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LGA responds to the latest figures on child poverty: "Councils are playing an extremely active role to help tackle the issue".

Responding to the latest statistics published on child poverty, Cllr David Simmonds CBE, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People Board, said:

"Councils are working hard to help tackle child poverty through their successful economic development strategies and by directly working with families in difficulty.

"With more than 80 per cent of council maintained schools rated 'good' or 'outstanding', they are ensuring access to a good education which is the starting point for success later in life. Through other work such as the Troubled Families programme, they are tackling parental unemployment which, again, will help improve a child's future.

"Regardless of how statistics are compiled, we recognise that there are parts of the UK where there is much more to be done to raise children out of poverty and councils are playing an extremely active role because their detailed knowledge of their local community means they are best placed to lead the way."

Notes

Here are the latest statistics published on child poverty - an annual estimate published by the Department for Work and Pensions.