Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Children and Young Peoples Services.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1.    Approves the strategy No Family Left Behind, addressing child poverty.

2.    Notes the ongoing work to reduce the impact of poverty and improve family prosperity across the Borough.

Consideration was given to the report which presented the No Family Left Behind Strategy, addressing child poverty, for approval. A Notice of Motion was passed in September 2024 calling for Cabinet to co-ordinate the development of a new strategy to reduce the impact of child poverty in Rotherham. Rotherham Council was committed to putting families at the heart of decision making and the Council’s family friendly budget demonstrated this commitment. The Strategy represented Rotherham’s commitment to addressing the causes of poverty and reducing its impact, bringing together the activity across the Borough to ensure no family was left behind.

The development of the Strategy had involved collaborative working across all Rotherham Council Directorates and a survey of the Children and Young People’s Partnership Board to create a shared understanding of poverty. All Directorates had reviewed the activity that they delivered to address the causes of poverty and reduce the impact of child poverty.

Investments in baby packs, youth work and Early Help Services, and children’s play areas were included in the family friendly budgets approved by Council for 2024/25 and 2025/26. Further, children and young people achieving their potential was a key priority at the heart of the refreshed Council Plan that was agreed in May 2025.

Based on research from End Child Poverty, 31% of Rotherham children were living in poverty in 2023/24. This was the same as the national average, and a slight increase on the 2022/23 figure of 30.3%.On the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019 (IMD 2019) Rotherham ranked as the 35^th most deprived upper tier local authority in England out of a total of 151 authorities. 35% of Rotherham’s neighbourhoods were in the 20% most deprived in England, and 22% lived in the 10% most deprived. No neighbourhoods in Rotherham were in the least deprived 10%. In 2024, 26% of children lived in absolute low-income families (England 19%). Rotherham’s free school meals entitlement rate was above the English national average (27.2% compared to 24.7% at Primary, 30.2% compared to 25.9% at Secondary – DfE 2024/25). 25.9% of Rotherham’s school age population was from an ethnic minority background (England 36%) (DfE 2024/25).

Rotherham Together Partnership wanted Rotherham to be a great place to grow up, where children and young people had the best chance to reach their full potential. This would mean that children grow up happily, safe, in good health and develop the skills and qualifications they need to be successful. The Strategy articulated the ambition to address the poverty-related barriers to achieving Rotherham’s vision for children, young people, and families. These included: Best Start - Children get the best start in life;?Safe - Children and young people are safe from harm; Achieve - Young people feel empowered to succeed and achieve their aspirations; and Have fun - Children and young people have fun things to do and safe places to go.

The report was considered by the Improving Lives Select Commission (ILSC). They requested that consideration be given by Cabinet regarding the inclusion of cultural education and associated available schemes within the Strategy. Cabinet accepted the recommendation.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1.    Accept the proposal from the Improving Lives Select Commission regarding the inclusion of cultural education and associated schemes and approves the amended strategy No Family Left Behind, addressing child poverty.

2.    Note the ongoing work to reduce the impact of poverty and improve family prosperity across the Borough.