Child Poverty

As a child centred agency Plan is concerned about the impact that poverty has on children. By listening to, and understanding children, we have found that there are some differences between child poverty and adult poverty.

Child poverty has the following characteristics:

1. Children are the hardest hit by poverty
2. In a population, children are disproportionately poor
3. Child poverty is hidden within a household
4. Children’s potential is undervalued

1. Children are the hardest hit by poverty

Childhood is the most crucial development period in an individual’s life. It is when an individual’s main physical, mental, emotional and social development and growth takes place. Damage at this stage cannot be overcome later in life, and poor children are likely to pass poverty onto their children, perpetuating the cycle. Poverty reduction must begin with children.

2. In a population, children are disproportionately poor

There is significant evidence that poor households have more children than their non-poor counterparts resulting in children being over represented among the poor. Therefore any poverty alleviation strategy needs to have a strong child bias.

3. Child poverty is hidden within a household

Poverty alleviation generally tries to increase income at a household level. Children, though, exist within households and usually have the least power and influence on how income is spent. This is particularly true for girl children. Poor households often have to cut back on expenses for children and frequently are forced to rely on sending the children to work. Battling with extreme poverty every day often leaves adults too busy and exhausted to properly nurture children. To combat child poverty we need to consider the impact poverty is having on children in poor families.

4. Children’s potential is undervalued

Bureaucrats often view children as cost centres and passive dependants of adults. This view worries about how we can spread the cost of children between the family, the community and the state. This view is very narrow. Plan’s experience is that children are social actors in their own right. They are already contributing in numerous ways to social, family, economic and community life. Any attempt to assist children living in poverty needs to understand the contribution children already do and can in the future.