School holidays should be a time for children and families to bond, to spend important, relaxed time together and create treasured memories. However, for many families, hopping on the bus to Portrush or a picnic in the park, are no longer possible, as they are living in fear of the next bill landing on their doormat.
We’re only at the beginning of a very real emergency. The skyrocketing cost of living is having a devastating impact on children and families, and it’s no longer just the most vulnerable who are suffering. I have worked in children’s services for almost 29 years and some of the challenges that families are facing today are greater than ever. It’s appalling that so little has changed in the past two decades to lift children, young people and families in Northern Ireland out of poverty.
We need our MLAs to make this Assembly one that commits to ensuring children do not face another decade of poverty, as right now, our children are paying the price of political inaction.
Many families are facing a summer of stress. Prices on the shelves are going up, and electricity and gas companies warn that bills are going to continue to increase. Whilst I welcome the £13.50 Summer Food Payment for children on free school meals, it only scratches the surface of what’s needed.
Back to School costs this year are going to cripple many families. When my children were primary school age, I would save up all year to be able to afford the essentials each September. It worked out around £200 per child, and that was 12 years ago. When they went to big school, the cost doubled. It is encouraging to see uniform swap shops popping up, but this needs to be something that’s offered in all schools in NI, to normalise children wearing second hand uniforms and to help ease some of the pressures of the return to school.
Barnardo’s NI supports over 18,000 children and families in Northern Ireland and the cost of living crisis is having an impact on everyone. Over the last couple of months, I have heard about households with two full-time working adults, who are now also getting swept up in the rising tide of poverty. We have stepped out of one emergency with the pandemic and into another.
Barnardo’s NI and many others in the community and voluntary sector are working tirelessly to fill the gaps left by our government, however this shouldn’t be the case and our government need to act.
The NI Assembly and Executive must urgently reform and work together to tackle this emergency head on, getting immediate support to our children and families. They must deliver and implement a robust and ambitious Anti-Poverty Strategy which will eradicate poverty in Northern Ireland.
We need to put pressure on our local representatives to get back to work for the people of Northern Ireland and to make addressing poverty their number one priority.
I’ve been hearing stories about families going to the petrol station and filling up a one litre bottle of oil, because that’s all they can afford to heat their home. I’m hearing about some young people changing their plans to go into further education and going to work instead, a choice which for some may impact their future opportunities.
I’m particularly worried about the impact this is having on the mental health of parents and carers, and in turn the impact this has on their children and every other aspect of family life.
We know that the impact of poverty can last a lifetime. Poverty has an impact on children from the very beginning; on their health and wellbeing, social and emotional development, educational outcomes and later in life can impact their employment opportunities. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We want children to have the best chances in life and achieve their full potential and we can’t do this until we tackle poverty in Northern Ireland.
Our children deserve better.
Michele Janes Director of Barnardo’s Northern Ireland