Commenting on the Child Poverty Bill to be published today (12 June 2009), Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of 4Children said: “4Children welcomes the publication of the Child Poverty Bill as landmark legislation to put the needs of the most vulnerable at the heart of our society’s concerns.  In a wealthy country such as ours it unacceptable that so many children should continue to live their lives in poverty with the limitations on all aspects of life chances that this brings.  This legislation provides the framework for a concerted effort locally and nationally to make the reduction of poverty a real priority with the potential to make a significant impact.
 
“But the legislation will only be as effective as the commitment and activity behind it.  4Children would like to see robust poverty reduction strategies in every area bringing together help and support for families to work and train with community regeneration and comprehensive support and opportunities for children – in the early years and beyond.  A combined and concerted focus in this way is crucial if the blight of poverty is to be overcome.
 
“It will be particularly important to be clear how Government will be held to account in the legislation. As a member of the End Child Poverty Campaign we believe the first step to tackling child poverty in the future is tackling it today. We need to see urgent action to help hard pressed families now as well as a strong bill which carries forward that action into the future.”

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Notes to the Editor
For further information or to request an interview with Anne Longfield, please contact Julie Evans on 0207 522 6928 / 07917870641 or email Julie.Evans@4Children.org.uk

4Children
4Children is the national charity all about children and families. www.4Children.org.uk

4Children develops, influences and shapes national policy on all aspects of children, young people and families lives and works with a wide range of partners to deliver real support for children and families in their community.

4Children has spearheaded a joined up, integrated approach to children’s services which puts the needs of the most vulnerable at the centre.  It is the one of the largest not for profit Children’s Centre provider in the country and also runs and supports out of school programmes and the new next generation ‘myplace’ youth hubs. 

The organisation has recently launched the high profile Family Commission chaired by Esther Rantzen.  This eighteen month enquiry into families in the UK today will include one of the largest consultations with families ever undertaken and will report in autumn 2010.

Campaign to End Child Poverty
4Children is one of over 150 member organisations of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, campaigning for public and political commitment to ensure the goals of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending child poverty by 2020 are met.

Ten years ago Government committed to eradicating child poverty but these figures show progress has stalled. In the previous two years child poverty actually rose. Progress has been made on child poverty but the UK is way off track on its targets and budget 2009 invested less than a pint of milk per week per child in family incomes and so did nothing to narrow the gap. These are not just statistics; they are real children and real families and poverty is damaging them. As a members of the Campaign to End Child Poverty we are calling on the Government to do more and while we welcome the forthcoming child poverty legislation it will be meaningless without the moral purpose to invest in families suffering now

Child Poverty in the UK

• One in three (3.9 million) children in the UK live in poverty.
  
• The UK has one of the worst rates of child poverty in the industrialised world
  
• In 1999, the Government made a promise to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020. It’s vital that the Government keep their promise and hit this target.
  
• Not fixing child poverty is expensive. Recent JRF research reveals economic costs of educational failure, health inequality, disability and social breakdown from child poverty of over £25bn a year - or £1,000 for every UK household.
  

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