130,000 children in poverty a ‘silent crisis’

If the 130,000 children who live in dire poverty were as visible as patients on hospital trollies, Ireland might wake up to this ‘silent crisis’, says the CEO of Barnardos.

Fergus Finlay says there are enough children living in consistent poverty to fill Croke Park twice over.

In 2014, the Government set a target in its ‘Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures’ to cut child poverty in half by 2020. This would reduce the figures to 70,000. However, the numbers of children living in consistent poverty are expected to reach 130,000 by the end of this month.

Last year, Barnardos supported more than 12,304 children and families in the first nine months of 2016 compared with 11,718 the first nine months in 2015.

Mr Finlay described their service users as “children and families living in poverty who won’t make it without support”. Yet, as he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, “the State doesn’t believe in early intervention”.

“They are brilliant at spending millions picking up the pieces after the damage is done,” he said.

His words echo comments by Children’s Ombudsman Niall Muldoon to the Irish Examiner last month when he said one of his main objectives is “to push the agenda to early intervention”.

Dr Muldoon called on stakeholders such as Tusla and the Departments of Education, Housing, and Justice “to invest in children before they find themselves in trouble at school or with the gardaí”.

Mr Finlay said Barnardos “work intensively” with families as early intervention can prevent “crisis intervention” at a later stage.

“It is clear to us the economic recovery isn’t being felt by all as we are supporting parents who are under huge strain to meet the needs of their children because of the absence of appropriate quality public services,” he said. “Among the top needs of the children with whom Barnardos worked in 2016 were support for improving family relationships; their own social-emotional development; and enhancing their health and education.

“Sometimes I wish if we could put all the children living in consistent poverty on hospital trollies. Could you imagine the public discourse if there were 130,000 children on trollies? It’s a silent problem and there’s no public discourse about it.”

The charity’s head of advocacy, June Tinsley said the Brighter Outcomes, Better Futures plan has laudable recommendations.

“For instance, it pledges to improving support for families, something Barnardos sees from its work as an absolute priority,” said Ms Tinsley. “Intelligent investment in this area would reap huge benefits for countless families, as well as proving cost-effective, as it would negate the need for crisis intervention at a later stage.”

A spokesman for Minister for Children Katherine Zappone defended her record on child poverty, saying: “Children and families living in poverty are at the centre of the radical new approach to childcare which Ireland is embarking upon after years of under-investment.

“Minister Katherine Zappone secured a 35% increase in funding in Budget 2017 for the scheme which will lift barriers preventing parents from taking up education, training and work. In addition last month the Minister announced free childcare for all families in emergency accommodation which is about to commence. And as a result of Minister Zappone’s intervention the Government included specific proposals on children in the national action plan to combat homelessness.”