Childhood Poverty and Deprivation in Ireland, 2004-2012

Dorothy Watson, November 6 2014

Outline of Presentation

National poverty measures for Irish children 2004-2012

Ireland in EU context Child-specific deprivation

enforced lack of items specifically affecting children SILC 2009 & deprivation module (children 2-15)

Risk factors for childhood deprivation child-specific and household-level Policy Implications

National Poverty Measures

For total population and children age 0-17 Income poverty (At-risk-of-poverty, ARP) – income

below 60% median (equivalised) Basic Deprivation – Household enforced lack of 2

or more of 11 basic items (food, clothing, heating, furniture, social life)

Consistent Poverty (Both Income poor & deprived)

National Measures, Income Poverty: 2004-2012

National Measures, Basic Deprivation, 2004-2012

National Measures, Consistent poverty, 2004-12

Income Poverty in Ireland and EU15, 2004-2012 (EU measure) – Total population and children

Severe Material Deprivation in Ireland and EU15, 2004-2012 (EU measure) – Total population and children (0-17)

Lessons from National Measures

Rates of poverty higher for children than adults True of all 3 national measures (at-risk-of poverty,

deprivation and consistent poverty) True throughout the 2004-2012 period True for the EU15 in general

Poverty rates (especially deprivation) increased during recession

In 2012, severe material deprivation (but not income poverty) higher in Ireland than EU15 average

Child-specific deprivation, 2009 SILC

2009 SILC allows us to examine child-specific deprivation Items the child lacks because household cannot

afford Asked of householder Available for children age 2-15

Childhood Deprivation Items (age 2-15)

Overlap between Child-Specific & Basic Deprivation

Not deprived

73%

Basic Only 14%

Both Basic &

Child 10%

Child Only 3%

Risk Factors for Childhood Deprivation

Main factors are low income, mother’s low education, large family size

Employment of parents important to household income Also linked to ability to protect children

‘Protected children’ – basic-only deprivation Slightly higher socio-economic position Father in employment

Risks for children, in particular (‘child-only’) Family instability Mother not working Disadvantaged social class

Policy Implications

Income and work are independently important: Task is to identify the most productive balance between

income protection and services to promote employment opportunities

Mothers’ education & employment Implications for childcare Implications for training, second-chance education