Last November, the Institute for Fiscal Studies made the staggering assertion that in the next few years, 5.2 million children will be living in poverty in the UK.



This is hugely concerning on many fronts. First, poverty damages childhoods and life chances – it is a travesty of social justice that in one of the richest economies in the world, roughly a third of children live in poverty. Second, England is the only country in the UK without a national strategy aimed at tackling child poverty. And third, if some of the recent economic forecasts come to fruition, there is a very real risk this figure will rise further.

Poverty permeates every aspect of daily life. Parents are forced to choose between heating their homes or paying their rent. Many go hungry just so their children can eat. More and more families are relying on food banks – many of which are struggling to meet demand.

We know that outcomes for children are impacted: they are less able to achieve academically and socially in school and are more likely to suffer from poor health than their wealthier peers.

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Poverty is setting many children and young people up for a lifetime of disadvantage. So my first, and biggest, hope for the year ahead is that as a country we get serious about tackling child poverty. Reducing deprivation and the resultant child poverty needs to be an overarching policy consideration for government. It is important that Brexit negotiations do not distract from the need for an ambitious and comprehensive child poverty reduction strategy – a truly cross-government approach, backed up by sufficient funding.



It’s been 18 months since the country voted to exit the European Union. Little is known yet about the long-term impacts on children and young people; indeed, the government’s Brexit white paper only mentioned them once.

In order to create a country that works for all children, one that prioritises supporting them and their families earlier, my second hope for the year is that the government puts children at the centre of these negotiations. How we care for, educate and support the children of today is an indication of how successful our country will be tomorrow. Self-sustaining and strong communities contribute to the economic success of the country. It’s in our best interests to invest in children now; not doing so is a false economy.

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Now for a prediction. Demand for children’s services has risen significantly over the past decade. Our own research found that, at 31 March 2016, the number of children subject to an initial child protection plan had increased by 78% since 2007-08.

Later this year, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services will publish the latest iteration of this research, bringing the evidence-base up to date. It is likely the year ahead will see more families requiring support from children’s services if the government doesn’t reaffirm its commitment to supporting children and families in need.

As demand rises, local authorities are forced to focus their limited resources on statutory, high end services that keep children safe from the immediate risk of harm, rather than on the early help services we know make a huge difference in the lives of children and families, such as children’s centres and youth services. As a result, demand for high end statutory services and health and social care will only increase, as will the fiscal and human costs.

• Alison Michalska is president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services and corporate director for children and adults at Nottingham city council

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