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| Child poverty unit plan unveiled | Child poverty unit plan unveiled |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Plans for a dedicated Child Poverty Unit aimed at meeting the government's target of halving child poverty by 2010 are to be unveiled by ministers. | Plans for a dedicated Child Poverty Unit aimed at meeting the government's target of halving child poverty by 2010 are to be unveiled by ministers. |
| The government says it has helped 600,000 out of poverty but a million more must be aided to meet the target. | The government says it has helped 600,000 out of poverty but a million more must be aided to meet the target. |
| The unit will try to achieve this by better co-ordination of efforts by government and other agencies. | The unit will try to achieve this by better co-ordination of efforts by government and other agencies. |
| The government aims to "break cycles of deprivation" by improving health and education and getting parents working. | The government aims to "break cycles of deprivation" by improving health and education and getting parents working. |
| Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain will announce the plans at a conference organised by charity Barnardos. | Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain will announce the plans at a conference organised by charity Barnardos. |
| He will say there is more to poverty to material deprivation and that it requires a clear, cross-government approach to eradicate it. | He will say there is more to poverty to material deprivation and that it requires a clear, cross-government approach to eradicate it. |
| WHO IS POOR? Household income less than 60% of median for similar householdsCouple with two children - net income less than £332pw before housing costsLone parent with one child - net income less than £217pw before housing costs Source: DWP | WHO IS POOR? Household income less than 60% of median for similar householdsCouple with two children - net income less than £332pw before housing costsLone parent with one child - net income less than £217pw before housing costs Source: DWP |
| The new unit, which will involve officials from the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, will work closely with the Treasury, local government and other government agencies and provide a single point of contact on child poverty issues. | The new unit, which will involve officials from the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, will work closely with the Treasury, local government and other government agencies and provide a single point of contact on child poverty issues. |
| Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, said: "Ending child poverty is a simple moral imperative; it has no place in modern Britain. There has been an enormous programme of social reform over the past 10 years that has lifted 600,000 children out of poverty - but this must accelerate, not plateau. | Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, said: "Ending child poverty is a simple moral imperative; it has no place in modern Britain. There has been an enormous programme of social reform over the past 10 years that has lifted 600,000 children out of poverty - but this must accelerate, not plateau. |
| "The Child Poverty Unit renews our commitment to eradicating child poverty. By working across government we can think and act strategically, share expertise and join up resources to help end child poverty." | "The Child Poverty Unit renews our commitment to eradicating child poverty. By working across government we can think and act strategically, share expertise and join up resources to help end child poverty." |
| Mr Hain said: "The Child Poverty Unit will spearhead the government's fight against the blight of child poverty, bringing departments and stakeholders together so we can better child on the success that has already been achieved." | Mr Hain said: "The Child Poverty Unit will spearhead the government's fight against the blight of child poverty, bringing departments and stakeholders together so we can better child on the success that has already been achieved." |
| A major part of the plan will be to get single parents back into work. | |
| But Mr Hain told BBC Radio Five Live "this will not be a forced regime where, regardless of circumstances, you have to work". | |
| He said: "Individual family circumstances will have to be taken into account - if there's a disabled child for example - and, more important than any of this, the childcare, affordable childcare, needs to be available." |