Mayor launches grassroots push to cut child poverty

A regional initiative aimed at tackling child poverty and supporting families has been set in motion in the North East.

North East mayor Kim McGuinness met with community leaders, charities, businesses and teachers in Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland, to see first-hand the work underway to help children get the best start in life. 

The visit follows the mayor’s announcement of the UK’s first Child Poverty Reduction Unit (CPRU), which will work with families and community groups over the next two months to develop tailored plans.

A draft action plan will be presented to the North East Combined Authority in March, with recommendations for investment to break down barriers to opportunity. 

Alongside this, £1.4 million is being rolled out to support 220 North East schools with financial advice, cost-cutting initiatives and free after-school clubs. 

Mayor McGuinness, who today (February 2) appeared on Politics North (North East and Cumbria) with her counterpart Ben Houchen, Tees Valley mayor, to discuss child poverty among other issues, said: “We are wasting no time in our fight against child poverty, and taking action to help families here and now, and put the foundations in place to ensure no child is left behind. 

“Child poverty is unacceptable. It’s holding too many of our young people back and I’ve made this my number one mission as mayor. 

“That’s why I set up the country’s first Child Poverty Reduction Unit.   

“I’ve seen first-hand the incredible work already underway to help kids fulfil their potential.  

“Now, we need to harness this action and ambition, scale it up – and go much bigger, further and faster to help more families. 

“We will develop a plan for every part of the North East, tailored to what local families need, starting from the grassroots, harnessing the power of our incredible community groups and charities to create the infrastructure of opportunity.” 

Amanda Bailey, CPRU strategic lead, added: “Tackling child poverty - and all the barriers growing up in hardship can bring - is absolutely central to the future of our region.  

“It is exciting to be part of this first-of-its-kind and genuinely collaborative approach to addressing this issue, across sectors and organisations. 

“Crucially, the child poverty action plan we are creating is being developed in partnership with local communities across the region, who know their strengths and challenges, and what is needed to break down the barriers to opportunity in their area.

“It will also build on, and support, the tireless work we know that hundreds of organisations are already doing to support children and families in their communities every single day.” 

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