Child Poverty Report

What social policy is? Paul Spicker says it is the study of social services and welfare in the state. It looks at the idea of social welfare and its relationship to politics and society. So would we combat child poverty better if we resort the policy to support practitioners, children and families? A family with two adults and two children under 15 needs to have £375 a week, after paying for housing to be above the poverty line. How do you think that compares to what your family has? (Barnardos Organisation) Child poverty has been an issue for a couple of years now in the United Kingdom. Poverty affects every aspect of a child and family’s life and has long-lasting implications for a child achieving positive adolescent and adult outcomes. Children

Now on a daily breakdown, that’s too little to sort out the family needs. Between the year 2013-2014, we had 3.7 million children living in poverty in the UK, London having the highest numbers. (child poverty action group) Steve: so how does child poverty impact on a child in terms of development or in the long run?Brenda: Poor children are less likely to be successful in school and later in life are more likely to have poorer health and to engage in crime and other problem behaviour. The stress of living in poverty can shape a child’s neuro-biology, leading directly to poorer outcomes in adulthood. A child’s sensitivity in early childhood to environmental influences is evident in many infant and pre-school intervention

For example: Evidence highlights the critical importance of early brain development for establishing the structures that shape future cognitive, social, emotional and health outcomes. Studies in psychology and epidemiology show that both in-utero environments and early childhood experiences have long-term impacts on adult physical and mental health. Plus Epidemiologists have shown that early childhood poverty-related stressors can have long-term effects on adult physical development, affecting biological systems often years later and leading to adverse future health. Early childhood is a developmental period that is especially sensitive to environmental conditions affected by family income. One meta-analysis – a study collating findings from ten different longitudinal studies – estimated the effects of poverty in early childhood on later attainment, behaviour and health Steve; so my dear Brenda, how did we get to this point? Is it the government to blame, its policies? Do we need change in the social policy. Focus it to practitioners, children and