Ashton Sixth Form College Welcomes Government Policy Advisors and Smallshaw-Hurst Children's Community for Pivotal Poverty Consultation

Ashton Sixth Form College, part of Stamford Park Trust, is honoured to host a landmark meeting with Alasdair De Costa and Frances McCellan, two Senior Policy Advisors in the Child Poverty Taskforce and Smallshaw-Hurst Children’s Community (SSH CC).

This session offers Senior Policy Advisors, Alasdair De Costa and Frances McCellan, the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of how poverty and the cost-of-living crisis impact families and the young people of Tameside daily. Insights gained from these conversations will contribute to the UK Government’s strategic policies on poverty reduction, helping to shape a more equitable future for all.

Smallshaw-Hurst Children's Community (SSH CC) is a collaborative initiative based in Tameside, Greater Manchester, dedicated to empowering children, young people, and families in the Smallshaw-Hurst area. Established in 2016, SSH CC addresses the challenges faced by this community, where 31% of children live in income-deprived households—14% above the national average—and life expectancy is notably lower than the national average. SSH CC, in partnership with Save the Children UK (SCUK) and the UK Government’s Child Poverty Taskforce, is proud to facilitate this session as part of a series of 19 consultations across England. These consultations aim to inform the UK Child Poverty Strategy, which will be unveiled in Spring 2025.

Locally, such consultations will include focus groups with local schoolchildren, Parent Champions, senior leaders from Great Academy Ashton and Ashton Sixth Form College, and representatives from key organisations such as Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, Debt Justice Manchester, and Jigsaw Housing. The collaborative effort underscores the importance of community-driven solutions in tackling systemic challenges.

Julie Wilson, Executive Lead at SSH CC, highlighted the significance of listening to lived experiences:

For policies to succeed, decision-makers must engage directly with those impacted. At SSH CC, we aim to help children and families break the cycle of poverty and achieve their full potential. Having the opportunity to host two Senior Policy Advisors in the Child Poverty Taskforce is incredibly important for Smallshaw-Hurst Children’s Community and Tameside.  It allows us to share the lived experiences of children and families in our community directly with policymakers. Our key message is clear: effective policies must empower families to thrive, not just survive, by addressing the root causes of poverty, improving access to support, and ensuring children have the best opportunities to reach their full potential.

Ashton Sixth Form College’s involvement underscores Stamford Park Trust’s unwavering commitment to excellence, ambition for all, and supporting the young people of Tameside, particularly those facing challenges linked to poverty. By fostering strong partnerships with organisations like Smallshaw-Hurst and championing community initiatives, the Trust aims to influence policy changes that address systemic barriers, create equitable opportunities, and empower young people to overcome adversity and achieve their full potential.

Anton McGrath, CEO of Stamford Park Trust and Chair of Smallshaw-Hurst Children’s Community, added:

Today’s meeting is an important step in finding the right policy solutions to support children and families who find themselves living in poverty. It is essential that decision makers and policy writers hear directly from those affected by current policy, so the reasons why families and children are held back from reaching their potential can be identified and used to design more supportive measures in future.