A briefing paper examined the use of free school meal entitlement (FSME) as a proxy indicator for deprivation. Although there were many limitations to using FSME as a measure of deprivation, there were also challenges associated with other potential measures.
Source: Free School Meal Entitlement as a Measure of Deprivation, Briefing Note 191/10, Northern Ireland Assembly
Links: Briefing
Date: 2010-Dec
A paper said that between 2010-11 and 2013-14 average incomes were expected to stagnate; and that both absolute and relative poverty among children and working-age adults were expected to rise.
Source: Mike Brewer and Robert Joyce, Child and Working-Age Poverty from 2010 to 2013, Briefing Note 115, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Links: Briefing Note | IFS press release | Barnardos press release | JRF press release | Labour Party press release | TUC press release | Children & Young People Now report | Guardian report | Public Finance report | Telegraph report | Community Care report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2010-Dec
The report of a government-commissioned review of poverty and life chances (led by Frank Field MP) proposed the establishment of the 'Foundation Years' – a 'Sure Start Mark II' that would cover the period of childhood from birth to age 5. The 'single objective' of the Foundation Years would be to improve the life chances of poor children, by improving the quality of the parenting that they received. Contracts for provision of services would be put out to tender, and payments would be linked to success in helping the 'hardest to reach' and most vulnerable parents. The report also proposed that benefits for children should not be increased automatically each year: instead government should consider using the money to invest in the Foundation Years service.
Source: The Foundation Years: Preventing poor children becoming poor adults, Independent Review on Poverty and Life Chances
Links: Report | Review press release | PM letter | Conservative Party press release | Action for Children press release | Adoption UK press release | CLS press release | CMH press release | CPAG press release | Daycare Trust press release | 4Children press release | NASUWT press release | NCT press release | NIACE press release | Relationships Foundation press release | TeachFirst press release | TUC press release | Unicef press release | YoungMinds press release | Guardian report | BBC report | Telegraph report | Children & Young People Now report (1) | Children & Young People Now report (2) | Community Care report | Public Finance report | Morning Star report | Nursery World report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2010-Dec
A report on child inequality in 24 developed countries said that income poverty had the greatest impact on child inequality in the United Kingdom. UK levels of income poverty pushed the most disadvantaged children further behind compared with similar countries, such as France and Germany.
Source: Peter Adamson, The Children Left Behind: A league table of inequality in child well-being in the world's rich countries, Innocenti Report Card 9, UNICEF UK
Links: Report | UNICEF press release | Action for Children press release | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Dec
A report examined how participation by children and young people in decisions affecting their lives could contribute to the fight against child poverty and social exclusion in Europe.
Source: Mieke Schuurman (ed.), Valuing Children's Potential: How children's participation contributes to fighting poverty and social exclusion, Eurochild
Links: Report | Eurochild press release
Date: 2010-Dec
A review provided an overview of the support, guidance, and training on child poverty that were available to the children's and young people's workforce.
Source: A Review of Training and Materials which Aim to Support the Children's Workforce to Reduce the Impact of Childhood Poverty and Disadvantage, Children's Workforce Development Council
Date: 2010-Dec
The Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Act 2010 was given Royal assent. The Act ended eligibility for child trust funds for children born from January 2011 onwards; repealed the Saving Gateway Accounts Act 2009, following the decision by the coalition government not to introduce the saving gateway scheme; and abolished the health in pregnancy grant from January 2011.
Source: Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Act 2010, HM Revenue & Customs/TSO
Links: Text of Act | Explanatory notes
Date: 2010-Dec
The government began consultation on its approach to ending child poverty and improving life chances. Developing a long-term strategy to tackle decades of inter-generational disadvantage required new approaches. Despite spending 'hundreds of billions of pounds' on raising the income of poorer households, the previous Labour government's approach had done little more than attempt to treat the short-term symptoms of poverty, and had failed to address the root causes of disadvantage. Tackling child poverty was not about primarily moving people above an 'arbitrary income line': it was about ensuring that people had the support, incentives, and skills that they needed to create a better life for themselves.
Source: Tackling Child Poverty and Improving Life Chances: Consulting on a New Approach, Department for Work and Pensions/Department for Education/HM Treasury
Links: Consultation document | CPAG press release | Unicef UK press release | Children & Young People Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Dec
A report presented an analysis of child outcomes at age 7 using data from the Millennium Cohort Study. It examined how far the relationship between child poverty and child outcomes could be accounted for by background factors and modifiable behaviours (focusing on any explanatory factor that might be particularly prevalent in Northern Ireland). Children's different rates of progress in their first two years at school were largely driven by their parents' social class – rather than parenting practices.
Source: Alice Sullivan, Heather Joshi, Sosthenes Ketende, and Polina Obolenskaya, The Consequences at Age 7 of Early Childhood Disadvantage in Northern Ireland and Great Britain, Northern Ireland Executive
Links: Report | NIE press release | CLS press release | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Dec
Researchers found that children growing up in Sure Start local programme (SSLP) areas were less likely to be overweight than comparable children in non-SSLP areas, and had better physical health. Mothers in SSLP areas reported: providing a more stimulating home learning environment for their children; providing a less chaotic home environment for their children; experiencing greater life satisfaction; engaging in less harsh discipline; experiencing more depressive symptoms; being less likely to visit their child's school for parent/teacher meetings or other arranged visits.
Source: National Evaluation of Sure Start, The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Five Year Olds and Their Families, Research Report RR067, Department for Education
Links: Report | Brief | NIACE press release | Guardian report | Community Care report | Nursery World report
Date: 2010-Nov
An article criticized the government's announcement (in October 2010) of cuts to child benefit for households with a higher-rate taxpayer, saying that the benefit in its existing form was simple, successful, and fair.
Source: Fran Bennett, 'Child benefit: an untidy cut', Public Policy Research, Volume 17 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Nov
The income and wealth chapter of Social Trends was published. Between 1998-99 and 2008-09 the percentage of individuals living in households with low income remained constant, at about 18 per cent. But the percentage of children and pensioners living in low-income households decreased from 26 per cent of children to 22 per cent, and from 27 per cent of pensioners to 20 per cent.
Source: Sonia Carrera and Jen Beaumont, 'Income and wealth', Social Trends 41, Office for National Statistics
Links: Chapter | ONS press release
Date: 2010-Nov
A study examined the effect of deprivation on childhood obesity levels among ethnic groups in London.
Source: Alexandra Cronberg, Helen Munro Wild, Justine Fitzpatrick and Bobbie Jacobson, Causes of Childhood Obesity in London: Diversity or poverty? The effect of deprivation on childhood obesity levels among ethnic groups in London, London Health Observatory
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Nov
A paper examined the background to the government's announcement (in October 2010) that it planned to claw back child benefit from households with someone paying the higher rate of income tax.
Source: Steven Kennedy, Child Benefit for Higher Rate Taxpayers, Standard Note SN/SP/5732, House of Commons Library
Links: Briefing paper
Date: 2010-Nov
An article examined social inequalities in fatal childhood accidents and assaults. The overall mortality rate in the 'routine' class was 64 per million children aged up to 15 – 4.5 times the rate of children with parents in the higher managerial and professional class.
Source: Veronique Siegler, Alaa Al-Hamad and David Blane, 'Social inequalities in fatal childhood accidents and assaults: England and Wales, 2001-03', Health Statistics Quarterly 48, Winter 2010, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article | ONS press release
Date: 2010-Nov
Research into the financial impact of effective early years support for children in Scotland found that it could save the public purse up to £131 million a year in the medium term.
Source: The Financial Impact of Early Years Interventions in Scotland, Scottish Government
Links: Report | Scottish Government press release
Date: 2010-Nov
A briefing paper examined progress in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland on meeting the government's poverty targets. It outlined recent developments in the debate around child poverty, and presented some key findings from new research on child poverty in Northern Ireland.
Source: Update on Child Poverty, Briefing Note 169/10, Northern Ireland Assembly
Links: Briefing
Date: 2010-Nov
Researchers examined the characteristics and quality of group childcare settings used by children in areas served by Sure Start local programmes, and the relationships between pre-school childcare quality and child outcomes.
Source: Edward Melhuish, Jay Belsky, Kristen MacPherson and Andrew Cullis, The Quality of Group Childcare Settings Used by 3-4 Year Old Children in Sure Start Local Programme Areas and the Relationship with Child Outcomes, Research Report RR068, Department of Education
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Nov
The Scottish Government began consultation on the development of a new child poverty strategy.
Source: Tackling Child Poverty in Scotland: A discussion paper, Scottish Government
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2010-Nov
The Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill was given a third reading. The Bill was designed to end eligibility for child trust funds for children born from January 2011 onwards; repeal the Saving Gateway Accounts Act 2009, following the decision by the coalition government not to introduce the saving gateway scheme; and abolish the health in pregnancy grant from January 2011.
Source: Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill, HM Revenue & Customs/TSO | Debate 22 November 2010, columns 58-136, House of Commons Hansard/TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard
Date: 2010-Nov
An article described a qualitative study exploring the impact of poverty on children's access to, and use of, services. Affordability and related factors, including limited mobility, constrained service use for less affluent children, resulting in cumulative missed opportunities. However, extended family, friends, and agencies facilitated service access, mitigating the impact of poverty on service use to some extent.
Source: Fiona Wager et al., 'The impact of poverty on children and young people's use of services', Children & Society, Volume 24 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
The coalition government announced (in its 2010 Spending Review) that non-schools spending by the Department for Education would be cut by 12 per cent in real terms by 2014-15. There would be a reduction in the percentage of childcare costs that people could recover through the working tax credit from 80 per cent to 70 per cent. Couples with children would have to work for at least 24 hours per week between them in order to be eligible for the working tax credit (rather than at least one working 16 hours). But there would be an increase in the child element of working tax credit above indexation by a further £30 in 2011-12 and £50 in 2012-13 (in addition to the £150 and £60 increases announced in the 'emergency' June 2010 Budget). Clawback of child benefit for families with someone paying the higher rate of income tax (announced earlier in October 2010) would affect 1.5 million families, rather than the 1.2 million originally thought – with the estimated savings from the measure increasing from £1 billion to £2.5 billion (from 2013 onwards).
Source: Spending Review 2010, Cm 7942, HM Treasury/TSO
Links: Report | Summary | Hansard | HMT press releases | Action for Children press release | CLS press release | CPAG press release | Daycare Trust press release | ECP press release | Employers for Childcare press release | 4Children press release | NCB press release | NCMA press release | NCT press release | Working Families press release | Children & Young People Now report (1) | Children & Young People Now report (2) | Community Care report (1) | Community Care report (2) | Guardian report | Nursery World report
Date: 2010-Oct
The Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill was given a second reading. The Bill was designed to end eligibility for child trust funds for children born from January 2011 onwards; repeal the Saving Gateway Accounts Act 2009, following the decision by the coalition government not to introduce the saving gateway scheme; and abolish the health in pregnancy grant from January 2011.
Source: Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill, HM Treasury/TSO | Debate 26 October 2010, columns 204-284, House of Commons Hansard/TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard
Date: 2010-Oct
Two linked reports provided an overview of approaches taken by local authorities in England to the assessment of families experiencing multiple and complex difficulties. They also examined the 'whole family assessment' processes developed by individual areas, and some of the positive outcomes linked to taking a family-focused approach.
Source: Sally Kendall, John Rodger and Helen Palmer, The Use of Whole Family Assessment to Identify the Needs of Families with Multiple Problems, Research Report RR045, Department for Education | Sally Kendall, John Rodger and Helen Palmer, Redesigning Provision for Families with Multiple Problems: An assessment of the early impact of different local approaches, Research Report RR046, Department for Education
Links: Report RR045 | Report RR046
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined models and approaches to family-based policy and service provision for those at risk of social exclusion. Some approaches sought to strengthen the ability of family members to offer support to a primary service user within that family. In the case of other approaches, family members were recognized as having their own specific and independent needs arising out of their relationship with the primary service user. A third category included 'whole family approaches' focused on shared needs and strengths that could not be dealt with through a focus on family members as individuals.
Source: Nathan Hughes, 'Models and approaches in family-focused policy and practice', Social Policy and Society, Volume 9 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
The coalition government announced that child benefit payments for all those households in which either parent paid a higher rate of income tax would be clawed back with effect from 2013. It also announced that, with effect from 2013, total benefit payments for each household would be capped on the basis of median earnings after tax for working households.
Source: Speech by George Osborne (Chancellor of the Exchequer), 4 October 2010
Links: Text of speech | HMT press release | Conservative Party press release | Citizens Advice press release | CPAG press release | Fawcett Society press release | 4Children press release | IFS press release | IPPR press release | Labour Party press release | Oxfam GB press release | PCS press release | TUC press release | Children & Young People Now report | BBC report | Community Care report | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | Guardian report (3) | Guardian report (4) | Telegraph report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2010-Oct
A think-tank paper examined the progress made under the outgoing Labour government towards the goal of reducing relative-income child poverty to 10 per cent by 2020-21. Direct tax and benefit reforms were very important in explaining at least three things: the large overall reduction in child poverty since 1998-99; the striking slowdown in progress between 2004-05 and 2007-08; and some of the variation in trends between different groups of children. However, some of the reforms had simply stopped child poverty rising as real earnings grew. Parental employment and child poverty trends were also closely related: the overall reduction in child poverty had been helped by higher lone-parent employment rates, and the rise since 2004-05 had been most concentrated on children of one-earner couples, whose real earnings had fallen.
Source: Mike Brewer, James Browne, Robert Joyce and Luke Sibieta, Child Poverty in the UK since 1998-99: Lessons from the past decade, Working Paper 10/23, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Links: Paper
Date: 2010-Oct
A paper examined the issues raised by the government's proposal to claw back child benefit from families that contained someone paying the higher rate of income tax.
Source: Steven Kennedy, Child Benefit for Higher Rate Taxpayers, Standard Note SN/SP/5732, House of Commons Library
Links: Briefing paper
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined the interface between policy, implementation, and use of services in the context of a multi-ethnic Sure Start programme. The depiction of parents as active and aspirational agents tapped into a 'social investment' agenda: but it conflicted with the 'constrained agency' in practice of many local mothers.
Source: Tricia Hamm, 'Examining "social investment" policy in a multi-ethnic Sure Start area: staff perspectives', Social Policy and Society, Volume 9 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
A new book examined the development of children's centres. It looked at the challenges faced by children's centres; how to tackle social issues through the medium of children's centres; achieving effective multi-agency working and true collaboration; the essentials of leading and managing children's centres; the benefits of early intervention; and how to effectively deliver healthcare, education, and children's services.
Source: Carole Beaty, Integrated Children's Centres: Overcoming barriers to truly integrated services, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Oct
The fourth report was published from the Millennium Cohort Study. The fourth survey collected information from around 14, 000 children born in 2000-2002 across the United Kingdom. It was conducted when most of the children were aged 7, in 2008, following previous sweeps at 9 months, age 3, and age 5. One-fifth of the children lived in 'severe poverty' with both parents together receiving less than half the average national income.
Source: Kirstine Hansen, Elizabeth Jones, Heather Joshi and David Budge (eds.), Millennium Cohort Study Fourth Survey: A user's guide to initial findings, Centre for Longitudinal Studies/University of London
Links: Report | CLS press release (1) | CLS press release (2) | CLS press release (3) | CLS press release (4) | CLS press release (5) | CLS press release (6) | CLS press release (7) | CLS press release (8) | CLS press release (9) | NatCen press release | BBC report (1) | BBC report (2) | Telegraph report (1) | Telegraph report (2) | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Oct
The coalition government announced that it would create a new tax-free children's savings account, described as a 'Junior ISA', to be available by autumn 2011. All returns would be tax-free; funds in the account would be owned by the child, and locked in until the child reached adulthood; investments would be available in cash or stocks and shares; annual contributions would be capped; and there would be no government contributions into the account.
Source: Press release 26 October 2010, HM Treasury
Links: HMT press release | ifs School of Finance press release | ResPublica press release | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Oct
A report examined the strengths and weaknesses of the new coalition government's approach to tackling child poverty, and highlighted the moral and economic case for action.
Source: Fergus Drake et al., No Child Left Behind: A child poverty strategy 2011-14, Save the Children
Date: 2010-Sep
A report examined further evidence from the Local Authority Child Poverty Innovation Pilot (established in 2009 and due to end in March 2011), under which 10 local authorities trialled locally appropriate and innovative approaches to addressing child poverty. A range of approaches was required in order to address child poverty, by: increasing family income; increasing parents', children's, and families' access to local provision; supporting parents to access provision that increased skills and employability; and supporting parents from a range of backgrounds, and with a range of strengths and needs, into employment.
Source: GHK, Local Authority Child Poverty Innovation Pilot Evaluation: Second Synthesis Report, Research Report RR036, Department for Education
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Sep
An article examined the relationship between children's eligibility for free school meals (FSM) and equivalent net household income. Children who were eligible for FSM were much more likely than other children to be in the lowest-income households. However, only around one-quarter to one-half of them were in the lowest-income households (in 2004-05). This was principally because the receipt of means-tested benefits (and tax credits) pushed children eligible for FSM up the household income distribution.
Source: Graham Hobbs and Anna Vignoles, 'Is children's free school meal "eligibility" a good proxy for family income?', British Educational Research Journal, Volume 36 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Aug
A new book set out the existing state of knowledge about what worked in reducing impairments to children's health and development. It examined interventions such as changes in household income, early years support, moving families to less disadvantaged communities, improving parenting, and using schools to improve mental health.
Source: Michael Little (ed.), Effective Interventions for Children in Need, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Aug
The findings were published from the 2008 Families and Children Study (FACS) – an annual survey of the circumstances of families with dependent children. The picture for families with children had remained largely stable between 2006 and 2008. Almost one-quarter (23 per cent) of children lived in a lone-parent family. 4 out of 5 families had at least one parent working 16 or more hours per week. 1 in 6 children (16 per cent) lived in a household where no one worked over 16 hours per week.
Source: Natalie Maplethorpe, Jenny Chanfreau, Dan Philo and Clare Tait, Families and Children in Britain: Findings from the 2008 Families and Children Study (FACS), Research Report 656, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | Summary | DWP press release
Date: 2010-Jul
The new coalition government announced an independent review into how early intervention projects could improve the lives of the most vulnerable children.
Source: Press release 28 July 2010, Department for Education
Links: DE press release | NCB press release | Community Care report | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Jul
The schools inspectorate for Northern Ireland said that 'satisfactory to good' progress had been made in the early development of Sure Start programme for children aged 2.
Source: An Evaluation of the SureStart Programme for Two Year Olds, Education and Training Inspectorate
Links: Report | NIE press release
Date: 2010-Jul
An audit report reviewed the data systems used to support delivery of the Labour government's public service agreement 9 – to 'halve the number of children in poverty by 2010-11, on the way to eradicating child poverty by 2020' – over the period from 2008.
Source: Review of the Data Systems for Public Service Agreement 9, National Audit Office
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Jun
A study used data from the Millennium Cohort Study to examine the relationship between child poverty and child outcomes at age 5, and to search for particular factors that might be prevalent in Northern Ireland compared with other countries of the United Kingdom.
Source: Alice Sullivan, Olga Cara, Heather Joshi, Sosthenes Ketende, and Polina Obolenskaya, The Consequences of Childhood Disadvantage in Northern Ireland at Age 5, Northern Ireland Executive
Links: Report | NIE press release
Date: 2010-Jun
A think-tank paper outlined a package of reforms designed to boost the effectiveness of the child trust fund while cutting the cost of the programme by over two-thirds, or £388 million per year.
Source: Rajiv Prabhakar, James Lloyd and Ian Mulheirn, The Future of Child Trust Funds: Proposals for reform, Social Market Foundation
Links: Paper | Guardian report
Date: 2010-May
The Welsh Assembly Government began consultation on a strategy and delivery plan setting out how it intended to tackle child poverty in Wales and improve outcomes for children and parents living in low-income families.
Source: Child Poverty Strategy for Wales: Consultation document, Welsh Assembly Government
Links: Consultation document (Strategy) | Consultation document (Delivery Plan) | WAG press release
Date: 2010-May
The new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government announced details of £6.2 billion of spending cuts in 2010-11:
• £1.165 billion of cuts would be made in local government by reducing grants to local authorities in England: the government would also remove the 'ringfences' around over £1.7 billion of grants to local authorities in 2010-11, to give authorities greater flexibility to find cuts while maintaining the quality of services.
• Devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland would have the option of making £704 million cuts in 2010-11 or deferring them until 2011-12.
• £320 million would be saved by reducing, and then stopping altogether, government contributions to the child trust fund scheme.
• £320 million would be saved by ending 'ineffective' elements of employment programmes, including further roll-out of temporary jobs through the Future Jobs Fund.
• Spending on schools, the Sure Start programme, and education for young people aged 16-19 would be protected from the cuts.
• £500 million out of the £6.2 billion saved would be reinvested in further education, apprenticeships, and social housing.
Source: Press release 24 May 2010, HM Treasury
Links: HMT press release | Speech (Osborne) | Speech (Laws) | Hansard | IFS press release | TUC press release | PCS press release | CBI press release | IPPR press release | ResPublica press release | NASUWT press release | UCU press release | UUK press release | Million+ press release | AOC press release | ASCL press release | RCN press release | LGA briefing | NLGN press release | LGIU press release | Shelter press release | CAF press release | Museums Association press release | Family Commission press release | Scottish Government press release | SNP press release | WAG press release | Times Higher Education report | Community Care report | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2010-May
A think-tank report examined efforts by the Welsh Assembly Government to make asset-based welfare a key part of its long-term strategy to tackle child poverty. It called for specific measures designed to increase the number of parents opening child trust funds, to ensure a high rate of uptake for CTF Cymru, and to encourage more parents with low incomes to place additional funds in their children's CTFs.
Source: Tony Dolphin and Rajiv Prabhakar, Asset-Based Welfare and Child Poverty: Next steps for the Welsh Assembly, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report | IPPR press release
Date: 2010-Apr
An article examined the extent of severe child poverty and the associated risk factors, based on the 2004-05 Family Resources Survey. The results showed significant regional variations in severe child poverty, ranging from 3 per cent of children in south and east England to 10 per cent in London. There were relatively high risks of severe poverty among children: with workless parents; whose parents had low levels of education; in large families of four or more children; from minority-ethnic groups, especially of Asian origin; and in families with disabled adult(s). However, the results with respect to lone parenthood and benefit receipt did not conform to expected patterns.
Source: Monica Magadi, 'Risk factors for severe child poverty in the UK', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 39 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Apr
A set of reports explored a range of issues experienced by children in Scotland in the first five years of their lives including poverty, child health, behavioural development, and maternal mental health. Over the first 4-5 years of their lives, approximately 3 in 10 young Scottish children were classified as living in poverty in any one year.
Source: Matt Barnes, Jenny Chanfreau and Wojtek Tomaszewski, Growing up in Scotland: The Circumstances of Persistently Poor Children, Scottish Government | Louise Marryat and Claudia Martin, Growing Up in Scotland: Maternal Mental Health and its Impact on Child Behaviour and Development, Scottish Government | Catherine Bromley and Sarah Cunningham-Burley, Growing Up In Scotland: Health Inequalities in the Early Years, Scottish Government | Paul Bradshaw and Sarah Tipping, Growing Up in Scotland: Children's Social, Emotional and Behavioural Characteristics at Entry to Primary School, Scottish Government
Links: Report (1) | Summary (1) | Report (2) | Summary (2) | Report (3) | Summary (3) | Report (4) | Summary (4) | Scottish Government press release | BBC report | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Apr
An article examined the social and household circumstances of disabled children, comparing these where appropriate to those of non-disabled children. Disabled children were more likely to live with low income, deprivation, debt, and poor housing. This was particularly the case for disabled children from black/minority-ethnic/mixed-parentage groups and lone-parent households. Childhood disability was associated with lone parenthood and parental disability and these associations persisted when social disadvantage was controlled for.
Source: Clare Blackburn, Nick Spencer and Janet Read, 'Prevalence of childhood disability and the characteristics and circumstances of disabled children in the UK: secondary analysis of the Family Resources Survey', BMC Pediatrics, Volume 10
Links: Article | Abstract | Warwick University press release | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Apr
A paper examined the manifesto proposals of the three main political parties in respect of families with children, including: taxes, benefits, and tax credits for families with children; abolishing the 'couple penalty' in the tax credit system; parental leave, pay, and flexible working; and childcare, early years education, and education.
Source: Mike Brewer and Ellen Greaves, Families and Children, Briefing Note 103, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Links: Briefing Note
Date: 2010-Apr
An article examined differences in risks of worklessness over time, among ethnic groups within a single cohort of children who were observed at two time points, 10 years apart.
Source: Lucinda Platt, 'Ten year transitions in children's experience of living in a workless household: variations by ethnic group', Population Trends 139, Spring 2010, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article
Date: 2010-Mar
The government announced (in line with a pledge made in a 2008 White Paper) that from April 2010 income from child maintenance payments would be completely disregarded from benefit calculations. The disregard, together with earlier changes to child maintenance, was expected to lift 100,000 more children out of poverty.
Source: Written Ministerial Statement 23 March 2010, columns 34-35WS, House of Commons Hansard/TSO
Links: Hansard | DWP press release
Date: 2010-Mar
A report said that damaging cycles of deprivation could be broken if children were supported early enough by the right services. The debate on how to lift families out of deprivation had been 'too simplistic', concentrating on income alone – the most vulnerable families experienced complex deprivation made up of a range of severe needs and difficulties.
Source: Deprivation and Risk: The case for early intervention, Action for Children
Links: Report | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Mar
A report provided a research update on the 'Think Family' pathfinders – an initiative designed to test new forms of service provision and working practices in response to the challenges of improving outcomes for families with multiple and complex needs (including those linked to poverty, domestic abuse, poor mental health, and substance misuse).
Source: Think Family Pathfinders: Research Update, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Mar
Researchers examined the impact of the school fruit and vegetable scheme (following previous surveys in 2004 and 2006). The scheme did appear to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables: but interventions were more likely to be successful if implemented within a multi-component campaign – especially in respect of those experiencing socio-economic deprivation.
Source: David Teeman et al., The Third Evaluation of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, Department of Health
Date: 2010-Mar
A paper examined evidence for an income gradient in children's mental health – a tendency for low family income to be associated with poor mental health. It concluded that research findings in this area might not be very robust, and that findings should be treated with caution and interpreted in relation to the source of health assessments used for the analysis.
Source: David Johnston, Carol Propper, Stephen Pudney and Michael Shields, Is There an Income Gradient in Child Health? It Depends Whom You Ask, Working Paper 2010-08, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex
Links: Working paper
Date: 2010-Mar
A qualitative research project sought to identify the views of parents about which items should be considered 'necessities' for families with children, and why. Parents gave high priority to necessities that affected social relationships within families. Children's long-term health and well-being played a bigger role in parents' definition of necessities than their short-term comfort and enjoyment.
Source: Donald Hirsch and Noel Smith, Family Values: Parents' views on necessities for families with children, Research Report 641, Department for Work and Pensions
Date: 2010-Mar
A report said that although 'much progress' had been made in tackling child poverty in London, far too many young people and their families were still blighted by poverty.
Source: London Child Poverty Commission: Legacy Report – Achievements and further actions needed, London Child Poverty Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Mar
Researchers sought to provide a more in-depth understanding of what was meant by 'earlier intervention' (defined as intervening early in the lifecourse of a problem: but not necessarily early in life). They focused on additional support for children who were experiencing or likely to experience difficulties. Early intervention was important: but it was not a 'magic bullet' that removed the need for later intervention. A risk factor approach could be a useful way of focusing attention on those most likely to need support: but careful assessment of individual situations was still required.
Source: June Statham and Marjorie Smith, Issues in Earlier Intervention: Identifying and supporting children with additional needs, Research Report RR205, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Date: 2010-Mar
A government report said that there was 'a compelling case' for shifting services more towards early intervention measures. It set out plans for a new Early Intervention Implementation Group, which would make recommendations about how further impetus could be provided for effective early intervention.
Source: Early Intervention: Securing good outcomes for all children and young people, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report | NCB press release | Action for Children press release | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Mar
The government announced (in the 2010 Budget) that it would increase child tax credit for parents of children aged 0-2 by £4 per week from 2012. The government also set out its expectations on how the 2020 targets in the Child Poverty Bill would be achieved. Its aims included: 75 per cent of newly employed lone parents to work 16 hours per week; 50 per cent of low-income or unemployed parents in couple families to work a combined 46 hours per week; and a 20 per cent reduction in children born to teenage parents. The government said that a national strategy on child poverty would be published within a year.
Source: Budget 2010: Securing the Recovery, HC 451, HM Treasury/TSO | Ending Child Poverty: Mapping the Route to 2020, HM Treasury
Links: Report | Child poverty route map | Hansard | HMT press release | CPAG press release | ECP press release | Children & Young People Now report | Telegraph report | Community Care report
Date: 2010-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs called on the government to resist short-term financial pressure to reduce the number of Sure Start centres or the range of services that they offered. Only a universal service could ensure that all vulnerable children got the access they needed; and the wide range of support and activities provided to families was a vital feature of the programme. Stable funding was essential. Most centres had been in place for less than four years, and evaluations of their impact would therefore only be meaningful over the long term.
Source: Sure Start Children's Centres, Fifth Report (Session 2009-10), HC 130, House of Commons Children, Schools and Families Select Committee/TSO
Links: Report | 4Children press release | Guardian report | BBC report | New Start report | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Mar
The Child Poverty Act 2010 was given Royal assent. The Act placed a legal duty on the government, local authorities, and other relevant organizations to help to end child poverty by the target date of 2020.
Source: Child Poverty Act 2010, Department for Work and Pensions/TSO
Links: Text of Act | Explanatory notes | DWP press release
Date: 2010-Mar
A study found that children growing up in the poorest one-fifth of families were already nearly a year (11.1 months) behind those children from middle-income families in vocabulary tests by the time they were aged 5. Good parenting and a supportive home environment emerged as the most important determinants of better test scores at age 5, accounting for one-half of the explained gap between low-income and middle-income children.
Source: Jane Waldfogel and Elizabeth Washbrook, Low Income and Early Cognitive Development in the UK, Sutton Trust
Links: Report | Summary | NASUWT press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Feb
The first report was published of the national evaluation of the Child Poverty Local Authority Innovation Pilot (established to trial locally appropriate and innovative approaches to tackling child poverty). It provided a synthesis of the findings from 10 individual local pilot evaluation reports. Positive progress had been made in the establishment of the local pilot programmes. Early findings suggested 'much promise' in terms of effective practice and future learning.
Source: GHK with Mike Coombes, Jonathan Bradshaw and Tess Ridge, Local Authority Child Poverty Innovation Pilot: First National Evaluation Report, Research Report RR208, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Feb
A study examined the reasons behind the 'low-pay/no-pay cycle' and recurrent poverty among disadvantaged parents. The main reasons for these households moving into poverty were the birth of a child or a relationship breakdown, combined with a decrease in household income, often due to job loss. Most parents sought to enter paid employment in order to improve their household finances and emotional well-being: but in some cases neither improved after getting a job and in others it resulted in entering a low-pay/no-pay cycle.
Source: Ronald McQuaid, Vanesa Fuertes and Alec Richard, How Can Parents Escape from Recurrent Poverty?, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Date: 2010-Feb
An annual survey found that parents were likely to have to spend more than £200,000 in total on raising a child from birth to the age of 21 – equivalent to £9,610 each year. This was up 4 per cent since the previous survey in 2009, and up 43 per cent since the first survey in 2003.
Source: Press release 23 February 2010, Liverpool Victoria
Links: Liverpool Victoria press release | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Feb
An article examined the importance of childhood socio-economic conditions in predicting differences in life expectancy – using data from a large sample of children collected in England and Scotland in 1937-1939, who had been traced through official death records up to 2005. Childhood conditions such as household income and the quality of the home environment were significant predictors of longevity, although the effect appeared to differ across cause of death. The difference in life expectancy between those with the 'best' and 'worst' observable characteristics was about 9 years.
Source: Paul Frijters, Timothy Hatton, Richard Martin and Michael Shields, 'Childhood economic conditions and length of life: evidence from the UK Boyd Orr cohort, 1937-2005', Journal of Health Economics, Volume 29 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Feb
The government announced the national roll-out of a scheme giving 270,000 low-income families a free computer and free broadband access, in an attempt to close the digital and educational divide between rich and poor families and to help keep parents in touch with their child's progress. Families with children aged 7-14 who were entitled to free schools meals would be able to apply for a grant to buy a computer and broadband connexion from an approved supplier, after meeting strict eligibility criteria.
Source: Press release 11 January 2010, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: DCSF press release | ATL press release | New Start report | BBC report
Date: 2010-Jan
The annual official report was published on trends in household expenditure, based on the 2008 survey.
Source: Rachel Skentelbery (ed.), Family Spending: A report on the 2008 Living Costs and Food Survey, Office for National Statistics
Links: Report | ONS press release
Date: 2010-Jan
A briefing paper said that 1.7 million children lived in severe poverty – around 13 per cent of all children. An additional 260,000 children were pushed into severe poverty during the four years of an economic boom, between 2004 and 2008.
Source: Measuring Severe Child Poverty in the UK, Save the Children
Links: Briefing | SCF press release | Liberal Democrats press release | BBC report | New Start report
Date: 2010-Jan
A study examined childcare use by multiply disadvantaged families. The more disadvantage children experienced, the less likely they were to receive childcare. Parents from the most multiply disadvantaged families were more likely than others to say that they had too little information about childcare; and to hold negative views about the quality, affordability, and sufficiency of childcare places in their local area.
Source: Svetlana Speight, Ruth Smith, and Eva Lloyd, with Cathy Coshall, Families Experiencing Multiple Disadvantage: Their Use of and Views on Childcare Provision, Research Report RR191, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report | Brief | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Jan
Researchers examined the impact of work entry and exit, as well as progression and retention, on the poverty status of families with children. Moving into work was an important factor in lifting families out of poverty. Those absent from work for longer were less likely to exit poverty when they entered work.
Source: James Browne and Gillian Paull, Parents' Work Entry, Progression and Retention and Child Poverty, Research Report 626, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | Summary | DWP press release | IFS press release
Date: 2010-Jan
A paper compared three policy proposals for changing the way that families with children were treated by the tax and benefit system: a transferable personal income tax allowance, restricted to the basic rate, and restricted to couples with children who were married (or in a civil partnership) rather than cohabiting; increasing the value of the working tax credit for couples with children; and increasing the value of the child element of the child tax credit. The most effective policy at tackling child poverty was the child tax credit change.
Source: Mike Brewer, James Browne and Robert Joyce, Analysis of Tax and Benefit Changes Affecting Families with Children, Gingerbread
Links: Paper | Gingerbread press release | CPAG press release
Date: 2010-Jan