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Britain's Poorest Children
Following an earlier study of Britain’s Poorest by CRSP, Save the Children Fund (UK) commissioned the centre to update the analysis of severe and persistent child poverty in the UK. The earlier study used two data sets: the Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey (PSE) of 1999; and the first nine waves (1991-1999) of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). Three further waves of the BHPS have since become available, making it possible to update the earlier analysis. The update focused on selected key aspects based on the findings of the earlier analysis that attracted most policy interest or needed more policy action.
The second phase of Britain's Poorest Children focused on the experience of severe and persistent child poverty in the UK during the period 1994-2002. The analysis started with an examination of trends in childhood experience of severe and non-severe poverty between 1994 and 2002, with particular reference to changes after 1997, when new policies were introduced to address the problem of child poverty in the UK. This was followed by an examination of characteristics of children in severe and persistent poverty with particular reference to employment and benefit receipt of adult household members and family type and composition. The final analysis focused on the experience of persistent and severe poverty in childhood and household as well as young people's social exclusion.
Findings
The findings provided useful insights on areas where significant improvements have been made in recent years, as well as highlighted areas that require further policy attention. The analysis showed a considerable decline in the proportion of children who experienced non-severe poverty after 1997. However, there was no evidence of a decline in the proportion of children in severe poverty. Children that were a particular concern with respect to poverty persistence and severity include:
- those in households where adults moved between work and benefits, whose situation had worsened over the years compared to other children;
- where there were children aged under 10 years;
- where there were more children (especially three or more) in the family and
- those who moved from couple to independent families, who were at a particularly high risk of severe poverty.
Persistent poverty remained an important factor in social exclusion. Hence, although there had been some decline in the experience of persistent poverty among children, there is need for continued efforts for further reduction, given its strong association with household and young people’s social exclusion.
Start date: January 2005
Completion date: November 2005
Sponsor: Save the Children Fund, UK
Project team:
Monica Magadi, Sue Middleton and Nicola Selby.
Related Publications
Magadi, M. and Middleton, S., (2007) Severe Child Poverty in the UK, Save the Children, London, UK.
www.crsp.ac.uk/downloads/publications/bpc/severe_child_poverty_in_the_uk.pdf
Magadi, M. and Middleton, S., (2005) Britain’s Poorest Children Revisited: Evidence from the BHPS (1994-2002), CRSP Research Report 3, Save the Children, CRSP, Loughborough University. www.crsp.ac.uk/downloads/research_reports/bpc_research_report_3.pdf
Adelman L., Middleton, S. and Ashworth, K., (2003) Britain’s Poorest Children: severe and persistent poverty and social exclusion, Save the Children, London, UK.
www.crsp.ac.uk/downloads/publications/bpc/britains_poorest_children.pdf
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