Child Poverty levels at 16% in Ballymena

CHILD poverty levels in the Ballymena District Council area are 16%, according to the Campaign to End Child Poverty.

The local figure taken from the Campaign’s Child Poverty Map (2012) is, however below average for Northern Ireland when compared against all 26 council areas and is, infact, among the lowest levels.

The highest is Derry at 35% and the lowest is North Down at 13%. According to the official government definition child poverty means a family of two adults and two children with an income (or below) of £349 a week (after housing costs) – which is 60% below the national average income and means just £12 (or less) per person, per day.

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As a member of the End Poverty Coalition Barnardo’s NI is calling on the NI Executive to focus its work on measures to reduce child poverty.

Director Barnardo’s NI Lynda Wilson said, “Behind today’s statistics sit the most vulnerable children in society whose life chances risk being compromised by our failure to tackle child poverty effectively.

“Barnardo’s NI works with many families in Ballymena through our Leaving Care, Ready to Learn and Jigsaw projects, and the grim reality is that many families face vicious cycles of debt and impossible choices between heating homes or cooking hot meals for their children.”

“We know that children growing up in low income households are more likely to suffer from chronic illness, do less well in education and struggle to find work on leaving school.”

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“While the Northern Ireland Executive has already undertaken steps to address child poverty with the introduction of a Child Poverty Strategy there needs to be further emphasis on literacy, numeracy and early intervention to address educational underachievement and the introduction of a Child Care Strategy to help families facing financial hardship.”

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