Still Waiting for Change: How Delays in Policy Hurt Families Like Mine

When I heard that the UK Government has delayed the new Child Poverty Strategy, I felt really disappointed. Through Changing Realities, so many of us have shared our stories, our ideas, and our hopes. We’ve worked hard, using our lived experience to help shape something better for families. So to hear it’s being pushed back again—it hurts. It feels like families like mine are being told to keep waiting.

I know that change in government often takes time. I’ve seen it before. But when you’re already struggling to make ends meet, hearing “wait a bit longer” is hard to take. For me, it means putting off getting new school shoes for my child, or not being able to top up the gas as often as I need to. Sometimes it’s choosing between buying fresh fruit or having enough for the bus fare that week. For many of us, every day is already a challenge—trying to stretch money, pay bills, feed our children, and stay strong.

There was one bit of good news: from 2026, all children in England will get free school meals. That is a big step forward, and it gives me hope. I know how much difference a free school meal can make. It takes pressure off parents and makes sure children have at least one hot, healthy meal a day. That matters.

But it’s also hard not to think: why do we have to wait until 2026? That’s still over a year away. What about the families who need that help now? And what about those of us in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? Will there be the same support everywhere? Or will some families be left behind, simply because of where they live?

Through Changing Realities, we hear directly from parents and carers all over the UK. We know what it’s like to feel invisible, to speak out and still feel unheard. But at the same time, being part of this project gives me strength. It reminds me that our voices do matter. Our stories are powerful. We’ve already helped bring about change, and we can keep going.

I’m holding on to hope, because I believe things can get better. But I also feel determined. Delays in government policies don’t just cause frustration—they cause real harm. They mean more children missing out, more parents lying awake at night trying to figure out how to make it all work.

So I want to keep speaking up. Through Changing Realities, I’ve learned how important it is to tell the truth about what life is really like. Not just statistics or big headlines—but everyday reality.

I’ll keep sharing my story, and listening to others. I believe if we keep working together—sharing, supporting, and speaking out—we can change things. Maybe not overnight, but step by step. Because families deserve more than empty promises. We deserve action. We deserve support. And most of all, we deserve to be heard.