The 2026 Child Poverty Monitor is the fifth edition of the Children’s Rights Alliance annual report, tracking government progress on reducing the number of children experiencing poverty. The report benchmarks against measures set out in the European Commission’s Recommendation Investing in Children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage. Building on decades of research and bodies of strategies, literature reviews, and evaluations, Investing in Children provides a roadmap for EU Member States outlining the most effective measures and actions Governments can take to break the cycle of disadvantage.