Abstract
The present moment is characterized by numerous crises, which have the effect of intensifying child poverty and the negative consequences for those affected. In the context of social and education policy debates, early childhood education and care (ECEC) institutions are typically assigned an important role in addressing social inequality and preventing the adverse consequences of child poverty. However, this presupposes that these institutions and their professionals work in a poverty-sensitive manner. This article presents the findings from a quantitative online survey of 540 employees in ECEC institutions in Austria. The study examined professionals’ perceptions regarding poverty-sensitive strategies and attitudes relevant to classism. The results reveal the following: Firstly, in the absence of information regarding family circumstances, professionals often compensate by relying on visible „indicators of poverty.“ Secondly, references to structural barriers are linked by professionals to assessments of parents’ employment biographies that are aligned with the norm of paid work. Thirdly, an equality-as-sameness paradigm, as well as insufficient personnel and financial resources within institutions, impede the implementation of a comprehensive poverty-sensitive strategy.
Keywords: child poverty, classism, poverty-aware action, poverty prevention, early childhood education, poverty,