Child poverty rises in Cheshire and Merseyside, leaders unite to act

Child poverty across Cheshire and Merseyside has risen sharply, with more than 111,000 children now growing up in relative low-income households. Regional leaders from public health, the NHS, children’s services and the voluntary sector, all working together through the Champs Public Health Collaborative, say the rising figures highlight the urgent need for coordinated action at every level. Last year, the Collaborative issued a joint statement calling for united local and national efforts to end child and family poverty across the region. As part of this ongoing commitment, they this week welcomed Clare Brookes, the new Head of the Child Poverty Unit, and members of her team to Cheshire and Merseyside to see the local response in action. During the visit, the Child Poverty Unit met families in Sefton to hear first-hand about the challenges they face and saw examples of how partners across Cheshire and Merseyside are working together through integrated local action to tackle child poverty. Professor Ian Ashworth, Director of Population Health for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said: “These figures are a stark reminder of the widening inequalities across our communities and the urgent need for systemic change. Tackling child poverty isn’t just a moral imperative – it’s a public health necessity. We see every day how poverty undermines the health and life chances of our children, and we are committed to working across sectors to address the root causes. It is only through a coordinated national and local response that we will create the conditions every child needs to thrive.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/d9qXMqvs

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