Up to a third of all children and young people in Northern Ireland are living in poverty, it was claimed today.
Speaking at the launch of a new funding scheme for voluntary groups working with children, Ms Pauline Leeson, the director of Child Care NI, said the levels of disadvantage among children in the province was at higher levels than in the rest of Britain.
"A third of our population is aged under 25, and 30 per cent of those people are living in poverty."
Grants totalling £17 million sterling were announced by finance minister Mr Ian Pearson for projects aimed at helping children in need and young people at risk of going into care.
Over 100 projects will share the money granted through the Executive's Children's Fund over the next three years.
Ms Leeson welcomed the announcement, but said long-term funding was required to address the historic under-funding of children's services.
"This money will be invaluable in starting to address the inequalities that some children and their families face," she said. "Historically, statutory and voluntary services for children at risk have been under-resourced."