ADPH Responds to Child Poverty Strategy

Earlier today, the Government published its Child Poverty Strategy, Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty. 

The strategy brings together the action the Government has already taken to reduce child poverty, alongside new measures to increase incomes, reduce essential costs and strengthen local services, including:

• Measures to support families in temporary accommodation, including a commitment to end the use of B&Bs for families with children other than for very short-term use in emergencies.
• Expanding childcare for families on Universal Credit.
• A package of measures to help save families up to £500 per year on baby formula.

Welcoming the strategy, Sakthi Karunanithi, ADPH spokesperson for children and young people, said:

“The fact that over four million children in the UK are living in poverty is completely unacceptable. Not only is it impacting their health and wellbeing now, but evidence shows that children growing up in poverty face a range of ongoing challenges throughout their lifetime.

“It is reassuring that today’s strategy recognises that as well as reducing costs, access to well-designed local places make a real difference to children’s outcomes. It is vital then that there is sustained investment in affordable, healthy housing, and easily accessible community facilities, including green and blue spaces and public transport – all things that we know improve health and wellbeing both in the short, and long, term.

“We are particularly pleased that the Government has acknowledged the role that public health teams play in mitigating the impacts of poverty, and Directors of Public Health remain committed to sharing their knowledge and experience as part of this collective, cross-departmental work. Importantly though, local areas must be given the flexibility to provide facilities that meet the unique needs of their populations.

“There is no doubt that today’s strategy marks an important milestone and is a significant first step to helping thousands of children thrive, but there is of course still more to do. For example, we would like to see free, nutritious food available to all school children, and not just those in households in receipt of Universal Credit.

“Ultimately, we want to see an end to all child poverty. Only by building on what we know works, and ensuring that children’s health and wellbeing is considered in full, regardless of which department has responsibility for any individual policy or process, will we be able to end the current situation and give the next generation – and the generations that follow them – the freedom to live a healthier, happier life for longer.”