Haringey CAB - Citizens Advice
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Transcript Haringey CAB - Citizens Advice
Haringey CAB
Our role in working to
combat Child Poverty in
Haringey
Markos Chrysostomou
Why?
5th highest
proportion of
children in
poverty in the
UK.
9 out of 19
wards with Child
Poverty levels of
over 50%.
Responding to
the needs of the
community.
How did we become involved?
Previous outreach work through New
Deal for Communities.
NRF funded Project - Reaping the
Benefits – outreach income maximisation
project in 3 of the poorest wards.
Target groups included families.
Delivered in partnership with LBH
Neighbourhood Management.
2 of the venues were Children’s Centres.
Building on Experience
Financial outcomes from income maximisation
work in outreach settings were high.
Need for targeted Benefit Take Up work
confirmed.
Targeting parents through working in Children’s
Centres increased access for parents in non
stigmatising environments.
Having pressed for an anti poverty strategy the
Haringey Child Poverty Action Group was set up
to specifically address Child Poverty in Haringey.
Funding secured to research and develop
initiatives to combat Child Poverty, including a
pilot Children’s Centre advice service in a
deprived area in the West of the borough.
Delivering Services
Reaping the Benefits has run for nearly 4 years
but due to end January. Over £1.5 million in extra
benefits and debt write offs gained.
Funding secured to provide a borough wide
Children’s Centres Advice Project providing
Benefits and Money advice to parents.
Project is funded for 6 months up to March 2011
and has to achieve outcomes of 200 families &
£100k in extra benefits. The 1st month has already
seen money gains and more than 50 families have
accessed the service.
Added value includes training sessions and 2nd
tier support to Children’s Centre staff.
Actively influencing Policy
Membership of Haringey CPAG.
Reporting on outcomes and trends.
Contributing to the Child Poverty Needs
Assessment.
Making recommendations for strategy
development.
Working with Children’s Centre staff & Council
Officers to increase awareness of issues affecting
parents.
Provision of information and training to increase
front line support for parents.
Where from here?
Reducing Child Poverty remains a priority.
LAs have to involve the 3rd sector in
strategy development.
Haringey has completed it’s needs
assessment.
Bureaux in strong position to deliver
programmes.
Our work with Haringey has been
recognised by the Child Poverty Unit &
evidence from our work will be used in the
submission to Frank Field.
Lessons Learned
Effective preparation.
Agree effective resource allocation.
Effective promotion and engagement with
targeted communities.
Review and Analysis throughout project life
cycle.
Recognise, celebrate & communicate
success.
Multi faceted monitoring & building on data
acquired to inform development of future
projects.
Make recommendations and contribute to
policy development.
The Importance of Partnership
“Both the Children’s Centres and CAB have a strong
commitment to relieving child poverty within Haringey
– neither party can achieve this alone. By working
together we combine resources and expertise to
provide a strong and effective service to the whole
family. This is why Haringey Council is working
together in partnership to deliver a borough wide
Children’s Centre Advice Service.”
Annie Jordan – Working Families Information Officer,
London Borough of Haringey.