It is widely acknowledged that the poverty has the greatest influence in children’s outcomes. Growing up in poverty has a profound impact on children’s health, education, aspirations and well-being. Limiting the chances to which they can realise the full extent of their human rights and often trapping them in a lifelong cycle of disadvantage and inequity. Poverty can influence a child's physical health, emotional and psychological health, and intelligence from early childhood throughout their life span.
Poor children suffer higher incidences of adverse health, developmental, and other outcomes than non-poor children i.e. o physical health (low birth weight,
growth stunting, and lead poisoning), o Cognitive ability (intelligence, verbal ability, and achievement test scores), o School achievement (years of schooling, high school completion, going to university), o Emotional and behavioural outcomes ( feeling angry all the time, blaming others, not feeling happy)
There are many aspects that could lead to poverty i.e.
• Families with low income. How does the relative lack of income influence children’s day-to-day lives? Is it through inadequate nutrition, fewer learning experiences; instability of residence, exposure to environmental toxins, family violence, and homelessness, dangerous streets or less access to friends, services, this could lead to health issues too such as not enough or lack of quality food.
• Disability of a child or a member could make the parent/s to become a full time carer and leave/ reduce their work and income and could cause stress/ anxiety to the parents and make them violent or less caring about a child’s feelings.
Poverty effects the development of children on every level-from quality prenatal care to the family's ability to provide food and diapers for the new infant to the neighborhood school's capability to provide adequate education. Poverty creates challenges for parents and children in every area of life. It takes away the family's physical safety and comfort, makes basic survival a struggle, makes education more difficult, creates more health problems, prevents normal physical development, and decreases the chances of a child finding a hopeful future.