Children and young people who grow up in poverty are less likely to; attend schools; stay on at school; obtain qualifications; go on to higher education; and, aspire to well-paid employment.
Reducing the number of children who grow up in poverty will increase the number of young people with opportunities to succeed as adult. This success will increase the life chances of their children. This is a cycle of opportunity that we want in Newcastle.
Please find attached the Draft Reducing Child Policy Strategy and the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS)
The Child Poverty Beacon Open Day was held on 26 January 2010 at the Great North Museum. Presentations, workshops and the agenda can be found on this webpage
Newcastle have been awarded Beacon Status for Tackling and Preventing Child Poverty for our outstanding work in the area of preventing and tackling child poverty. We were one of only three local authorities to achieve Beacon Status in this category following a vigorous 3 stage application and selection process.
The basis for our application explained how we have achieved a reduction in the level of child poverty through our strong partnerships on the ground and at a strategic level. We have brought together economic partners and Children's Services to support families in a way that builds on their families' own strengths enabling parents to move into employment and training, increasing their aspirations for themselves and their children.
Newcastle City Council application case study - The Sure Start Information and Resource Service (IRS) was established in the Cowgate and Blakelaw area of North West Newcastle in 2003 as a targeted service to reduce the number of children living in workless households. The area has high levels of deprivation, low levels of adult qualifications and skills and little social capital. In 2007/8 the IRS worked with 467 parents. Read more about the application case study
Moorside Primary School has a majority of pupils living in areas within the 10 per cent most deprived nationally. The school has raised attainment and aspirations of children and increased opportunities for parents to enter employment, education and training. Read more about Moorside case study
Changing TraX works with families where there are significant risks of children becoming looked after or subject to a child protection plan because of parental substance misuse. The families have often experienced debt, unemployment and other issues associated with poverty such as poor health and low educational attainment. The work builds on the strengths of families to maintain children at home safely. Read more about the Changing TraX case study
The most common cause of homelessness relates to people being asked to leave by parents.
Inline is a service Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) provides to support young people between 16 and 25 years old, who need practical and emotional help to live independently when they can not live with their family.
There are four aspects of the service;
Child poverty is identified as a key challenge in the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) recognising that both the causes and impact of child and family poverty need a range of partners to work together if we are to have the desired impact on outcomes for children and young people.
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Abby Holder
Child Poverty Co-ordinator
Phone: 0191 277 7132
Email: abigail.holder@newcastle.gov.uk