Family support and child poverty

While the Child Poverty Taskforce has strongly acknowledged the role that local services play in mitigating against the impacts of poverty, to date this has largely focused on the early years, health and education services.

There has been less discussion of the contribution that targeted family support services can make to addressing some of the contextual factors that drive and entrench poverty, particularly among families with more specific or complex needs who may be more likely to come into contact with voluntary and statutory services.

This briefing note:

1. Describes and categorises the ways in which third sector providers of services for children and families, like Action for Children, contribute towards poverty relief.
2. Outlines the key factors that drive poverty, from the perspective of professionals who support disadvantaged families on a day-to-day basis.
3. Defines and contextualises family support as a specific type of targeted provision that deserves its place in the government’s emerging thinking on the shape and direction of the Child Poverty Strategy.