The impossible choices families are forced to make every day
Action for Children Practitioner, Amarjit, shares her insight into the challenges families face as the summer holidays come to an end.
Amarjit Goray is our Children’s Services Practitioner at Birmingham Community Children's Centre.
Every day, she supports families who are financially pushed to their limits and being forced to make difficult decisions.
A common myth is that families struggle because of poor budgeting.
The reality is that 7 out of 10 children in poverty live in working households.
Some parents will prioritise school uniforms because they know the child needs it, but that comes at a cost for the kids.
Amarjit
When the money runs out, parents must choose between equally important basic needs, such as:
Families living in poverty often struggle with the daily efforts to keep their children healthy and safe.
Shame and anxiety keep many doors shut, as parents feel too embarrassed to seek help.
Our frontline staff, like Amarjit, look for hidden details during home visits to understand what is really happening.
She tells us: “ When working with families, I pay attention to body language, eye contact and tone of voice, as these can often reveal when parents are struggling.
Even when they smile and say, 'I'm okay', I can usually sense when something isn't quite right and offer support."
Some families are scared to tell us they can’t afford to feed their kids because they worry they’ll be reported to social services.
Amarjit
The constant financial stress can have a big impact on how children behave, sleep, and learn.
Households with children are now twice as likely to go without food or miss multiple meals compared to those without.
Parents feel guilty at being unable to provide for their children’s basic needs.
Amarjit
Without enough food or security at home, children can struggle to cope at school.
When a child is worrying about their next meal, concentrating in the classroom and thinking about the future becomes much harder.
Amarjit and our frontline teams offer immediate, practical relief to the families they support in our services.
Thanks to our incredible supporters, we're able to assist families with:
- Winter essentials, including warm clothing, shoes, and bedding.
- Emergency food, including supermarket vouchers and direct access to foodbanks.
- School resources, such as rucksacks, stationery, and learning tools.
There was one dad we supported who was so grateful, he put his hands together and bowed down to me. I think that moment touched me the most.
Amarjit
Help us be a vital lifeline for children, young people and families
