Save the Children has warned that severe child poverty remains a major problem in the Valencian Community, with more than 150,000 children affected. According to analysis based on the latest Living Conditions Survey from Spain’s National Statistics Institute, 152,613 children live in households whose disposable income is below 40% of the median.

The figures mean that 13.8% of households with children in the region are experiencing severe poverty, more than a point higher than the national average of 12.5%. By comparison, the rate for households without children stands at 9.7%, highlighting the greater vulnerability faced by families with dependants.

Lone-mother families continue to be the hardest hit, with one in four living in severe poverty. The organisation has also noted a rise in the risk of poverty or social exclusion among children, which now affects more than 347,000 young people across the Valencian Community.

Save the Children has called for stronger measures to tackle child poverty, including improvements to the Valencian Inclusion Income, better support for single-parent and large families, and expanded access to social housing. It has also urged governments to prioritise children in welfare, housing and education policies to prevent the situation from worsening.