1. Understanding & Addressing Child Poverty 20 October 2009 Councillor Les Lawrence Cabinet Member - Children, Young People & Families Tony Howell Strategic Director - Children, Young People & Families Strategic Director - Children, Young People & Families

2. The National Context What do we know about child poverty? What can we do about it?

3. Brighter Futures Strategy Key Building Blocks Data - analysis - epidemiology Common language - the logic model: Outcomes, Activities, Investments, Outputs Evidence-based practice/fidelity Developmental approach – all children and vulnerable children Underpinned by involvement of children, young people & parents/carers.

4. Child Poverty We know an awful lot about child poverty What causes it - or is strongly linked The effects it has How it sustains

5. Child Poverty Definitions & indicators Hotspots We can map it!

6. Children in Poverty Birmingham Map

7. % of total families with low income Out of work and poor In work and poor Total % families in poverty Ladywood45% + 36% = 81% Sparkbrook/ Small Heath 41% + 38% = 79% Hodge Hill40% + 36% = 75% Even in ‘best’ constituency – still 10-15% of families with low income

8. What causes it? Large families Living in social housing Intergenerational poverty Ethnicity Low pay Lone parents - but not family breakdown But no absolute causality - more likelihoods & probabilities

9. What effects it has Likely effects on a child: less extensive vocabulary & fluency less experience of the world around them lower achievement in English & maths at 11 less success at secondary school not seeing school as a solution ending up on the fringes For wider society: more spent on social care & benefits more costs on homelessness extra costs on social, emotional and behavioural issues more spent on free school meals more costs for primary health care

10. Action - 4 Building Blocks Improve the chances of high skill/high wage sustainable employment for parents Strengthening financial capability and support Improving education and personal development outcomes for children, young people and families Tackling deprivation and poor environments

11. And finally… Take it away from ‘an issue only for Children’s Services’ See where we can influence incomes directly