Five charities join to raise awareness of child poverty

Five charities have joined forces to open a campaign aimed at heightening awareness of child poverty and changing public policy in relation to issues surrounding "the basic rights of the child".

The last statistics available indicate that between a quarter and one-third of all Irish children were at risk of poverty in 1977. Children are at greater risk of poverty than adults while lone parent families and families with three or more children are particularly at risk, according to the campaign, started at the weekend.

"Child poverty matters. It is a denial of the basic rights of the child," said Mr Hugh Frazer, director of the Combat Poverty Agency. "How children live today powerfully influences how they will live tomorrow and the next generation.

"Those who grow up in poverty are likely to do less well emotionally, have fewer recreational, social and cultural opportunities and to be more at risk of being involved in crime and anti-social behaviour." Mr Frazer said decisions being taken on the National Development Plan and the new partnership agreement had the potential to radically affect child poverty. "It is important that a clear target is set for the reduction of child poverty as part of a Government national anti-poverty strategy. We now have the resources and the capacity to end the scandal of children being raised in poverty," he said.

The charities in the campaign claim that while the recent economic growth and changes in social policy have improved the position of some families and their children, the reality of child poverty has not been fundamentally altered. The campaign is set to run for the next two years.

The charities are the Combat Poverty Agency, Barnardos, the Children's Rights Alliance, the National Youth Council of Ireland and the Society of St Vincent de Paul.