IMAJU LI DJECA KOJA ŽIVE U UVJETIMA SIROMAŠTVA JEDNAK PRISTUP OBRAZOVANJU?

DO CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN POVERTY HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION? ABSTRACT Growing up in poverty bears numerous risks for children which may have different consequences on their growth and development and affect their adult age. Education is one of key parameters of breaking the cycle of poverty, but educational and social policies still do not recognise to a sufficient extent the importance of investing in targeted measures and services which are directed towards overcoming the barriers these children are faced with. Although according to the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia education should be free and accessible to all, different research and status review of the accessibility of services and other aspects related to educational processes clearly indicate numerous aspects which require substantial material resources. In that sense children who live in poverty are extremely disadvantaged which puts them in an unequal position in comparison with their peers in the education system. The paper presents some obstacles that the children who live in poverty are faced with which additionally contribute to social differences in the education system. Introduction of accessible and universal services and measures into the system of education would contribute to a fairer position of the children of lower socio-economic status and enable their equal participation with other children. Key words: child poverty; right to education; educational inequalities; barriers to education