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More Children Facing Poverty in Finland
The number of children living below the poverty line in Finland has nearly tripled since the early 1990s. Still, the number is much lower than in other countries.
According to a UNICEF report from last March, Finland and Demark have the least number of children suffering from poverty in the industrialised world.
In Finland, families subsisting on less than 1,000 euros a month are considered to be living below the poverty line. According to the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), about 50,000 children lived below the poverty line at the beginning of the 1990s. The number stood at 130,000 by 2003.
Some families were hit with economic difficulties during the depression of the 1990s. Afterwards, many adults encountered difficulties in getting back on their feet. Short-term jobs and single parents have grown significantly, adding to the problem.
Furthermore, cuts in social and health services made during the depression are surfacing now. Because aid is not available, some children have been displaced. The number of children living in foster care is around 14,000, a number considered high by STAKES.
The Finnish government says it is trying to help those suffering from economic hardships.
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