What’s new in the Child Poverty Unit – Research and Measurement Team

1. What’s new in the Child Poverty Unit – Research and Measurement Team Research and Measurement Team Child Poverty Unit

2. Developments since the strategy was published • Many of the indicators have now been published in Department Business Plans • DfE held a consultation on the revised Early Years Foundation Stage • There are clear overlaps with the Social Mobility Strategy so we are developing joint approach to reporting against these indicators • The 2009/10 data on family resources, including a new severe poverty measure, was published (the HBAI series) • Local (proxy) child poverty data for 2009 and 2010 and the revised child poverty data for 2009 were published • We published ‘What does the Local Child Poverty Measure tell us about the distribution of child poverty in England?’ • We will be producing analytical updates that will be sent to the CP networks and posted on Communities of Practice

3. Severe Poverty • A national level severe poverty measure was reported this year for the first time • This section shows some data from a paper investigating severe poverty and material deprivation, which we will be publishing in a couple of months

4. Severe poverty measure • A national level severe poverty measure was reported in HBAI for the first time • The measure combines an income under 50% of median and material deprivation in order to isolate those who are in the most severe poverty • We have looked at the characteristics of those in severe poverty and compared them to the characteristics of those in relative poverty (below 60% of median income) • To understand the composition of these groups • To try to develop a local severe poverty measure • Save the Children produce their own measure of local severe poverty although they use a different definition to HBAI

5. Material deprivation • The severe poverty measure includes material deprivation as well as income • To assess material deprivation the Family Resources Survey asks 21 material deprivation questions (11 adult and 10 child) • Families are asked if they have a good or service and, if not, whether this is because they do not want it or because they cannot afford it • A prevalence weighted approach is used, meaning a greater importance, when an item is lacked, is assigned to those items that are more commonly owned in the population • A child is considered deprived if they live in a family that has a final score of 25 or more

6. Lone parents are more at risk of severe poverty than couples • The risk of being in severe poverty can be compared to the risk of being in relative poverty

7. Workless households are more at risk of severe poverty than working households • The risk of being in severe poverty can be compared to the risk of being in relative poverty

8. Families where someone is disabled are more at risk of severe poverty • The risk of being in severe poverty can be compared to the risk of being in relative poverty

9. Large families are more at risk of severe poverty • The risk of being in severe poverty can be compared to the risk of being in relative poverty

10. Regions have different risks of severe poverty • The risk of being in severe poverty can be compared to the risk of being in relative poverty

11. Predicting severe poverty at a local level • As the previous charts show, those groups who are most at risk of relative poverty (lone parents, workless families, large families) are also most at risk of severe poverty • This makes predicting severe poverty at a local level more difficult… … but does mean that policies that target those in relative poverty could also have an impact on severe poverty • Do you use the Save the Children severe poverty local measure? • Would you find a severe poverty local measure useful? • What other data sources you use to estimate severe poverty in your area? ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

12. Basket of indicators • We are now updating the basket of indicators and this section talks about the progress we have made and our future plans

13. Basket of indicators • Last Autumn, as part of the Needs Assessment Toolkit, we provided local authorities with information about data sources they could use to look at child poverty in their areas • We are now updating the basket of indicators to align it to the indicators published in the Child Poverty Strategy, to reflect the fact that some data is no longer available and to include further data sources • A update of the basket of indicators will be published on the Communities of Practice soon • We would like to consult with LAs about our updated toolkit at the next round of CP Network meetings • The following slides provide an update on the status of the data sources currently in the basket

14. Indicators that are still published

15. Indicators likely to continue in an altered form

16. Other data sources we are considering • Are there any indicators you would like us to look into? • Are there any indicators in the current basket that you find particularly useful? • Are there any other indicators you use locally?

17. Extra support and contact details • Website: http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/families/childpoverty • Email: Contacts.CPU@childpovertyunit.gsi.gov.uk • Child Poverty Community of Practice: http://www.communities.idea.gov.uk/reg/sp.do