Analysis: Shame of child poverty must be spur to action

The attainment gap between children facing poverty and the rest is not new, but that makes it no less shocking and no more acceptable. That gap starts before children even start school and, at each stage of development, it widens.

By age three, children in poverty are already nine months behind other children in their "school readiness".

During their years at school, children in poverty too often do progressively worse and fall further behind.

The fundamental problem is that too many families just don't have the resources they need to ensure their children can take advantage of all Scotland's education system has too offer.

A disgraceful one in four of Scotland's children is still growing up in poverty. That too often means growing up in cold, damp overcrowded housing where the chances of getting your homework done in peace and comfort are nil.

It too often means the stresses of just getting by make doing well at school feel out of reach. It too often means growing up in families unable to afford computers or internet access, unable to enjoy family outings, unable to pay for extra-curricular school activities.

It is vital that policies seeking to tackle the education divide look at the range of factors that disadvantage children.

First and foremost, we need action to address the inadequate incomes too many families have to survive on. Boosting family incomes through investment in benefits and tax credits and promoting a living wage are essential to ensuring families have the money they need to enable their children to fully participate at school.

If we fail to find the resources to tackle the poverty and educational inequality that today's children face, we will abandon another generation to low qualifications, low paid jobs and long term unemployment. We can't afford to let that happen.

• John Dickie is head of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland.