Children take MPs to task on UK child poverty
Over 100 children and young people held the government to account on the issue of child poverty in the UK and what they are doing to tackle the problem.
Tuesday 20 February 2007
John Hutton, Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions which delivers the government's policy on child poverty, spoke about what child poverty means to him and was challenged by the young people on what the government is doing to meet its target of eradicating child poverty by 2020.
The young people that attended the workshop came from a wide range of youth organisations.
Andy Woods, aged 17, said: "It is about time that people found out that poverty does happen in the UK and not only overseas. This is a brilliant opportunity for young people to explore the issue and raise people's awareness."
Kate Turner, Youth Campaigns Manager at Save the Children, said: "It is vital to get young people's voices heard on the issue of child poverty in the UK. We want the politicians to listen and take note of what they have to say. This is the next generation talking - when they're adults, child poverty should no longer exist if the government keeps its promises."
The young people also discussed what the government can do to get the target back on track to end child poverty. Save the Children is calling for the government to introduce two Seasonal Grants to support families at the points of year when they are facing acute financial pressure. These grants alone could lift 440,000 children out of poverty. An additional £4bn (0.3% of GDP) is needed to ensure that the next milestone towards the child poverty target is met in 2010.
