05/06/2012
More To Be Done Against Child Poverty
An English MP who campaigns against poverty has visited Northern Ireland’s Minister for Social Development.
Nelson McCausland hosted the visit from Frank Field, the Labour MP for Birkenhead and author of a report about boosting social mobility.
Published in 2010, the 'Foundation Years, Preventing Poor Children Becoming Poor Adults' report called for health visitors to step in if children's development was slow, and use the earliest years of a child's life to boost its chances.
It was all in an attempt to bridge the class divide and make sure children from poor backgrounds had the chance to escape poverty.
The report found that some children were spoken to so rarely, they started school not even knowing their own names.
Mr Field visited Northern Ireland "with a view to exploring the lessons here", an Executive spokesperson said.
He and Mr McCausland, along with Nigel Dodds MP, a former minister for social development, and officials from the Department of Education and Department of Health, discussed how to stop poverty being handing down in families.
They talked about early years work and improving attainment in schools.
Mr McCausland said: "The reasons for social deprivation are highly complex, but addressing this need at a very young age is key to moving forward. I am committed to ensuring that my Department is leading the work to get to the heart of this challenging agenda and make a difference to the most vulnerable in our society."
Earlier this year, Mr Field accused the coalition government of ignoring his 2010 recommendations.
(NE)
Nelson McCausland hosted the visit from Frank Field, the Labour MP for Birkenhead and author of a report about boosting social mobility.
Published in 2010, the 'Foundation Years, Preventing Poor Children Becoming Poor Adults' report called for health visitors to step in if children's development was slow, and use the earliest years of a child's life to boost its chances.
It was all in an attempt to bridge the class divide and make sure children from poor backgrounds had the chance to escape poverty.
The report found that some children were spoken to so rarely, they started school not even knowing their own names.
Mr Field visited Northern Ireland "with a view to exploring the lessons here", an Executive spokesperson said.
He and Mr McCausland, along with Nigel Dodds MP, a former minister for social development, and officials from the Department of Education and Department of Health, discussed how to stop poverty being handing down in families.
They talked about early years work and improving attainment in schools.
Mr McCausland said: "The reasons for social deprivation are highly complex, but addressing this need at a very young age is key to moving forward. I am committed to ensuring that my Department is leading the work to get to the heart of this challenging agenda and make a difference to the most vulnerable in our society."
Earlier this year, Mr Field accused the coalition government of ignoring his 2010 recommendations.
(NE)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.