Austerity Hurts: How Psychology Can Help Us Understand the Cost of Poverty

From Planet 234

by Psychologists for Social Change South Wales

Psychologists for Social Change South Wales detail the devastating impacts of austerity and inequality on the well-being of people in Wales, and introduce radical ways in which the causes of psychological distress can be addressed through new developments in mental health services and poverty policy.

In the context of underfunded and outdated mental health and local authority services we would like to explore the impact of poverty and inequality on the well-being of citizens in Wales – particularly children and young people. This will be followed by outlining examples of psychologically informed service developments which aim to address the wider causes of mental distress as well as the factors that maintain suffering.

About the authors

Jen Daffin is current chair and co-founder of Psychologists for Social Change South Wales as well as a Clinical Psychologist in Training at Cardiff University.
Dr Rachel Evans is a Clinical Psychologist in the ABUHB Gwent Community Psychology Team.
Dr Naomi Swift is a Clinical Psychologist in the ABUHB Weight Management service.
Dr Cerith Waters is a Clinical Psychologist in the ABUHB Perinatal Team and a Researcher in the School of Psychology at Cardiff University. Website: www.psychchange.com. Email: [email protected]