June 16, 2014
Long term effects for child poverty
The co-author of a new book on child poverty says the high levels of poverty faced by Maori children will have long-term consequences for society.
Child Poverty in New Zealand by Simon Chapple and Jonathan Boston will be launched tomorrow in Auckland and Friday in Wellington.
Dr Chapple says between 200,000 and 250,000 New Zealand children are poor or living in hardship, a third of them Maori.
Disadvantage manifests itself in cold houses and lack of decent food and clothing.
" Growing up in a house in lower income has long term effects on how well you do in education and all the flow on effects that that creates when you become an adult. The difficulty of finding a job as an adult, the difficulty of forming stable relationships, adult relationships having your own kids all those sorts of things. So it is important for both the here and now and futures for kids who are growing up poor " he says.
Dr Chapple says a large proportion of Maori children are growing up in sole-parent families, because the shortage of secure low-skill jobs makes it hard for many Maori men to form stable relationships and families.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH DR SIMON CHAPPLE CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTkxMzQ=
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