The document discusses definitions of child poverty and its extent and impact in the UK. It defines child poverty as lacking resources to participate in customary activities and living conditions. The UK has a comparatively high child poverty rate, with over 3.6 million children living in income poverty. Surveys found that poverty results in children lacking necessities and social exclusion, with 34% deprived of at least one necessity and 8% in severe and persistent poverty lacking adequate food, clothing and ability to participate.

2. Definition:

 Modern definitions of poverty have moved away from
conceptions based on a lack of physical necessities
towards a more social and relative understanding
 To adapt the classical definition - children in Britain can
be said to live in poverty when they live in families which
lack the resources to enable their children to participate in
the activities and have the living conditions and amenities
which are customary, or at least widely encouraged or
approved.
 They are effectively excluded from ordinary living
patterns, customs and activities

3. The extent of child
poverty:

 The UK has a comparatively high child poverty rate
 The number of children in poverty has increased
dramatically in the last 25 years
 The most recent Households Below Average Income
(HBAI) statistics from (2002-03) show that 3.6 million
children were living in income poverty
 Figures from the European Community Household Panel
Survey show that in 1998 the UK had the highest child
poverty rate in the European Union, but by 2001 the UK
ranked 11th out of the 15 European Union nations on
child poverty rates

4. The impact of poverty on
children:

 Hardship, deprivation and social exclusion:
 the Poverty and Social Exclusion (PSE) Survey
 The PSE survey highlighted the extent to which children in poverty
lacked necessary items and were unable to participate in social
activities.
 The PSE survey derived a list of 30 ‘socially perceived necessities’ and
children were defined as deprived if they lacked one or more
necessities because their parents could not afford them.
 The survey found that 34% of children lacked one or more items and
18% lacked two or more.
 One in fifty children were found to be without a warm, waterproof
coat, daily fresh fruit and vegetables and new, properly fitted shoes.
 One in ten children who were deemed to be poor because they lacked
two or more of the necessary items, did not have a warm coat, daily
fresh fruit and vegetables and properly fitted shoes.

5. The impact of poverty on
children:

 Severe and persistent poverty
 Using the PSE survey, the research highlighted that 8% of children
were in severe poverty – that is, both the children and parents were
materially deprived and their household income was below 40% of
the median.
 34% of severely poor children lacked items such as meat and fish
 21% lacked fresh fruit and vegetables daily
 13% did not own a warm waterproof coat