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I haven’t had a Hoover for three months, as my old one broke down and I have no money to replace it. I have nothing.

Parent

Seeing is Believing, Barnardo’s 2007

Our Campaign

2009 is a vital year for children in poverty.

There is an urgent opportunity to ensure the Government keeps its promise to end child poverty.

So over 150 children’s charities, child welfare organisations, social justice groups, faith groups, trade unions and others are working together as the Campaign to End Child Poverty to ensure that the unacceptably high levels of child poverty in the UK are reduced.

The Government has made a promise to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020. With your support, we can ensure that they keep this promise of a generation.

In order to halve child poverty by 2010, the Government needs to improve benefits and child tax credits, in addition to providing better housing. To achieve this, the Government must take the following actions:

Ensure adequate incomes for families - by 2010, the Government needs to spend £3 billion on benefits and child tax credits.

Ensure an adequate home for every child - by 2010, the Government needs to ensure that 20,000 additional social rented homes per year have been built to lift 154,000 children out of bad housing.

In order for child poverty to be eradicated by 2020, the Government needs to redistribute more to the poorest families and invest more in the services that support them. To achieve this, the Government must take the following actions to secure decent work for all and a good education for every child:

Ensure that work pays - by 2020, the Government need to increase the minimum wage, in-work benefits and tax credits.
Make sure that parents are not trapped in poor quality jobs - by 2020, the Government need to invest more in direct help for the most disadvantaged to get, keep and progress in employment.
Make sure that all parents can combine work and family life - by 2020, the Government need to provide a sufficient supply of high quality, affordable and accessible childcare.

Provide access to high quality early years provision for every child from a low-income family.
Aim to close the gap between state and private school funding levels and ensure that new spending is geared towards schools in the poorest area or with the poorest intake.
Ensure education works for all children by rolling out personalised learning agendas in schools to guarantee increased support, particularly for those from the poorest backgrounds.