Together Trust Heads to the Netherlands to Present Research on Poverty and the Care System at YES Forum
We are honoured to have been invited to present at the YES Forum's Annual Event 2025, titled "Pathways to a Fair Europe: Bridging Research and Practice to Break Intergenerational Poverty Cycles". Our Research Volunteer, Amber Elgee, and Policy and Campaigns Officer, Molly Deakin, will share findings from our research: Family Poverty and the Care System. The event will occur in Groningen, Netherlands, from the 3rd to 5th June 2025.
The research
The research explores the connection between family poverty (and/or the cost-of-living crisis) and children entering the care system in England. Despite a lack of literature surrounding the topic, the research indicates a clear, positive correlation between poverty and the care system. It examines how factors such as abuse, neglect, deprivation, education, race, health, and welfare policies are intertwined.
Amber's findings have helped clarify some of the pressing questions surrounding the care system and the impact of poverty on children.
Why this research matters
Poverty is on the rise in the UK: the increase in the cost of living, Benefit policies, including the two-child limit and benefit cap, and insufficient economic growth in the UK mean that more families are living in poverty.
In 2022/23, 14.3 million people (21% of the UK population) were living in poverty, including 4.3 million children. In 2022, around 1 million children experienced destitution, meaning their families couldn't afford necessities like food, heating, or hygiene products.
The proposed welfare reforms in the UK will drive more people into poverty. The Government's Impact Statement estimates that by the year ending 2030, 250,000 more people will be living in relative poverty after housing costs, including 50,000 children.
The number of children entering the care system is also on the rise: in the 2022/23 period, there were approximately 107,000 looked-after children in the UK, marking an 8% increase over the past five years.
With evidence linking child poverty and children entering the care system, it is safe to presume more children will enter the care system in the UK as an unintended consequence of the factors leading to child poverty.
The research makes clear recommendations to policymakers, campaigners, researchers and social workers to raise awareness on child poverty, enhance understanding of its link to children entering care, improve the children's social care system, and serve as a valuable resource for developing more equitable and effective policies.
Why we’ll be attending
Our participation underscores Together Trust's commitment to addressing the root causes of child poverty and its impact on the care system. We are dedicated to supporting affected individuals and driving systemic change through research and advocacy.
We want to raise awareness of this vital research, which addresses a gap in existing literature by examining how factors like deprivation, health disparities, and welfare policies intertwine with child welfare outcomes. Presenting these findings at the YES Forum allows us to share unique insights that can inform and enrich the broader European conversation on breaking intergenerational poverty cycles.
It'll be an excellent opportunity to engage with a diverse network of European organisations and establish collaborations that can support and strengthen future research and campaign work. We hope these partnerships can lead to joint initiatives, shared resources, and a unified approach to addressing the systemic issues contributing to child poverty and care entry rates.
Stay tuned for updates after the conference.
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