Child aid fund increasingly called on for basic needs like clothing

The national child aid fund, called Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp in Dutch, often helped children in poverty by giving them clothes or glasses instead of toys or day trips. Kinderhulp shared a report about this on Thursday while requesting more attention be given to the plight of children in poverty.

Over the past four years, Kinderhulp has seen "a shift" from aid for 'extras' for children in poverty, such as outings and toys, to things that children need to get through the day, such as clothing and menstrual products. The fund described it as a “worrying increase” in the number of children and young people that are being helped with these type of products.

According to a spokesperson for Kinderhulp, the shift likely show that poverty amongst children has gotten “more intense or deeper” over the last few years. The Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) recently published their research into “poverty intensity” and also concluded that the severity is increasing.

Kinderhulp gives money to children in poverty. They do this via social organizations that can submit an application. They can receive money for a child in this way when other routes, like the municipalities for example, are not sufficient.

Not only people who are below the official poverty line can contact the fund, also families that are just above the limit but still financially vulnerable can contact the Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp.

The fund has designated April 17 as the Dag van de Kinderarmoede, the day for child poverty in English. The organization handed their report to the State Secretary for Participation and Integration, Jurgen Nobel.