The high poverty rate among children was long seen as an enduring fact of American life. But a recent analysis has shown that the number of young people growing up poor has fallen dramatically in the past few decades.

The reasons for the improvement are complicated, but they have their roots in a network of programs and support shaped by years of political conflict and compromise.

Guest: Jason DeParle, a senior writer at The New York Times and a frequent contributor to The New York Times Magazine.

Background reading:

Child poverty in the United States has fallen 59 percent since 1993, a new analysis showed.
Few states have experienced larger declines in child poverty than West Virginia. One family’s story illustrates the real-life impact that an expanded safety net has provided to millions across America.

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