A Government minister on a visit to one of Teesside’s – and the country’s – most deprived areas has admitted tackling child poverty is a “huge challenge”.
Education minister Catherine McKinnell spent time at the Teesside Academy of Gymnastics on the Newport South Business Park, in Middlesbrough, during a session for about 40 youngsters.
The academy was hosting the Government-funded Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which provides free childcare places for children from low-income families and allows them to take part in enrichment activities.
The minister for school standards was introduced to Newport Primary School headteacher Tricia Maxwell and Brendan O’Brien, director and head coach at the academy.
Bring it on Boro, Middlesbrough’s HAF programme, is offering a total of 27,000 places via 50 different providers during July and August.
About 85% of children living in the town’s Newport ward are deemed to be living in poverty, almost four times the national average, according to data published by the Department of Work and Pensions.
Mrs McKinnell said the Government was “absolutely determined” to ensure that where youngsters came from and their family’s means was not the sole determining factor in what could be achieved in life.
She said: “We are trying to break down the barriers for opportunity that some of these children might face otherwise.
“But I recognise there is a huge challenge with child poverty.
“It is worrying that child poverty has been going up and up, which is totally unacceptable and needs to be turned around.”
Youngsters took part in gymnastic sessions using the academy facilities, were able to access healthy food and snacks, and could also relax in a reading area.
The HAF programme bases eligibility on existing free school meal entitlement and is for children aged five to 16 years old.
A session at the Teesside Academy of Gymnastics.
Image: Teesside Academy of Gymnastics/Facebook.
The Newcastle North MP said: “The children told me directly how much the HAF programme helps them learn new skills, take part in activities such as reading and gymnastics and make friends.
“Not only does it give parents a chance to work, it really boosts the children’s outcomes as well.
“They are socialising and also not going hungry during the school holidays, which is an important factor.
“It is a really fantastic programme which is targeted at those children who will benefit the most.”
The minister added that the Government was focused on a range of measures to tackle child poverty and to support family finances.
This included free breakfast clubs for all children, cutting the cost of school uniforms and increasing child care support, and an expansion of free school meals to all youngsters in households reliant on Universal Credit.
A child poverty taskforce is also drawing up a broad strategy to plot a way forward across Government.
In Facebook posts the Academy said it was “proud” to be hosting the HAF programme in Middlesbrough and described how approximately 55 meals a day were being offered to those taking part.
Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said: “Bring it on Boro offers so many opportunities for our young people during the school holidays.
“The exciting sessions help keep children active and also give them access to
healthy food at a time when they don’t get their school dinner.
“The academy has a proud history of helping to produce brilliant gymnasts.
“It’s an inspiring place and HAF opens the doors to kids who wouldn’t normally
come here – they’ll definitely want to come back.”
Mr Cooke, who previously described child poverty statistics in central Middlesbrough as “dire”, has also extended the HAF programme into half-term holidays using the council’s own funding.
Another concern arising from deprivation and poverty levels is the link to childhood obesity, caused in part by the consumption of cheap, processed food.
A presentation by South Tees public health officials to councillors in Redcar and Cleveland last year revealed that by their final year in primary school 16% of pupils in the borough were overweight and a further 19% in the obese category.
The highest proportion of children – when taking into account both figures from reception and year six stages between 2018/19 and 2021/22 – who were either overweight or obese was in the most deprived ‘decile’, some 37.5%, demonstrating a clear link between poverty and weight.
