Inverclyde Council reveals local child poverty figures

In a report prepared beforea meeting of the council's education and communities committee, council officials state that 18.1 per cent of children in Inverclyde are living in absolute poverty - higher than the Scottish figure of 17.1 per cent. 

'Absolute poverty' in Scotland applies to households whose income is less than 60 per cent of the average for a household of that tupe.

The overall percentage of children living in relative poverty  - after housing costs are deducted - is 23.1 per cent, which also surpasses the Scottish average of 21.3 per cent. 

Councillor Francesca Brennan said providing high quality jobs for local people is the key to helping lift families out of poverty. 

She added: "This is an incredibly important report, and there are some really challenging figures in there. 

"Child poverty is one of the most important issues of our time and it should be treated with utmost seriousness.

"Without seeing a huge improvement in terms of high quality jobs in the area, and taking into account the jobs we've lost in Inverclyde over the last year, I wonder what will change in terms of helping people provide for their families in the way they want instead of being reliant on services.

"Officers are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to tackling the issue of mitigating the impact of child poverty but prevention is better than the cure. 

"We're trying to protect and wrap families in services that will protect them from the effects of poverty."

Councillor Francesca Brennan says child poverty is "one of the most important issues of our time". (Image: Newsquest) Councillor Natasha McGuire, the authority's depute leader, said parts of report are 'heartbreaking'. 

She added: "It is a stark reminder of our responsibilities. 

"We never forget that it's an issue but seeing it on paper makes me a bit emotional. 

"We can all see what's being done and the impact it's having but we still have a long way to go. 

"We need jobs to get people out of the endless, needless cycle they find themselves in."

Councillor Natasha McGuire said the figures in the report were a "stark reminder" of the council's responsibilities. (Image: Newsquest) The committee report outlines the measures being taken by Inverclyde Council to mitigate child poverty in Inverclyde. 

The local authority has recently undertaken an in-depth analysis of local council tax reduction data which it says will help services target resources effectively to support families facing poverty and improve overall household outcomes. 

Some of the actions taken have included free schools meals for primary school pupils; increasing eligibility for the school clothing grant and holiday hunger programme; the early adopter community for affordable childcare; warm hand of friendship funding; and the child poverty accelerator fund. 

The report states: "Progress has been made across all four child poverty drivers, with positive impacts on families, children, and parents. 

"Inverclyde is continuing to invest in systems and networks to build on leadership and political support, improving communication, monitoring impact, and sharing responsibility across the community planning partnership. 

"By adopting a holistic approach and addressing multiple aspects of poverty simultaneously, Inverclyde aims to empower families and create lasting positive change."

The council also plans to appoint a 'co-design worker' to conduct regular 'co-production workshops' with families facing poverty. 

There will also be a focus on early years and prevention using data to identify priority families who are disproportionately affected by poverty and inequalities.

Ruth Binks, the council's director of corporate director of education, communities, and organisational development, said: "A huge amount of work is being undertaken across Inverclyde to mitigate the impact of poverty but a lot of work still has to be done. 

"Thinking about the impact of child poverty is becoming a way of life for our practitioners. 

"We always think 'what's the impact on families and what about the cost of living?'.

"Poverty is not necessarily about the monetary side, it's about security and resilience. We have to make sure that people are able to live in the best way they can and can go forward."