Poverty, child abuse and neglect: patterns of cost and spending

This article examines recent data on the costs of poverty, child abuse and neglect (CAN), paying particular attention to contemporary patterns of spending in England. The discussion explores the 'reactive' spending necessary to deal with the short/medium term consequences of poverty and CAN and the 'preventative' spending associated with some interpretations of early intervention The evidence outlined suggests that the financial costs of poverty and CAN are both substantial and associated.