Aim. The article presents issues regarding the scope and effects of poverty experienced by families affected by statutory poverty and the children living in them. The definition of poverty presented in German literature on the subject was presented. Their focus is on the life situation of children. The first of them refers to determining the poverty line in the welfare state (statutory poverty). The second definition of poverty is relative. In this case, the level of income in the household where the children live is analyzed. The aim of the article is to describe selected dimensions of child poverty in Germany. It identifies issues relating to the scope and effects of poverty experienced by families affected by statutory poverty and the children living in them. Methods and materials. The effects of poverty were characterized based on representative PASS surveys. They were divided into two groups. The first one is created by shortages in the material sphere (material deprivation) in families where children live. The second group includes deprivation of needs specific to children. Results and conclusion. Despite numerous forms of material support for German families provided by the federal government, child poverty is a serious social problem in Germany. The proportion of children at risk of poverty remains high. It is assumed that in Germany every fifth child is affected by poverty. This means that approximately 2.8 million children and young people under 18 years of age (of which 2.4 million children and young people under 15 years of age) are growing into poverty.