Agenda item

Child Poverty in County Durham

(a)  Report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services

(b)  Presentation by Strategic Manager – One Point and Think Family Services

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services which on the progress of the Child Poverty Working Group (CPWG) in addressing child poverty in County Durham, and a presentation from the Strategic Manager – One Point/Think Family Services (for copies see file of minutes).

 

The Strategic Manager advised that over one fifth of children under 16 live in low income families and that across County Durham which fluctuated between a low of 0.8% to a high of 59%.

 

It was noted that with regards to obesity in children, areas of deprivation recorded the highest numbers, and there were less activities provided and more access to hot food takeaways in these areas.

 

The Child Poverty Working Group (CPWP) included working towards the poverty pledge which involved working with schools and other organisations to identify a champion for child poverty.  The CPWP had worked with more than 100 schools across the County, providing practical advice in cutting the cost of the school day.  They had delivered activities with food during school holidays; family centres had provided poverty offer that had included personal hygiene boxes, surplus food and clothes.

 

The Strategic Manager advised of the three kay ways County Durham has identified to tackle child poverty; Language and values associated with child poverty; poverty management in communities linked to early held; and economic inclusive growth approach.

 

Members were advised of future plans that included a County Durham Poverty Conference, the launch of the poverty pledge, develop holiday activities with the healthy food programme 2020, and revise the plan on a page.

 

Councillor Atkinson asked if success could be anticipated with regards to the Department of Education (DfE) grant funding bid for the development of free holiday provision to include healthy food and activities.  The Strategic Manager - OP/Think Family Services confirmed that £150k of New Burdens Funding had been awarded to pilot a programme to provide holiday activities with healthy good across County Durham.  This would be allocated by AAP’s and areas with high levels of deprivation would be prioritised.  There was a reliance on local groups to provide activities, but many were unaware of how to access free food.  Charitable organisations such as Fareshare recycled food waste which would otherwise go to landfill and this was information which the service was trying to better coordinate.

 

Councillor Charlton confirmed that she had held school holiday brunch club and found it difficult to engage with families who were known would benefit.  She had sent letters via the school, but as there were no exclusions, the children who attended tended to be those who were not from struggling families.

 

Councillor Bainbridge agreed that in her local area the activities worked well as she had volunteered in the school holidays and given out food in Chester le Street hub.  She added that the provision of holiday food had to be disguised as an addition to the activity, otherwise it would be seen as a handout and families would not participate.  Councillor Bainbridge asked what was being done to increase the uptake of the Healthy Start Vouchers.

 

The Strategic Manager - OP/Think Family Services, confirmed that the DfE bid was offering food as an element of holiday provision.  There was ongoing work with Midwives, Health Visitors and Social Workers through family centres, to recognise and encourage those who could access Healthy Start Vouchers.

 

Finally, Councillor Bainbridge referred to Woodhouse Close which had been described as the most deprived area in the County, and asked what was being done to assist those families who were struggling in the area.  The Strategic Manager - OP/Think Family Services, confirmed that there was a family centre in Woodhouse Close and a poverty offer, surplus food was donated from local suppliers and there was a clothes bank and access to the credit union.  There was also a programme ‘Big Cook, Little Cook’ were children and parents were invited to learn how to cook on a budget.

 

Councillor Crute was appalled that children were going to school in this County without food and he said that it was important that the impact of these measures were tracked.  The Child Poverty Working Group and Poverty Action Steering Group had taken measures but how were outcomes tracked and how would the service ensure accurate monitoring in future.  He asked how he impact of the initiatives to alleviate child poverty that were planned or being undertaken, would be evaluated alleviate child poverty. The Strategic Manager - OP/Think Family Services confirmed that take up of activities and access to services such as the credit union, was used to track impact, however the overall impact was multi-faceted as there were many other areas of work which would improve the lives of families’ in the County – assisting parents into work.  Child poverty would be maintained as a key priority, but she also added that the Council may need to lobby government and stress the issues.

 

Councillor Jewell highlighted that it was possible that some struggling families were missed due to the way poverty was measured – he asked how the Council could identify a strategy to measure effectiveness and asked how the grant funding would be coordinated if the bid was successful.  The Strategic Manager - OP/Think Family Services replied that part of the single assessment was to ask for confirmation of income so that they could ensure they were accessing the services that were available to them.  There was a child poverty conference planned later in the year, and this would be pivotal in determining, with partners, the next steps.

 

The Chair asked that a further update be received to a future meeting.

 

Resolved:

 

That the content of the report be noted.

Supporting documents: