An eight-year study offers new evidence which will help to tackle the root causes of child poverty, writes Helen Johnston.
Over 100,000 children are in poverty in Ireland, with up to 230,000 at risk of poverty. This is far too many in a society which has one of the best-performing economies in Europe. Most people want to see this figure substantially reduced and child poverty completely eliminated. Every child in Ireland has the right to be brought up free from poverty, to enjoy a fulfilling childhood and to realise their potential.
A new study undertaken for the Combat Poverty Agency by the ESRI analyses for the first time the length of time children spend in poverty and what the factors are that cause them to be in poverty or to move out of poverty. This information means we are better able to put in place policies and measures which target the root causes to prevent children being in poverty. These findings are timely and can inform key policy instruments currently in development such as the National Partnership Agreement, the National Action Plan against Poverty and the National Development Plan.
The study tracked children over an eight-year period from 1994 to 2001 and found that over half of them had spent some time in income poverty. A quarter of children (23 per cent) spent a relatively short amount of time in poverty, one or two years. A higher number (27 per cent) spent three or more years in income poverty. Within this latter category 17 per cent spent five or more years in income poverty.
High poverty rates at a given point in time can come about because the number of children entering poverty is rising or because the number of poor children who leave poverty is falling. The study reveals the factors that result in children spending a long time in poverty and explains the links between child poverty in one generation and adult poverty in another. This can help us to break the cycle of poverty.
The households that children live in influence the amount of time spent in childhood poverty. Younger children and children in larger families spend the longest time in poverty. Children influence the household's risk of poverty because of their impact on household expenses and on the labour force status of the parents, particularly the mother.
In addition to the number and age of children in a household, the duration of child poverty is also affected by the educational levels and health of the adults in the household, as well as their dependence on social welfare.
The chances of experiencing sustained poverty in adulthood are related to childhood economic circumstances and children's educational opportunities, in particular. A person whose parents have no educational qualifications beyond primary level is 23 times more likely to have no formal qualification himself or herself compared to someone whose parents have third-level education.
To address these factors requires a range of policy measures working together and focused on the children and their families. The newly established Office of the Minister for Children provides a mechanism for this. Education plays a key role and this study points to the need for early intervention to support education and development of young children at risk of poverty.
The childcare supplement announced in the last Budget will go some way towards this, but this needs to be matched by provision of quality early education facilities and continued after-school provision. Child income support for low-income families needs to be increased to lift these families out of poverty, whether they are in low-paid employment or on social welfare. In particular, the transition from welfare to work needs to be supported to eliminate poverty traps, especially for lone parents.
Of fundamental importance are the supports provided to low-income families to enable them to make the transition to the labour market and to facilitate the move out of poverty. Here we are talking about the provision of flexible childcare, education and training supports, and flexible employment arrangements. These supports need to respect the balance between parenting and working. If we are serious about eliminating child poverty these measures need to be put in place.
On a positive note, this study shows that many children do move out of poverty. However, we need to eliminate the factors that cause children to move into or remain in poverty. This requires a national commitment and a more co-ordinated approach to eliminate child poverty once and for all.
Day In, Day Out: Understanding the Dynamics of Child Poverty is written by Richard Layte, Bertrand Maître, Brian Nolan and Christopher T Whelan of the ESRI - Helen Johnston is the director of the Combat Poverty Agency.