Three and a half million children across England are facing relative poverty, research has found.

According to the Centre for Young Lives think-tank’s latest ‘State of the Nation’ report, the 3.5 million figure equates to roughly 8 or 9 children in each classroom.

A further 2 million children are living in ‘deep material poverty’ in the UK, meaning they cannot cover the costs of key essentials, while one in five children and young people are living with a probable mental health condition.

The annual report warns that an increasing number of children are being raised in difficult circumstances – including growing poverty and housing insecurity, resulting in more school absence, deteriorating mental health, an rise in obesity, and greater fears around harm and exploitation.

It also reveals surges across the number of children living in temporary accommodation, the number missing more than half of school, and the number of referrals being made to children’s mental health services.

The report notes progress across indicators such as the number of children in care and the number of homeless households that include children. However, it highlights that the issues are still too prominent and urges that the new Government administration makes the transition from a ‘crisis state’ to an ‘investment state’.

As part of its recommendations, the think tank calls for the reduction of childhood vulnerability to be made a ‘national ambition’ and for the root causes of vulnerability to be addressed.

It also urges that a Cabinet-level Children and Families Unit is created to push for change across education, health, housing, justice, employment and local government.  

Furthermore, it recommends that mayors and local leaders are given increased ‘responsibility and accountability for improving outcomes for vulnerable children through joined-up local services’, while advising that data sharing between services is boosted.

Comments

Haroon Chowdry, Chief Executive, Centre for Young Lives, commented: ‘The?uncomfortable truth is that the?data?in this report is simply not the sign of a country that genuinely values all children and puts their interests?first.’

He added: ‘Despite some welcome?action from the Government,?much more needs to be done to support children,?address?vulnerability and disadvantage, and prevent?any problems they face from reaching crisis level.’

‘We?can’t?have more of the same – an announcement here,?an initiative there, and a couple of pilot programmes. Incremental change?will not cut it anymore.’

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children, Young People and Families Committee, said the report ‘delivers a stark warning to the new Prime Minister and his Government of the need to prioritise the lives of vulnerable children.’

He added that councils need ‘long-term, sustainable funding’ to enable them to continue providing children’s services, calling for a cross-government approach that ‘tackles the wider public policy challenges around social security, housing and employment, and ensures every child can thrive’.