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Child poverty as bad today as it was a century ago, says charity Thousands of children across Britain are facing more problems in their lives today than their predecessors did 100 years ago, according to a new report. Published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the death of the founder of the children’s charity Barnardo’s, the report calls on politicians to do more to tackle issues such as child poverty, alcohol and substance misuse and sexual exploitation. Dr Thomas John Barnardo set up the charity in the 19th century with the aim of helping poverty-stricken children. Nowadays, it runs 361 projects across the UK and says its work is just as vital in 2005 as it was a century ago. The 50-page report claims child poverty is “as stark today as in 1905”, the prevalence of cheap, unhealthy food has led to record levels of childhood obesity, British adolescents are drinking and smoking more than in the rest of Europe and children are now exposed to more crime than they were at the turn of the 20th century. It also highlights the problem of sexual exploitation and says that in the past three years Barnardo’s has dealt with more than 4,000 affected children. “The abuse and neglect which Barnardo recognised 100
years ago are still around today,” the report says. “These children need
our help. Without these services thousands of young boys and girls will
continue to suffer alone, without a chance of a better future.”
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