Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
This is Kent reports on the shocking poverty situation in Dover and District after the publishing of the latest profile by Kent County Council.
More than a fifth of Dover's under-16s are living in poverty, over 1,000 of them in homes without central heating.
UNEMPLOYMENT: 4,394 children live in homes where no adults are in employment.
HEATING: 1,283 youngsters aged 0 to 18 in the area live in homes without central heating.
BREAD: The profile also reveals a rise in the number of youngsters aged 16 and under living below the breadline.
The report also cites a lack of free and affordable childcare availability, and that cost can make low-paid work financially unviable.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i always assumed that everyone had central heating nowadays. the statistics are quite damning in a modern society.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
I wonder what percentage of those children belong to immigrants, fairly high I should think.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Would someone please define 'poverty' in the context of these statistics?
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Jan, I doubt the percentage of immigrant children living in poverty in Dover District is high.
Peter, the definition of poverty has been described in the article, and one factor is living in a family which depends entirely on benefits, jobseekers allowance would be the main spending income, coupled with child allowance.
Housing benefit goes straight on rent.
Any more questions concerning the definition of poverty?
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Peter - "poverty" these days seem to be no mobile phone and TV smaller than 40"......
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 756- Registered: 6 Jun 2012
- Posts: 727
I worked in some of the most deprived wards in the Dover District and was shocked at the number of children suffering from malutrition, hidden by the fact that many looked obese,it is a common misconception that malnourished means starved. Many suffered with serious stomach and bowel complaints, other had frequent mouth ulcers caused by vitamin deficiancy. We ran a series of cookery classes for parents and were amazed that a high proportion of the parents could not identify common vegetables. Headteachers reported that some children were unable to use a knife and fork, their diet mostly made up of take away foods and sandwiches. It had to be seen to be believed.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
that is a worrying thing, malnourished children do not learn anything at school - that is a proven fact.
i seem to remember something about breakfast clubs starting in schools to get to grips with this, i don't know if these still go on.
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
# 7....reality.
# 4 and 6....closet cliche`s.
Guest 756- Registered: 6 Jun 2012
- Posts: 727
Jan, no not immigrant families, their shopping and cooking habits contain far more fresh fruit and vegatables, they pride themselves on having a healthy diet. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, as in every culture.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
I was thinking mainly about the unemployment and the central heating where they might not understand how it works.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 659- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 331
poverty as a family living on less than 60 per cent of the average income
Guest 756- Registered: 6 Jun 2012
- Posts: 727
most pensioners then Kathy.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
Lesley i recall those days and all your hard work to work with these families in your caring way.
You and your team did a lot to bring communities together.
but like you say you have to see it to believe it
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
The labour party flooding the jobs market with cheep EU labour, forcing down the wages of the poor ,never helped poverty in this country.
And the conservative sighing the mastrik treaty allowing the expansion of the EU, to.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
With the 40% spending cuts on council budgets, these people living in poverty in the Dover area are likely to fall into even greater poverty, when they become totally abandoned by the authorities.
We are evidently going back into the Middle Ages of paupers.
Cheap grub-food based on fat disguised as burgers and cheap sausages, and cheap pastries full of lard, as in WWII, will become more and more the main diet of the masses.
A notable absence of local DDC councillers on this thread!
Are they actually aware of the problems concerning child poverty in Dover District??
Does confronting child poverty have a place in their core strategy?
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
I might even ask: are they even bothered?
Guest 756- Registered: 6 Jun 2012
- Posts: 727
Alexander, my experience of Local Authorities attitude to those families suffering the indignity of poverty is to pump money into the anti-social behaviour unit "cos they are bound to turn to crime". Not very proactive eh?
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#7, this supports my belief that most child poverty stems from ignorance and fecklessness than from lack of funds. For the price of a pint of lager I can feed a family of four for a day.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
"poverty is a family living on less than 60 per cent of the average income"
I am surprised at this. Poverty to my mind is not to have enough food, clothing or warmth.
I did not live "in poverty" but did not have central heating until I was about 35.
I agree with Peter, a lot of child poverty stems from the inability to provide sufficient good food (i.e. to know how to prepare and cook it), and clothing.
It is surprising what you can do on a low income.
You cannot expect schools to teach children how to cook etc. and run a house, but the family should certainly do so.
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