APPENDIX D
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS SET OUT IN THIS
SUBMISSION
1. MEASUREMENTS
OF POVERTY
— 60% of median income to be retained;
and
— measurements of household income
to take into account extra costs for example, in caring for disabled
children.
2. NEW INDICATORS
ON MEASURING
CHILD POVERTY
TO INCLUDE:
— Numbers of poor children in all areas,
including those outside of Sure Start areas;
— Numbers of poor children who are
disabled, in traveller families, in large families and black and
minority ethnic children;
— Children in privately rented accommodation,
children who are homeless and in temporary accommodation and children
in overcrowded accommodation; and
— Children involved in fatal accidents
on the roads and at home, birth low-weight, child mortality and
child morbidity.
3. Government to produce a strategic document
or "route map" showing how the milestones and targets
to end child poverty will be met: such a document to include an
economic analysis of the investment required.
4. The establishment of a minimum income
standard, below which no household should fall, whether in or
out of work.
5. Reform of the Social Fund to include
a replacement of loans with grants.
6. An interest rate ceiling on lenders to
be imposed.
7. Hard-to-reach groups of children—a
specific focus on hard-to-reach children—especially disabled
children. This is to include taking their needs into account within
the National Childcare Strategy to ensure that childcare requirements
for parents are met: ensuring better take-up of benefits and establishing
a minimum income standard which takes into account the extra costs
of caring for a disabled child.
8. Free school meals—families on income
support and jobseeker's allowance to be compensated for the loss
of free school meals in school holidays.
9. School uniforms—a statutory duty
to be placed on local authorities to provide school uniform grants
to cover the purchase of essential items for families in receipt
of income support.
10. Tackling regional inequalities:
— greater focus and resources for pockets
of deprivation in areas of affluence:
— more joining up of and "regional
proofing" of mainstream policies and targeted resourcing
to ensure that regional inequalities are addressed, especially
in rural areas—this includes ensuring that policies around
local employment, affordable transport, and affordable child care
can make a difference to all communities regardless of geographical
location;
— regeneration initiatives to be more
child focused and specific;
— longer-term funding for regeneration
and other government initiatives; and
— Government to work more pro-actively
with local authorities in tackling child poverty, for example
on take-up of benefits, offering concessions for local activities
and facilities for poor families and working with other providers
of services, especially transport to ensure that no child is excluded
from his or her community because of the lack of parental income.
REFERENCES
1 Bradshaw, J (2001) Poverty: the outcomes for
children. Family Policy Studies Centre.
2 Department for Work and Pensions (2003) Households
below average income, 1994-95/2001-02. Corporate Document
Services.
3 Department for Work and Pensions (2003) Households
below average income, 1994-95/2001-02. Corporate Document
Services.
4 Department for Work and Pensions (2003) Households
below average income, 1994-95/2001-02. Corporate Document
Services.
5 Department for Work and Pensions (2003) Households
below average income, 1994-95/2001-02. Corporate Document
Services.
6 LabourForce Survey (2003) http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/xsdataset.asp?vlnk=1389
7 Howard, M, Farnham, A, Fimister, G (2001) Poverty:
the facts. 4th ed Child Poverty Action Group.
8 Church Action on Poverty (2000) Poverty and
debt: counting on change. Copy available from Neera Sharma,
Barnardo's.
9 Gill, O (2001) Invisible children: child and
family poverty in Bristol, Bath, Gloucestershire, Somerset and
Wiltshire. Barnardo Publications.
10 Citizens Advice Bureau (2003) In too deep:
clients' experience of debt. NACAB.
11 Jones, R (1998) Credit unions to fill banking
gap for poor, The Guardian, 29 July.
12 Sharma, N (2002) Still missing out: ending
poverty and social exclusion: messages to Government from families
with disabled children. Barnardo Publications.
13 Barnardo's (2003) Child poverty and exclusion
in the summer holidays. Barnardo Publications.
14 Hughes, M, Downie, A, Sharma, N (2000) Counting
the cost of child poverty. Barnardo Publications.
15 Gordon D, Parker R, Loughran F (2000) Disabled
children in Britain: a reanalysis of the OPCS Disability Survey.
London: Stationery Office.
16 Dobson B, Middleton S (1998) Paying to care:
the cost of childhood disability. York: York Publishing Services.
17 Gordon D, Parker R, Loughran F (2000) Disabled
children in Britain: a reanalysis of the OPCS Disability Survey.
London: Stationery Office.
18 Dobson B, Middleton S (1998) Paying to care:
the cost of childhood disability. York: York Publishing Services.
19 Sharpe, T, Isaac, J, James, A (2003) The good
life? The impact of rural poverty on family life in Wales.
Barnardo Publications.
20 House of Commons ODPM: Housing, Planning, Local
Government and the Regions Committee (2003) Reducing regional
disparities in prosperity: ninth report, session 2002-03. Volume
1: report. London: Stationery Office.
21 Scottish Parliament. Finance Committee (2003)
Report on cross-cutting expenditure in relation to children
in poverty: 2nd report 2003. Session 2 http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/finance/reports/fir03-02-02.htm#2
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