The Netherlands is among the world’s wealthiest nations. Yet, behind that prosperity, around 460,000 children —nearly 14% of all under-18s —grow up in financial hardship, according to Eurostat data for 2022. UNICEF Netherlands reports that child poverty has barely changed in a decade: from 12.6% in 2012 to 12.7% in 2023.
What does ‘a child in poverty’ mean?
Poverty is not just about income. Some families earn above the official threshold but still lack the stability or opportunities that help children thrive. Under the new method from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), a couple with two children under 12 is considered poor if their monthly income is below €2,535, or €2,910 if their children are teenagers. For a single parent with two teenagers, the boundary is at €2,500. But as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child reminds us, the right to an adequate standard of living, social security and inclusion goes far beyond numbers.
The reality behind the figures
Surveys reveal what experts call ‘invisible poverty’. Many children lack basic items such as warm clothing, glasses or menstrual products. Charity Kinderhulp reports a sharp rise in requests for such items. Its chair, Bernique Tool, described a five-year-old girl who waited months for glasses because her family couldn’t afford them, a small gap in resources with a big impact on her confidence and development.
Why is this happening now?
Rising costs of housing, energy and healthcare have outpaced wages, leaving many families squeezed. Without new measures, child poverty could rise further, one report warned. While CBS’s updated definition shows fewer people formally in poverty (3.1% of the population in 2023), the depth of poverty, i.e., how far below the line families fall, has worsened. In practice, poverty is increasingly affecting low-income workers, single parents and families who fall just above the eligibility threshold for support.
Consequences for children and society
Poverty in childhood affects far more than finances. It influences education, health, social participation and emotional well-being. Missing out on a school trip, sports club or proper clothing can lead to long-term developmental and psychological harm. The social cost is equally high: greater pressure on healthcare and welfare systems, lower productivity and lost human potential. And when children’s rights are not protected, the idea of equal opportunity, a cornerstone of Dutch society, comes into question.
What can be done?
Experts call for earlier and more coordinated support. Suggested measures include:
- Quicker access to debt counselling to help families before problems deepen.
- Municipal case managers to coordinate income support, housing, childcare and schooling.
- Structural reforms such as higher minimum wages, better-aligned benefits and simpler allowances so that aid reaches children directly.
In September 2023, the Dutch government announced an extra €2 billion to fight poverty, raise housing benefits and link social assistance to minimum-wage levels, but this might not be enough to end child poverty.
The challenge ahead
Headlines may suggest a decline in poverty, but the lived reality tells a different story. Progress has stagnated for over a decade, and many children still lack essentials that most take for granted. If the Netherlands wants to live up to its reputation as a country of opportunity, it must ensure that every child, not just those born into comfort, can grow up with security, dignity and hope. Achieving that will require not more statistics, but sustained action.
Written by Priyanka Sharma