I've honestly never liked child tax credits...why should the government subsidize families that procreate?....families shouldn't have more children than they can support, poor choices shouldn't lead to entitlements. i think a better system would be to lower the tax rate of families with children, up to a certain point, and after that, families pay for their own decisions.
very low income families should receive more assistance, but not in the form of tax credits.
affordable (or free) child care would help a lot of people get out and make their own money, free or very low cost medical care for children, assistance buying food and clothing for the children, home energy assistance...all of these would be useful, without making some people feel like bums, and other people resent them, because they feel like they're helping to pay for other people's choices against their will