Child rights and active citizenship have been significant policy emphases and developments in recen years but the relationship between the two has not been actively explored in relation to the implications for child poverty. Recent policy developments in New Zealand and Sweden are drawn on here to explore this relationship. The article argues than an emphasis on active citizenship does not lead to improvement of rights for all children. Too many children are left in poverty because active citizenship is focused on the lives of adults, not the needs and rights of children. Advancing children's rights requires attention to the position of all children, not just those who live in households where the adults meet active citizenship requirements.