'Rising tide' of child poverty with more than 134,000  classed as poor

Tanya Ward, CEO of the Children’s Rights Alliance (on right) and her children, Morrigan (9) and Durragh (12) with Zoe Obeimhen, local parent, at the launch of the Child Poverty Monitor, the first in a series of reports that will analyse the complexity of child poverty across the country over the next three years, explore the root causes, and showcase solutions. Picture: Julien Behal

More than 134,000 children and young people are classed as “poor”, according to the Children’s Rights Alliance (CRA).

The body says the figure is on the increase and it has launched a Child Poverty Monitor to keep tabs on the situation.

The CRA says it is the first monitor of its kind and will analyse the complexity of child poverty across the country.

The monitor will also explore root causes and showcase solutions to addressing issues including educational disadvantage, social exclusion, access to healthcare, homelessness, food poverty, and inadequate income.

Speaking at its launch, chief executive of the CRA, Tanya Ward, said: “There is a rising tide of child poverty. Our Child Poverty Monitor analysis shows the issues for children and young people are starting to worsen. The cost of heating your home or your weekly food shop are all rising.” 

She said thousands of children go without what people would consider basic essentials. 

“Families are borrowing money to send their child back to school. Children are spending their whole day in a hotel room, travelling hours to school and desperately trying to put on a brave face in front of friends.

“Young people are missing milestones and opportunities to socialise or engage in any extracurricular activities with their peers. Thousands are still waiting to access mental health services.”

Break the cycle

Political leaders need to make child poverty a priority, she said.

“This will require new, ambitious thinking and commitment to cross-departmental work, as the monitor emphasises, none of these issues exists or is experienced in isolation. Child poverty is not inevitable — it is the result of political choices.

“We are calling on the current Government to choose to break the cycle of consistent poverty currently trapping 134,015 children and young people.” 

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The CRA says there are several key interventions the Government can make happen now that will help families keep their heads above water in the short-term.

There is, for example, no national programme addressing poverty in early years.

The body also said children from marginalised backgrounds, including Traveller children, are finding it “near impossible” to get into services without support.

Lack of affordable childcare

Ms Ward said: “Affordability of childcare currently has a vice-grip on families up and down the country, from urban cities to rural towns. Affordable, quality childcare is the best way to support families out of poverty. However, the National Childcare Scheme doesn’t go far enough to make childcare affordable.

“The lack of provision is a concrete barrier for women and parents returning to work. And Ireland lags far behind other European countries.” 

The CRA says the government needs to raise the Qualified Child Increase by a minimum of €7 for the under 12s and a minimum of €12 for over 12s.

Core social welfare rates also need to be increased “by a minimum” of €20 for all households with children.

The Government also needs to extend the Hot School Meals Programme nationally.

To address the issue of “holiday hunger”, the Government should, the CRA says, fund and develop a pilot initiative for the expansion of school meals during holiday time.