By Aaron Barbour
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation today published three specially commissioned reports focusing on the Cost of Child Poverty.
Donald Hirsch, JRF Adviser, who we’ve worked with before, wrote the Round-up report. Donald writes ‘The moral case for eradicating child poverty rests on the immense human cost of allowing children to grow up suffering physical and psychological deprivations and unable to participate fully in society. But child poverty is also costly to everyone in Britain, not just those who experience it directly. What are the costs to the whole of society of allowing child poverty to continue?’
We’ve also been in touch with Hilary Fisher, the Director of the Campaign to End Child Poverty who said “Child poverty means an unacceptable cost to children and families experiencing poverty, but this research shows that not ending child poverty costs us all at least £25 billion per year. In comparison the £3 billion End Child Poverty Campaign members have been calling for to help meet the 2010 target to halve child poverty is very small indeed. The time is now for government to keep its promise by investing in children – it can’t afford not to”.
At Community Links Annual City Reception, yesterday we launched our own ‘Child Poverty‘ publication, part of our new Social Change Series. The booklet highlights the extent of Child Poverty in east London, summarises our recent research and sets out our national policy recommendations based on the local evidence. There are case studies too, illustrating the stark reality of families experiencing poverty.
Copies can be downloaded from our website
Printed copies available on request
