‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

1. Update from the Child Poverty Unit East Midlands Event Child Poverty Unit October 2010 ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

2. The Child Poverty Act 2010 enshrines in law the commitment to end child poverty by 2020 • Part 1 of the Act sets out how government will be held accountable, by publishing: • A strategy every three years to 2020 and an annual report. The first strategy must be published by March 2011, and will cover the first 3 years of the strategy. • The Strategy will need to: (a) propose the action needed in each area in order to meet the targets and minimise socio-economic disadvantage, and (b) assess what progress needs to be made by 2014 • It will also need to assess: which groups are most at risk of poverty and disadvantage; & consider the impact of policy for each group The Child Poverty Act gained Royal Assent on 25th March 2010 and the Government must publish their first UK-wide strategy by March 2011. ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’ 2 2

3. Part 2 of the Child Poverty Act and the Local Duties • Part 2 of the Child Poverty Act requires local authorities and their statutory partners to: • Cooperate to reduce, and mitigate the effects of, child poverty in their local area; • Prepare and publish local child poverty needs assessments; • Prepare joint child poverty strategies for their local areas; and • Take their responsibilities to tackle child poverty into account when preparing or revising their Sustainable Community Strategies. • Local authorities and their partners are also required toconsult with children and parents when preparing the strategy. The local duties came into force 2 months after Royal Assent, on 25th May 2010 ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

4. What has the Coalition Government said so far on the local duties? • Child Poverty Lead Ministers (DfE, DWP, HMT) have confirmed that they are committed to the local duties within Part 2 of the Act and to the long term goal of eradicating child poverty by 2020. • However, in line with the decentralisation/localism agenda of central Government not prescribing how local areas carry out their work, the Government confirmed that it would not publish statutory guidance or issue detailed regulations around the needs assessment. • Instead we issued a short non-statutory guide alongside a broader package of sector-led support in line with the demand that has been identified through informal and formal consultation. • It was also announced that funding in relation to the local duties would be made available in the Autumn for this implementation year (2010-11). ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

5. What does this mean in practice? • Timetables– advice on timetables would have been set out in the statutory guidance – any timetables are now illustrative. However, since funding in respect of the duties has been confirmed for 2010-11, areas are likely to want to deploy this funding to meet the duties and ensure plans are in place ahead of the operational cycle. • Consultation– the need to consult with children and parents and organisations representing them on the strategy is set out in primary legislation – but leaves it in part to local areas discretion to consult ‘as they see fit’. • Publication– details on when the needs assessment must be published and whether as a stand alone document were to be included in regulations but must still be reflected in the Sustainable Communities Strategy – manner of publication will not be prescribed but local areas will wish to be able to demonstrate they have fulfilled the duties and engaged their communities. ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

6. Funding for Local Authorities in 2010-11 • Funding will be provided in 2010-11 to support responsible local authorities in England who are leading cooperation around the duties – will be distributed to all ‘top-tier’ local authorities. • The funding will be made available to local authorities through payments via the 2010-11 Area-Based Grant from the Autumn - a non-ringfenced grant which is paid and administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government. • Payments will be weighted in part relative to the numbers of children in poverty in the area, reflecting the scale of the overall challenge. This funding provides a critical opportunity to focus capacity and resources on understanding the needs in the local area and reprioritising and refocusing local services accordingly. ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

7. Package of Support – launched September 2010 • We recently issued the short guide to Part 2 of the Child Poverty Act that • signposts to a package of sector-led support that focuses on practical tools, • information guides and good practice examples to enable local authorities • and partners to respond positively to the Part 2 duties, in line with their local • circumstances. • The package of support includes: • Needs assessment toolkit developed by LGID • Guidance on data-sharing to enable local authorities and others to make the most of available data within the context of data protection and security • Save the Children’s guide to consulting children and young people • CPU website signposting users to a range of data sources • CPU’s data sheets on the child poverty basket of indicators to aid analysis at LA level ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

8. Research CPU updates C4EO C4EO LGID C4EO Sector website Data Tool Specialist The Child CPAG active Poverty Unit Gov Child Offices Poverty personalised website Toolkit support Online Resources: C4EO Child Poverty Community of Practice (CoP) Validated Beacons Local Take Up Practice Taskforce Report & Good Practice Materials Examples The Core Offer of Support Child Poverty Unit’s website and CoP RIEPs CWDC Save The Children Child Poverty Pilots NCL ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

9. Non-statutory guide to Part 2 of the Act The Guide to Part 2 is designed to provide clear background information and to signpost local authorities, their named partners and un-named partners to associated materials and tools. • Responds to informal and formal consultation • Purpose is to help authorities et al make the most of the Part 2 duties • Gives overview of Coalition Government’s commitment to ending child poverty • Describes and explains role of responsible authorities and named and un-named partners • Explains duties to prepare needs assessments and strategies with link to assessment toolkit • Offers messages on decentralisation and localism and how to engage/ consult communities • Describes Core Offer of Support on child poverty ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

10. Child poverty developments • SEPT: Local duties support package launched • DEC: Frank Field MP Independent Review on Poverty and Life Chances making recommendations around Measurement and Life Chances, particularly early years and parenting. Government Response through National Strategy. • JAN & MAY 2011: Graham Allen MP Early Intervention Review reporting (interim and final), focussing on early intervention and delivery and funding models. • MARCH 2011: National Strategy must be published. Overseen by the Social Justice Cabinet Committee chaired by Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State for DWP. ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

11. Questions and feedback going forward • Likely to be more reliant on using websites and communities of practice in future to share information directly with local areas. • Register at the LGID community of practice: • http://www.communities.idea.gov.uk/reg/sp.do • Would welcome views and concerns here via the CoP: • i) on child poverty networks going forward; • ii) how the Child Poverty Unit can support you and best communicate with you; • iii) is the support package effective? Is anything missing? Do you think it will help your organisation meet the duties? ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’

12. Further information • Guide to Part 2 of the Child Poverty Act: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_download/?id=8609 • Core Offer leaflet with details of the group membership and the services they provide: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_download/?id=8624 • Refer to the Child Poverty Unit’s website for details of the full package of support: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/strategy/parents/childpoverty/bill/support/support_to_meet_local_duties/ ‘Ending child poverty everybody’s business’