New report calls for urgent action on child poverty in Liverpool City Region

A new report released by the VS6 Partnership, in collaboration with CHAMPS Public Health Collaborative and Youth Focus, highlights the urgent need for coordinated action to tackle child poverty across the Liverpool City Region.

The report, titled “Tackling Child Poverty in Liverpool City Region,” draws on insights from a cross-sector event held which sought to bring together voices from the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector to identify local and regional solutions to tackle child poverty.

The event aimed to explore the findings of the CHAMPS report on child poverty in Cheshire and Merseyside and to identify collaborative strategies for addressing child poverty across the Liverpool City Region.

Key findings reveal that families across the region are facing increasing financial strain, barriers to employment and childcare, and a lack of accessible, joined-up support. The report also highlights the damaging impact of stigma and the need for services to be co-designed with those who use them.

“Poverty is not just about money, it’s about opportunity and the systems that shape young people’s lives,” said Gill Bainbridge, Chief Executive of Merseyside Youth Association and VS6 Partner. “This report is a call to action for all sectors to work together and put children and families at the heart of decision-making in Liverpool City Region.”

Key recommendations for collaborative working in the city region with system partners include:

• Embedding the VCFSE sector as equal partners in service design and delivery.

• Ensuring youth voice is central to policy and programme development.

• Reforming funding models to support long-term, preventative solutions.

• Improving communication and accessibility of services.

• Advocating for national policy changes, including automatic benefit enrolment.

The report calls for a shift from short-term crisis responses to long-term, systemic change, emphasising collaboration, innovation, and the power of lived experience.