On 17th February 2025, Save the Children UK will be hosting the first ever South Yorkshire Child Poverty Summit. A pivotal moment to spotlight innovative and sustainable solutions which aim to address child poverty in and beyond the region, the event will take place in Sheffield.
Supported by South Yorkshire’s Mayoral Combined Authority, and the four Local Authorities, the event will be shaped by the everyday realities of children, families and communities facing stark inequalities.
Participants will bring together the knowledge, insights, skills, power, creativity and understanding needed to secure lasting change.
Ending child poverty is everyone’s business, and this is reflected in an inclusive and eclectic mix of regional decision-makers, communities, educators, artists, academics, philanthropists, policymakers and shapers, businesses, charities and funders.
'A Place of Hope' is a direct quote from Professor Sir Michael Marmot, captured in the Panorama film, Britain’s Child Health Crisis, during his visit to The Meadows, the UK’s first trauma informed nursery, based in north Sheffield.
The nursery has received much acclaim because of the impact on the families and local community it serves. A safe space and haven for many, the testimony of parents is that it has helped them to realise achievements they did not think possible. As a result, intergenerational transfer of trauma is interrupted.
The Meadows is one example of a hyper-local approach to mitigating the negative impacts of child poverty at the same time as building the relationships that make change possible for families.
The summit aims to provide the space and inspiration to explore and define the blend of solutions required to end child poverty at the community, local and regional levels.
THEMATIC ZONES
Across the morning and afternoon, there will be a choice of thematic zones for participants to engage with. Sessions will be solutions-focused, centre the lived experience of children and families, and draw from policy and emerging research. Covering topics including housing, community power, health equity, and education and aspiration, discussions will delve into how lasting change for children can be achieved.
Each zone aims to offer unique perspectives on the multifaceted issue of child poverty, combining expert insights from outside the region, with practical examples from South Yorkshire, to inspire collective action and encourage child-lens investing.
Explore further by clicking on the tiles below:
Sensitivity Statement:
During the day, we’ll be engaging with topics that can be emotionally challenging. We will aim to let you know in advance when potentially triggering content is likely to be discussed, but please be mindful that the impacts of child poverty can show up in unexpected ways meaning that this may not always be possible. We want you to feel comfortable making informed choices about how you engage with challenging subjects during the day and opt to take time out as you need to.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The summit will run from 10am to 4pm and will be held in Neepsend, a fascinating industrial neighbourhood of Sheffield, across two venues. Situated close by each other, The Mowbray and The Victoria are a short taxi journey or an approximate 25 minute walk from Sheffield railway station. Local bus and tram services are also available.
Registration opens at 9:30am and while the event starts at 10am, we encourage attendees to arrive in good time. Exhibition spaces, featuring installations focused on the blend of solutions required to tackle child poverty will be open.
Refreshments will be available throughout the day. Lunch will be provided with vegetarian and vegan options both available.
The full agenda for the day will be available on arrival.
And to read more about Save the Children's work in South Yorkshire and the BBC Panorama film 'Britain's Child Health Crisis', take a look at this blog.
