Child poverty is devastating, and the most serious symptom of economic disadvantage. In North of Tyne, 22% of our children live in poverty. More than half of those are in working households. When you factor in additional living costs such as housing, these stark figures get even worse, with nearly 40% of our children living in poverty.

When I read the IPPR North research into child poverty in the North East at the end of 2020 I, like Christine Hardman, the Bishop of Newcastle, was horrified by the extent of the impact on our children. The report’s recommendations have been considered by North of Tyne Combined Authority and we are looking at ways to support parents into good quality work, help schools mitigate child poverty, and make tackling child poverty a priority across all our work.