Walsall Childrens Trust

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

• Child Poverty

1.Why have a strategy to reduce child poverty?

2.The Strategy

3.The Action Plan

4.What it will look like

5.Effectiveness – Evidence-based monitoring and evaluation

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

Why have a strategy to reduce child poverty? Nearly 1/3 of children live in poverty (around 16,000)

Poorer healthLower attainment etc

A Moral and economic imperativeCouncil PledgeCycle of deprivationCost of servicesGovernment Target

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

Three facets:- 1.Mitigate against the effects of Child Poverty

2.Reduce parental worklessness

3.Raise Aspirations

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

1. Mitigate the effects of Child Poverty

Impact now Improve health and well-being Increasing tax credits and benefits Build seamless family support system

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

2. Reduce parental worklessness

Impact now Support parents into decent, sustainable

jobs Recruitment targets City Strategy and Neighbourhood Skills

Project Childcare and positive activity guarantee

for 0-19 yr olds

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

3. Raise Aspirations

Longer term impact Schools as drivers to narrow the gap in

achievement

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

Action Plan

Child Poverty reduction as an explicit service outcome

Aligned and co-ordinated outcomes-based services

Children’s Fund dedicated to Child Poverty strategy

Commissioned services Focus on areas of greatest need Parents\Communities as experts

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

• Evidence-based monitoring and evaluation

Outcome measures in specification

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

What’s next

• Working with 2 localities (tba)• Priority for Childrens fund for next 2 years

• Tender in November 2008

• £1.8 million bid to government at stage 2• Coordinated approach across the borough

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

1. Mitigate against the effects of Child Poverty

2. Reduce parental worklessness

3. Raise Aspirations• What lessons can be learned from practice

elsewhere?

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

• What are your observations about our collaborative approach to service delivery?

Walsall Child Poverty Impact Reduction Strategy

• What are your perceptions about the effectiveness of locality focussing?