A WOKINGHAM charity is backing calls for the next government to take child poverty seriously.
The Children At The Table campaign is calling on politicians from across the political spectrum to prioritise families struggling financially, and children and young people’s mental health.
The call comes following research that almost two-thirds of children think that politicians don’t understand the issues that affect children today, while three-quarters feel politicians don’t listen to them.
The Children’s Charities Coalition, a partnership of leading UK children’s charities including Action for Children, Barnardo’s, The Children’s Society, the National Children’s Bureau and NSPCC wants the next government to put babies, children and young people at the heart of policy making.
This includes tackling issues related to child poverty: more than a quarter of children (27%) said politicians should be helping families struggling with money and having the basic things they need.
Nearly one in five (18%) want children and young people’s mental health prioritised.
One 16-year-old girl who contacted Childline last year said: “We don’t have much money and are barely affording to buy food. One of the reasons I’m looking forward to going back to school is because there isn’t the uncertainty of when or if I’ll get to eat.”
Part of the campaign includes enacting a ‘child lock’ along the lines of the pension triple lock, which would ensure annual increases in the support parents receive from the government. This would stop such payments from being a political decision.
In a joint statement, the coalition said: “Adequately addressing the scale of the problem requires political will from the very top of Government. The Prime Minister and other party leaders must commit to ending child poverty once and for all with a roadmap to achieve this set out in the next King’s Speech.
“We need action now because early support for families leads to happier, healthier and safer childhoods for all children, especially those experiencing poverty.
“The Government could drive improvements for babies, children and young people today by scrapping the two-child limit for benefit payments and the benefit cap, boosting the child element of Universal Credit and increasing funding for early help services.”
Wokingham-based First Days Children’s Charity provides practical support for low-income families, including offering pre-loved baby goods, clothes, books and toys. It also runs a school uniform bank, and helps with big events such as Christmas.
It also offers support and advice.
Its CEO, Emma Cantrell, told Wokingham Today: “The government needs to take child poverty seriously, a whole generation of children have been forgotten over the last 14 years.
“It is beyond my understanding that any politician needs persuading to take ending child poverty seriously – it is their moral duty.
“I think this child lock policy is a great way forward, and makes suggestions that could result in meaningful change for children in poverty.
“We really welcome the essentials guarantee and would very much like to close our essential item distribution projects as a result.
“Our dream has always been for an end to child poverty meaning we can close our doors for good, it would be a dream come true if no families needed our services again.”
For more information on the campaign, log on to: https://childrenatthetable.org.uk/
For more on First Days, or to find out how to get help, log on to: firstdays.net
