The Relationship of Poverty and Deprivation to School Education

Stephen J McKinney University of Aberdeen

26 June 2015

The Relationship of Poverty and Deprivation to School Education

Poverty and Deprivation What is poverty and deprivation?

Human Rights and school education Poverty and deprivation and school education:

Global Child labour Forcible displacement

Poverty and deprivation and school education: local Exclusion from and within school Some successes in attempting to address the

impact of poverty and education.

1. Poverty and Deprivation

Absolute poverty / relative poverty Developed and developing countries Thresholds measurements Poverty is associated with material need –lack of

food, fuel, health care, adequate clothing, housing and lack of resource (usually financial ) to meet needs (European Anti-Poverty Network, 2013)

Often related to unemployment and reliance on state benefits – but rise of working poverty.

Around a billion children live in poverty (c.50%) (Fraser et al., 2011; Global Issues, 2013)

2. Everyone has a right to education

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948, article 26) states that ‘everyone has the right to education’ Education should be compulsory and free for the elementary stages. Technical, professional and higher education should be also

available. The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child

(1989, article 28) reiterates this call for compulsory, free primary education and encourages the provision of secondary education, (free or subsidized, where possible).

World Declaration on Education for all (1990) and the Dakar Framework for Action (Education for all: Meeting our Collective Commitments) (2000) reaffirm education for all.

The aim to achieve universal primary education is also one of the eight millennium development goals (goals targeting the reduction of the effects of poverty in the world).

2. The Four A’s

Four essential features of the right to education: Availability▪ Free and compulsory; trained teachers and Buildings

Accessibility▪ Free for safe access; non discriminatory

Acceptability▪ Good quality education in terms of content and resources

Adaptability▪ Flexible and take into account the best interest of the child

(Un Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Katarina Tomasevski)

3. Child Labour

Child = under 18 Child work – child

labour Child labour:

Deprives children of their childhood, potential and dignity and is harmful to their physical and mental development (ILO)

3. Child slavery

Prohibited under United Nations declaration of Human Rights 1948

and United Nations convention on the rights of the child 1986.

3. Child labour

C. 168 million children (11% of child pop)

This figure down from 245.5 million 2000

Many work full time

78 million in Asia and Pacific

59 million sub Sahara Africa

3. Forcible Displacement

1.6 -2 million have fled Syria with families

6-7 million internally displaced

Health issues outbreaks measles and

polio issues with schooling

Availability Accessibility Acceptability Adaptability.

4. Exclusion from and within school

Children in poverty excluded from and within school (Preston, 2008)

Excluded from school In Scotland: comprehensive schooling and parental choice Excluded through poor behaviour, illness or truancy Accessibility?

Excluded within school No money for trips, music lessons, sporting activities No access to computers of internet, or books at home No funds for commercially produced support materials Support from schools becomes more difficult as budgets

are tightened Acceptability?

4. Glasgow

Research indicates that some schools in the Glasgow area are among those that are advanced in supporting children and young people addressing the attainment gap in schools characterized by high levels of poverty and deprivation.

Tripartite measure▪ FME▪ SIMD▪ Staged Intervention

Schools that were successful despite high levels of poverty and deprivation▪ Vision of expectation and inclusivity▪ External partners resourced for additional time▪ Specialised support

(McKinney et al., 2012, 2013; McKinney, 2013, 2014a, 2014b)

4. Glasgow

▪ Designated staff and wider school support▪ Designation of resource▪ Supporting young people in making choices about their

future▪ Supporting them in the processes of applying for jobs,

training, FE and HE.▪ Advising on false starts and focusing on sustainable futures▪ Providing individual support where necessary▪ Providing support to the most vulnerable▪ Supporting young people once they have left school

Availability; Accessibility; Acceptability; Adaptability

(McKinney et al., 2012, 2013; McKinney, 2013, 2014a, 2014b)