Tackling Child Poverty
Policy Process
Public Authorities in Wales have a duty to tackle child poverty laid down for them in the Children & Families (Wales) Measure 2010. The measure stipulates that named authorities publish and regularly review a child poverty strategy. For more information regarding the measure click here.
This page provides a summary of the policy process to develop a local approach to reducing child poverty, it can be used in partnership with other agencies or within an organisation. The process has been developed from our work with Gwynedd and Rhondda Cynon Taff Councils, relevant policy guidance and cross referenced with the Welsh Government planning guidance. The process is relevant to all public authority work to tackle child poverty in Wales.
The 8 steps for reducing child poverty can be used to further develop your strategic approach, action planning and annual review.
Step 1: Making the Case
The impact of child poverty cuts across the work of public authorities and their partners e.g. health, social care, finance, housing, education, criminal justice, sports, arts etc. An approach to reducing child poverty should therefore take a partnership approach. Step 1 involves convincing key people of the need for local action. The child poverty costs and solutions sections will help you to do this.
Step 2: Getting the Evidence Base
This step involves collecting the available evidence on child poverty related problems so that a persuasive case for local action can be made. Information within local needs assessments and the Welsh Government's "Child Well Being Monitor" should provide the information required. Our global indicators section and the sector specific self assessment areas of Child Poverty Solutions will provide you with useful advice and data. Our core aim sections also give you links to external data sources and case study material.
In order to know where to start and what evidence you need to look for you must decide what you want your outcomes to be and work backwards from there to decide how you are going to deliver your outcomes and how you are going to monitor whether you are being successful. This is taking an RBATM approach to planning and delivery that you can read more about here.
Step 3: Establishing a Child Poverty Development Group
To ensure that child poverty remains a priority, a group comprised of key decision makers should be constituted. As a part of the planning process for the children and young people's plans many Children and Young People's Partnerships created groups under core aim 7 which focuses on child poverty.
The Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services, Gwenda Thomas has recently reaffirmed the Welsh Government's commitment to maintaining the seven core aims. We suggest that Families First delivery groups consider learning sets around Core Aim 7 and that the new Communities First cluster groups build specific recognition of Core Aim 7 work into their team structures. This will allow easier cross over of action plans and joined up monitoring of Outcomes. A key function of the Core Aim 7 group will also be to maintain an awareness of and support for the delivery of the Core Aim 7 priorities identified for reducing child poverty in the four statutory plans and as part of the Welsh Government's anti poverty agenda.
Currently the four statutory plans are:
- Children and young people's plan
- Health, social care and wellbeing plan
- Community safety plan
- Local development plan
However, we understand that Welsh Government is working to amend the duty to publish these plans that is placed on Local Authorities by the Children Act 2004.
Step 4: Involving Stakeholders
Many people have a stake in addressing child poverty, from children and young people, to members of the community, to local business, to health and social care professionals and those working in education and the criminal justice system. This step entails identifying who are the relevant stakeholders locally and gathering their views on child poverty, identifying gaps in service delivery for children and young people and ideas on how to fill them.
The Core Aim 5 section highlights the objectives of:
- breaking down barriers to children and young people's participation
- the importance of children and young people's participation in child poverty policy development
Step 5: Drafting the Plan
An action plan is necessary that:
- Draws together local qualitative and quantitative evidence
- Indentifies local partners, priorities and target groups
- States clear outcomes and measures of success
- Identifies accountable individuals to take action forward
In addition the Child poverty self-assessment tools located in each of the service sectors can help you to identify a range of internal actions which will further embed your work to mainstream child poverty and accountability to children throughout your organisation. Go back to the home page and use your service gateway to find your self assessment tools.
Step 6: Consultation
This step builds on step 4 "Involving stakeholders" by consulting on the draft actions and securing support for the objectives.
Step 7: Implementation of the Action Plan
For successful implementation a robust project management approach is critical to success. The Child poverty self-assessment will assist in the action planning process and in monitoring progress. Use the sector gateway on the home page to go to the self assessment tools for your organisation.
Step 8: Monitoring, Evaluation and Review
This step involves performance management against the identified outcomes and targets. External factors that may impact on child poverty (e.g. new legislation for example) should also be monitored. We recommend that you conduct a Child poverty impact assessment to inform your work in this area. A self assessment can also help, particularly an Accountability to children self assessment. You will find these tools in your dedicated service area of the website. Go back to the home page to find your service gateway.
