CYP Now - Analysis: Child poverty - Local work key to London strategy

Despite London's position as the capital of the fourth largest economy in the world, 41 per cent of the city's children are classed as living in poverty. So a commission has been set the task of eventually reducing this number down to zero. Ruth Smith reports.

Dick Whittington thought the streets of London were paved with gold.They weren't, but his rag-to-riches tale saw him become mayor threetimes. It's become the stuff of fairy tales and today the idea thatLondon is prosperous and full of opportunities endures. But the realitycan be dreadfully different.

"It's easy to assume that London is a very rich place. But thestereotype has held back policy on tackling child poverty and meantwe've not always had the resources to tackle the issue," says CarolineAbrahams, chair of the charity End Child Poverty.

London's current Mayor, Ken Livingstone, wants to change this. Last weekhe launched the country's first independent commission on child poverty(Children Now, 22-28 February), chaired by Carey Oppenheim. Its aim isto reduce and eventually eliminate destitution in the capital.

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