Reducing Child Poverty in Newcastle

Developing the role of the Voluntary and Community Sector

Janette Brown, Pam Jobbins and Loraine Sweeney

Children’s Services and NCVCS

• We have some of the highest rates of child poverty in the country.

• In 2007 (latest available data) almost one third of children (32.3% or 16 600 children) in Newcastle were living in poverty.

• Poverty is heavily concentrated in certain areas of the city and is more prevalent amongst certain family and household types

• Newcastle identified as a Beacon Authority for it’s approach to tackling and mitigating the effects of Child Poverty

The child poverty challenge

Neighbourhood analysis

Outcomes for Children living in Poverty

• Lower life expectancy at birth• Lower levels of breastfeeding• More likely to require protection or be looked after• Higher levels of domestic violence reports• More likely to live in poor housing• Higher rates of obesity• Lower levels of educational attainment• Higher teenage pregnancy rates• More likely to be trouble at school or with the police• More likely not to be in education, employment or training at 16-18

years

Costing the public sector billions of pounds

Child Poverty Act

• Local authorities and their partners must cooperate to tackle child poverty locally

• Prepare and publish a local child poverty needs assessment

• Prepare a joint local child poverty strategy

Examples of local projects

• School Gates – making employment advice and support accessible for parents at the school gate

• Free school meals – promoting applications; increasing take up and reducing stigma

• Volunteering – developing and promoting opportunities for volunteering among children and young people

• Cowgate parent support project – opportunity for local people to help other parents by offering support and signposting – potential for paid sessional employment in the longer term.

Next Steps in Newcastle

• Finalise the needs assessment • Develop Think Tank to hear more about children and young

people’s views • Develop work to understand parent and carer perceptions

• Review the strategy• Outcomes based accountability approach to identify what

works • Focus on people in work who are living in poverty• Develop work with employers and third sector partners• Assess the impact of public sector cuts on poverty and

identify solutions to minimise the negative impacts.

Children’s Views and experiences of Child Poverty

• Participation Unit Child Poverty Project • What is poverty

“it’s expensive to go the cinema, it should be £2 but its £6 and most families can’t afford it.” (Boy 12, Cowgate)

• Stigma and Bullying “Young people want football strips and boots

and they cant afford it cos they haven’t go a job” (Boy 8 Walker)

Children’s Views and experiences of Child Poverty

• Poverty at school “its hard to pay for uniforms when you have

bills, its £90 for the bills. It really is.” (Boy 12, Cowgate)

• Free school meals “I know who is on free school meals cos they

can’t buy a cookie and a drink with their meal and can only get the cheap meals (Girl, 12, Gosforth)

Children’s Views and experiences of Child Poverty• It’s important to listen to young people because…..• Does where you live make a difference?• Policies – Think Tank

• Youth Bank• Hiring equipment for sport• School trips campaign• Mystery Shopping• Bullying • Mentoring

How can the VCS get involved?

• Child Poverty Events/Network – twice per annum in Newcastle

• Helping to identify families most at risk• Work in those communities that are most

deprived, and help raise aspirations • Support families in maximising benefit

income and getting experience to get into work/better paid work

How can the VCS get involved?

• Think family and promote the needs of the whole family – it’s harder for children to get out of poverty while their parents are in poverty.

• Think outside the box and explore greater partnership working and greater innovation in tackling poverty

Over to You

• Do you know about the child poverty strategies being developed in your local area and how to get involved?

• How do you think that the VCS can help in the fight against poverty?

• What are the Barriers and Challenges to that involvement?

• How could we overcome the barriers and maximise the unique qualities that VCS organisations can bring?

Contacts

If you work in Newcastle and would like more information about the Newcastle Child Poverty Network please contact:

abigail.holder@newcastle.gov.uk

For more information about the Think Tank or child poverty work please contact Lorraine

Sweeney, Claire Lund Larsen or Nick Brereton at the Participation Unit

01912606516

E-Mail: haveyoursay@newcastle.gov.uk