The Cost of Poverty for Child Development: The Adverse Impact on Maltreatment, Education and Mental Health Outcomes Cannot be Ignored

Abstract

Recent reports from numerous sources, such as the Centre for Young Lives and Child of the North, have highlighted the alarming prevalence of child poverty in the UK, with over 4 million children affected, and a staggering 1 million residing in the North of England alone (Centre for Young Lives & Child of the North, 2024). Furthermore, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, drawing on statistics published by the UK Government, indicate a concerning trend of absolute poverty, with an additional 600,000 individuals, half of whom are children, falling below the poverty line and rising for the second year in a row (HM Government, 2024; Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2024). The prevalence of poverty has profound impacts on children’s educational and mental health outcomes (Barnardo’s, 2022), in addition to the likelihood of maltreatment occurring (Bywaters, Skinner & Kennedy, 2022; Skinner, Bywaters & Kennedy, 2022a; 2022b).