«Mrs Fredrich, how do poor children live in Switzerland?»

A modern building not far from the sophisticated Art Deco Hotel Montana in Lucerne. Visitors can only get as far as the registration desk. Anyone wishing toproceed further into the premises of Caritas Switzerland must pass through a locked glass door. Bettina Fredrich, Head of the Social Policy Department, leads visitors into a meeting room on the top floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a sweeping view over the Lucerne lake basin. «I thought we'd have our discussion in a pleasant atmosphere,» says Bettina Fredrich and laughs.

Mrs Fredrich, Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world. Nevertheless, there are children in this country who are considered poor. How are these children doing?

Of course, poverty in Switzerland is different to that in South Sudan, for example. Poverty is an invisible phenomenon here. Children do not live on the streets here and rarely go hungry. We therefore speak of relative poverty. Around 76,000 people in this country are considered poor and are unable to participate in our social life.

When is a family considered poor?

The poverty threshold is based on need and is calculated by the Swiss Conference for Social Assistance. According to these calculations, parents with two children, for example, who have less than CHF 4,900 a month at their disposal - or single parents with two children who have less than CHF 4,000 a month - are considered poor. This is the amount needed to make ends meet. It covers housing costs, health insurance and the cost of basic necessities - nothing more.

In other words, a family affected by poverty has to get by on less than CHF 20 per person per day?

That is correct. In addition, there are a large number of families who live just above this threshold and could slip into poverty at any time. Around 190,000 children are affected by such precarious circumstances. Statistically speaking, this means that there is one child affected by poverty and two children at risk of poverty in every school class.

«Children affected by poverty rarely have their own room. They lack a quiet place.»

Bettina Fredrich from Caritas Switzerland

What are the consequences for children of growing up in such circumstances?

The consequences are manifold and often affect different areas of life. Take housing, for example. Children affected by poverty often live in very cramped conditions. They rarely have their own room. As a result, they not only lack a quiet place to do their homework, but also a place of retreat where they can rest and relax. The lack of a room may also be a reason why these children are less likely to invite friends round. In addition, low-cost flats are often located on busy roads and there is no opportunity to play freely outside.

With what consequences?

Young children are curious by nature and learn through play. Playing outside teaches them, for example, that water can be collected in a kettle but seeps away in sand. Those who do not have the opportunity to gain such experiences fall behind. The groundwork for basic skills that will be important later in life is missing.

Are these children denied social participation at an early age?

They can obviously only participate to a limited extent. For example, the choice of hobby is not determined by interests, but is subordinated to financial means. Club membership is often not affordable.

The question is whether a paid leisure activity is crucial for a fulfilled child's life?

It's not about dancing or riding lessons. The sacrifice starts at a completely different level. The money is already lacking for everyday things such as suitable winter boots, the country school week, the present for the classmate or the class photo. Dental costs, which are still not covered by basic insurance, are a pressing issue for families affected by poverty. Many families also limit their spending at the expense of a healthy diet. This has a direct impact on children's physical development.

Is there a correlation between illness and poverty?

Yes, poverty often leads to illness because, on the one hand, there is a lack of access to health benefits and health-promoting services such as sport. On the other hand, it is also easier to slip into poverty when you are ill.

Are there psychological effects?

In general, there is a strong correlation between poverty, health and resilience. For example, children affected by poverty are more often overweight and chronically ill, and they suffer more frequently from psychosocial complaints. Their ability to develop resilience, i.e. psychological resistance to crises, is also limited. They often experience their parents as powerless.

In what way?

If, after months of searching, it is still not possible to find suitable accommodation or all applications for a new job end in rejection, the lack of prospects becomes overwhelming for the parents. This affects the children's psyche. Their self-confidence drops. They often develop feelings of shame and guilt. The experience of not being able to participate characterises children affected by poverty.

Are these children suffering?

Various studies point to this. We know, for example, that suicide rates are higher among children and young people affected by poverty. We know from parents that the burdens often have an impact far beyond the parenting phase and cause lasting precariousness. For single mothers and fathers in particular, the heavy burden can lead to anxiety, depression and health problems.

Is there such a thing as the typical poor child?

Poverty has many faces. But the experience that parents always have to say no is one that children affected by poverty share with other children in this situation. Basically, two groups of families are overrepresented in the poverty statistics. The first is single parents. This is because the risk of divorce is not sufficiently well protected in Switzerland. We do not have alimony that covers the cost of living. If the man earns little, he also pays little. This is also confirmed by the household rates in social welfare. Just under a quarter of all single-parent households are supported by social welfare. Regionally, this situation is becoming more acute: In Biel, for example, every second single-parent family is dependent on social welfare.

And the other group?

These are the families whose income is insufficient, the so-called working poor - often with a migration background and even more frequently with a low level of education. Factors such as access to affordable housing or the question of whether daycare places are subsidised or health insurance premiums are reduced often determine whether the family slips into poverty or not. This varies depending on where you live. Around 50,000 children grow up in working poor households, which is two thirds of all children affected by poverty.

«These parents go to extreme lengths: their children shouldn't have to do without any of the basics.»

Bettina Fredrich, Caritas Switzerland

Do these parents even have the opportunity to be good parents? Or are they always busy making up for the lack of «everything»?

I found the families I met to be extremely committed. They make an extreme effort to function at all levels. The children should - despite everything - not have to do without anything basic, they should not be stigmatised as poor. But of course, if you have more financial resources, you can delegate things externally and make more time for the family. The financial pressure, the stress and the fear of new bills that could arrive in the letterbox put a lot of strain on mothers and fathers. Many have a guilty conscience towards their children - consumerism is part of everyday life in our society.

How can this be in a country as rich as Switzerland?

Children are largely a private matter in this country. And therefore a risk of poverty. Switzerland invests too little in children and families. At 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product, it is well below the European average of 2.3 per cent. The low subsidisation of daycare places is particularly striking. Compared to neighbouring countries, Swiss parents pay twice to three times as much towards childcare costs.

So what needs to change?

In my opinion, the expansion of early education is key. Every child must be given access to early education.

Among other things, they address crèches. These are open to everyone.

But they are still far from being available everywhere and are simply not affordable for many families. A child costs between CHF 7,000 and CHF 14,000 per year, the largest proportion of which is for housing and the crèche. Yet early support would be particularly appropriate for children from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. International and national studies show that inequalities that exist when children enter the school system cannot be compensated for over the years. On the contrary: children affected by poverty have to repeat school grades much more frequently and are less likely to go to grammar school. Families cannot afford expensive extra tuition. This reduces educational opportunities and the prospects of a higher income. Early support would be the key to closing the gap.

With its stimulus programme, the federal government has created almost 55,000 new places in daycare and supplementary school care over the last 15 years.

That is a positive development. However, we must not lose sight of two things. Firstly, the expansion of supply varied greatly from region to region. New places were not created in all cantons. Secondly, the funding has not changed with the impulse programme. These places were not subsidised and continue to cost parents a lot of money. For this reason, Parliament allocated CHF 100 million in 2016 to subsidise childcare places on the one hand and to adapt them to parents' needs on the other. Many parents work shifts or irregular hours, for example, and need something other than the traditional daycare centre opening hours of 7 am to 6 pm.

What can families at risk of poverty do to improve their situation?

You know, I can say to a mother: «Educate yourself, don't leave your job for years, share the care of your children with your father, don't get divorced. That way you minimise the risk of slipping into poverty.» But that would be delegating responsibility to those affected. And that can't be right. Ultimately, the system has to change. The state has a duty. It must guarantee a secure livelihood in the event of divorce, as well as a better work-life balance and high-quality early childhood education. The canton of Ticino is setting a good example here.

«Ticino is the only canton where children are not at risk of poverty.»

Bettina Fredrich from Caritas Switzerland

In what way?

The canton offers voluntary, free all-day kindergarten from the age of three. It is used by over 90 per cent of parents. There are also supplementary family benefits for low-income families. This prevents them from having to receive social welfare. Ticino is the only canton in which children are not at risk of poverty.

You mentioned stigmatisation. What should you look out for in everyday interactions - as a teacher or as a mother or father not affected by poverty?

The school does a great deal of integration work. And yet not all teachers are equally aware of poverty. Take the class photo, for example: every year a photographer visits the class, takes photos and gives the pupils a portfolio to take home. The cost: 60 francs. Those children whose parents cannot afford such a thing have to take the portfolio back. This can have a stigmatising effect. You might ask yourself: doesn't a self-made digital class photo, which is sent free of charge by email, fulfil the same purpose?

What can parents do?

Above all, realise that there are children who are growing up under different conditions to your own and coordinate with other parents. Why not jointly set the limit for the next children's birthday present at three francs? So that the differences between the children no longer manifest themselves on the gift table.

If you had to make a prediction, how many children will be affected by poverty in Switzerland in five years' time?

Many factors favour child poverty. In addition to healthcare costs or the cost of housing for a family, the ability of parents to work is also a decisive factor. In the course of digitalisation, it can be assumed that low-skilled parents are more likely to lose their jobs and their risk of poverty will tend to increase. If things continue at the same pace with regard to the compatibility of family and career, early support, supplementary family benefits, etcetera, child poverty will increase in the future. The good news is that politicians have the power to sustainably reduce child poverty with targeted measures.

What Caritas does

In its political work, Caritas Switzerland is committed to the issue of «child poverty in Switzerland» and supports families affected by poverty with various programmes:

• Caritas-Märkte: In 21 Läden in der Schweiz können armutsbetroffene Familien gesunde Lebensmittel wie Obst und Gemüse, Hygiene- und Alltagsprodukte stark vergünstigt einkaufen.
• KulturLegi: Eltern in finanzieller Not erhalten Rabatte von 30 bis 70 Prozent auf über
  2550 Angebote wie Schwimmbad, Kino oder Pfadilager. Dadurch lernen sie neue Gspänli kennen, nehmen am gesellschaftlichen Leben teil und erweitern ihren Horizont.
• Mit mir: Freiwillige Patinnen und Paten verbringen ein- bis zweimal im Monat Zeit mit Kindern aus schwierigen familiären Situationen. So können die Kinder ihre Freizeit kreativ gestalten, und ihr Selbstvertrauen wird durch die ungeteilte Aufmerksamkeit gestärkt. Dazu werden die Eltern entlastet.