A report examined the government's record on poverty and social exclusion after 10 years. After an initial burst of success, improvement in many key areas had slowed down or remained unchanged.
Source: Guy Palmer, Tom MacInnes and Peter Kenway, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2008, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Links: Report | Findings | JRF press release | CAP press release | FT report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Dec
A study examined poverty trends in Scotland. Scotland's child poverty rate (measured after housing costs) was among the lowest in the United Kingdom. But there had been no progress in reducing the number of children affected, which had remained the same for three years.
Source: Peter Kenway, Tom MacInnes and Guy Palmer, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion in Scotland 2008, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: JRF Findings | JRF press release
Date: 2008-Nov
A report examined the discrimination experienced by families living in poverty ('povertyism'), and the barriers preventing them from enjoying equal access to fundamental economic and social rights.
Source: Matt Davies, The Effects of Discrimination on Families in the Fight to End Child Poverty, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2008-Nov
The government began consultation on an action plan designed to achieve greater digital inclusion. It included the appointment of an independent 'digital champion' to promote the inclusion agenda.
Source: Delivering Digital Inclusion: An action plan for consultation, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Consultation document | Annex | Hansard | DCLG press release | Age Concern press release
Date: 2008-Oct
The government published a series of research reports, designed to assist local authorities, the third sector, and private enterprise in promoting digital inclusion.
Source: FreshMinds, Understanding Digital Exclusion: Research report, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only) | CapGemini, Technology Futures and Digital Inclusion: Research report, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only) | Office for Public Management Ltd, Community Perspectives on Digital Inclusion: Qualitative research to support the development of the digital inclusion strategy – Research report, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only) | Clicks and Links Ltd, Online Social Networks: Research report, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only) | Ellen Helsper, Digital Inclusion: An analysis of social disadvantage and the information society, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236) | Office for Public Management Ltd, Research on the Costs and Benefits of Personal Data Sharing at Local Partnership Level, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: FreshMinds report | CapGemini report | OPM report (1) | Clicks and Links report | Helsper report | Helsper summary | OPM report (2)
Date: 2008-Oct
The government published a series of research reports on digital inclusion in relation to specific vulnerable groups.
Source: Citizens Online and National Centre for Social Research, Digital Exclusion Profiling of Vulnerable Groups: Ex-offenders – A profile, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only) | Citizens Online and National Centre for Social Research, Digital Exclusion Profiling of Vulnerable Groups: Young People not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) – A profile, Department for Communities and Local Government | Citizens Online and National Centre for Social Research, Digital Exclusion Profiling of Vulnerable Groups: Adults with Learning Disabilities – A profile, Department for Communities and Local Government | Citizens Online and National Centre for Social Research, Digital Exclusion Profiling of Vulnerable Groups: Adults with Mental Health Problems – A profile, Department for Communities and Local Government
Links: Report (1) | Report (2) | Report (3) | Report (4)
Date: 2008-Oct
The government published a report on strategies for social protection and social inclusion, prepared for submission to the European Union. It outlined the most important social policy issues for the United Kingdom for the period 2008-2010. Chapter 2 set out the government's priorities in combating poverty and exclusion, and the main policies designed to achieve this – this constituted the third United Kingdom National Action Plan for social inclusion. Chapter 3 reported on the major developments in pension policy. Chapter 4 covered health and long-term care.
Source: UK National Report on Strategies for Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2008-2010, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8176)
Date: 2008-Sep
A report examined depictions of poverty in the media, showing how these might influence public perceptions of poverty. Poverty was a marginal issue in mainstream media during the week studied: the media seldom explored the causes of poverty, or showed the consequences for those experiencing it. People in poverty had featured in fewer than 1 in 8 of the reports, while groups facing a higher risk of poverty, such as disabled people and women, were reported less frequently than those at a lower risk. A linked report highlighted the dilemmas faced by journalists when reporting on poverty, and provided a guide to how to do so.
Source: John McKendrick et al., The Media, Poverty and Public Opinion in the UK, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241), Society of Editors and Media Trust | David Seymour, Reporting Poverty in the UK: A practical guide for journalists, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Society of Editors and Media Trust
Links: Report | Findings | Guide | JRF press release | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Sep
A report summarized the results of a project designed to develop policy recommendations to local and central government policy-makers with a poverty and social exclusion remit, informed by the knowledge of people with first-hand experience of poverty. The project involved training people living in poverty as peer researchers and to become spokespeople on behalf of those experiencing poverty.
Source: Voices for a Change: A participatory peer research project to find solutions to the experience of poverty in London, ATD Fourth World (020 7703 3231)
Date: 2008-Aug
A new book drew together key texts relevant to the topic of social exclusion. The first volume (of four) reviewed the nature and history of the term, and examined ways in which the idea had been used in social research. The second volume covered income distribution; together with the nature of class in post-industrial societies, and the related dimensions of inequality in relation to gender, ethnicity, and age. The third volume explored the use of the term 'social exclusion', and programmes of social inclusion in specific policy areas including taxation and cash benefits, urban regeneration, health, education, housing, and transport. The final volume examined programmes specifically directed towards countering social exclusion, with particular reference to community development, and 'joined-up' government policy: it also considered radical alternatives to those policies.
Source: David Byrne (ed.), Social Exclusion, Routledge (01264 343071)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Jul
An article examined the Labour government's record on poverty and social justice since 1997. Poverty rates had fallen, but not for everyone on low incomes. Although fiscal policy had introduced a greater egalitarianism into public policy, society remained as divided by income as it was when Labour took office. Critics continued to argue that more should be done to narrow the gap between rich and poor in the name of social justice: but the government's record reflected the balance of priorities between a market-led strategy for economic growth and welfare policies for social justice.
Source: Stephen Driver, 'Poverty, social justice and the Labour government, 1997-2007', Benefits, Volume 16 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Jun
A new book examined poverty and social exclusion in relation to wealth. Separate sections explored key concepts and issues; 'people and place' (poverty and wealth across different groups and situations); the role of the state; and prospects for the future.
Source: Tess Ridge and Sharon Wright (eds.), Understanding Inequality, Poverty and Wealth: Policies and prospects, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Jun
An article examined the strategies used to implement the Children's Fund, and their capacity to address the multiple dimensions of exclusion experienced by marginalized groups of children and young people. The concept of social exclusion was a useful framework for understanding the processes by which children might became excluded and for assessing the capacity of strategies to address this. It concluded that the Children's Fund was likely to have limited long-term impact in this respect.
Source: Marian Barnes and Kate Morris, 'Strategies for the prevention of social exclusion: an analysis of the Children's Fund', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 37 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Apr
A study reviewed evaluations of person-based policies (targeted directly at individuals) and place-based policies (designed to tackle neighbourhood deprivation), to find out what kind of interventions were most effective at tackling disadvantage, focusing on policies to improve employment and educational outcomes and to increase incomes. Most policy interventions, whether person or place-targeted, had small, favourable impacts. Both forms of intervention had significant positive impacts on particular aspects of education results and employment. However, it was not possible to determine whether person- or place-based policies were better, as they tended to have different objectives that prevented direct comparison.
Source: Julia Griggs, Adam Whitworth, Robert Walker, David McLennan and Michael Noble, Person- or Place-based Policies to Tackle Disadvantage? Not knowing what works, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings
Date: 2008-Mar
The Treasury (along with the Finance Ministries of Sweden and Germany) published a report which examined the common challenges that educational systems and labour markets faced across the European Union. It outlined shared features of possible policy responses to reduce barriers to labour market participation, and improve employability and social inclusion. It highlighted the importance of human capital for growth and social inclusion.
Source: Social Bridges II: The importance of human capital for growth and social inclusion, HM Treasury (020 7270 4558)
Links: Report | HMT press release
Date: 2008-Mar
A report summarized the results of a project designed to increase awareness of European action in the field of social inclusion and social protection. The project engaged a cross-section of people and organizations in the development and evaluation of policies designed to tackle poverty and social exclusion at the local level.
Source: Sally Mackenzie and Peter Kelly, From the Local to the National: Bridging the policy gap in social inclusion, Poverty Alliance (0141 353 0440)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Mar
An article examined debates over an alleged 'cycle of deprivation'. It explored myths or misconceptions linked to the debates, including the idea that there had been significant progress since the concept was first advanced in the 1970s.
Source: John Welshman, 'The cycle of deprivation: myths and misconceptions', Children & Society, Volume 22 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Mar
A report said that over 1 million older people – including 1 in 5 people aged over 80 – suffered from severe social exclusion. 56 per cent of severely excluded people aged over 50 were in poor health, and 40 per cent were lonely.
Source: Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: Social exclusion behind closed doors, Age Concern England (020 8765 7200)
Links: Report | Age Concern press release | Telegraph report | BBC report | New Start report
Date: 2008-Feb
An article examined the potential of participatory research for empowering disadvantaged communities and providing a route for overcoming social exclusion. It concluded that participatory research merited close attention as long as its difficulties were acknowledged.
Source: Mike Titterton and Helen Smart, 'Can participatory research be a route to empowerment? A case study of a disadvantaged Scottish community', Community Development Journal, Volume 43 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Jan