Teachers most often recognize poverty from pupils’ clothing and footwear, the holiday stories told in class, the fact that parents cannot pay for extracurricular activities, and children’s personal hygiene.
76 percent of teachers say that growing up in poverty has a negative impact on pupils’ social and emotional development. According to 55 percent, poverty has a negative impact on academic performance. 46 percent have at some point contacted the municipality, Stichting Leergeld, school social work services, or another organization on behalf of a pupil living in poverty.
The majority of teachers report that the school has measures in place for children growing up in poverty. For example, the school refers families to aid organizations or has a fund to cover participation in extracurricular activities.
“It is good that schools help parents find assistance if they want it,” says Tom van Yperen, an expert on the quality of the youth care system at the Netherlands Youth Institute. “And that they give children the opportunity to participate in all school activities. We know that poverty can have a negative impact on children’s development. Poverty is a known risk factor, just like living in a disadvantaged neighborhood. But be careful: thinking in terms of risk factors can be stigmatizing, as if a child in a family experiencing poverty is not being raised properly. A child can also feel secure in a loving family living in poverty. So do not regard the assistance and support provided to these families as a sign of failure, but as additional support to help improve their opportunities.”
Source: DUO Onderwijsonderzoek & Advies; Netherlands Youth Institute.
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