Below are the actions listed in their strategy to sort child poverty - may be its me but these do not seem radical or fast moving. Are there practical things we could be doing
How about ensure that all children have enough food to eat by encouraging food co-ops and local access to good nutritious food. providing guidance for young mums on cooking rather than buying ready made.
From DWP
Introducing a buddy system so that parents don't feel isolated and alone. Relief for lone parents, access to transport when needed, support to gain self esteem and confidence without strings.
A holiday now and again. And some interesting well paid jobs to move into.
Modify management information systems to increase the child poverty focus: • Introduce a ‘front-end’ marker on to Jobcentre Plus’ labour market system to identify parents. • Ensure advisers are able to judge the wage level that would lift a family out of poverty. • Systematically record parents’ childcare needs and preferences. Modify targets to ensure maximum impact on child poverty: • Introduce a child points premium. • Reward sustained employment and progression in work. • Introduce a childcare target, reflecting the shared DfES/DWP PSA target. Implement measures to improve childcare support for parents. Where flexible working opportunities are available, ensure adverts for vacancies clearly state this. Increase the level of flexibility between Welfare to Work programmes, for example by ensuring that parents with health/disability problems are able to access condition management support, regardless of which programme they are on. Implement child support reforms at the earliest opportunity.
Imminent steps
Introduce a ‘New Deal for Parents’.
Action after evaluation
Extend effective elements of New Deal Plus for Lone Parents. Consider extending eligibility for the Work-Related Activity Premium. Mainstream lessons from Partners’ Outreach and City Strategy pilots. Widen eligibility for the Employment Retention and Advancement Programme.
Start piloting
Support for poor in-work families. New measures to help families living in London. Effective ways of encouraging work-related activity among parents via Children’s Centres. Ways to broker flexible working opportunities with employers.
Need to develop
An integrated work/skills package that enhances individuals’ chances of progressing in employment. A benefits uprating policy. Reforms to benefits – especially Housing Benefit – which will have an impact on child poverty.
Dave on poverty, back to the poor house
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Valleys Mam:
'From DWP ...
Introducing a buddy system so that parents don't feel isolated and alone'. This is Neww Labour gobbledygook. What does it mean? Where is the money coming from. Who are the 'buddies'? What training have they had?
'Relief for lone parents, access to transport when needed, support to gain self esteem and confidence'
- again what does this mean (beyond empty verbiage?) Whose budget does the cost of transport come out of? If they're suggesting counsellors to help with esteem issues where are they going to come from. There is a vast shortage of trained counsellors and no funding to ensure that gap is filled. (No answer to these questions = more New Labour spin).
'without strings'. Now we are getting to the heart of the matter.
Welfare to work is all about 'strings'. Strings = you los ebenefit if you don't swallow whole what we are introducing/imposing.
'A holiday now and again'. How is this to be paid for? Outg of whose budget? Where is the money committed? And by whom?
'And some interesting well paid jobs to move into'. This is market engineering. New Labour under Gordon Brown/s economic steerage is utterly committed to open, uncontrolled, free market forces. How then does New Labour intend to ensure that the market
delivers such interesting, well-paid jobs, for people who have been out of the market, probably don't have up-to-date skills, suffer from low self esteem etc? The market will tell Peter Hain et al to b....r off and get their hands out of 'my business' if they tried. Empty spin, and completely undeliverable.
'Modify management information systems to increase the child poverty focus: • Introduce a ‘front-end’ marker on to Jobcentre Plus’ labour market system to identify parents'.
In other words database those the DWP are targetting. They will swallow the package whole or be reminded of 'the strings' which tighten (and will get severed) if they don't get in to line with New Labour's new thinking.
'Ensure advisers are able to judge the wage level that would lift a family out of poverty'.
Computer recording - to be seen to be doing something. Mist and mirrors.
'Advisers' have gone out on strike, and are demoralised (as I've already written about) by the cutbacks in DWP. They are not trained to and don't have their heart in such 'judgements'.
'Systematically record parents’ childcare needs and preferences'. Modify targets to ensure maximum impact on child poverty'
Computer recording - to be seen to be doing something. Mist and mirrors.
'Introduce a child points premium. • Reward sustained employment and progression in work'.
And punish 'unsustained' employment. New Labour's reality over the past ten years has been cutting 'training' to the bone, force poorly (re) trained people back in to any job (to hit a target each month)and stop benefits if they refuse or fail to comply with the job they are forced in to.
[[['Introduce a childcare target, reflecting the shared DfES/DWP PSA target. Implement measures to improve childcare support for parents. Where flexible working opportunities are available, ensure adverts for vacancies clearly state this. Increase the level of flexibility between Welfare to Work programmes, for example by ensuring that parents with health/disability problems are able to access condition management support, regardless of which programme they are on. Implement child support reforms at the earliest opportunity.
Imminent steps
Introduce a ‘New Deal for Parents’.
Action after evaluation
Extend effective elements of New Deal Plus for Lone Parents. Consider extending eligibility for the Work-Related Activity Premium. Mainstream lessons from Partners’ Outreach and City Strategy pilots. Widen eligibility for the Employment Retention and Advancement Programme.
Start piloting
Support for poor in-work families. New measures to help families living in London. Effective ways of encouraging work-related activity among parents via Children’s Centres. Ways to broker flexible working opportunities with employers' .................. and so on ..... and so on..... and so on...
A few simple questions.
Where are the budgets for these empty phrases.
Is it the unemployed, single parents, disabled who are at the centre of a caring focus... or the market.
Are these nothing but New Labour distortions of the English language (candles and sandals nonsense verbiage) used to confuse, bemuse, and force these
'groups' in to doing exactly what they are told.
Valleys Mam said "May be its me but these do not seem radical or fast moving. Are there practical things we could be doing
How about ensure that all children have enough food to eat by encouraging food co-ops and local access to good nutritious food. providing guidance for young mums on cooking rather than buying ready made".
There is much more to be said about all of these things. Your instincts are right VM. But what is being proposed (imposed) IS radical - but also wrong. Everyone will work. And everyone will take the work they are offered or lose their benefits. This is the reality of the market forces Gordon Brown believes in. He is utterly, unarguably, never-flinchingly signed up to free market forces. If you can stand - you work.
Your ideas about close to the ground caring and decision-making is the answer. It is called decision making at the most local level. Devolution to the street corner and front room.
Communalism - is what I call it and there is much to say about it.
The DWP's agenda is market driven. Raw in tooth and claw dressed up as soft, soothing, words.
Peter Hain in his role as work and pensions secretary in an FT interview.yesterday caused ripples from CBI and other private sector organisations He said that big prime contracts for private sector welfare-to-work providers were "not his preferred option". Flagging up a move back to less contoversial ways of funding welfare –to-work programmes
Welfare-to-work providers questioned where the government would find the money for its huge back-to-work drive for those on benefit without upfront investment from the private sector.
John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI employers' organisation, said the suggestion that the bigger role for the private sector, proposed in the recent Freud report, would be scaled back "adds to our real concern about the mixed messages from ministers on the future of public service reform". "The government risks squandering an opportunity to build on the private sector's proven track record of helping the long-term unemployed into a job," Mr Cridland said.
Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats attacked his move away from previous proposals in which the private sector put up the investment for the programmes and they would be paid from the benefit savings from getting people into work and keeping them there.."
It will be interesting to see what proposals Peter Hain has and where he sees the money coming from for these programmes. Are they going to be cut back is that the plan?
Cos the money has to come from somewhere.
Cleckanndra- buddy system ,why do they have to be trained -just a friendly ear used to be enough in my day.
Transport is of concern to all of us ,but if you are stuck up the backend of a Rhondda Valley housing estate with no means of getting you and threekids down to civilisation its a worry - I bet you have a car.
A Holiday - do you have a holiday or two a year I know people who havent had one in 10 years.May be some nice private sector company like Butlins could donate a week where its holiday camps were free, they could put it down to corporate good deeds eh and of course tax relief .
"Peter Hain ... said that big prime contracts for private sector welfare-to-work providers were "not his preferred option". Flagging up a move back to less contoversial ways of funding welfare –to-work programmes".
If you read the shambles that has been imposed on training providers by moving to 'prime contracts' you will see why Peter Hain is trying to distance himself from it. These 'prime contracts' have been slashed to the bone, and have been won by large training providers (ie UK-wide) who can just about absorb the cuts while giving a low-level training service - to those most in need.
"Welfare-to-work providers questioned where the government would find the money for its huge back-to-work drive for those on benefit without upfront investment from the private sector".
This comment from these companies proves what I've just written. [You can track all of this by going on to the H of Commons DWP tracking select committee].
John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI employers' organisation, said the suggestion that the bigger role for the private sector, proposed in the recent Freud report, would be scaled back "adds to our real concern about the mixed messages from ministers on the future of public service reform".
This is the CBI protecting the large prime contract holders.
"The government risks squandering an opportunity to build on the private sector's proven track record of helping the long-term unemployed into a job," Mr Cridland said".
The real question here is the quality of the jobs the less well-off go in to. "Proven track record" actually adds up to a numbers game about production line processing people in to what are mostly dead end jobs.
"It will be interesting to see what proposals Peter Hain has and where he sees the money coming from for these programmes. Are they going to be cut back is that the plan? Cos the money has to come from somewhere".
The real aim of welfare to work is NOT to provide high quality training leading to high quality jobs for those who are unemployed [if it was then variations on the old apprenticeship - for those of any age - approaches would be better. The employer would be making a commitment to the employee, train them properly, and in return get commitment and loyalty from the employee]. Welfare to work is New Labour's strategy to get people off the unemployment register. It delivers people up, at the lowest possible cost, to employers (more often than not as cheap labour). In th eprocess month on month Gordon Brown has then been able to say we have the lowest unemployment figures in decades. Welfare to work was lifted from America where there is no safety net. You take whatever work there is or starve.
It gives New Labour what appears to be caring high emplpyment figures; it keeps employers happy; it gives the impression to Middle England that New Labour is pro-business, successful in handling the economy; and in the process gets New Labour election victories.
"Cleckanndra- buddy system ,why do they have to be trained -just a friendly ear used to be enough in my day". I agree. But that last thing we need is that being imposed by governments. The point I was making was this - they are using soothing words like 'buddy system' to mask their real agenda. Good neighbourliness and friendliness can not be bought, and shouldn't be sued as a con trick by any government to give the impression that they care. Will these 'buddies' be paid? If not what can the Government do to identify those who will be these buddies?
"Transport is of concern to all of us ,but if you are stuck up the backend of a Rhondda Valley housing estate with no means of getting you and threekids down to civilisation its a worry - I bet you have a car". I am not arguing against transport to release people. I am saying - beyond soothing governmental verbiage - I'll believe it when I see real money committed by this government to match their words. How will it work? Where's the money coming from? If they can't answer these questions it's just the government playing cruel word games.
"A Holiday - do you have a holiday or two a year I know people who havent had one in 10 years.May be some nice private sector company like Butlins could donate a week where its holiday camps were free, they could put it down to corporate good deeds eh and of course tax relief".
Good ideas. But, again, beyond fine words, where is the cash commitment to these things?
Peter Hain is sending out soothinmg noises. I believe he is to the left of Blair [who isn't?] But he has a hell of a battle over-turning the market-driven philosophy of Gordon Brown who has introduced all of these things - as Chancellor.
The prime contracts are for the next three years. Even if Peter Hain can get the cash for some of these things [and I don't see Gordon Brown's thinking changing]
he certainly won't get the cash for most of these things.
So: (1) It's mostly verbal politicking. (2) It couldn't be introduced for at least three years - without ripping up contracts and getting in to big legal battles. (3) It is yet another cruel wait for the most disadvantaged who in the meantime will be pushed in to second-rate training and jobs or lose their benefits.
Don't interfere with the markets - is the price New Labour has paid to stay in with big business.
These proposals and this 'consultation' is mist and mirrors politics.
In the meantime big business will continue to move its work to low cost countries abroad, will have to keep forcing down its wages and conditions to compete, and will continue - because it has to in market-driven neo-liberal thinking pout profit before every other consideration.
I wish Peter Hain well. He should learn a lot from his wife who used to be the Director of CBI Wales before they married.
But - as I've written before - politics has been delivered over to the market. The Bank of England controls the levers, New Labour's politicians know they will be out on their ears if they try to mess with market forces. So they don't. They go through cost-cutting and package it up with words like 'consultation, buddies etc'
The answer is - as V Mam is hinting at - to create low-scale economic activity as close to your fron door as possible, working cooperatively. The Valleys, in many ways, are better placed than most. Because they are poorer they will better adapt to the lowering of economic expectations which we'll all have to wrestle with as the (so-called) 'third world' finally gets its share of economic growth; as the realities of global warming/zero carbon footprinting/ bring work as close to home as possible (because of the effects of transporting things rockets).
We have an opportunity in Wales to grow our own - food, companies, small cooperative internal markets, buying in only what we have to [because in 20 years time transporting goods across the world will be see as deeply immoral]. That way we control the quality of the jobs and wages and bartering systems and so on.
01 August 2007 06:26
Jobs -market engineering
To my way of thinking it’s opening up more choices for people who at present don’t have much choice.
Most of us have to work, most should work unless you are not capable of working then we should be caring for you and providing for you.
What about if you are desperate to work and there are no jobs. I know a lot like this and sadly most are young people. So what, move away from home, ok to where?
To relocate takes money these days.
If you choose to move that’s ok, forced to move, that’s social engineering!
Didn’t they ant to move the whole of Merthyr to somewhere else in the 30s.because of the unemployment. It didn’t happen because they went out and looked for firms to come in, now that’s harder to do, but people are paid good money to do that, so get on with it don’t moan about it.
Create your own jobs - yes some can start up business, but that’s not a one fix it all solution either; Lets see a good mix. Whys should a person in Troedyrhiw not have the opportunity of working in a cutting edge job on his or her doorstep, conditions are as good there as in Cardiff Swansea, Reading, Chester etc. Not everyone is lacking skills just opportunities. For those that need up skilling, then get on with it, re-open skills centres and move the money being spent on community development officers to community development action and organisations that are delivering – check out the GENESIS programme there’s one that is doing amazing things in communities and is costing so much less than Communities First. Or a programme Cardiff CC are running for £30k a year – that’s getting the long term economically inactive back into jobs and training on their own terms The successes are out there.
Nope not market engineering Cleck, common sense, letting people get on with job without stupid politically motivated intervention and equality of choice.
We have an opportunity in Wales to grow our own - food, companies, small cooperative internal markets, buying in only what we have to [because in 20 years time transporting goods across the world will be see as deeply immoral]. That way we control the quality of the jobs and wages and bartering systems and so on.
CLERCK
AMEN -------- build good foundations and the House will stand
"Nope not market engineering Cleck, common sense, letting people get on with job without stupid politically motivated intervention and equality of choice".
But it is social engineering. Conform, consume, obey the forces of the market. We are all little market beaverers.
What I'm doing is pointing up the realities of what's going on below the surface of New Labour's 'fine' words.
I also think we're talking about different things, you and me.
Work brings dignity, choice, self-esteem, feelings of self-worth. If you can work you ought to for your own sake [and everyone else benefits].
Lack of work brings the opposite and, often, a spiral down in to hopelessness - and all the anti-social things which ruin communities.
Yes, of course, we should mix and match. Yes, of course, we must get what benefits we can from neo-liberal, markets. And yes, the best possible skills training/education to release the potential of as many of our people ,as possible. And yes there are some examples of good training practice.
But the DWP proposals are about something else. Read what the new prime contract holders have told the DWP Select Committee they have had their budgets slashed to the bone. We need to know what the real DWP agenda is. It does not help lift people in the valleys (or anywhere else) out of hope/help lessness to create changes based on lies, lower training provided, push people in to crap jobs on the basis of veiled threats they'll lose their benefits. You can do that - but it builds resentment and a load of negativity which does nothing for the economy, the employer, or the person.
(1) Because of the massive shift we will all (worldwide) face with overdependence/usage of oil; climate change; the relentless need to drive down costs (work bleeding away to 3rd world cheap labour countries); the flooding of products we can't compete with on price - we need NOW to be looking to put in the foundations for a quite difefrent model.
Use this (present mix and match)model in the cross over. But plan for 20 yrs time.
That's what I'm saying.
The markets will go where costs are cheapest.
Control over our own markets, a lowering of economic expectations, unhooking ourselves from the ruinous images of advertising (which sells dreams which are vacuous, and beyond the possibilities of most of us), and recognising that our ideas about 'work' should change.
"We have an opportunity in Wales to grow our own - food, companies, small cooperative internal markets, buying in only what we have to [because in 20 years time transporting goods across the world will be seen as deeply immoral]. That way we control the quality of the jobs and wages and bartering systems and so on.
CLECK
AMEN -------- build good foundations and the House will stand".
It will. And land, and housing, are the foundations on which British wealth is built. It is through radical ideas around these things - and what we mean by 'work' and unhooking ourselves from the guilt-trips around work/not work [looking more at 'productive'] that we can release much of the potential (and despair) in Wales, and achieve those things I've written about above.
More about that later.
Cleckanndra says 'The answer is - as V Mam is hinting at - to create low-scale economic activity as close to your fron door as possible, working cooperatively. The Valleys, in many ways, are better placed than most. Because they are poorer they will better adapt to the lowering of economic expectations which we'll all have to wrestle with as the (so-called) 'third world' finally gets its share of economic growth; as the realities of global warming/zero carbon footprinting/ bring work as close to home as possible (because of the effects of transporting things rockets).
This sounds like the worst type of left wing eutopian dream of workers co-operatives and state run amenities nonsense that the Valleys continue to suffer from today - and before you accuse me I used to be a Labour party member who saw the light.
Why Do the Valleys have to remain poor and have no ambition to be a serious player in Wales's future?
Also don't kid yourself that Third World Poverty will be tackled. Western Governments need 'issues on the world stage' such as Poverty and Terrorism so they can be easily distracted and not have to deal with problems at home.
Earth Shaker - what I see as the future for the valleys is a balanced mixed economy.
But don’t lets kid ourselves -where are the major inward investors/
The Valleys are suffering not from the likes of the indigenous SMEs, community business/coops, but from the way major business has been handled and allowed to use the grants and incentives and then leave with no penalties.
I do not bemoan the loss of the coal industry it was hard place to work, but it was well paid. But nothing was brought in to replace the loss of those jobs. There was little forward planning and training.
What do we have in place now - a Valleys Initiative -launched two years ago =they are still talking.
At least with small business and community owned business we are making steps forward in replacing jobs and opportunities and this business sector can succeed where the mainstream market has failed. They would do even better with some real support.
The growth in everything else as I see is retail -- what future there?
Low paid and part time.
We have to start building and the blocks can be small or large but they have to be embedded in a solid foundation.
Also don't kid yourself that Third World Poverty will be tackled. Western Governments need 'issues on the world stage' such as Poverty and Terrorism so they can be easily distracted and not have to deal with problems at home.
May be they need to remeber that Charity begins at home. THey are elected to sort problems out at home I am so sick of overpaid MEPs racking on about problems in Africa and Palestine - yes we know its dreadful and the need is great - but sort out our own problems first wales is quietly going down the pan on all fronts and we fill our national paper with the fate of a sick animal Its time we took on more important issues.
'Earthshaker' ....
So your solution for the valleys (and much of the rest of impoverished Wales) is? What?
You've come in a long way down a discussion. Start on concentric circles on my blog - then come back with your own ideas].
[Small-scale, hi-tech, cutting edge but under local control - that is 'real' devolution of power].
Cleckandra thanks for the comments
So your solution for the valleys (and much of the rest of impoverished Wales) is? What?
What makes you think I’m not doing what I believe in already instead of discussing the merits of it.
I believe in Action, Vision and Leadership all of which Wales's political class lack and Wales needs desperately.
I don't however, believe in one-dimensional discussions about how many angels dance on top of a pinhead, which we have had regularly in Wales for the past 25 years.
Earthshaker said: "What makes you think I’m not doing what I believe in already instead of discussing the merits of it. I believe in Action, Vision and Leadership all of which Wales's political class lack and Wales needs desperately.
I don't however, believe in one-dimensional discussions about how many angels dance on top of a pinhead, which we have had regularly in Wales for the past 25 years".
Earthshaker - what makes you think the rest of us bloggers aren't involved at the sharp end dealing with social injustice? I am [and have been for years], and I suspect so are a number of other bloggers. That requires leadership, vision, action and hard commitment.
What is one-dimensional about this discussion? It is about the biggest [and most hidden] piece of market engineering for years involving many of our most vulnerable people. Exposing thereality of it - IS action. Without knowledge you can't act.
It is also just one of many subjects being blogged about.
What have the changes going on in welfare to work got to do with angels dancing on a pinhead?
Don't be so pompous. Or so dictatorial. Blogging is the only way ordinary people can get their voices heard.
Just lok at the Western Mail, BBC Wales, ITV Wales - pap, political exclusivism, and part of the political elite and class you denigrate.
It is because most people in Wales are dis-enfranchised in being unable to express themselves about politics that such discussions [what you disparagingly call 'one-dimensional dancing on pinheads] take place on blogs.
You are showing the classic signs already of the arrogance of those who want to rule and know they know best.
As for the rest of us we're just expressing our views!
ex charity worker said...
"Also don't kid yourself that Third World Poverty will be tackled. Western Governments need 'issues on the world stage' such as Poverty and Terrorism so they can be easily distracted and not have to deal with problems at home.
May be they need to remeber that Charity begins at home. THey are elected to sort problems out at home I am so sick of overpaid MEPs racking on about problems in Africa and Palestine - yes we know its dreadful and the need is great - but sort out our own problems first wales is quietly going down the pan on all fronts and we fill our national paper with the fate of a sick animal Its time we took on more important issues".
Ex-Charity worker, I couldn't agree more. The 'share out' to so-called 3rd world countries is not a share out to the poorest in those countries. That's the way neo-liberal capitalism works.
We have had our fair share of throwing money at multinationals to try to attract them to set up along the Hs of the Valleys or A465. They don't stay, and - sorry about this - won't stay, when they can get cheaper labour abroad. Home-grown, high-skilled, small-scale, communally-committed companies, the best of what we can hang on to of other elements of neo-capitalism, plus other forms of activity. Much of Wales's economy is dependent on publicly-funded organisations. The Assembly should have been set up just to the north of the Heads of the Valleys Road - with a share out of its jobs, financial flow-out, and centres across Wales. That way south, valleys, west, mid and north Wales would all have been closer to the seat of power and decision-making.
MEPs cost us all around £140,000 a year each (their 'salary', office costs etc) plus travelling and other expenses. Other than high-profile (for them) media hand-wringing about poverty abroad what do they actually do for Wales?
We don't want charity at home - what we want is a clear understanding of how post-industrialism linked to ('short-journeys-only are acceptable') global warming and overdependence on oil, are going to force us to think smaller, and more local scale.
Bloody great lumbering multi-nationals trampling all over everything, and with no loyalty to anything, are not the future for Wales. Take what we can from them in the meantime but plan for home-grown, home-rooted, home-committed, excellence (smaller scale) committed in and too communities.
As for the rest of us we're just expressing our views!
maybe so but there are people in Wales who blog to get thier particular point of view accross that is not represented in the mainstream press.
Im thinking of the Conservatives, Welsh Nationalists, RESPECT and others who seem to have more impact online.
"maybe so but there are people in Wales who blog to get thier particular point of view accross that is not represented in the mainstream press. Im thinking of the Conservatives, Welsh Nationalists, RESPECT and others who seem to have more impact online".
What? Than in the Western mail and BBC Wales? Really?
"maybe so but there are people in Wales who blog to get thier particular point of view accross that is not represented in the mainstream press. Im thinking of the Conservatives, Welsh Nationalists, RESPECT and others who seem to have more impact online".
What? Than in the Western mail and BBC Wales? Really?
??? How to eliminate child poverty - pay the mother more money by 1.increase child benefit. 2. Increase minimum wage to at least £7.50. 3.Build some council houses.
??? How to eliminate child poverty - pay the mother more money by 1.increase child benefit. 2. Increase minimum wage to at least £7.50. 3.Build some council houses.
sounds great - but thats common sense so no one will do that will they
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