Child Poverty Action Plan Add Title Here Add name of presenter here

Child Poverty Action Plan Context and Background North Ayrshire Joint Child Poverty action plan report Next Steps and Discussion

Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 Provisions of Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 To set out a clear agenda for tackling, reporting on and measuring child poverty, the Act: Sets out four statutory income targets, to be met in the financial year beginning 1 April 2030. Sets out four interim income targets, to be met in the financial year beginning 1 April 2023. Places a duty on Scottish Ministers to publish child poverty delivery plans in 2018, 2022, and 2026, and to report on those plans annually. Places a duty on local authorities and health boards to report annually on activity they are taking, and will take, to reduce child poverty. Sets out that a statutory Poverty and Inequality Commission will be established from 1 July 2019, with functions related to the child poverty reduction targets.

Guidance – Direct Drivers of Child Poverty

Local Child Poverty Action Report National Context

Local Child Poverty Action Report – Local Context Figure 6: Local Poverty Related Indicators Indicator North Ayrshire Scotland Employment rate (2017-18) 69.8% 75.4% Unemployment Rate (2017-18) 6.4% 4.1% Incapacity benefit/ severe disability allowance Claimant count 7.40% 6.10% Working age population claiming out of work benefits (2016) 14.6% 10.6% Children in low income families (2015) 23.30% 16.30% Children registered for free school meals (2018) 22.30% 15.60% Households with children living in fuel poverty (2014/16) 18.1% 16.7% Children admitted to hospital due to asthma, rate per 100,000 population (2015/16- 2017/18) 235.1 145.1 Children looked after by Local Authority, rate per 1,000 (2017) 22.2 14.3 Domestic Abuse Rates, per 10,000 population (2016/17) 123.4 108.8 Employment rate for 16-24 year olds (2017) 57.8% 59.4% Households with children living in homes that fail the SHQS (2014/16) 52.4% 41.2% Proportion of Population Income Deprived (2017) 17.3% 12.2% Proportion of Working age population employment deprived (2017) 15.3% Young people in prison per 100,000 (2012-2014) 484.7 300.2 Young people living in the most income deprived quintile (2017) 47.9% 21.5% Proportion of people earning less than the living wage (2017/18)* 21.40% 18.40% Proportion of people aged 16+ underemployed (2017)** (Respondents who would like to work longer hours, given the opportunity) 11.8% 8.0% Source: Scottish Public Health Information for Scotland (https://scotland.shinyapps.io/ScotPHO_profiles_tool/) *Source: Local Government Benchmarking Framework **Source: Annual Population Survey (Jan to Dec)

Local Child Poverty Action Report Strategic Context Fair For All Strategy - “North Ayrshire CPP pledges to tackle the root causes of child poverty and mitigate its impact to create a better life for local people.” Advisory Panel Steering Group Fair For All Commission Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) - four priority areas: A Working North Ayrshire A Healthier North Ayrshire A Safer North Ayrshire A Thriving North Ayrshire – Children and Young People

Local Child Poverty Action Report Strategic Context Draft 2019-2024 Council Plan, Vision: A North Ayrshire that is ‘Fair For All’ Mission: Working together to improve well-being, prosperity and equity in North Ayrshire Aspiring Communities Inspiring Place A Council for the Future Priority Outcomes directly linked to Child poverty - North Ayrshire’s children and young people have the best start in life. North Ayrshire has an inclusive, growing and enterprising economy. North Ayrshire’s residents and communities enjoy good, life-long health and wellbeing.

Local Child Poverty Action Report Strategic Context Children’s Services Plan Scottish Attainment Challenge Child Centred Council – Year of Young People legacy Inclusive Growth Community Wealth Building Ayrshire Regional Growth Deal Adverse Childhood Experiences

Local Child Poverty Action Report Action Plan Understanding Inequalities – Fair for All Approach Income from Employment: Skills for Life programme Family Futures programme We Work for Families programme Focus on the poverty related attainment gap Vocational programmes and Activity Agreements in the Senior Phase Positive Steps initiative Supported Employment Team Employability Pipeline Services

Local Child Poverty Action Report Action Plan Costs of living: Better Off North Ayrshire Money Matters Childcare – early years expansion Healthy Start Vouchers School Holiday Meals programme Period Poverty Initiative Transport initiatives Local Housing Strategy

Local Child Poverty Action Report Action Plan Income from social security and benefits in kind: Better Off North Ayrshire Money Matters Discretionary housing payments Scottish Welfare Fund administration Referral tool for NHS staff to sign-post families to appropriate specialist services. North Ayrshire digital strategy Uptake of Free School Meals, Clothing Grants and Education Maintenance Allowance

Local Child Poverty Action Report Action Plan Table 1 – Current Actions to address the Direct Drivers of Child Poverty (As shown in Fig. 1) Action e.g. new services offered, increasing flexibility of existing services Who action is carried out by (all those partners involved in action) Poverty driver(s) the action is intended to impact Level of Intervention   How impact has / will be assessed Timescale for action Approach and Group(s) the action is intended to reduce poverty amongst* Link to North Ayrshire Strategy Partnership working with Through Care Support Team to engage and support care leavers in making and maintaining claims for benefit, supporting with identifying training and employment opportunities. NAC, DWP Income from Employment Income from Benefits Prevent Q4 2018/19 – 54% of eligible YP are in Education, Employment or Training. The young people who are not in Education, Employment or Training fall into 4 other categories- Looking after Family, Long Term Illness, Short Term Illness or Due to other Circumstances Ongoing Targeted Looked after care leavers North Ayrshire Local Employment Activity Action Plan Skills for Life programme – intensive support for long term unemployed lone parents. Six month mentored vocational placement within the Council. Addresses many barriers. In partnership with DWP, Ayrshire College and other partners. Since April 2017, 45 people have taken part with 35 (78%) having a positive destination. 22 retained with Council, 8 private sector employment, 5 further education.

Local Child Poverty Action Report Governance Community Planning Partnership Cabinet Approval in June 2019 Six Monthly Reporting – internal Children’s Services Strategic Partnership Fair For All Steering Group – as part of CPP Annual Report to Scottish Government

Development Internal working group Consultation with CP Board - November workshops FFA Steering Group Report to CPP Senior Officers Group Consultation with all Directorates and Partners ELT and CSSP received updates

Next Steps Board Approval for report to be published Approval of Draft Report and Action Plan by Cabinet – 11 June 2019 Publish Report and Submit to Scottish Government by 30 June 2019