Children and Poverty: Some Questions Answered

Summary

Childhood poverty means children and young people growing up without access to different types of resources that are vital for their wellbeing and for them to fulfil their potential. By resources we mean economic, social, cultural, physical, environmental and political resources.

Childhood poverty is not simply poverty as described by children though their views should inform understanding of childhood poverty and action to tackle it.
Everyone in the world either is a child or has been through childhood. Poverty experienced in childhood is poverty suffered during a stage of life crucial for development. While childhood poverty shares causes and manifestations with poverty experienced by adults, there are some important different causes and effects. Crucially, childhood poverty may have lifelong consequences.