Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2023-24
Argyll and Bute Council · 25 September 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 25 September 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Integration Joint Board Date of Meeting: 25 September 2024 Title of Report: Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2023-24 Presented by: David Gibson, Head of Children, Families and Justice, CSWO The board is asked to: ▪ Consider the report ▪ Note and acknowledge route through council for approval. 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2017 the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act places a duty on local authorities and health boards to produce a child poverty action plan and to review and publish this report on an annual basis. This report for 2023-2024 is the 5th review of our initial plan, published in 2019. The main purposes of this plan are not only to meet this statutory duty but also to bring together and share some of the key activities taking place across Argyll and Bute to tackle child poverty. In doing this it not only acts as a focus for that work but as a source of information for those seeking the supports and advice referred to. When creating the report, there is engagement with children, young people and those experiencing the impacts of poverty and low income. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS To consider and note the Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2023 - 2024 3. DETAIL OF REPORT This is the Argyll and Bute Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2023 - 2024. It fulfils the legal obligation under the 2017 the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act, for Local Authorities and Health Board to produce, publish and share with the Scottish Government, a Child Poverty Action Plan. This plan sets out the work that is taking place to tackle child poverty and notes challenges, progress and future plans and objectives. Each year local child poverty plans are reviewed by a panel including representatives from the Improvement Service, Scottish Government, The Poverty Alliance and the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit (SPIRU). Last year Argyll and Bute’s report was commended but the request
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2 was made for more detail in the areas of transport, strategy and engagement. This has been taken on board and this year’s highlight pieces reflect that. Brief Summary of Report Foreword – This notes the unsettled nature of the world currently and its impact on our children and young people and on our economy. It is important to continue to support and empower our children and young people and focus our attention on tackling levels of child poverty that remain too high. It notes a small increase in the percentage of children in relative poverty after housing costs, in Argyll and Bute, to 23.5%. This is in line with other local authorities and below the Scottish and UK averages. Introduction – This looks at current research on the impacts of child poverty and references the need for us to particularly note the concerns for those living in remote, rural and island places. It talks about ways of working that we have found key to an effective strategic approach. Engagement and Listening – This speaks to the work done is various settings to engage with, and hear the views and ideas of children, young people and others. Transport and Poverty – This talks about the importance of transport to our health, wellbeing and economic stability; also how poor transport can contribute to poverty and social isolation. It talks about the impacts of transport issues on the lives of people and, most notably those living rurally or on an island. It notes the actions of the Scottish Government, Council, Health Board and others to tackle these issues. Data Programme Work – This section covers the work going on in Argyll and Bute to improve the use of available data in order to allow us to identify and focus resources on those who most need them. It also looks at the work to identify legal pathways in terms of GDPR, to allow for the use of different data sets. The Promise and Whole Family Support – This looks at current actions and projects in this area, to support children and young people. Early Years Supports – This looks at the importance of early years support in tackling child poverty, It mentions: the Family Nurse Partnership Programme, the interagency work by Health Visitor; Argyll & Bute Infant Mental Health Service, Infant Food Insecurity, and Let’s Grow Kids UK. The report is structured in five key areas taking the partnership working in each area into review with both the original plan and Local Government Benchmarking Framework as appendices. It is consistent with the principles of UNCRC. 4. RELEVANT DATA AND INDICATORS The action plan report is collated from partner reporting based on area of work. 5. CONTRIBUTION TO STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Plan and reporting on the plan supports the duty. 6. GOVERNANCE IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Financial Impact – noted within the report regarding the UNCRC 6.2 Staff Governance – none specified
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3 6.3 Clinical and Care Governance – not specific to this paper 7. PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY As advised within the report 8. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS Poverty can have a lasting and generational effect with certain other protected groups being further disproportionately impacted further. Addressing poverty and the causes of poverty promotes better outcomes. 8. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION PRINCIPLES COMPLIANCE None identified. 9. RISK ASSESSMENT There would be risk to failing to have policies and actions aimed at tackling child poverty. Poverty would not be fully recognised and mitigated and our community would become less equal and socially inclusive as a result. Increases in child poverty would have other implications going forward, for example demographically as younger people left in search of better financial outcomes for them and their families. 10. PUBLIC & USER INVOLVEMENT & ENGAGEMENT The plan on a page was developed with young people. 11. CONCLUSIONS Conclusions from this report include that we must continue to tackle child poverty in Argyll and Bute. It is important to work to improve our evidence base and data analysis in order to better determine the causes of child poverty, where these can be seen and how we can best take action to reduce them. Whilst there are many national and world issues currently that prevent a speedy reduction in child poverty, we must continue to act locally and in partnership to mitigate these and lift more children out of poverty. 12. DIRECTIONS Directions required to Council, NHS Board or both. Directions to: tick No Directions required x Argyll & Bute Council NHS Highland Health Board Argyll & Bute Council and NHS Highland Health Board 13. PREVIOUS REVIEW OF THE REPORT Meeting Title of report Date Output (if relevant) N/A
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4 REPORT AUTHOR AND CONTACT Author Name Mandy Sheridan Email mandy.sheridan@argyll-bute.gov.uk