Save the Children: Free childcare and computers are a 'move forward in fight to end child poverty'
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Tuesday, 23, Sep 2008 12:00
Save the Children welcome the government’s recent announcements around extending free part-time childcare to all two-year-olds and free computer access to children from low-income families.
Claire Walker, Save the Children’s spokesperson for Poverty said:
“Announcements today on closing the digital divide and increased childcare are very welcome and have the potential to make a real difference to children’s lives.
Free childcare will give more provision for families to work themselves out of poverty. Many parents on low incomes simply can’t afford to go to work, the costs of childcare are so high that by going to work they lose more money than they make. The majority of parents in poverty want to work, but with no-one to look after their children they can’t.
Computer vouchers for school children are a step to ensuring that those from poorer backgrounds have improved educational chances.
Whilst we recognise that these developments are a move forward in the fight to end child poverty, the government must not lose sight of their 2010 target to halve child poverty and must invest a further £3bn in order to reach this”.
Save the Children is a member of End Child Poverty, campaigning for the government to keep its promise of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020. Join the campaign by coming to the ‘Keep the Promise’ rally in Trafalgar Square on 4th October.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Beverley Kirk, Media Officer, Save the Children -
Tel: 0131 527 8244 Mobile: 07764 560 940 Email: b.kirk@savethechildren.org.uk
Notes to editors:
About Save the Children
Save the Children is the world's independent charity. We're outraged that millions of children are still denied proper healthcare, food, education and protection. We're working flat out to get every child their rights and we're determined to make further, faster changes. How many? How fast? It's up to you.
www.savethechildren.org.uk
About the campaign to End Child Poverty
The Campaign to End Child Poverty is a coalition of more than 130 organisations working to eradicate child poverty in the UK. It is formed from children's and other charities, social justice groups, faith-groups, trade unions and others concerned about the unacceptably high levels of child poverty in the UK. For more information, visit www.endchildpoverty.org.uk
For more information about the Keep the Promise rally in Trafalgar Square on 4th October – the largest ever event to end child poverty – visit www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/promise
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