More than a quarter of Hackney’s children are living in poverty, new figures have revealed.
There are 15,280 under-16s in the borough living below the poverty line, according to a Child Health Profile published on Tuesday by Public Health England.
The report showed Hackney had a child poverty rate of 27.4 per cent, considerably higher than the national average of 18.6 per cent.
Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, Alison Graham, urged Hackney Council to tackle the issues and “ensure their supply of quality, affordable housing and childcare meets the needs of local families”.
Child poverty in Hackney compared to England average
[infogram id=”child_health_in_hackney_compared_to_england_average”]
Ms Graham told the Hackney Post: “In London now there are more children in poverty than in Scotland and Wales put together.
“Day-to-day there are kids who go hungry, don’t have clothes that are warm and well-fitting, who can’t pay for after-school activities and can’t go to friends’ birthday parties because gifts are unaffordable.”
The report also revealed there are 700 homeless families in the borough, a significantly worse rate than the national average.
Kevin Garvey, policy officer at homelessness charity Shelter, said: “Tragically, the double blow of welfare cuts and a chronic lack of affordable housing has left many families in places like Hackney facing a desperate battle to keep a roof over their heads.
“The sad fact is, for those families who lose their home and end up living in the cramped room of an emergency B&B or hostel, it is an incredibly difficult environment for children to grow and thrive in.
“With a growing number of families turning to their local council for help, it’s critical the government makes available to councils the right resources to tackle homelessness. But the only way to truly solve this crisis for good is by investing in genuinely affordable homes that families on lower incomes can actually afford to rent or buy.”
The report also revealed that Hackney has one of the worst rates of childhood obesity in the country, with one in four 11-year-olds classified as obese.
In yesterday’s budget, George Osborne announced a new £520m levy on sugary soft drinks in an attempt to combat rising childhood obesity, warning that “five-year-olds consume their own body weight in sugar each year”.
Increase in self-harm and mental health conditions
The figures showed an increase in the number of young people in the borough admitted to hospital as a result of self-harm and mental health conditions since 2013.
Last year 84 young people in were hospitalised as a result of self-harm.
Jon Williams, the director of independent health charity Healthwatch Hackney, said: “Hackney is a young borough and getting younger and the local health profile shows this is where the pressure points are.
“Children and their families must be involved in design of services to tackle child obesity and mental health needs. Without their involvement, these issues will follow children into their adult lives.”
Councillor Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture said: “One of the Council’s priorities is to encourage residents of all ages to lead healthier lives and provide them with opportunities to get involved in regular physical activity.
“For younger children, this is particularly important as it’s an opportunity to instil good healthy eating and exercise habits early to avoid health concerns which could occur in later life.
“Through programmes like Health Heroes and Personal Best that run in schools, our free Hackney Active Kids guide, children and their parents are encouraged to make healthier choices and lead more active lives.”
Featured image credit: Pixabay
Like our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram.
