CHARITIES called for action yesterday after research revealed that most children living in poverty in Wales live in a family with at least one child under four years old.

The study from Barnardo’s Cymru and the Bevan Foundation found that the birth of a baby often leads to a drop in household income while costs increase.

This, combined with low maternity pay, meagre social security benefits and the rising costs of essentials, can push families with young children into poverty.

Sarah Row, a child services manager for nearly 10 years, said she had been shocked by the scale of poverty, poor housing and mental health problems affecting the lives of children and their parents in recent months.

Working in some of South Wales’s poorest communities, she has come across examples of young children sleeping on mattresses black with mould and others spending the night on the floor.

“I have never seen things this bad,” Ms Row said.

“Parents are often reluctant to admit just how bad things are, as they feel ashamed they cannot feed and clothe their children or keep them warm.”

The charities said that while the Welsh government’s actions, such as extending free school meals to primary schools, were helping reduce poverty among school-age children, “very little is targeted at younger children.”

Bevan Foundation director Dr Victoria Winckler said: “The UK government is undertaking a review of child poverty and we recommend that it should increase maternity pay and scrap the two-child benefit cap. 

“The Welsh government has a part to play too, by providing affordable childcare for under-twos, developing a new baby grant and seeking powers to provide a child payment, as in Scotland.”

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “We are determined to do everything we can within our powers to tackle poverty and child poverty. Our Child Poverty strategy sets out our ambitions for the longer term and outlines how we will work across the whole of government and with partners to maximise the impact of the levers available to us.

“Maximising incomes, building financial resilience, and putting money back into people pockets is a top priority for us. Over the last three years alone this support has been worth almost £5bn.

“The Advicelink Cymru ‘Claim What’s Yours’ helpline on 0808 250 5700 can give people free and confidential advice about money they may be entitled to.”