Effects? Children

Question 1

Poverty damages the life chances of a child

Answer 1

Strong links exist between poverty and failure at school as children are faced with both material and cultural deprivation. Poverty can do lasting damage to a child’s life chances in terms of education; children who grow up in poverty are less likely to do well at school and have poorer school attendance records.

Poorer parents are unable to provide their children with the additional support that can enhance a child’s education such as educational toys, books, a healthy diet, space in the home to do homework, greater opportunities for travel and private tuition.
Poverty causes lasting damage to the longer life chances of children; as adults they are more likely to suffer ill-health, be a victim of crime and be unemployed or homeless.

Question 2

Poverty is damaging to the health and well-being of children

Answer 2

Children from poorer homes have a greater chance of ill health as their parents lack the income to provide an adequate diet or proper heating and this leaves children vulnerable to disease and illness.
Poor children are also often denied access to safe play areas. The CPAG estimate that one in four of the poorest children have no facilities or outdoor spaces to play in that are considered safe. Children in poverty are more likely to be in danger of accidents and more likely to die in accidents than other children.

Strong links also exist between poverty and teenage motherhood: becoming pregnant as a teenager is eight times as common amongst those from poorer working class backgrounds as for those from professional middle class backgrounds.