Baby banks supported almost 9,000 in Northern Ireland last year, figures show

Almost 9,000 babies and children in Northern Ireland were supported last year by baby banks, new data has indicated.

The Baby Bank Alliance said some 20% of children in the region live in poverty, and 20% in absolute poverty.

It said baby banks responded last year by giving families more than 13,000 items such as warm clothes, books, baby toiletries and equipment.

The alliance, formed by Save the Children UK, Purposeful Ventures, Little Village and the Baby Bank Network Bristol, has more than 150 baby bank members.

It has urged the UK Government to abolish the two-child benefit limit which it described as “one of the main drivers of rising child poverty in the country”.

It said baby banks across the UK have seen a 54.4% increase in referrals for their services between 2021 and 2023.

In Northern Ireland in 2023, baby banks supported 8,973 babies and children.

Kelly Taylor, manager for Home Start East Antrim baby bank, said so many need the service.

“Our new baby bank has taken off very quickly and I’m delighted, but very sad that it’s needed,” she said.

“I suppose that’s how we feel, it’s very said that at this time, with the cost-of-living crisis, so many people do need the service.

“It’s a very new service locally. The community has really got behind us because they knew the need is there. But like many other small areas, it’s a tight-knit community and the need can often be hidden.”

Hannah Pentith, executive lead of the Baby Bank Alliance, said the figures “reveal the shocking scale of child poverty in the UK and the urgency of action needed to tackle it”.

“Bringing a child into the world is one of the most precious moments for any parent, and yet so many begin this journey without the essentials every baby needs,” she said.

“It’s unacceptable that parents or carers should be agonising over the cost of everyday items.

“Some children don’t have the little things we all take for granted every day; a book to read, a warm blanket to cuddle up with or a pram so mum or dad can take them to the park. The impact of this can follow a child for the rest of their lives.

“Baby banks are stepping up by normalising reuse of essentials, protecting our planet, alleviating the impact of material deprivation and building a community to help each other through difficult times.”

Sophie Livingstone, chairwoman of the Baby Bank Alliance, said: “Unfortunately, today’s figures aren’t a surprise – we want the surprise to be a significant commitment to tackling child poverty from our new Government, starting by putting an end to the two-child limit.

“All children should have a safe place to sleep, warm clothes, shoes that fit. Yet with low wages, insecure work prospects and unaffordable childcare, far too many families are struggling to afford these vital things. Without baby banks across the UK providing this incredible safety net, thousands of children would be missing out.

“The Baby Bank Alliance’s mission is to support and advocate for UK baby banks so that every child has the essentials they need to thrive. There is power in our numbers. With stubbornly high child poverty rates, there has never been a more important time for baby banks to unite so they can keep reaching the families that need them and to make sure the new UK Government makes tackling child poverty the priority it should be.”