Measuring Child Poverty

Date: 29th May 2012
Category: Basic Health and Welfare, General measures of implementation
Author: UNICEF

A new UNICEF report demonstrates that, during the early years of the global economic crisis, the UK did better than many other rich countries in reducing child poverty and protecting children from deprivation. However, UNICEF UK has warned that Government policies to reduce spending may risk more children growing up in poverty.

Measuring child poverty, the latest in UNICEF's Report Card series examining child well-being in rich nations, sets out internationally comparable child poverty data from 35 countries, looking at both child deprivation and relative income poverty. Its UK launch was marked by a roundtable debate in Parliament hosted by Baroness Massey of Darwen, where speakers included the report's author Peter Adamson, the editor of The Spectator Fraser Nelson, and UNICEF UK's Executive Director David Bull.

David Bull said: 'This report shows how committed Government action can make a big difference for children . . . However, we know that the number of children living in poverty in the UK is set to increase due to spending cuts. This will be a catastrophic blow to the futures of thousands of children . . . One thing is clear: Government policies to tackle the deficit must not harm children. There is only one chance at childhood; we cannot see a generation, growing up in austerity, denied the chance to fulfil their potential'.

• To download the report, click here.