. Lack of Educational Materials: 45.3% of children do not have at least one educational item they wish for but cannot afford. The most commonly missing items are: Laptops/computers (29.1%), Painting materials (18.5%), Books (16.5%), and Musical instruments (10%). Nutrition during School Hours: Only 27% of children eat every day during school hours, while 34.9% never eat. This issue is more pronounced among materially deprived children, with 44.9% not eating during school hours compared to 28.4% of non-deprived children. Financial barriers prevent 37.7% of materially deprived children from eating during school, compared to only 3.3% of non-deprived children. The findings reveal significant disparities in access to essential educational, nutritional, and medical resources among children in Georgia, particularly those from materially deprived families. Addressing these gaps is critical for improving children's well-being and their overall development. Educational resources such as computers and books are vital for children’s learning, and the lack of access to these items suggests the need for targeted support programs. School nutrition is another pressing concern, with financial difficulties preventing a large number of children from eating during school hours. This impacts their ability to focus and perform well academically. Healthcare access remains a challenge, even with the universal health insurance system in place, as many families continue to struggle with the financial burden of medical services and medication. These results emphasize the need for more comprehensive and accessible social protection systems to support the most vulnerable children in Georgia.