Thread by @PublicPriestley

Poverty and children - a short thread: I work in schools with children who are at risk of being excluded from mainstream education. A high proportion of these children share similar personal circumstances, which may include the follows (frequent overlaps): 1/20

Domestic abuse, violence and conflict in the home or they had fled such circumstances. The ongoing relationship in such situations then include the problem of a toxic parent(s) with a damaging influence; 2/20

Low socio-economic-status - being low family income, a view of the work place being a negative and oppressive experience and being persistently treated in society as a second class citizen because their family lacks presentation, prestige or social gravitas or contacts; 3/20

Problems with poverty that include both food and fuel - going without meals (commonly breakfast) not having food in the cupboards, not having electricity in the meter; 4/20

A poor diet and a preoccupation with hunger rather than nutrition. Lots of high sugar/high fat combinations. Food choices that antagonise pre-existing conditions or lead to poor long term health; 5/20

Hygiene and clothing that might cause them embarrassment, being self conscious because they can't keep up with brands, holes in shoes, only having one or two shirts, pairs of school trousers etc; 6/20

Parent(s) working long hours on low wages desperately trying to make ends meet resulting in less parental supervision, nurture, boundaries and contact; 7/20

A low sense of self-esteem and a fear that their mistakes will have a negative impact, making hard situations at home only worse. A self image that suggests that they are not good enough for college. They feel people automatically won't like them or trust them; 8/20

A sense that committing to school work is a waste of time because there are bigger and more pressing issues and studying doesn't do anything to alleviate those pressures / those pressures are too big to put aside and study; 9/20

Health problems that already include drug dependency, self harm, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, anger management issues, poor self regulation skills/mood management skills, and a general lack of awareness about their own mental health; 10/20

This week alone I have encountered the following signs and symptoms of poverty and financial hardship across multiple schools (difficult to believe - but true): 11/20

Child and parent sharing a coat. In truth this means that parent is going without a coat in order for the child to have one. 12/20

Child not knowing if their games console will be at home when they return from school because parents sell it when money gets tight promising to buy another one to replace it when they can. They've had 10 consoles. 13/20

Child saving money to give to parent to help with debt as a Christmas present. Parent has complicated issues arising from cancer treatment. 14/20

Child having no coat and frequently getting trouble for wearing a jumper that isn't compliant with school rules. Eventually admitting that they don't have a coat and they've been cold. 15/20

Child plays computer games on an obsolete games console and has asked for a more recent, but still obsolete games console for Christmas, because they know that they can't put pressure on parent to buy the most recent machine. 16/20

Child not eating more than two meals over the weekend but making excuses and lying about eating elsewhere when they've been out. Child fainted in school. 17/20

When the right wing press and media talk about people cancelling Netflix, not smoking and/or doing some other glib money saving tip to change their lives (eat porridge/rice/pasta etc) they are absolutely misrepresenting the situation some people are in. 18/20

I've read people saying "There is no poverty in the UK - not real poverty". I don't know what their vision of poverty must be. There is real poverty in the UK - but it is caused by greed and inequality - this is the unnecessary suffering of children. 19/20

What we are setting up here is grinding, rigid, intergenerational poverty and poor mental health that is inescapable by any reasonable means or standards. It is a disgusting indictment of our country, our government and endless years of austerity. 20/20 #GTTO #GTTONow