Israeli Child Policy and Outcomes

This report presents an overview of child policy in Israel. It covers a wide range of services and policies that are intended to further the wellbeing of children in Israel or that have an impact upon the wellbeing of children, including the fields of education, health, cash transfers, taxation and personal social services. In addition, the labour market and policies linked to work and family reconciliation are discussed. The report also offers a brief overview of the context in which these policies and services developed, and their consequences, with a special emphasis on child poverty. This is due to the unusually high level of poverty among children in Israel. The report concludes with a discussion of the factors that have an impact upon the degree of effectiveness of child policies in Israel or, in the case of child poverty, upon their limited effectiveness. This discussion is followed by a number of policy recommendations intended to help policies and services to improve children’s wellbeing in Israeli society.