1,000 laptops available for disadvantaged children in Sunderland

The computers are available under a government scheme to try and minimise the impact on families’ education during the coronavirus lockdown.

Children’s services chiefs received the technology in June, but are still in the process of rolling the programme out across Wearside.

Martin Birch, director of Social Care at Together for Children (TfC), which runs children’s services in the city, said: “About 1,100 laptops have been delivered from central government and we’re still in the process of rolling those out.

“We’ve had them for about three weeks and we’re getting social workers to deliver them directly.”

Birch was speaking at a meeting of Sunderland City Council’s Children, Education and Skills Scrutiny Committee, which was held by videolink and broadcast via YouTube.

Laptops, as well as 4G routers for those without an existing internet connection, are available to youngsters who have an assigned social worker, have previously been in the care system and disadvantaged pupils in year 10.

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