AN upcoming conference will debate whether poverty is a major social issue in the Isle of Man.

The Children's Centre will host the conference to examine if there is poverty and neglect in the Island.

The conference, which will take place on November 30, will include contributions from a number of experts in this field.

Speakers include Patrick Ayre who has more than 30 years experience working in child protection and child welfare.

He was a social worker and child protection services manager for 17 years before becoming a researcher and lecturer at the University of Luton (now the University of Bedfordshire).

Mr Ayre is the also the author of the book 'Children's Services as the Crossroads'.

Motivational speaker Richard McCann will also speak at the conference. As well as speaking at the conference he will give talks at the Isle of Man College and six schools across the Island during his visit.

The President of Tynwald, Clare Christian MLC, and Jo Fox, the children's services consultant for the government, will chair the conference.

John Knight, the chief executive of The Children's Centre, will open the conference.

He said: "The aim of the conference is to debate whether or not poverty and neglect are major issues on the Island.

"How do we define poverty and neglect and what processes are in place - or should be in place - to produce data which can be used to assess how many families in the Isle of Man are affected by these issues?

"Finding answers to some or all of these questions will be a major focus of the debate but more than anything we want the conference to be the starting point for a wider debate about these issues."

The conference on poverty and neglect will take place at The Sefton Hotel on November 30 from 2pm to 5pm.

Places are limited so anyone who would like to attend is asked to book online by visiting www.thechildrenscentre.org.im, telephoning 01624 676076 or by e-mailing janicejohnson@thechildrenscentre.org.im.