Emergency at home

According to the latest data from the Survey on Living Conditions by the Platform for Childhood, in 2023, 33.9% of children and adolescents in Spain (2.7 million) were at risk of poverty and/or social exclusion. This represents nearly 116,000 more affected compared to the previous year. Additionally, provisional data shows that Spain currently ranks second in the European Union for the highest child poverty and social exclusion rate.

When we talk about child poverty, we are not solely referring to a lack of household income. It encompasses multiple dimensions, ranging from limited access to basic services such as healthcare and education, to the absence of a safe and stable environment. In many cases, it also includes the lack of opportunities for adequate emotional and social development. It is this combination of deficiencies that turns child poverty into a chronic condition.

Focusing on severe material deprivation, this figure reached a historic high of 10.8% in 2023. This percentage reflects households lacking at least four of the following nine items:

1. Unable to afford a one-week vacation per year.
2. Unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken, or fish at least every two days.
3. Unable to keep their home adequately heated.
4. Unable to cover unexpected expenses (of €650).
5. Facing delays in payments related to their primary residence (mortgage or rent, gas bills, community fees) or installment purchases over the past 12 months.
6. Unable to afford a car.
7. Unable to afford a telephone.
8. Unable to afford a television.
9. Unable to afford a washing machine.