Importance Of Poverty In Affecting Outcomes And Life Chances

Explain the critical importance of poverty in affecting outcomes and life chances
It is a recognised fact that poverty has a detrimental impact on many areas of a young person’s life. As a child, growing up in an impoverished family, many opportunities for development and growth will be unobtainable. The educational performance of children is affected by financial status. Parents who are working but low income may feel the pressures of financial stress, debt, long working hours, overtime pressures, tiredness and stress or poor health, along with the disadvantages of inadequate housing. All of these factors add up to a very negative home learning environment for a child or young person. Without a healthy and effective learning environment, a child will struggle to develop cognitive and physical skills.
Parents will be less likely to involve themselves in the school community and will have less contact with teachers.
Low funds can also result in a diet that has low nutritional value for a growing child. Poor nutrition and an inadequate diet can lead to health problems such as malnutrition or obesity which will impact on outcomes for the child.
Extra-curricular activities that involve financial outlay will not be available to a child or young person whose parents have no access to a disposable income.
This limits opportunities for physical, social and emotional development and reduces life chances. Similarly, restricted access to transport will also result in reduced abilities for inclusion in activities outside of the home.
Lack of clothing, including fashionable clothing or sports kits, will create self-esteem issues and contribute to exclusion from social opportunities. Children rarely want to be viewed as different from their peers and the stigma of poverty has a clear detrimental impact on inclusion and opportunity. Mental health problems and anxiety are also found in higher proportions in low income families than in more affluent areas of society. A child with a mental health condition, or who has a parent with a mental health condition, will not be motivated or be able to access opportunities to improve outcomes.
Reduced levels of education, combined with poorer social skills and lower motivation lead to decreased chances of employment in later life, thus continuing the cycle of low income and
poverty.
Analyse a strategic national or local policy that has positive impact on outcomes and life chances for children and young people
To protect children from significant harm and improve children’s social care (by, for example, tackling domestic violence, poverty and neglect, drug, alcohol and mental health problems in families).
• To improve engagement in learning and achievement in educational skills (for example, improving schools attendance, behaviour, curriculum and ethos, improving language, literacy and numeracy, social literacy, employability skills of young people).
• To reduce health inequalities (for example, reducing levels of infant mortality, childhood obesity, teenage conception, and improving emotional health).