A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section ‚Childhood and Youth Studies‘.Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025Website:   https://www.mdpi.com/journal/socsci/special_issues/EI773C4IV3

Dear Colleagues,This Special Issue explores the complex and interwoven realities of child poverty and social work, emphasizing the profound impact of poverty on children’s development and well-being. It will critically examine how social work and social welfare systems address, mitigate, or sometimes inadvertently reinforce the issues of poverty and marginalization. With a strong focus on social justice, this Special Issue will analyze how power imbalances within institutions, structural inequalities, and systemic barriers affect vulnerable families and deepen cycles of poverty.Contributors are invited to investigate the economic and social as well as the mental and emotional burdens that child and family poverty inflict, particularly the experiences of shame, social exclusion, and stigmatization, which compound poverty’s effects. By addressing the social, economic, and mental dimensions of poverty, this Special Issue aims to uncover the nuanced role that social work can play in promoting resilience, empowerment, and inclusion.The Special Issue welcomes both theoretical explorations and empirical studies, highlighting innovative practises, policies, and interventions in social work aimed at alleviating poverty and its repercussions. By centering the voices of marginalized children and families, it seeks to contribute to a more equitable and inclusive understanding of social welfare, aiming ultimately to foster more just and compassionate responses to poverty.

Gottfried Schweiger, Guest Editor