Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
As kathy points out in #12, poverty is now defined by a statistic, not by real facts. A family could be living comfortably by managing their finances well with no extravagant expenditure but still be officially in poverty.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
"poverty is a family living on less than 60 per cent of the average income"
Statistics, statistics, statistics. The thing with an average is that there is lots below it and lots above it, that's why it is an average. Double everyones income and and 60% will still be below average.....
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i think we are going off topic here, the issue is not about poverty in itself but child poverty.
posters have pointed out about some families not being clued up or feckless but why should children suffer because of this?
a civilised society would ensure that its future wealth makers have a decent diet, breakfast clubs and a school lunch would ensure this.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Ray, my post 1 does not mention statistics, in fact I left out any reference to them.
The evident message in the KCC profile, reported on This is Kent, is that many children in Dover District are living in families entirely dependent on benefits: 4,394 children.
This does appear to be the main reason for child poverty here in our area.
Lesley pointed out something I've been writing about in the past too, even recently on the Forum: that diets can be a cause of bad health.
It doesn't take much to figure out that for a few pounds one can buy junk-food, grub, low on vitamins but high on cheap saturated and non-saturated fat that's been added to the ingredients.
This must be the case on a regular basis for poor families, because if you haven't got the money, there are many things you can't afford.
I fear it may get more and more the habit, the more families descend into economic difficulties.
Malnutrition in fact, as Lesley states, is often not a lack of food, but the same food on a regular scale. For example, almost only rice for the poor in India, almost only maiz for the poor in Central America...
Here it might be cheap grub food.
We need a local campaign in food-awareness, courses in cooking for adults and children, and a fund for families who clearly cannot financially cope with everyday expenses.
Such fund would be for specific food only, such as vegetables, proper meet and fruit, in the form of vouchers, for example.
About two years ago I had tried bringing something along these lines up in a political party, but it got silenced off. Forget politicians! And forget statistics, which have nothing to do with all this. This is something which we will have to be looking into in the future, one day when we have a Local Government that cares for the people!
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
There will always be those in doubt of reality.........expedient?
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
Lesley has a lot of experience in this area, and those of us over the years have seen how this affects the family.
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 756- Registered: 6 Jun 2012
- Posts: 727
Many of the poorer families I worked with are living in sub standard accomadation, sadly Dover has a damp problem, and this also impacts on health.
Depression is a major cause for concern in both adults and children, a hidden illness.
Some parents are delighted to have one or more of their children diagnosed with attention disorders as this provides additional benefits.
I have seen families struggling, doing everthing in their power to provide for the family, a poorly paid job being their sole income. Others, of course could do more to help themselves but with low academic achievement, do not have the ability or inclination to do so.
I'm no loony leftie, please don't label me, but until you have really been in a position to gain the trust and confidence of those on the breadline it is easy to make sweeping assumptions about them. Everyone is different, not all bad.
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
# 27..spot on....``could do more to help themselves but with low academic achievement,
do not have the ability or inclination to do so``....................
Judgement by those of `normal` or high academic achievement need to take this into
consideration.........
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
I think lesley who has been on the front line
says it all
well done lesley,,,,,,,
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
