Baby bump
Baby bump
The proof is in the pudding. Cash stipends for low-income mothers lead to increased brain activity in babies, according to a recent study. Past research has shown children living in poverty have less developed brains than their wealthier classmates, but the reason why was unclear. This study is the first to demonstrate a direct scientific link between poverty and brain function over the course of just one year. The program provided monthly payments of $333 to low-income mothers with newborn children, and it’s just one of many public and private guaranteed income programs across the US. Meanwhile, the federal Child Tax Credit, which paid US families up to $300 a month per child, has ended. A bill to extend it recently failed in the Senate due to concerns over its cost and structure. But discussions continue over lower income caps and alternative bills that could create a similar financial safety net for struggling families.