The government has accepted most recommendations from a Tynwald committee on child poverty, but watered down several key proposals over funding and feasibility concerns.
Chief Minister Alf Cannan said the recommendations had been “considered carefully and constructively”.
“The causes and consequences of poverty are interconnected, and the response must therefore be cross-government, practical and focused on long-term impact,” he said.
Government accepted 16 of the 26 recommendations outright, including calls to strengthen performance reporting for commissioned children’s services and to include poverty reduction in the next Island Plan.
However, several proposals were amended. The committee’s call for the Planet Youth model to be implemented was changed to a more general commitment to “a model” for improving young people’s wellbeing.
The Department of Education, Sport and Culture said the Icelandic-style programme would cost around £400,000 over five years, and “there are other priorities that would achieve better outcomes for such expenditure”.
Other amendments included a review rather than immediate implementation of early morning meal provision across schools, with Treasury concurrence required before any rollout.
Government also amended a recommendation on free bus travel, noting the Department of Infrastructure is “currently considering” the option.
The response acknowledged that “it has not been possible to produce a fully detailed and costed answer to every recommendation at this stage”.