Instead of increasing benefits for children, ministers should put the money into improving parenting skills, the government's poverty czar has said.
In a major report, Labour MP Frank Field says improving the life chances of under fives is the key to cutting social inequality.
But spending more on benefits was not always the best way to bridge "huge class differences".
Labour said "good intentions" would mean little if child support was cut.
Mr Field said he was urging the government to adopt a new approach in its fight against child poverty, focused on better support for parents of young children to improve their life chances.
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