A study finds 34% of poor children in Thailand excluded from Child Grant

Given Thailand's low birth rate and rapidly ageing population, Unicef reiterates the urgency of expanding the Child Support Grant to all children under 6 as the most effective way to address this high "exclusion error" - referring to the number of eligible households missing out on the Grant.

“Investment in children's early years is the smartest investment in human capital development that Thailand can make, and the country has the fiscal space to afford it according to forecasts by Unicef and TDRI,” said Severine Leonardi, Unicef Deputy Representative for Thailand. “The first six years of a child’s life are a unique opportunity to build a strong foundation for them to stay healthy, do better at school, go on to successful careers, and participate fully in society. Conversely, failure to act could damage Thailand's future development."

Evidence has shown that the Child Support Grant is highly beneficial to children’s health and nutrition, but the high exclusion error and low level of cash benefit have limited the overall impact of the scheme on poverty reduction.

“Global evidence shows that high exclusion errors in cash transfer programmes are often linked with the design of the schemes and their targeting strategy," said Somchai Jitsuchon, Research Director, of Inclusive Development, at the Thailand Development Research Institute. "The exclusions often occur during screening and registration when a household’s eligibility is being verified. The new findings confirm that the exclusion rate remains high in Thailand, pointing to persisting inefficiencies in the scheme.” 

Since its adoption in 2015, the Child Support Grant has expanded both in terms of the coverage and value of the transfer. However, evidence shows that the current benefit level of 600 baht per month is still not adequate to meet the basic needs of children.

“The Royal Thai Government can eliminate exclusion in this scheme with just an additional 7 billion THB to reach over a million children under 6 years old, most of whom come from poor households. This additional investment will bring the total budget for the Child Support Grant to around 23 billion THB which equals 0.1 per cent of the GDP. This is the most effective investment in Thailand’s most valuable asset, its children," added Jitsuchon.

Suan Dusit Poll revealed earlier this year that 81 % of people in Thailand are in favour of expanding the Child Support Grant to all children below 6, as they see the scheme as an effective measure to support families with children, reduce poverty, and fulfil all children’s right to a dignified childhood. 

The positive impact the Child Support Grant has already had – including positive changes to children's nutrition, better access to post-natal care and empowerment of mothers – has been extensively documented. The Grant can contribute to a child's lifelong learning and development, in turn supporting Thailand’s growth and prosperity through improved human capital. Taking measures to expand the Grant to reach all children is the next step towards a brighter future. This is in line with the Government’s policy for promoting “quality birth and growth” for every child to address the challenges of insufficient income affecting families and the future of the workforce.