Revealing North East’s First Child Poverty Strategy

Hello, Champions of Net Zero!

South Tyneside Council has taken a groundbreaking step in combating child poverty by unveiling its innovative Child Poverty Strategy – the first of its kind in the North East.

With a staggering one-third of South Tyneside neighbourhoods among the top 10 per cent of the most deprived areas in the UK, the region faces a severe challenge in addressing child poverty. Nationally, child poverty rates have been on the rise, with close to 30 per cent of UK children living in poverty in the fiscal year 2022/23.

The development of the Child Poverty Strategy follows a pivotal Child Poverty Summit convened by the Council in October 2024. The summit brought together stakeholders from across the North East to gain a comprehensive understanding of the child poverty landscape in South Tyneside and formulate actionable strategies encapsulated in the newly proposed plan.

Councillor Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council and Deputy Chair of the North East Combined Authority’s Child Poverty Reduction Unit, expressed her concern, stating, “There are devastating levels of child poverty within our Borough and the region.”

She further added, “We know that almost a third of young people in South Tyneside are living in poverty, with significant impacts on their health and well-being. Our Child Poverty Strategy aims to address these critical issues head-on.”

Highlighting the need for systemic change, Councillor Dixon emphasised the importance of influencing the national Child Poverty Taskforce with the hopes that the local strategy will shape the forthcoming National Child Poverty Strategy due to be released later this year.

The Strategy’s core objectives revolve around four key priorities:

• Maximising Family Income: Enhancing access to financial support, expanding initiatives like ‘reducing the cost of the school day’, and bolstering Free School Meals assistance.

• Making Work an Escape from Poverty: Collaborating with employers to promote the Real Living Wage and implementing measures to combat in-work poverty through the South Tyneside Pledge.

• Providing the Best Start in Life: Strengthening the role of Family Hubs, increasing the uptake of Healthy Start vouchers, and distributing more Baby Boxes.

• Adopting a Poverty Lens for Decision-Making: Ensuring that decisions are made with a poverty-conscious perspective to drive meaningful change based on lived experiences.

This strategic framework is underpinned by evidence, insights, and calls to action from the North East Child Poverty Commission’s report ‘No time to wait; An ambitious blueprint for tackling child poverty in the North East’, issued in February 2024.

Beth Farhat, Chair of the North East Child Poverty Commission, underscored the importance of collective action, stating, “There is nothing inevitable about child poverty, and concerted efforts at the local, regional, and national levels can mitigate, reduce, and prevent it.”

She stressed the urgency of investing in children and young people to unlock their full potential, affirming her support for South Tyneside Council’s strategic approach in addressing child poverty through collaborative partnerships.

Actions outlined in the Strategy are tailored to cater to specific groups facing unique barriers and challenges, ensuring that interventions are targeted towards areas where they can have the most significant impact in alleviating child poverty across South Tyneside.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness praised South Tyneside Council’s proactive stance on tackling child poverty, commending the comprehensive plan led by Councillor Dixon. Mayor McGuinness reiterated her commitment to eradicating child poverty as a top priority, outlining initiatives such as investing in affordable childcare, social housing, and job creation to lay the foundation for a poverty-free North East.

In the wake of the Child Poverty Summit held last October, South Tyneside Council has pledged to bolster support for schools in reducing the school day’s cost, promote the uptake of Free School Meals, expand the distribution of baby boxes, offer enhanced welfare support through Family Hubs, and provide financial advice and sustainable cooking guidance to parents within school settings.

The proposed Strategy is set to be deliberated upon at a Borough Council meeting scheduled for 20th March, marking a significant milestone in South Tyneside’s commitment to combatting child poverty.

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