New fund to combat child poverty

Scheme is intended to give youngsters a head start

Troubled youngsters across England are to be targeted for help under a £450m Children's Fund launched by the government.

There are big variations in deprivation levels across the country and the gaps are widening

Prof Steve Webb

The fund is intended to identify youngsters at risk of having their lives blighted by poverty and disadvantage, and provide earlier systems to try to ensure that they do not under-achieve in their education and careers.

The primary target group will be children aged five to 13 for whom the fund will support out-of-school activities, mentoring schemes, parenting education and counselling and advice services.

The bulk of the money, £380m, will be put into identifying children showing early signs of difficulty and to provide the support they need to overcome social disadvantage.

The remaining £70m will be distributed directly to local community groups through a network of local funds, administered by the voluntary sector.

Underclass

Launching the project Chancellor Gordon Brown said the country's future economic and social well-being depended on guarding against the development of an underclass.

"The country's future lies with the hopes, potential and dreams of our children.

"But the sad fact of Britain today is that children who grow up in a poor family are less likely to get qualifications, go to college ... and are more likely to replicate that cycle of deprivation."

Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett said the government wanted to banish to the past "the scandals of neglect and exclusion".

In a jocular reference to the American election Mr Blunkett said he hoped the new fund would produce adults who could punch ballot papers in the right place.

Wasted years

Liberal Democrat social security spokesman Professor Steve Webb said the government had been too slow in addressing child poverty.

"There are big variations in deprivation levels across the country and the gaps are widening," he said.

"Child poverty has failed to fall despite Labour's pledge to eradicate it in 20 years. Labour has wasted valuable years in the battle against child poverty," claimed the MP.

National Children's Bureau chief executive Paul Ennals said: "Poverty currently blights the lives of one-third of Britain's children.

"We welcome the government's clear pledge to tackle it.

"However, we should not underestimate the political will necessary to achieve this aim.

"What we need now is a strong commitment across society to ensure that eradicating child poverty remains a priority, not only for this government, but for all future governments, until our goal is reached."