House President Donald Trump and Republicans have proposed budget proposals that will cut hundreds of millions of dollars in spending over the next decade to support several plans to support low-income American families with children.

If these cuts are in the 2026 budget version and Trump signs it into law to fund early childhood education, support for grocery purchases, and a range of programs that help to make children feed, shelter and care, drop significantly.

As professors conducting research on child welfare, we are shocked by these proposed cuts and are concerned about their potential impact on children and families. We are particularly concerned that steps taken to reduce costs will make children less safe and more vulnerable to the consequences of abuse and neglect.

Help for low-income families

Our research shows that increasing programs supporting low-income families can reduce child abuse and neglect while improving parental well-being. Examples of these programs include subsidies for nurseries and income tax credits for incomes that subsidize the incomes of many low- and middle-income Americans.

Other researchers have found further evidence that policies that help low-income families put food on their tables, keep the roof and access to health care also provide basic needs of children, such as food and education, and ensure children’s safety.

The proposed budget cuts could cost all taxpayers because not only abuse of people as children, but also for society, the cost of abuse and neglect of children is also high.

More importantly, a series of cost-effective studies have found that providing a safety net for families can not only help families who receive assistance, but also the entire society.

Children abuse and neglect

In 2023, child protection agencies received 4.4 million reports and confirmed 546,159 cases on suspicion of abuse and neglect. Despite these high numbers, they greatly underestimate the number of abused and neglected children in the United States, as many abuses and neglects have never been reported.

Research that documented the consequences and costs of child abuse and neglect has led many experts, including us, to recommend programs and policies that can reduce risks.

Without attempts to reduce these risks, more children will suffer or die. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that 2,000 children died of abuse and neglect in 2023. Nearly half of the death tolls are children under 1 year old.

Poverty-related risks

Some of the most useful programs to prevent child abuse and neglect, focusing on reducing poverty.

Poverty can put children at risk of abuse and neglect. When families can’t afford essentials, it can add stress, making parenting more difficult.

Poverty is not the only cause of child abuse and neglect, but it is high in the list of risk factors. Its harm can be difficult to reverse.

A nonprofit campaign to prevent child abuse argues that child abuse and neglect are not “a problem of bad parents” but “a problem of lack of resources.” Researchers have found that child abuse and neglect usually come from social and economic problems that lead to family crises.

For example, when parents are not working, lack of quality child care, and often difficult to make ends meet, the rise in parenting pressure and the basic needs of children may be clarified.

Government plans to help everyone

The CDC found that improving public health requires government programs that can reduce harm to children and promote the development and well-being of children.

These programs include improving parenting skills, expanding efforts to access high-quality parenting and early education, and enhancing economic resilience for families.

However, the Trump administration initially tried to eliminate a successful federally funded preschool program for low-income children and tore off many essential services. There is evidence that children who attend first-time starts are more likely to complete high school and college, which is important for employment and financial security.

The CDC and our review of the study show significant improvements in children’s health, fewer cases of child abuse and neglect, such as tax credits for income, temporary assistance to families in need, and supplementary nutrition assistance programs.

We believe these programs are worth investing in because children’s lives are at risk. Especially when the economy seems to be in trouble, the consequences of weakening the safety net are terrible.