Many children stuck in poverty unless big political choices made

IRISH children face a bright future, but many will remain stuck in a grinding cycle of poverty unless the right political choices are made, a study has revealed.

The report, by independent social researcher Brian Harvey, makes a series of predictions regarding the challenges facing the next generation, but finds that while there are grounds for optimism, children could still face “a bleak future of adversity”.

The Tomorrow’s Child report, commissioned by Barnardos, states: “The most striking feature arising from the research is that about a fifth of Irish children face difficulty or hardship now and are likely to continue to do so. This is a large minority, by any standards.”

It adds: “Substantial numbers of children will continue to face unequal opportunities unless child poverty can be reduced and the critical deficits in housing, health, social and early childhood education and care services rectified.”

Both Mr Harvey and Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay claimed these predictions were not the result of social trends but of “political choices”.

While the report claims that in many regards Ireland is one of the best countries in the world in which to grow up, Government policy shortcomings have meant this position is not secure going into the future. It states: “Even the relatively primitive level of social development was threatened when the Government announced in summer 2008 that it would make savings in public spending of €400 million in 2008 and €1bn in 2009. The first cuts to be announced were those in the Department of Social and Family Affairs, followed by the threat to dismantle a substantial part of the State’s social policy architecture, such as the Combat Poverty Agency.”

It also highlights other areas in which a lack of Government action could have long-term negative effects on children, including with the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education, which “has not had its funding renewed and is due to close this year.

The report also claims that critical gaps remain in the provision of social work services working with vulnerable children.

Mr Finlay said the report outlined how 15% to 20% of children continue to face adversity related to poverty and lack of access to crucial services in health, housing and early childhood education and care and that Government action was now critical.

“The recent budget yet again highlighted that Government priorities do not lie in tackling the persistent inequality and disadvantage facing children and young people across Ireland,” he said. “Decisions in public spending have a very real impact on the lives of our most vulnerable citizens.”

The report will be launched at a two-day conference today and uses existing data to predict what life will be like for young people as they grow up.

The conference, also entitled Tomorrow’s Child, will hear from a number of speakers who will address issues such as legal challenges facing families and mental health programmes in schools.