Poverty Proofing 2025 - 2027

With support from Kavli Trust, Children North East will help create a more inclusive school experience for all children, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

About the project

In the UK, 4.2 million children live in poverty. Growing up in poverty can have serious consequences for children’s experience of school, their mental health and their ability to take part in their communities. For children from families on low incomes, school-related costs such as meals, trips and activities can become a barrier to participation, while also contributing to stigma and social exclusion.

Poverty Proofing 2025–2027 is a project led by Children North East (CNE) that aims to ensure that all children and young people can participate fully in school life, alongside their peers. By bringing about changes across schools, the project will reduce financial and social barriers, while also involving young people in developing solutions through the Young Ambassadors programme.

The project will also strengthen support for children and young people in local communities outside school, giving more children from low-income families the opportunity to take part in arts, culture and sport. The aim is to improve the school experience for around 16,000 children across 70 schools over the course of the project.

What will Kavli Trust’s funding support?

Kavli Trust has awarded NOK 2 million to Children North East for the Poverty Proofing 2025–2027 project. The funding will help the initiative reach more children and young people and reduce some of the financial barriers that come with growing up in poverty.

The project also has a dedicated evaluation plan to measure the impact of the work on schools and local communities.

About Children North East

Children North East (CNE) is a UK charity working to ensure that children and young people grow up safe, healthy and with good opportunities to develop and thrive. The organisation works with children, young people and families through a range of support services, youth work, mental health initiatives, and programmes in schools and local communities.

Poverty Proofing is a key part of CNE’s work to reduce the impact of poverty. The approach is based on the experiences of children and young people and helps schools identify and remove financial barriers that can prevent children from fully taking part in school life.