As part of its work to ensure children and young people across the Borough have the best opportunities for life, Sefton Council is using data to understand how poverty is affecting children’s growth.

Childhood Stunting can affect whole life

‘Childhood stunting’ is the term used for young people who aren’t growing as tall as they should be for their age. If a child’s growth is stunted, it can affect their health and prospects throughout their whole life.

Children who do not get the nourishment they need to grow strong and healthy are more likely to have a long-term illness. Also, they may not do as well in school, and this can be made worse if they regularly miss school due to illness.

Using data from the National Childhood Measurement Programme (NCMP), the Council’s public health team found that children from the most deprived parts of the borough are significantly more likely to experience stunted growth.

Shocking statistics

Cllr Mhairi Doyle who is Sefton Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for Public Health, said: “Our research came up with the shocking statistic that children aged between four and five living in Sefton’s most deprived communities are 62% more likely to have stunted growth than those in the least deprived.”

“And by year six when they are aged between 10 and 11, that inequality is even wider with stunting 67% more common among children from the poorest fifth of households.”

“Put another way, 1 in every 41 reception pupils in the most deprived group are affected compared to 1 in 72 in the least deprived with the figures raising to 1 in 62 versus 1 in 122 by year six.”

Deprivation and systemic inequalities causing growth gap

The simple fact is that poverty, deprivation and systemic inequalities are causing this growth gap among children.

Due to this deprivation, from the very beginning of their lives, children in poorer areas experience low birth weight, are more likely to be born before they should be, have issues with breastfeeding, and face rampant food insecurity and struggles with getting access to vital healthcare.

It walks with them into the classroom

Davina Aspinall, Headteacher at Greenbank High School, said: “Child poverty doesn’t just impact a child’s home life, it walks with them into the classroom. When basic needs aren’t met, learning becomes an uphill battle. Every child deserves the chance to thrive, regardless of their postcode.”

The impact of poverty on the health and wellbeing of children was also a key finding of an independent analysis commissioned by Cheshire and Merseyside’s Directors of Public Health and Population Health, who work together as the Champs Public Health Collaborative. Published in August 2024, the report found that:

• 100,300 children (aged 16 and under) in Cheshire and Merseyside are living in poverty
• Rates of poverty in the subregion are higher than the national average
• 60% of children in poverty were living in a household with parents or carers that are in work
• There are pockets of poverty in each of the subregion’s nine local authority areas, which local averages don’t show
• The distribution of poverty is uneven, with some groups and households having higher than average levels of poverty including lone parent families and ethnic minority families

Working towards better outcomes

Tackling child poverty is a top priority for Sefton Council’s and its Public Health will be using the results of this research to support the Borough’s young people to thrive and see a reverse in this trend. This is already a top priority for the local authority.

You can find Sefton Council's Child Poverty Strategy here.

New research shines a light

Margaret Jones, Director of Public Health for Sefton, said: “No child should start life at a disadvantage because of the circumstances they’re born into.

“This new research shines a light on the quiet but serious impact poverty has on children’s growth and health. It’s a call to action for all of us to work together so that every child in Sefton can grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.

“Good intentions aren’t enough—we need to be led by evidence. This kind of local analysis helps us understand where the problems are, what’s causing them, and where we can intervene to make the biggest impact. It gives us the clarity and confidence to act decisively to improve health for our children, now and in the future.”

Pockets of extreme deprivation

Cllr Doyle added: “Poverty levels in Cheshire and Merseyside are higher than the national average and there are pockets of extreme deprivation in each of the nine local authority areas, including Sefton.

“Of course, I don’t welcome the findings of this analysis, but I am pleased that we have the results and can now start using them to improve our young people’s opportunities for life through initiatives like poverty-proofing work in schools, and work to increase uptake of healthy start vouchers and free school meals.”

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