Teddies representing the impact poverty has on children are being delivered to every Federal Parliamentarian this week in the first major action calling for legislation to end child poverty in Australia.
Great conversations were had by our Valuing Children Initiative representatives Toni Wren and Jamie Crosby, who caught up with Mark Dreyfus, Monique Ryan, and Matt Gregg, and bumped into Kate Colvin, and Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM. We also spotted Jordon Steele-John had posted a pic with his teddy.
Nearly one in six children who received specialist homelessness services in 2023-24 were aged under 10 years.
Across Australia, 165 service organisations, Councils of Social Service, peak bodies, Children’ Commissioners, academics, researchers and community groups alarmed by the rising number of children living in poverty have banded together under The End Child Poverty campaign.
Research commissioned by the End Child Poverty campaign in 2024 found that 823,000 children were living in poverty and predict 1 million children will be living in poverty in Australia this year.
Behind this disturbing number are children experiencing the heavy toll poverty takes on their wellbeing, often into adulthood.
“Children growing up in poverty miss out on material basics and regularly go to bed or school hungry. A lack of money limits a child’s opportunities to learn, and they miss out on sports or school camps. Children see their parents are stressed and worried and it makes them worry too,” said Adj. Prof. Tony Pietropiccolo AM, Chair of the End Child Poverty Leadership Committee.
“If we don’t do something now, that number will only ever increase.”
“We are calling on all members of this 48th Federal Parliament to come together and enact legislation to end child poverty by 2030.”
Legislation should include a child-centered definition of poverty with measurable targets and actions for Government and the community to achieve this goal together.
“When children are denied the basic conditions for growth, it is not only their immediate comfort that suffers—it is their dreams for the future, their sense of belonging, and the strength of our entire society,” said Adj. Prof. Tony Pietropiccolo AM.
“Together, we can create an environment where children do not have to choose between warmth and food, learning and belonging, safety and stability.”
It’s time for us to legislate an end to child poverty.
You can join the Valuing Children Initiative's campaign at: www.endchildpoverty.com.au
