Child Poverty
Lesson Objectives
 I will be given the opportunity to learn about
the current rate and trends of child poverty in
the UK today.
 I will be given the opportunity to learn about
UK and Scottish Government policies to reduce
child poverty.
 I will be given the opportunity how successful
these policies have been in reducing child
poverty.
Child Poverty Today
The Good News
The Bad News
 All three main political
 However research by IFS
parties in the UK are
committed to ending
child poverty by 2020.
 Between 1998 to 2011
child poverty was
reduced by 1.1 million.
 Between 1996 to 2010
the number of children
in workless households
have fallen by 15%.
shows that due to current
government policies it is
likely to increase by 1m.
 2.3m children still live in
poverty – one of the
highest rates in Europe.
 On the other hand 66%
of children living in
poverty have at least
one parent working full
time.
What causes child poverty?
 According to the charity Barnardo’s there are four factors
that influence child poverty;
1. Lone parents – more children in lone parent households are
brought in poverty. This is because lone parents’ are less
likely to work due to childcare commitments, cost of
childcare and lack of confidence.
2. Large families – families with 3 or more children – around
1/3 live in poverty. This is because of they are more likely
to be unemployed due to high childcare costs. Also more
likely to go into debt to pay for items like school uniforms.
3. Disabilities in the households – over a million children
living in poverty are affected by disability – having a
parent or child in the house with a disability increases the
chance of living in poverty. It is estimated that bringing up
a disabled child costs an extra £100 per week.
What causes child poverty?
Working families – 66% of children living in poverty have at
least one parent working – three quarters of the parents are
working full time.
• The issue of in work poverty has just been confirmed as a key
cause of child poverty by the UK Government’s Social Mobility
and Child Poverty Commission.
• The chair of the Commission said working parents “simply do
not earn enough to escape poverty.”
4.
 BBC Clip - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24565000
• What is the principle problem of child poverty today?
• How many people earn less than the living wage?
• How does Milburn describe the link between poverty and work?
The Impact of
Child Poverty
You have one minute to complete this
task – working in pairs identify as many
ways you think poverty could have a
negative impact on children.
Attainment – Scotland
had the worst reading
results in recent PISA
tests – boys from
deprived backgrounds
are three years.
Research by CPAG shows
that the attainment gap
widens through school.
The Biology of Poverty - Sir Harry Burns
is the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland.
His research argues that health problems
start at the very beginning of life and that
a "chaotic" upbringing results in health
problems and, ultimately, premature death.
Health – research
completed in 2008
described poverty as a
“hidden killer.” Professor
Spencer said “If poverty
were an infection, we would
be in the midst of a fullscale epidemic.” This is
because of higher rates of
chronic illnesses, obesity,
mental distress etc.
The Impact of
Child Poverty
Life
Expectancy –
it shortens
life
expectancy –
Calton 54;
Lenzie a few
minutes away
is 82.
Child Development –
research by the
Institute of Education
in 2012 showed that
been born into poverty
affected cognitive
development.
Social Mobility – the UK
Govt’s recent report into
child poverty shows that
children born into poverty
are likely to continue to live
in poverty for the rest of
their lives.
Research Task
 Working in groups of three you are going to
produce a presentation lasting 5 minutes for your
class mates.
 Each presentation should have the following in it;
 A summary of the UK or Scottish Government policy
 The positive impact/justification of the policy
 The negative impact/criticisms of the policy.
 Remember to use websites like the BBC, the
Guardian, the Child Poverty Action, the Joseph
Rowntree Foundation, the Centre for Social
Justice etc. (and of course Modernity
Scotland).
Research Task
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Child Benefit (changes)
Child Tax Credit (who can claim it)
Childcare voucher scheme England (how it
works, average cost of childcare)
Childcare voucher scheme Scotland (how it
works, average cost of childcare)
Free school meals in Scotland and England
(does it happen, how much will it cost, why
are they doing it).
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AS YOU NEED TO BE
ABLE TO EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT THESE
POLICIES ARE WORKING IN YOUR ESSAYS.
Feedback Task
 Working in groups of three you are going to




share what you learned about each government
policy to help end child poverty.
Person 1 – information about the policy stays at
their seat.
Person 2 – positive things about the policy will
move round the groups clockwise.
Person 3 – negative things about the policy will
round the groups anti-clockwise.
Five minutes to discuss the feedback in each
group.
Class Discussion
Good points
Bad points
Conclusion
 The main universal approach to child poverty across the
UK appears to be the introduction of free school meals
in England – a few years after Scotland introduced it.
 A key cause of child poverty is the lack of affordable
childcare throughout the UK and both the Coalition
Government and SNP Government are attempting to
deal with thi barrier by expanding access to childcare.
 The Coalition Government have moved away from
universalism by means-testing child benefit.
 The Coalition Government have reformed child tax
credits and critics claim this will not help the most
vulnerable as it will not keep up with the cost of living.