CHILD POVERTY IN NORTH

A Needs Assessment

Version Date Author Final Version Approved by the Senior Leadership Team Susan Twemlow November 2011

CONTENTS

Page Number

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

2. KEY FINDINGS 4

3. BACKGROUND 5

4. METHODOLOGY 6

5. DEFINING CHILD POVERTY 7

6. WHAT DOES LIVING IN POVERTY MEAN? 9

7. THE CHILD POVERTY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 9

8. OVERVIEW OF CHILD POVERTY IN 10

8.1 DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD POVERTY IN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE 10

9. DRIVERS OF POVERTY IN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE 13

9.1 EMPLOYMENT 13 9.2 PARENTING RESOURCES 15 9.3 COMMUNITY 16 9.4 AT RISK GROUPS 17 9.4.1 CHILDREN IN SOCIAL CARE 17 9.4.2 CHILDREN IN LARGE FAMILIES 17 9.4.3 CHILD CARE PROVISION 19 9.4.4 LONE PARENTS 19 9.4.5 CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES 19

10. OUTCOMES/IMPACTS OF CHILD POVERTY 20

10.1 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT 20 10.2 CHILDREN NOT IN EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT OR TRAINING 22 10.3 SKILLS FOR ADULTHOOD 23

11. QUALITY OF CHILDHOOD 24

11.1 HEALTHY AND UNHEALTHY WEIGHT IN CHILDREN 24 2

11.2 INFANT MORTALITY 25

12. COMMUNITY 25

12.1 ACCESS TO SERVICE PROVISION 25 CROSBY & PARK 26 12.2 ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 26 12.3 TEENAGE PARENTS 27 12.4 ACCIDENTS 28

13. CONCLUSION 28

14. KEY ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION 29

15. OUR STRATEGIC APPROACH 29

16. GLOSSARY OF TERMS 31

17. LIST OF TABLES & GRAPHS 32

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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Breaking the cycle of child poverty is not only about improving the future opportunities of children, but also addressing the current situation of the families. There has been an increase in the number of workless adults in north Lincolnshire. The low skills levels of working age adults makes it difficult for residents to find and maintain work. Many of our children living in poverty are living in lone parent families, or families with large sibling groups or families where there is a disabled adult or child. For these parents balancing work and childcare presents large challenges. A basic salary may not be enough to cover the cost of childcare, housing, heating, transport and other basic needs. Increasing the skills of parents and supporting them to get back to work and improve their financial situation will be critical to reducing child poverty.

While the main concentration of poverty is in the main urban area of there are pockets of poverty across the authority including in the more affluent rural areas. Targeted efforts will be necessary to address child poverty and the impact of child poverty across North Lincolnshire.

2. KEY FINDINGS

According to the evidence, facts on child poverty in North Lincolnshire can be summarised as:

• The rate of relative poverty North Lincolnshire is 21.3%, which is less than the national average of 21.9%. Across North Lincolnshire the rate varies. 28 (out of 100) Super Output Areas (SOAs) in North Lincolnshire are in the top 30% nationally as measured by Indices of Multiple Deprivation. 10712 children live in these SOAs. This is 31.32% of North Lincolnshire’s under 18 population. Of the top 10 IMD areas nationally seven are in Scunthorpe South and six are Scunthorpe North. • There are pockets of poverty in the rural areas of North Lincolnshire and in the market towns • Children in workless families are at high risk of living in poverty as are children in couple families where one adult works part time. In 2009 6430 children were living in families claiming child tax credit. Between 2005 –10 unemployment rose by 72% in north Lincolnshire to 4.3% During the same 5 year period the number of households with at least 2 adults in paid employment fell from 58% to 54%. • The relationship between low income and poor health is well established. The relationship can operate in both directions. Low income c