As an example, the New Zealand Government has introduced a well-being budget, of which a central component is to tackle child poverty. As part of this initiative, the Government monitors nine key indicators; some are income poverty measures, while others measure housing, nutrition, education and health outcomes linked to child poverty. Priorities in the 2023 budget in response to the rising cost of living are to extend childcare services, remove payments for medical prescriptions, provide free public transport for children under 13 years of age, and provide support to households (e.g., insulation) to lower energy bills.64 Another example of how this approach can be put into practice is the EU Child Guarantee, which aims to ensure that all children ‘in need’ have access to: free early childhood education and care, free education (including school-based activities and at least one healthy meal each school day), free health care, healthy nutrition and adequate housing.65 This programme also highlights specific groups who may be particularly at risk and therefore also aims to tackle many of the inequalities in poverty risks highlighted earlier in this report. 3. Ensuring decent work and family-friendly policies Decent work with adequate pay and conditions offers a vital and dependable source of income for households with children. The success of Slovenia, which tops the league table, in reducing child poverty has been in part based on effective labour market policies. As well as boosting opportunities for such employment, policymakers should consider a comprehensive set of family-friendly policies that support parents and other caregivers in managing the balance between paid employment and caring responsibilities. Such policies should include adequate parental leave for all parents and caregivers (paid maternity, paternity and parental leave, and leave to care for sick young children) before and after the birth of a child; access to good-quality, affordable childcare; support for breastfeeding; and a range of flexible working options.66 Opportunities for parents wishing to enter or re-enter the labour market to gain access to quality vocational training and further and higher education are also important supports. 4. Acting to reduce the inequalities in poverty risks Cutting across the above three areas, the evidence presented in Part 1 of this report on the persistence of inequalities in poverty risks for children in many minority groups requires ongoing attention and effective action. Over and above universal provisions, additional tailored measures need to be taken to ensure that all children, and their households, have access to social protection, key services and decent work. Key to making action possible is adequate disaggregated data on the poverty risks for different groups and learning from the evidence on policies and approaches that are most effective in reducing inequalities. 48 Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth Innocenti Report Card 18