One in Ten Finnish Children Face Material Deprivation as Poverty Surges

One in ten Finnish children face material deprivation as poverty surges

One in ten children under the age of 16 in Finland now live in households experiencing material deprivation, according to new data from Statistics Finland. The figure has nearly tripled in three years, highlighting a sharp and rapid deterioration in child welfare linked to financial hardship. Material deprivation refers to a household’s inability to afford goods, services, or living conditions considered standard. These include access to the int…

10% children in Finland experience material deprivation in 2024

About 10 per cent of all children aged from 0 to 15 experienced material deprivation in Finland in 2024, according to Statistics Finland. The share has grown from 2021 when it was 3.7 per cent. Material deprivation is more commonly experienced by children living in one-adult households (22.9%) than by children living with two adults (6.9%). Deprivation deepened among those experiencing material deprivation. In 2024, deprivation occurred, on av…

Not all families with children can afford the internet, hobbies, or keeping their homes warm.