Children at the centre

July 2008 - Posts

• The Credit Crunch will further undermine our failing efforts on Child Poverty

  In the last few months the Leveller Children’s Centre has seen a steep rise in parents admitting to experiencing debt problems.  Things are undoubtedly tightening up considerably, and the poorest families are certain to be hardest hit as prices for household basics such as fuel and food rise steeply. Recent data released by DSCF confirms that the national front on child poverty is being lost.  After considerable progress in the first few years of the Labour government the numbers of children living in households below the poverty line has increased by round about 100,000 per year.  I’ll be prepared to bet my 2% pay rise that this year’s rise in children in poverty will be the steepest yet. Children’s Centres have a woeful record on combating poverty.  A NESS evaluation in 2004 of the efforts of local SureStart programmes in combating poverty through training and employment found a very mixed picture with little evidence of a concerted effort.  True, in many areas Centres have not been helped by the mostly pathetic efforts of Job Centre Plus. The credit crunch and inflation combined may have a devastating effect on families using Centres as they struggle with the impossible task of raising kids on a pittance.  Unemployment too has begun to rise steeply, more children are certain to become reliant on the state to provide the basics rather than their parents.  This isn’t a short-term problem.  There is a clear link between child poverty and poor educational outcomes which means more child poverty today is greater adult poverty tomorrow, and tens of thousands of children whose potential will not be fulfilled.  So what can be done?    All is not lost; government seems to be upping its game in responding to the challenge.  The Leveller understands that DSCF will be launching a scheme next week to seek and evaluate successful innovation in combating poverty.  In addition they are currently consulting on a scheme to revise the payment of childcare tax credits so that they are more likely to reach childcare providers.  I for one have seen too many parents turn their back on work as they have got themselves into a terrible mess financially through spending the money in the bank before paying their bills. However, Centres urgently need to begin to focus on providing quality services that support parents back into training and employment before another generation is lost.  Concerted effort to work with local schools and colleges would be a place to start.   Posted Jul 17 2008, 10:07 PM by The Leveller with 1 comment(s) Filed under: children's centres Extended Schools Early Years tax credits employment