'Kids can't afford £2 for football, they hide to avoid paying' - Youth worker's grim tales of child poverty

Anwar Kattack runs voluntary football sessions for Small Heath's youth, but children increasingly can't afford it

A youth worker has shared shocking stories of child poverty - from youngsters unable to afford £2 football sessions to turning up in torn clothes. Anwar Kattack is the founder of Birmingham Youth Sports Academy (BYSA), which supports young people through sports and mentoring.

A champion for children, Anwar sees first-hand the devastating impact the cost-of-living crisis and a lack of investment has had on young people. Birmingham Live has launched a campaign to help those at the sharp end. It's an issue Anwar said had been festering for years.

Based in Small Heath, Anwar said he saw rampant deprivation all around him and founded BYSA to offer voluntary football coaching to young people. Other projects include a recent summer holiday programme featuring a variety of sports and celebrity guests for more than 200 young people.

Birmingham: A Child Poverty Emergency

Child poverty is soaring in Birmingham and without urgent change, will only get worse. Having worked with charities and community groups, BirminghamLive is campaigning for the following changes to start to turn the tide:

1. End the two-child benefit cap
2. Provide free school meals to every child in poverty
3. Create a city “aid bank” for baby and child essentials
4. Protect children’s and youth services
5. Create permanent, multi year Household Support Fund and give more Discretionary Housing grants
6. Set up child health and wellbeing hubs in our most deprived neighbourhoods
7. Appoint a Birmingham child poverty tsar
8. Provide free public travel for young people

You can see why in more detail here.

Read our full report Birmingham: A Child Poverty Emergency here.

What you can do to help.

He continues to fight for Small Heath youth but admitted he had wondered if it was an endless battle. He said: "Child poverty is definitely on the rise. It's the norm now.

"Some of my sessions are £1 to £2 and if a child has the money then great, but if I see ripped shoes or shorts and nothing branded, I don't say anything. If someone only brings 60p I don't give them a lecture as we have to empower the less fortunate.

"Some kids will hide in the changing room to avoid paying to save that £1 to £2 for a meal. In our day 50p could get you crisps and chocolates. Parents are working two to three jobs to put food on the table. Kids feel they can't go into leisure centres or libraries without a membership.

"It clearly shows if you don't have money you're not allowed, and if you do have money parents have to take time out from jobs to facilitate these kids. There is no balance. The cost-of-living means everything has gone up and you can't travel, you can't even go to Blackpool. The rich get rich and the poor get poorer."

Anwar criticised Birmingham City Council's decision to slash youth services, which saw reported cuts of £2.3 million. He slammed the closure of Small Heath Swimming Pool which still has no opening date.

Small Heath Park's depressing state is also a sign of the ward's deprivation with litter-clogged lakes and graffiti-splattered basketball courts. It is one of Birmingham's most deprived areas.

Birmingham Live's investigation revealed a rise in child poverty from 27 per cent in 2015 to 46 per cent today. Areas such as housing, health, access to youth and children's services, educational achievement, safety and crime were all affected.

Aside from our eight requests for local government to help Birmingham's children, Anwar shared his own solutions too. He said: "Schooling needs extra-curricular support like sports activities and mentoring.

"Football clubs should do free drop in sessions. Nationally youth clubs, leisure centres and parks are shut down. We need clubs that go the extra mile, special needs kids are being neglected.

"You go to Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Bournville you can see quality and parents in Range Rovers and Porches. Kids have £250 football boots.

"We sell tracksuits and t-shirts for £20 but other clubs will sell them for £75. A football coach came to me and asked 'do you help people with food? My mum lost her job'. I gave him a shopping voucher and £20 for a meal which they could enjoy that night.

"That was a lad of 19 so it's not just kids, it's teenagers going into adulthood. Child poverty exists, it is getting worse and we work with hundreds of kids."