If you have not worked all year and have no income you do not need to file a return unless you have a 1095A for Marketplace health ins.
The child tax credit rules for 2021 tax returns were unique to tax year 2021; you could receive the CTC even if you did not have any income earned from working.
That will not be the case for tax year 2022 and forward. The rules revert back to the requirement to have income earned from working in order to receive the refundable part of the CTC.
And...without income earned from working you are not eligible for any other child-related credits like earned income credit or the childcare credit.
