Legislation update

Community Care Inform's legal expert, Ed Mitchell, has provided the latest legislation update for your attention. Please find the details below.

CC Inform has a new guide to the recently enacted Child Poverty Act 2010.

The Act received Royal Assent on 25 March 2010 and already imposes a requirement on the Secretary of State to ensure that a number of UK child poverty targets are met by March 2021.

Of most interest to local authorities, however, is Part 2 of the Act. Coming into force on 25 May 2010, this Part requires English local authorities and a range of partner bodies to make arrangements for the purpose of reducing, and mitigating the effect, of local child poverty. In addition, the Act requires local child poverty strategies to be prepared and local authorities will be required to have regard to these strategies when exercising their functions. Overall, Part 2 of the Act will ensure that child poverty reduction is built into the long-term aims of Children's Services Departments.