Poor children are 'still with us'

The number of people in low paid jobs has doubled since 1977, according to a joint report by the End Child Poverty campaign and the Work Foundation.

In fact, more than six million people - a fifth of the workforce - are in low paid jobs.

As a result, despite the government's commitment to end child poverty, poor children are "still with us" the report's authors said.

Modest success

According to the 2001 census, more than two million children live in households where no adults work.

Government initiatives to encourage people back into the work force, such as the New Deal, have only been a "modest success", the report warns.

However, according to the report, 52% of poor children live in homes where at least one adult works.

As a result, Kate Green, director of One Parent Families and a trustee of End Child Poverty, concludes: "The government's drive to lift children out of poverty by getting their parents into work is not enough on its own."

The UK's de-regulated labour market means that there is an abundance of low paid and part-time jobs.

Minimum wage legislation and tax credits are all helping to lift children from low earning families out of poverty, but the report adds that on their own they are not a "sufficient remedy".

In particular, the government should do more to help with the costs of childcare and improve working conditions.

It should also provide better development of skills to help the poorest families, the report concludes.