The Un/Deserving Child: philanthropic philosophies and practices in Combating child poverty

Child poverty remains a complex and multi-dimensional social problem in most Western societies. In the context of the changing relationship between citizens, the welfare state, civil society, and the market, a complex historical reconfiguration of the institutional welfare state framework can be observed in relation to charity- and rights-oriented assumptions in anti-poverty strategies towards children in poverty situations. Whereas critical scholars have referred to newly emerging ideas referred to as ‘neo-philanthropy’, ‘new philanthropy’, and ‘new charity economy’, we tackle how a discursive distinction between un/deserving children can be at stake in anti-poverty strategies, based on blaming ‘incapable’ parents for being responsible for the structural conditions and inequalities in which their children live. We focus on a qualitative research project in which we investigate the philanthropic philosophy and practice of a foundation that provides support to ensure food security and educational and leisure time activities for children in poverty in collaboration with social partners. While exploring the practices and normative value orientations of the foundation’s social partners, we tease out whether, and if so, how the foundation might be a little stone in the shoe of public actors in the welfare state. Preliminary results show that “new-philanthropy” practices and strategies are drastically moving away from strategies that are developed by historical welfare actors in terms of governance (1), poverty reduction (2) and funding methods (3).