Children can’t wait

Professor Innes Asher’s picture of families too close to the breadline to save themselves from falling further into the chasm of poverty (Upfront, May 7) is yet another reminder of the poverty so many children experience.

She concludes with the words, “Our children are waiting.” But the reality is children can’t wait because childhood doesn’t wait. Children have, let’s say, 15-18 years in which to grow, either to flourish or be scarred for the remainder of their lives. Every single year matters for every single child.

We, the adults in charge, have control over the quality of childhood. Some progress has been made for some children in poverty over the past couple of years, but why are we still failing to face reality and enable all parents to provide good permanent homes, food on the table, warm beds for their families?

If we can’t do this with wages, the government needs to improve support for those most in need. When they are properly supported, some families will still fail to respond to assistance, but most will not, and their children will flourish, making our country a better place.

Immediate action is vital, not delays with promises for improvement.

Penelope Hansen (Remuera, Auckland)

LETTER OF THE WEEK

The Upfront piece should have us all out on the streets protesting, but no.

Is it because we believe that so many children should live their lives in poverty, and that successive governments