I fucking hate poverty
My blogs follow a trend and are usually pretty reactive, usually directly linked to how I am feeling at the time.
Well today. I am just so fucking angry.
I worked in a rural patch for years so become accustomed to a largely white British caseload, with decent houses by and large. When doing a feelings and wishes with a child on their home, we could pop to the other room and have relative peace and space to do what we needed to do. The benefits were there and while hardly ideal, met some of their needs.
Before I go any further, this is not me discrediting that British families are poor too, this is a reflection on something I experienced.
So what about when a family of 6 is sharing a single room to sleep in. When there are gaping holes in the ceiling, damp buckets next to mattresses on the floor. Relying on food banks, donated clothes and 4 books to meet their needs despite working 3 jobs between them.
Today, my feeling and wishes work was done sat with the child at a broken table in a crowded room, next to a dripping ceiling patch. (Now of course, I shall be taking him out to give him the space, times and listening he deserves.)
Now imagine that family is being told they have no access to benefits, been turned down by all services because of their immigration services — waiting for the eviction because destitution might be the only way out. Their chief concern the emotional impact of eviction on children.
On top of that, worried that they need to find nearly £3,000 to remain in this country legally for the next couple of years. Without it, they can’t work and earn the most minimum of wages to provide for only some of their most basic needs.
All the while, these children remain invisible and without a voice. A voice drowned out by both public and welfare policy, immigration law and and system that frankly doesn’t give a fuck.
Their needs, ambitions, hopes and dreams, childhood… all on a cliff edge.
Can you see why I am angry now?
We need to wake up. We need to move towards fare and humane welfare policy. We need immigration law built on human rights and respect for dignity.
We need the collective power to resist this most hostile environment. We need to advocate and shout from the hills the feelings and wishes of these and other children, until people listen.
They need justice.
They need a childhood.
