Summary of the LDA’s involvement in the European Cities Against Child Poverty network, led by GLE

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The London Development Agency is the Mayor of London's agency for business and jobs. The LDA prepares the Mayor's business plan for London and mobilises the support and resources of hundreds of partner organisations to help build a thriving economy for London's people, businesses and communities. Dedicated to improving sustainability, health and equality of opportunity for Londoners, The agency produces the Mayor's Economic Development Strategy.

The Mayor also published the London Childcare Strategy in 2003: “Working towards affordable good quality childcare for all.” The ten-year strategy is designed to increase the availability of quality, affordable, accessible childcare to meet the needs of London's families, regardless of their income or employment status. It also aims to support London's economic growth, enabling families to escape poverty and share in London's economic success.

The LDA is committed to investing in the strategy and breaking down the barriers which stop thousands of parents entering paid employment and training, not least the high costs of childcare in London. Key to the LDA’s approach to tackling child poverty is the £33 million Childcare Affordability Programme, joint funded by the LDA (£22 million) and the UK Department for Children, Schools and Families (£11 million). CAP provides subsidised or free childcare to lower income families across London to enable parents to access or sustain training and employment. Parents living in 11 boroughs can also access personal training and employment advice through a dedicated adviser funded through the programme.

Since 2005 the Childcare Affordability Programme has subsidised 10,000 childcare places and has helped over 8000 families to return to work. Following an announcement made by the Chancellor in 2008, CAP is due to be extended to other areas in the UK and help thousands more families to re-enter the labour market.

The LDA is active as a partner in the European Cities Against Child Poverty network as a funder and in an advisory capacity. Representatives from the LDA contribute to the network’s policy workshops and discussions, in order to exchange knowledge about how London and other cities work to reduce child poverty. The LDA hopes to learn from the experiences of other cities and regions across Europe in order to inform its own work.