Child poverty – the past or the future of the UK?
The UK government made a pledge in 1999 to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020. However, it is not likely to be able to keep this promise and blames it on financial crisis. Tamila Varshalomidze investigates whether child poverty has the future in the UK.
“Gordon Brown was right to say child poverty is a scar on the soul of Britain. Without investment right now to protect family security, the scar will grow. It was a culture of inequality and greed that led us into the recession, it is only a culture of fairness with an end to poverty that will lead us back to enduring economic security,” claims Child Poverty Action Group.
However, Save the Children spokesperson Rachel Bhatia goes further and accuses the government in not doing enough to tackle the problem of child poverty.
“The government needs to put in £3 billion a year in order to end child poverty and that is just a drop in the ocean compared to how much they’ve pumped in the banks, so essentially the government needs to invest into these families. They need to ensure that they are getting enough money to be able to survive and to have a decent standard of living and to enable them to come back into the economy so that they can go to work and they can earn money for it to go back into their lifestyle,” she adds.
DCSF Child Poverty Unit spokesperson Paul Campbell says that the government is continuing to work towards the 2010 target and has taken further steps announced at pre budget and budget reports even in difficult times.
He claims that there is significant uncertainty about the impact on child poverty of the current economic circumstances and the government faces additional pressures as a result of extraordinary economic events, so everyone recognises it will be hard to meet the target by 2010.
“The Government’s declared aim is to eradicate child poverty by 2020. Our determination to do so is as firm as ever as we are demonstrating by introducing a child poverty Bill in 2009,” he adds.
One of the biggest initiatives of the government in tackling child poverty is the SureStart programme that provides free services to children before school age.
Boscombe Children's Centre Manager Justine Greenfield thinks this initiative should become an example for further steps forward on the way of eradicating child poverty in the UK.
“It is important that all families can access an environment which is non-judgmental, high quality and costs them nothing (or very little) to make use of. The outcomes of SureStart are that families are empowered to deal with their issues and can move forward positively, leading to better outcomes for their children.”
Boscombe Children’s Centre is one of the SureStart Children's Centres which offers free services to any local family from baby massage and positive parenting workshops to careers advice and financial guidance.
Chair of London Child Poverty Commission Kate Green explains what else should be done to end child poverty in the UK:
Joseph Rowntree Foundation policy and research manager Helen Barnard agrees but adds the importance of improving benefit system.
She explains why:
Quick actions needed against London child poverty rates
30.06.2009
Chair of London Child Poverty Commission calls for quick actions from the government to avoid boosting the number of children in poverty.
Changing housing system or fighting child poverty?
23.06.2009
Joseph Rowntree Foundation insists that supporting disadvantaged families is the best way to narrow the gap between the children living in social housing and other tenures.
Child Poverty Bill published
16.06.2009
The government has published the Child Poverty Bill that can raise legal actions if they miss its 2020 targets.
Courses to increase help ability
09.06.2009
Advisers with limited experience of tax credits got an opportunity today to increase their help ability of the children in poverty.