The survey covered 207 households and 99 children in Croatia.
The rate of children in relative poverty in Croatia is about 7% higher than in the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland), and in the 2012-14 period it fell by 10%. In Croatia, children living in households with a higher number of children, fewer employed members and parents with lower education face the biggest risk of poverty.
The fact that the long term poverty rate is higher than the temporary one is also a warning sign, reporters were told at a presentation of the findings.
Since their household income is not enough, 65.7% of poor households did not pay utility bills for three of more months over 12 months, 62.8% cut down on utilities and 25.1% excluded some, most often electricity, telephone and water.
Poor families produced two-thirds of their food or received it from relatives and friends. In the past two weeks, 21.3% of the household members went to bed hungry and 43.5% of parents sometimes went hungry so that their children could eat.
Although they live in poor households, 73.7% of children believe they live as the majority, 23.3% believe they are poor, and only one child told the researchers they were very poor. Ninety percent of the children have a positive attitude about the future and 94% are happy most of the time.
Survey leader Paul Stubbs underlined the importance of welfare centres and social workers as well as minimum wage and children's allowance. Children's allowance cannot be a measure only for population growth but for reducing children's poverty as well, he said.
Sociologist Sinisa Zrinscak, who took part in the survey, said only 30% of children whose parents were on welfare went to kindergarten, which is important for socialisation. He said children of poor parents often have no money for computers, hanging out or school trips.
He said welfare and children's allowance were the most important income for poor families and that any reform should take this into account. He said poor people and those on welfare should receive another allowance to survive.
The findings of the survey will help define measures for children, families and youth aimed at solving on of Croatia's biggest problems and that is that it is dying off, said Margareta Madjeric, state secretary at the Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy.
Children's Ombudswoman Ivana Milas Klaric said she received information on poor children on a daily basis and that all levels of state government are only paying lip service to children's rights.