The Bolsa Escola program in Brazil presents a clear break from the economic growth models and supply-side based strategies of the past. Founded on the assumption that the supplemental income generated by child labour outweighs the potential benefits of primary education, Bolsa Escola attempts to address the demand-side component of high dropout rates by providing conditional income subsidies to families with school-aged children. Following a brief survey of the Brazilian context and principal discussions on child labour as related to educational participation, this paper follows the Bolsa Escola program from its conceptual foundations to its prospects for the future. (Contains 1 note.)