Poverty dynamics in early childhood among the children of immigrants in Sweden and Finland

This brief report delves into the poverty frequency and persistence of second-generation (G2) children in Sweden and Finland, comparing them with their peers from the majority population. These are unique contexts to examine such socioeconomic inequalities since they are the two highest ranked countries in terms of policies geared towards families and immigrant integration. Leveraging longitudinal full-population register data from 2011-2019 for children ages 0-4, it provides a detailed look at socioeconomic disparities between immigrant and native children during an early life stage which has been regarded as particularly important for child development and is heavily affected by policies promoting work-family reconciliation and family well-being. Findings reveal significant inequalities with G2 children facing more frequent and persistent poverty than those with native-born parents. Interestingly, the G2’s increased poverty frequency is not due to a higher likelihood of remaining poor, but rather a greater risk of falling into poverty. The study underscores the severe poverty levels among some immigrant groups, the Somali being the chief example, as a critical challenge to equality and social stability in both countries.