On 13th November 2017, a one-day conference was held in Bradford city centre to discuss ‘large’ families, poverty and welfare reform. The conference came out of a partnership between the University of Liverpool, Bradford District Anti-Poverty Coordination Group & The Children’s Society. The conference included a keynote address from a group who live in Bradford and have been directly affected by the Benefits Cap: the Hope Rising Action Group. Members from the group shared their experiences of welfare reform, and the significant hardship it was causing.
The conference also heard from Dr Tracey Jensen, University of Lancaster, who discussed the portrayal of ‘benefit broods’ and how these portrayals are ‘weaponised’ by politicians to defend particular (most often punitive) policy agendas. In addition, the conference included a number of participatory workshops as well as a mini zine making session.
On this website, we have published blogs that came out of the conference.
'Large' families, poverty & welfare reform 