Nearly a third of children in the UK live in relative poverty, and rising numbers face material deprivation. The government’s Opportunity Mission pledges that every child should grow up in a safe, loving home and that families should be able to afford the essentials — but how close are we to that goal?
In this episode of IFS Zooms In, Helen Miller is joined by Christine Farquharson (IFS) and Baroness Anne Longfield (Centre for Young Lives; former Children’s Commissioner for England) to explore:
- How family structures are changing and what that means for children
- The impact of child poverty and financial insecurity
- Why children’s social care is under growing pressure
- What early intervention could do to improve outcomes
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00:00 - Introduction
1:50 - What do families look like now?
5:07 - Do kids’ problems start at home?
8:10 - How many families are facing financial difficulty?
12:05 - How do financial difficulties affect kids?
14:30 - Scarcity mindset
15:45 - What could government do about child poverty?
18:30 - How important is cash vs other interventions?
23:00 - Is the social safety net working?
25:30 - The children’s social care system
30:55 - How can government find ‘reachable moments’?
33:05 - The importance of early intervention
36:33 - How can we help teenagers?
38:56 - Conclusion