According to a 2024 report by the North East Child Poverty Commission, a third of all babies, children and young people in the north east of England are currently living in poverty.
The North East Child Poverty Commission report shows that the North East has experienced the steepest increases in child poverty over much of the last decade and includes The Children’s Foundation’s Baby Box project as a tactical recommendation to tackle child poverty here in the region, included under Priority 3 which focuses on supporting the best start in life for the next generation. Our Baby Box project was developed as a direct response to the issue of child poverty in the region and every box is designed to give a helping hand to new parents and to allow every child the best start so they can lead healthy, happy lives.
Far too many North-East children are born into poverty and our region has fallen behind others in terms of school attainment and health inequalities. The Baby Box was created support healthy baby development through simple everyday moments and is the only one of its kind currently in circulation in the UK. The Baby Box is a cost-effective scheme to help reduce inequalities in the North East and we have already had interest from other local authorities across England including Blackpool and two London boroughs. In time, we hope that the scheme will be adopted country wide.
We developed the Baby Box by working with, and listening to parents, midwives, family nurses, GPs and experts and contains books and developmentally stimulating toys, as well as essential items to get families started and support with the rising cost of living. Positive experiences early in life are closely associated with better performances at school, good emotional development, improved work outcomes, and better lifelong health and we are working with families at a time when they need our support more than ever. The North East has a long history of coming together to make big things happen and we owe it to our next generation to raise awareness of this issue at a national level to give our next generation the opportunity to be well-rounded, creative, confident and aspirational children, no matter what their economic circumstances are.
Businesses in the region are invited to pay it forward by purchasing a box as a gift for expectant parents as they head off on maternity and paternity. Every box purchased will provide The Children’s Foundation with funding to gift an additional box to a vulnerable family right here in the region.
Individuals who would like to support the campaign and improve the health and well-being of children and young people in the North East can donate £3 by texting ‘MAM’ to 70450.