NEU welcomes ‘bold’ North East child poverty plan

The North East Combined Authority is set to invest £28.6m to tackle child poverty, with the move welcomed by the National Education Union (NEU), which called the plan “bold and pragmatic”. 

The newly-unveiled action plan will “drive the most comprehensive and coordinated regional intervention of its kind in England”, according to the authority, as part of mayor Kim McGuiness’s promise to tackle child poverty.

The action plan includes:

• Testing a new North East health in pregnancy grant to support expectant mothers in the area on low incomes/in receipt of Universal Credit (UC) with additional costs in their third trimester
• Trialling the expansion of baby boxes filled with essentials like room thermometers, playmats and stimulating books and toys to first-time families in receipt of UC or assessed as benefiting from this support
• Expanding specialist youth provision and access to year-round, low and no cost activities for older young people, including support towards work through pre-apprenticeship training.
• Extension of a scheme which provides young people leaving care with free public transport to age 25, alongside a commitment to extend the mayor’s £1 fare cap for all young people up to age 21.

Commenting on the plan, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: “The North East Child Poverty Action Plan is bold and pragmatic, recognising the importance of supporting every child to thrive and achieve their potential. The scale of child poverty across the UK is a national shame and it is heartening to see devolved government step up to tackle this scourge with a set of solutions to both practical and structural barriers to opportunity.

“It is brilliant to see the value of education highlighted in the plan, with aims to drive down the cost of the school day, including the provision of free after-school clubs. We welcome the plan’s acknowledgement that we must also value educators by prioritising their wellbeing, development and retention.”

He added: “This plan should be an inspiration for the government. Despite having a tiny budget in comparison to Westminster, mayor Kim McGuinness has shown that by involving the right partners and placing the voices of those living in poverty at the centre of this work, a practical and tangible child poverty strategy can be established.

“We look forward to the UK Child Poverty Taskforce following suit, and the government laying the foundations for this by scrapping the two-child limit and benefit cap.”

Bridget Phillipson, the secretary of state for Education and MP for Houghton and Sunderland South, said: “Tackling child poverty is absolutely crucial if we are to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances of every child across every part of our country.

“This task cannot be achieved by national Government alone, and I am proud to see the North East leading the way on addressing this issue at a regional level – driven forward by Mayor Kim McGuinness and her determination to both invest in children and families, and to bring together cross-sector partners in what has to be a collective endeavour.”

She added: “Doing this in a way that aligns and will add value to our work at a national level puts the North East Combined Authority area in a great position, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with Kim and regional partners on this issue.”