UPDATED 3.22pm: The government maintains it's doing enough to tackle child poverty - despite barely a dent in the issue over its six years in charge.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley is blaming recession and the Christchurch earthquakes for the stagnation.

She says the government's supported struggling Kiwis through those tough economic times - and the result shows that's been "reasonably successful".

Child poverty levels barely moved

There are calls for the government to move more quickly on tackling child poverty.

A just-released international report from UNICEF shows our levels of child poverty have hardly budged since 2008, while similarly sized countries have significantly decreased the problem.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei says it's embarrassing that other countries have managed such big progress, despite the Global Financial Crisis.

"Feeding hungry kids is the start of dealing with the symptoms, but the cause is poor income across both benefits and wages."

Turei says there needs to be a focus on increasing income, through both the minimum wage and benefit payments.

"This government has a pathological allergy to improving the incomes of the very poor, but it has to be the first step to alleviating poverty because income matters."

Meanwhile, frustrated teachers say tackling child poverty can't just be left to charity workers.

New Zealand Educational Institute president Judith Nowotarski says children often show up to school hungry and stressed, and the government needs to remove the barriers to their education.

"This is not about a charities doing what they do well. It's really about where's the government's responsibility, what policies are they really going to develop."

Nowotarski says there needs to be urgent government action.

She says poverty casts a long shadow, and stops children focusing in the classroom.

"It has a huge impact if you're feeling hungry, if you're feeling stressed through no fault of your own or your family's circumstances."

UNICEF National Advocacy Manager Deborah Morris-Travers says any policy fixes have been too piecemeal, and there needs to be a coordinated government approach.

"And that does include getting alongside parents to improve their education levels and literacy to make sure people can make that transition into work."

Morris-Travers says Norway and Finland are a similar size to New Zealand, but both have managed to make strong progress fighting child poverty.

Over the ditch, Australia's introduced cash payments to help low-income families.

"When that's contrasted with the situation in New Zealand, it becomes very clear that our government's not doing enough to ensure that families have got adequate income and that children are having their needs met."

Opposition attacks government

Opposition parties are kicking up a stink over this morning's UNICEF report. 

Labour MP Annette king says the findings can't be considered just a wake up call.

She says they have to be impetus for addressing the problem.

Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei says the findings show the Government's failed and needs to urgently take steps to reduce poverty rates.