A Jersey charity has been training people to recognise the signs of families experiencing financial hardship and how to support them.

The Jersey Child Care Trust said nearly a quarter of the island's children lived in relative poverty – meaning their family's income was at least 60% under the median.

Fiona Vacher from the trust said it was important all people in Jersey who worked with children and families could spot the signs of poverty.

She said: "80% of your brain develops by the age of three-years-old – we want to make sure that you're having the best experience you can in your earliest years because we know that creates the happy, healthy adult."

'A little easier'

The trust ran the free session – called 'Poverty Aware Practice' in St Helier on Wednesday.

Ms Vacher said the trust wanted to make sure every professional in Jersey who had day-to-day contact with families had the relevant skills and was able to "make life a little easier" for people.

She said it was important the training was focused on the workforce.

"We wanted to make sure that the training we're offering is focused on the workforce, because they're the ones that make the biggest difference.

"But alongside that, we need to create and provide resources."