EXPERIENCES OF CHILDHOOD FOOD INSECURITY

Sue King and John Bellamy

What is food insecurity?

Food insecurity is the ‘limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways’

(Life Sciences Research Office, 1996:6)

Measured among individuals using the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM)

National study of ER service users

• Study conducted in 2012• 15 Anglicare agencies across

Australia• 590 Emergency Relief

service users interviewed• 9 questions about adults’

experience of food insecurity• 7 questions about children in

the household

Questions asked of ER service users• Perceptions about the adequacy of the

household food budget or food supply• Perceptions about the adequacy and quality of

the food eaten by adults and children• Reported instances of reduced food intake, or

consequences of reduced intake, among adults• Reported instances of reduced food intake or its

consequences among children

Food insecurity among adult ER service users

• The overwhelming majority of ER service users

(96%) experienced some form of food insecurity

• Three out of four of respondents (76%) were

severely food insecure

• Almost one third (31%) were severely food

insecure almost every week

Food insecurity among the childrenof ER service users

Children were fed only low-cost food

Children did not get a variety of food

Couldn't afford more food for the children

Children's meals were cut in size

Children hungry but couldn't afford food

Children skipped meals

Children did not eat for a whole day

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

83%

78%

52%

46%

39%

24%

10%

Proportion of households where at least once in last 3 months:

Frequency of food insecurity among children (3 month period)

Almost

every week

Some weeks but not every

week

Only 1 or 2

weeks Never Total

Children were fed only low-cost food 33% 39% 12% 17% 100%

Children did not get a variety of food 23% 42% 13% 22% 100%

Couldn't afford more food for the children 12% 26% 14% 48% 100%

Children's meals were cut in size 11% 21% 14% 54% 100%

Children hungry but couldn’t afford food 9% 19% 11% 61% 100%

Children skipped meals 4% 11% 8% 76% 100%

Children did not eat for a whole day 2% 5% 3% 90% 100%

Food insecurity among the childrenof ER service users

Food insecurity among the children of ER service users

• The majority of households make

compromises on the quality of food

provided for their children• Children do not have enough to eat in

half of households• Children are skipping meals in a quarter

of households • Children are going without food for a

whole day in 10% of households• A third of children are severely food

insecure

Impacts on ER service user households

Stress and anxiety

“You stress over things ‘cos you don’t know where the next feed’s coming from.”

Social isolation

“Very withdrawn and I don’t go out. Don’t want to let people know.”

Anger and family conflict

“We get angry and argue if we don’t eat.”

Feeling of being depressed and low self esteem

“It makes me want to burst into tears. It’s very hard.”

“To see an empty fridge is depressing. It is a constant reminder of the situation.”

Impacts on ER service user households

Feelings of shame and embarrassment

“It makes me feel degraded as a human being and we don’t entertain anymore.”

Poor functioning

“Affects mentally and can’t function if hungry”

Compromised health

“Just drinking tea and water...vomiting...get weak”

Providing for children

“I think’ How an I gonna feed my kids?’”

Impacts on children Behavioural issues

“Kids get cranky and irritable.”

Lack of social connections

“Anything [I do] with the kids has to be free and within walking distance of the home.”

Impaired school attendance and performance

“It affects everything. The school wants to know why the kids are hungry.”

Child’s view of the world

“Kids see others have more and judge home.”

Putting children first“Sometimes I go without to ensure my child has food.”

 

“The last thing I want is for my children to go without food.”

 

“I know a lot of people that go without to feed their children.”

 

“I’ve tried to cut down on food portions to let children have enough and not go to bed hungry. I try to give them meat with five veg and go without myself.”

 

“I buy a little bit of food every day so I know the baby has something to eat that day.”

 

“I ensure my son always has the basics of bread, spreads, milk, yoghurt and fruit, in addition to cereal and eggs to ensure basic needs are covered... he never goes without, even if I do.”

Possible Policy Solutions

A National Food plan Locally-based food initiatives Increased emergency relief food

services Case management through

emergency relief services Addressing income adequacy Increased Commonwealth

Rental Assistance

Conclusion• In households that attend Anglicare Emergency

Relief centres there are children going without

food – some on a fairly regular basis.

• Food insecurity impacts on adult wellbeing which

has an impact on the whole household.

• For children this can lead to family conflict,

behavioural issues, social disconnection, and

poorer school performance.

• Adults appear to protect their children

from food insecurity but sometimes

there is just not enough food.