Child poverty agenda 

National and regional 

• Barking and Dagenham 

  The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is fully committed to reducing and eliminating child poverty. Poverty is not an inevitable aspect of society and each of the children in our borough should have the right and the opportunity to live above the poverty line and access the services that we provide to make their lives better.
  
  The Council will respond fully to the current consultations on the best way forward in the current economic climate.
  
  In line with the new duties, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham are currently taking the following steps to reduce child poverty:
  With our local partners we have recently undertaken a detailed assessment of needs within the borough in order to target resources most effectively. This includes:

  • National and local commitments to eradicate child poverty
  • Distribution and characteristics of child poverty within the borough
  • Drivers of poverty
  • Roles of key services
  • Groups most at risk
  • Summary of key indicators

  With our partners across the public and third sectors we have written a draft strategy to tackle child poverty including:

  • Our vision
  • Key objectives and detailed Action plan based around four major priorities to:
    
    • raise household income
    • improve the take-up of benefits and tax credits
      reduce educational attainment gaps
    • make sure all LBBD children have decent and secure homes

  In addition:

  • Children’s centres in Barking and Dagenham have undertaken significant training for staff in recent years to ensure they have knowledge of the cause and effects of child poverty.  In addition LBBD are supporting approximately 50 practitioners from across the borough in the private and voluntary sector to achieve their Early Years Professional Status;
  • A review of training materials which aim to support the Children’s workforce to reduce the impact of child poverty has been undertaken (see Children's workforce training materials);
  • Welfare Benefit and Housing Benefit Advisers are available within children's centres - the DABD Welfare Benefits Team can be contacted on 020 8252 5340;
  • A detailed programme of debt management training is currently being developed to enable staff in children’s centres to support clients in managing their money effectively; and
  • Advice is available on the Parenting support section

   

• Key facts about child poverty 

  • 3.9 million children (21% of all households) live in poverty in the United Kingdom.
  • The poverty line is measured at 60% of median family income (after housing costs). The actual amount varies according to family type, but for a couple with 2 children aged 5 and 14 it will be £306 per week and for a single parent with 2 children aged 5 and 14 it will be £227.
  • Severe poverty is a household with an income of 50% of the median.
  • Poverty is not just a lack of money; it affects health, self esteem, general well being and quality of life.
  • The UK is thought to have higher levels of child poverty than other countries because of a combination of factors, including:
    • a high number of children living with lone parents
    • the relatively low percentage of lone parents who work
    • low relative pay and
    • the limited extent of redistribution through the tax and benefit system
  • The UK is the 4th richest nation but has the 3rd highest poverty level in Europe only above Lithuania and Portugal
  • Child poverty is particularly high in London. Two fifths of London children live in poverty, while in inner London, the ratio rises to 1 in 2

   

• Barking and Dagenham statistics 

  • Borough 8th most deprived in London and ranks 9th among 354 authorities in England
  • 18,500 children living in poverty
  • Among those of working age who are unemployed 44.5% lack any qualifications
  • Gascoigne, Heath, Village and Thames wards have more than twice the national average number of children living on benefits
  • The level of statutorily homeless households in the borough is over 4 times that in England as a whole
  • Teenage pregnancy rates are relatively high
    Recorded crime higher than in London or England as a whole
  • People living in Barking and Dagenham have the lowest average income level in the capital
  • Low rates of car ownership
  • 4th lowest in England for literacy and 2nd lowest for numeracy
  • In Barking and Dagenham 37% of children are living in families claiming key benefits as the proxy measure for poverty, set against a London average of 40% and a national average of 29%
  • Nationally, unsurprisingly some groups have higher than average rates of child poverty including:
    • Out of work families
    • Out of work lone parents
    • Teenage parents
    • Families with one or more disabled parents
    • Some Black and Minority Ethnic groups
    • Families with many children

  Headline data for working age Barking and Dagenham residents claiming income related benefits are as follows:

  • 3,800 residents are unemployed and in receipt of Job seeker's Allowance
  • 8,400 residents are in receipt of Incapacity Benefit (now called Employment Support Allowance)
  • 5,700 residents are lone parents in receipt of benefits. Children living with an out of work lone parent are 8 times more likely to be in poverty that those living with a parent in full-time work
  • 25% of working-age adults in the borough are registered as disabled
     

   

• Borough support services 

  The borough offers a range of services to support employment and skills including supporting Lifelong Learning, Apprenticeships, and Job brokerage and skills development.  For further details please see contacts below.
  
  For Lifelong learning and Apprenticeships go to
  

  Adult College
  Fanshawe Crescent
  Dagenham
  RM9 5QA
  Phone: 020 8270 4722
  Minicom: 020 8724 1167
  Fax: 020 8270 4733
  Email: adultcollegeenquiries@lbbd.gov.uk
  
  For CV writing, advice and job brokerage services
  Barking Job Shop
  Vicarage Field Shopping Centre
  Station Parade
  Barking
  IG11 8DQ
  Phone: 020 8724 8870
  Fax: 020 8594 2632
  Email: barkingjobshop@lbbd.gov.uk
  
  Green Lane Job Shop
  808 Green Lane
  Dagenham
  RM8 1YT
  Phone: 020 8599 1239
  Fax: 020 8599 1638
  
  Dagenham Job Shop
  Unit 5
  The Mall
  Dagenham
  RM10 8RE
  Phone:  020 8724 8877
  Fax: 020 8592 0336
  Email: dagenhamjobshop@lbbd.gov.uk