Children face same social problems as they did 100 years ago
From:  [log in to unmask]

Children face same social problems as they did 100 years ago

Zosia Kmietowicz

London

Too many children in the United Kingdom continue to face many of the same
problems today that they did 100 years ago, says a report from UK
children's charity Barnardo's. These include poverty, neglect, abuse, and
discrimination.

Vulnerability to sexual exploitation is just one of the many problems that
were around in 1905, when Dr Thomas Barnardo died, says the report,
compiled to mark the centenary of the founder's death. But modern society
has produced new ways in which children can be exploited52;for example, via
new technologies, such as the internet and mobile phones.

According to the report, Then and Now, child poverty rates last year were
54% in inner London and 17% across the United Kingdom as a whole. When
children are poor, they are more vulnerable to abuse and discrimination as
well as marginalisation by society in general, it says.

In the past three years, Barnardo's has dealt with more than 4000 children
and young people who live in fear of sexual exploitation. Rape, sexual
assault, and physical injuries are common, says the report. Prostitution
increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections, infertility, and
terminations, as well as psychological and behavioural problems.

The charity has launched an appeal to raise £1m ($1.9m; {euro}1.4m) to fund
16 community based services across the United Kingdom to help children who
have been sexually exploited. It is also calling on the police to do more
to identify and prosecute adults who exploit children.

Barnardo's also says that a statutory maximum rate of interest should be
set in the United Kingdom, in line with most other European countries, to
protect poor families from exploitation by credit card companies and loan
sharks.

Another children's charity, the Child Poverty Action Group, has published a
10 step plan to eradicate child poverty. "Poverty is a complex,
multifaceted problem, and so too are its solutions. Many government
policies have the potential to impact on child poverty, including
education, housing, health, and transport," said Kate Green, chief
executive of the group. "We are calling for a poverty impact assessment to
be made for every new policy." Policies not focused on fighting poverty
should be changed accordingly, she said.

Among the proposals in the 10 step plan are reduced taxation for poorer
families, good quality universal child care, better rather than just more
jobs, and more immediate reform of welfare benefits.

"Reforming the administration of tax credits and benefits is fundamental,"
said Ms Green.

Then and Now is available at
www.barnardos.org.uk/whoweare/centenary/files/ThenNowReport.pdf The Child
Poverty Action Group's 10 step plan is available at  www.cpag.org.uk
-------------------
Problems/Questions? Send it to Listserv owner: [log in to unmask]


To unsubscribe, send the following message in the text section -- NOT the subject header --  to [log in to unmask]
SIGNOFF SDOH

DO NOT SEND IT BY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON. THIS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE LISTSERV AND STILL DOES NOT REMOVE YOU.

To subscribe to the SDOH list, send the following message to [log in to unmask] in the text section, NOT in the subject header.
SUBSCRIBE SDOH yourfirstname yourlastname

To post a message to all 1000+ subscribers, send it to [log in to unmask]
Include in the Subject, its content, and location and date, if relevant.

For a list of SDOH members, send a request to [log in to unmask]

To receive messages only once a day, send the following message to [log in to unmask]
SET SDOH DIGEST

To view the SDOH archives, go to: http://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/sdoh.html