We must rid Wolverhampton of child poverty crisis
The shocking scale of child poverty and deprivation in Wolverhampton was today laid bare in a new plan aimed at improving the lives of the city's youngsters.
The Children, Young Persons and Families Plan 2015-25 has been developed to tackle a range of problems that highlight the struggle faced by youngsters growing up in the city.
Wolverhampton is in the top six per cent of the most deprived areas in the country, with levels of deprivation continuing to rise.
The plan states that nearly one third of all children in the city live in poverty and almost 60 per cent of 0-15 year olds live in a deprived area. Youth unemployment is twice the national average at nine per cent.
The plan also highlights that almost 14,000 youngsters live in a household where no one works.
- Getting more parents into work
- Cracking down on drugs and alcohol abuse
- Tackling childhood obesity
- Reducing child poverty[/breakout]
Wolverhampton's Children's Trust has developed a range of strategies to combat the key issues in the landmark plan. Child poverty, health, family strength, and education, training and employment will also come under closer scrutiny over the next 10 years.
Kush Patel, the authority's strategic improvement officer, said the problems can only be successfully addressed if a 'whole family' approach was adopted.
"It is more than just safeguarding. The plan wants people in Wolverhampton to be happy and want to live here," she added.
She said that it was a 'doing plan rather than a strategy', which aimed to set targets against national and regional figures.
The plan affects more than 63,000 children in the city – a figure which has risen dramatically in recent years.
More than 40 per cent of primary school pupils in the city are obese, the document states, while secondary school absence is far higher than in other areas of the country.
The city also has the highest rate of infant deaths in the UK.
Councillor Martin Waite said the work of the Children's Trust board showed the importance the council placed on improving the lives of children in the city.
He said: "The best opportunity we have in helping young people shape their futures is involving all of the partners around the table.
"Broadly I think the plan is a well-intentioned, right document."
Councillors on the Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny Panel approved a recommendation to support the plan last week.