Editorial
Child poverty: Limiting children’s life chances
Journal of Child Health Care 2014, Vol. 18(1) 3–5 ª The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permission: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1367493514522726 chc.sagepub.com
Bernie Carter Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Child Health Care; University of Central Lancashire, UK
Child poverty is a term that covers a spectrum of material and financial deprivation ranging from low income to relative or absolute poverty. Although generally understood to be related to having too little money, poverty is difficult to define. There is no one standard or definition that can be universally applied. Most definitions are ones that are derived for particular political, fiscal, welfare and other purposes. Addressing the challenge of defining poverty, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 27 recognizes ‘‘the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development’’ and also states that Parties, in accordance with national conditions and within their means, shall take appropriate measures to assist parents and others responsible for the child to implement this right and shall in case of need provide material assistance and support programmes, particularly with regard to nutrition, clothing and housing.
It is a tragedy that so many children across the world still do not have access to even an ‘adequate’ standard of living. Many children are living in poverty. Poverty is complicated and the effects of poverty on the lives of children and families are devastating, long reaching and generational. Poverty is a key social determinant of health and inextricably linked to children’s well-being and life chances. There is clear evidence of a social gradient of health with children in the poorest circumstances having worse life chances than those in better socio-economic circumstances. This social gradient is a global phenomenon and can be seen within and across countries (WHO, 2008). Poverty affects the life chances of children in many ways, such as the community in which they live, the quality and type of housing they live in and the sense of security they experience within their home. Thornhill (2014) acknowledges the importance of housing for children when stating that it ‘is the prism through which they experience many other services’. Corresponding author: Bernie Carter, University of Central Lancashire, UK. Email: [email protected]
Downloaded from chc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF NORTH DAKOTA on June 7, 2015
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Journal of Child Health Care 18(1)
In two recent studies in the United Kingdom (Children’s Commissioner, 2013, Larkins et al., 2013), children and young people have had the opportunity to talk about what poverty means to them and how it affects their lives. This work has created a better understanding of the measures that children think should be used when considering child poverty. When given the chance to voice their opinions, perspectives and insights, the children in these studies were able to articulate how their lives were shaped by poverty. In line with more complex adult definitions of poverty, the children explained that poverty was not having enough money to buy basic things such as food and clothes and not having enough money to be able to have heating in their home when it was cold. They understood that poverty could be absolute or relative as one girl explained: There is a difference between people poor with money, and people poor with nothing. But like both mean poverty isn’t it, as it compares to people you are around. (Larkins et al., 2013: 13)
They clearly understood the choices that had to be made because of extremely limited home finances. The children also understood how poverty affected other aspects of their lives such as schooling and housing, jobs and employment, being able to travel about outside of their own community and access other opportunities. The children were clear that poverty limited their chances and that the government should do more to help families living in poverty. Larkins et al.’s (2013) study focused on disabled children and poverty, and it was clear that families with disabled children experience further financial disadvantage. This disadvantage stems from many causes but often reflects the additional costs related to meeting the disabled child’s particular needs such as additional care costs or the requirement for special transport arrangements. There is now considerable evidence to show that disabled children are at risk of a range of povertyrelated disadvantages and that these in turn infringe their rights. The children in this study instinctively understood that if they and their families were financially better off and did not have to worry about having enough money to cover the basics, their lives would be better. Amongst other proposals that the Young People’s Steering Group made were that the government should: Set budgets that give greater priority to ensuring that disabled children and young people have the basic things they need for living. Ensure plans for social security reform and benefit levels are set through listening and giving due weight to the views of disabled children and young people and their families. (Larkins et al., 2013: 17) The children in these studies know what it is like to live in poverty. They realise how different their lives are from the lives of their better off peers. They knew and understood how their lives could be improved if the financial situation at home was less desperate. The findings remind me of an interview I had with a child many years ago. The conversation turned to money and the child said, ‘Being poor is rubbish, ‘cos it makes you feel like rubbish’. He asked me if I’d been poor and when I said ‘no’ he replied, ‘Miss, I’m glad for you, ‘cos no one should be poor’. He was right then and although he will be an adult by now, his words still remain true today. No one should be poor. All children deserve the right to a childhood that is not marred by poverty.
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Carter
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References Children’s Commissioner (2013) Measuring Child Poverty: A consultation on Better Measures of Child Poverty. London, UK: Office of the Children’s Commissioner. Larkins C, Thomas N, Judd D, et al. (2013) ‘‘We Want to Help People See Things Our Way’’: A Rights-Based Analysis of Disabled Children’s Experience Living with Low Income. London, UK: Office of the Children’s Commissioner. Thornhill (2014) Why housing helps prevents child poverty. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/housing-network/2014/jan/15/housing-helps-prevent-child-poverty (accessed 15 January 2014). World Health Organization (WHO) (2008) Commission on social determinants of health FINAL REPORT Closing the gap in a generation. Available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2008/9789241563703_eng.pdf (accessed 15 January 2013).
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Child poverty: Limiting children’s life chances
Journal of Child Health Care 2014, Vol. 18(1) 3–5 ª The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permission: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1367493514522726 chc.sagepub.com
Bernie Carter Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Child Health Care; University of Central Lancashire, UK
Child poverty is a term that covers a spectrum of material and financial deprivation ranging from low income to relative or absolute poverty. Although generally understood to be related to having too little money, poverty is difficult to define. There is no one standard or definition that can be universally applied. Most definitions are ones that are derived for particular political, fiscal, welfare and other purposes. Addressing the challenge of defining poverty, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 27 recognizes ‘‘the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development’’ and also states that Parties, in accordance with national conditions and within their means, shall take appropriate measures to assist parents and others responsible for the child to implement this right and shall in case of need provide material assistance and support programmes, particularly with regard to nutrition, clothing and housing.
It is a tragedy that so many children across the world still do not have access to even an ‘adequate’ standard of living. Many children are living in poverty. Poverty is complicated and the effects of poverty on the lives of children and families are devastating, long reaching and generational. Poverty is a key social determinant of health and inextricably linked to children’s well-being and life chances. There is clear evidence of a social gradient of health with children in the poorest circumstances having worse life chances than those in better socio-economic circumstances. This social gradient is a global phenomenon and can be seen within and across countries (WHO, 2008). Poverty affects the life chances of children in many ways, such as the community in which they live, the quality and type of housing they live in and the sense of security they experience within their home. Thornhill (2014) acknowledges the importance of housing for children when stating that it ‘is the prism through which they experience many other services’. Corresponding author: Bernie Carter, University of Central Lancashire, UK. Email: [email protected]
Downloaded from chc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF NORTH DAKOTA on June 7, 2015
4
Journal of Child Health Care 18(1)
In two recent studies in the United Kingdom (Children’s Commissioner, 2013, Larkins et al., 2013), children and young people have had the opportunity to talk about what poverty means to them and how it affects their lives. This work has created a better understanding of the measures that children think should be used when considering child poverty. When given the chance to voice their opinions, perspectives and insights, the children in these studies were able to articulate how their lives were shaped by poverty. In line with more complex adult definitions of poverty, the children explained that poverty was not having enough money to buy basic things such as food and clothes and not having enough money to be able to have heating in their home when it was cold. They understood that poverty could be absolute or relative as one girl explained: There is a difference between people poor with money, and people poor with nothing. But like both mean poverty isn’t it, as it compares to people you are around. (Larkins et al., 2013: 13)
They clearly understood the choices that had to be made because of extremely limited home finances. The children also understood how poverty affected other aspects of their lives such as schooling and housing, jobs and employment, being able to travel about outside of their own community and access other opportunities. The children were clear that poverty limited their chances and that the government should do more to help families living in poverty. Larkins et al.’s (2013) study focused on disabled children and poverty, and it was clear that families with disabled children experience further financial disadvantage. This disadvantage stems from many causes but often reflects the additional costs related to meeting the disabled child’s particular needs such as additional care costs or the requirement for special transport arrangements. There is now considerable evidence to show that disabled children are at risk of a range of povertyrelated disadvantages and that these in turn infringe their rights. The children in this study instinctively understood that if they and their families were financially better off and did not have to worry about having enough money to cover the basics, their lives would be better. Amongst other proposals that the Young People’s Steering Group made were that the government should: Set budgets that give greater priority to ensuring that disabled children and young people have the basic things they need for living. Ensure plans for social security reform and benefit levels are set through listening and giving due weight to the views of disabled children and young people and their families. (Larkins et al., 2013: 17) The children in these studies know what it is like to live in poverty. They realise how different their lives are from the lives of their better off peers. They knew and understood how their lives could be improved if the financial situation at home was less desperate. The findings remind me of an interview I had with a child many years ago. The conversation turned to money and the child said, ‘Being poor is rubbish, ‘cos it makes you feel like rubbish’. He asked me if I’d been poor and when I said ‘no’ he replied, ‘Miss, I’m glad for you, ‘cos no one should be poor’. He was right then and although he will be an adult by now, his words still remain true today. No one should be poor. All children deserve the right to a childhood that is not marred by poverty.
4 Downloaded from chc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF NORTH DAKOTA on June 7, 2015
Carter
5
References Children’s Commissioner (2013) Measuring Child Poverty: A consultation on Better Measures of Child Poverty. London, UK: Office of the Children’s Commissioner. Larkins C, Thomas N, Judd D, et al. (2013) ‘‘We Want to Help People See Things Our Way’’: A Rights-Based Analysis of Disabled Children’s Experience Living with Low Income. London, UK: Office of the Children’s Commissioner. Thornhill (2014) Why housing helps prevents child poverty. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/housing-network/2014/jan/15/housing-helps-prevent-child-poverty (accessed 15 January 2014). World Health Organization (WHO) (2008) Commission on social determinants of health FINAL REPORT Closing the gap in a generation. Available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2008/9789241563703_eng.pdf (accessed 15 January 2013).
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