We need a renewed effort to tackle child poverty

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/02/we-need-a-renewed-effort-to-tackle-child-poverty

Version 0 of 1.

On Friday MPs will have an opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of 4 million children growing up in poverty in Britain. Two thirds of those children have at least one parent in work. In the face of high child poverty rates – and the threat that these will rise sharply in coming years – renewed action to end child poverty has never been so important. We must measure our progress if we are to work towards the goal of ending child poverty in the UK. A child poverty target, and a strategy to meet that target, is required to focus minds and coordinate policies across government. The private member’s bill being introduced by Dan Jarvis MP will do just that. We support this bill, which deserves the backing of MPs from all parties.Alison GarnhamChief executive, CPAG (Child Poverty Action Group)Dr Sam RoystonChair, End Child Poverty coalitionPaul NowakDeputy general secretary, TUCProfessor Neena ModiPresident, Royal College of Pediatrics and Child HealthGerri McAndrewChief executive, Buttle UKSimon HopkinsChief executive, Turn2UsKevin CourtneyGeneral secretary, NUTNiall CooperDirector, Church Action on PovertyDalia Ben-GalimDirector of policy, advice and communications, GingerbreadCheryl WardChief executive, Family FundRev Paul NicolsonTaxpayers Against PovertyJoanna KennedyChief executive, Z2KAndy ElvinChief executive, TACTDr Wanda WyporskaExecutive director, The Equality TrustPurnima TanukuChief executive, National Day Nurseries AssociationDr Carol HomdenChief executive, CoramIrene AudainChief executive, Scottish Out of School Care NetworkCatriona WilliamsChief executive, Children in WalesArvinda GohilChief executive, Community LinksAmanda BattenChief executive, Contact a FamilyJamie BurtonChair, Just FairJohn McDonaldDirector, Family Holiday AssociationAlbert PersaudDirector, Centre for Applied Research and Evaluation – International Foundation

• I’ve been calling on the government to shift its emphasis to dismantling poverty, rather than maintaining people in it. I’m a bit of a one-question man and I’ve been tailoring my interventions in parliament towards preventative action on poverty. But departments aren’t working to help mass dismantlement, as last week’s child poverty warning from the head of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health demonstrates all too well (Poverty in the UK jeopardising children’s health, 26 January). Point-scoring on poverty is the way that much of the debate goes, often with the poor caught in between. Neither invested in, nor supported, to rid themselves of the cancers of poverty. People are left in poverty’s waiting room, where democracy doesn’t get a look in. For if you live in poverty, you’re outside of society, unable to choose because your “choices” are narrowed down to almost nothing. And that, surely, should spur on a revolution in our thinking so that the government gets it right, communities get it right, and we get it right. Poverty is preventable and the solutions are out there.John BirdCrossbencher, House of Lords

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters