A fair start for every child

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/

 

Save the Children in their report `A fair start for every child` addresses child poverty in the UK:

The report from Save the Children reveals youngsters have paid the highest price in the recession, with families being hit by a triple whammy of years of flat wages, cuts to benefits and the rising cost of living.

They have also felt the pinch with food prices increasing by 19% more than the general price level of other goods between 2007 and 2011.Soaring childcare costs have seen the price of nursery places for children under two rise by 77% in 10 years since 2003.

Despite a cross-party commitment to end child poverty by 2020, new projections show the numbers living in poverty could increase by 1.4 million in the same period - a rise of 41% on the 3.5 million children currently living in poverty, claims the report A Fair Start For Every Child.

Save the Children chief executive Justin Forsyth said: "We're increasingly worried that unless there is a dramatic change of course, we're at risk of writing off the future of millions of British children, giving them an unfair start in life.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/politics/5m-children-face-life-of-poverty-1.391812

http://www.cpag.org.uk/scotland/child-poverty-facts-and-figures 

 

The issue is covered by the Child Poverty Action group in Scotland.

One in five of Scotland’s children are officially recognised as living in poverty. In some areas over one in three children grow up in poverty. With Scotland’s undoubted wealth CPAG believes this is a scandal. There is no reason why our child poverty rates should be so much higher than in many other European countries. In Denmark and Norway less than 10% of children live in poverty, whilst Germany has a poverty rate of 15%. Poverty remains one of the most serious problems facing children today. Its’ effects last a lifetime, negatively impacting on health, education, social and physical development and seriously harming future life chances and opportunities.

　
They have the following to say about the causes of child poverty:

Individual behaviour is found to be of limited value in explaining the extent of poverty in Scotland. Neither can poverty be reduced to the status of a straightforward economic outcome – even when Scotland’s economy grows poverty remains widespread. In fact a combination of social, political and economic factors and choices drive the nature and extent of poverty. The key drivers of poverty are inequality, low pay, inadequate benefits, poor quality work opportunities and lack of support for those with caring responsibilities, ill health or effected by disability.

Let us hope that the `early interventionists` modify their view and recognise that poverty has multiple causes.