Tackling Poverty in Sheffield Refreshing the Child and Household Poverty Strategy

8th December 2014 Debbie Mathews Anna Brook

Structure • • • • • •

Background and context Governance and partnership Progress to date Priorities and approach Strategic programmes and role of VCF sector Questions

Background and context •

Nationally: – Child Poverty Act 2010 including new duty on local authorities and named partners to co-operate to mitigate the effects of child poverty – Many experts believe it is now not possible to meet the 2020 child poverty targets within the agreed timescales

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In Sheffield: – Current strategy runs to 2014 – The Fairness Commission has reported and has recommendations that run to 2023 and beyond – The City Strategy, which runs to 2020, includes as one of its five key ambitions to be Inclusive

• Scope – Decision to broaden to cover households with and without children – City strategy (not just Council)

Governance and partnership Tackling Poverty Strategy partnership reference group – chaired by Peter Bradley New board set up on a time-limited basis. ROLE: To oversee (and contribute to on an individual organisational basis) the engagement with children, young people, families and individuals and support them to bring their views into the consultation and development process. To influence and inform the content of the Tackling Poverty Strategy. To bring contributions from each partner to the Strategy Meets as needed

Progress to date • • • • • • • • •

Review of previous strategy Developed pack of information including draft Needs Assessment and Evidence Review 4th July – 30th September : consultation 16th October: public event to share understanding of need, evidence and themes from consultation and work together to start to develop actions 30th October: all partners submitted draft commitments 11th November: partners agreed strategic programmes, reviewed total package of commitments and identified gaps December –January: further work on addressing gaps and developing joint approaches February: final amendments March: publication

Poverty is real and not inevitable Guiding principles for the Tackling Poverty Strategy Partnership: • The needs of people in poverty in Sheffield • The evidence available about the most effective ways to meet these needs • The responses to the consultation which may add to both of the above Emerging evidence (JRF): • A comprehensive, long-term approach • More jobs, better jobs including pay and terms and conditions and support for progression • Driving down costs (including housing, childcare, fuel, food,) • Reaching potential (including early years, school, skills, employability support) • A benefit system that supports reduction of poverty • Long-term, intensive support for complex needs; target & monitor Consultation responses: • People prioritised different things, everything was important to somebody • Most responses covered: • how we do things • Enablers: inclu skills, childcare, education • Building on strengths • How people feel – including loneliness, • Credit / money management / life skills isolation, stress, anxiety, stigma, • Crisis support embarrassment, anger, struggling • Reducing the cost of basics • Increasing income including: jobs and • Advice, advocacy and access to services work, benefit take-up / levels

Priorities and approach The partnership’s analysis suggests that we need to maintain a balance between providing support to people who are in poverty now and working to tackle some of the causes of poverty. We need a coherent and comprehensive approach covering the wide range of complex issues that mean poverty is still a reality in Sheffield, although individual organisations and services will probably choose to focus on a few areas where they can make most difference. Therefore, we have developed a shared agreement of the strategic programmes that are needed and sought individual contributions to each of these.

We need to be clear about the level of commitment we are making over the lifetime of the Strategy.

Strategic programmes and the role of the VCF sector We’ve pledged to support those of us in Sheffield who are struggling to meet minimum needs – children, families, people and communities. How do we capture the work that the VCF is already doing to Everysupport time weeach make major decision, under we willthese consider the impact of what of athe programmes sections? we doAND on people in poverty. how does the VCF co-ordinate to make a coherent offer to the city about what it can do?

How we will do things What we will do to make things better for people who are struggling and in poverty now What we will do now to tackle some root causes of poverty and give our children the best chance of a poverty-free future