Children deprived of basic necessities

CHILDREN
throughout Dublin and Ireland are being forced to go without basic necessities,
according to a new report.

The report found
that almost one in three children are missing out on basic needs such as a warm
coat in winter and three meals per day.

The study, which
was carried out by Trinity College Dublin in association with Barnardos and St
Vincent de Paul, shows that 30.5 per cent of children are deprived of at least
one item on a list of 12 indicators that are considered vital for child
development.

According to
researchers, the report was compiled to reflect issues from a child’s
perspective.

It found that
deprivation can even be experienced from children who are from well-off
backgrounds, with 28 per cent of children being classified as coming from
non-deprived households.

However, the
report also revealed that 58 per cent of children from deprived households had
access to all of the items outlined on the list.

Fergus Finlay,
CEO of Barnardos, said:

“Children have spoken and what they are clearly saying
to us is that poverty and deprivation mean different things to children than
they do to adults.

“It is vital
that we listen to children’s voices. If we don’t hear what they say about their
experiences of poverty, then we can’t find ways to limit the impact of poverty
on young lives.

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Director of the
Children’s Research Centre, Professor Sheila Greene, said:

“The survey
indicates that child and household deprivation are not one and the same
phenomenon and that the experiences of adults and children within a family can
vary.

“It is crucial
that both the measures we use and our responses to child poverty take into
account the complexities that this implies.

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Key findings
highlighted in the report ranged from children not having their own bed, to
children not having the right clothes to suit various weather conditions.

The research
also found that some children are not receiving three meals on a daily basis.