A STATISTICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PURCHASING POWER OF SOCIAL BENEFITS FOR CHILDBIRTH AND CHILDCARE IN UKRAINE

The article presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of the purchasing power of social assistance at childbirth and child care in Ukraine over the period from 2017 to 2025. The article is a continuation of a statistical study initiated by the author in 2016–2017. It examines the evolution of the state support system for families with children, with particular emphasis on regulatory frameworks, structural changes in the composition of social payments, and the mechanisms of their disbursement. The study highlights that from 2017 to 2023, the amount of social assistance remained fixed and failed to reflect inflationary trends, resulting in a significant decrease in its real value and its capacity to meet the actual needs of households with children. Starting from 2024, a new model was introduced, linking the amount of assistance to the minimum wage, which marked a positive step toward increasing its effectiveness. The article provides a detailed evaluation of monthly household expenditures based on official statistics, develops a purchasing power index for each year of the analyzed period, and presents a comparative table and graphical representation of its dynamics. The research proves that the index increased from 0.27 in 2017 to 0.72 in 2025, indicating a relative improvement in the adequacy of state support. However, full coverage of household needs has not yet been achieved. The main trends in changes of purchasing power indices have been identified. The graphical method was applied to illustrate the observed trends. The calculation of the purchasing power index is based on the comparison between the monthly amount of assistance and household expenditures. The study emphasizes the necessity of incorporating regional cost-of-living coefficients, demographic indicators, and inflation differentials when designing and adjusting social policies. It argues for the development of an adaptive and targeted approach to financial aid distribution, ensuring social equity and economic sustainability. The findings may serve as a foundation for enhancing the methodology of statistical monitoring, refining budget planning procedures, and optimizing the system of state social guarantees in Ukraine.