Scottish child poverty strategy unveiled

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Picture: PA

More than half (52%) of the children living in poverty in Scotland are from households where at least one adult was working, according to Scottish Government figures.

Relative poverty is where household income is less than 60% of the average, which for a couple with two children means living on less than £20,500 a year.

The strategy aims to tackle the causes of poverty by addressing them early, improving every child’s life chances through action on education, health and early-years development.

It also intends to maximise household resources through advice on welfare and benefit changes, help to find employment and managing debt.

‘Comprehensive package’ claim

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon launched the strategy at Toryglen community hub in Glasgow today.

She said: “We know that work can reduce the risk of poverty, but work is not always enough on its own.

“This strategy continues our preventative approach aimed at maximising household resources, improving children’s life chances and providing sustainable places.

“However, we now have an increasing focus on mitigating against the harmful effects of Westminster welfare reforms.

“These changes to the system will not only impact on the most vulnerable in our society - they will also set progress back at least ten years.

“It’s frustrating, when so much work has been done, to see Child Poverty Action Group highlight 100,000 more children in Scotland will be pushed into poverty because of these unfair policies by 2020.

“In an independent Scotland we would have the powers to provide one of the most comprehensive childcare packages in Europe, which would allow more women to work.

“We would also be able to set up a commission to consider a new ‘Scottish minimum wage’ - which would at least rise in line with inflation.”

Case study

One of the people at the launch was Karen Hendry, 36, a single mother from the east end of Glasgow.

While raising her twelve-year-old daughter, she worked full-time in a nursing home.

In July 2013 she graduated from the University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, with an honours degree in social policy and sociology, and is now self-employed, running a craft business from her home.

She said: “Raising a child and working full-time is very hard, things are very tight and making ends meet is difficult.

“Over the last number of years, whilst studying, I’ve made sacrifices for my family and managing on one wage, and even with tax credits and child support payments it isn’t easy.

“On three separate occasions I received emergency money from the Scottish Welfare Fund and this was literally life-saving for me and my daughter. I often feel that there is too much week and not enough money.

“People should be aware of the stress that this puts on families, I constantly worry about money and I know my child suffers because of the welfare reforms. A lot of the time I feel as though I am working so hard just to survive.”

Reaction

Barnardo’s Scotland welcomed the strategy, which was developed in consultation with the ministerial advisory group on child poverty.

Mark Ballard, head of policy for Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “The opportunity that ministers have given to private and voluntary sector representatives to help shape the revision of the strategy has been extremely important in ensuring the experience of those working at the frontline has been fed in.

“Barnardo’s Scotland is very pleased that the aspiration to have a Scotland where no child is disadvantaged by poverty remains central to the strategy and welcomes the renewed commitment by the Scottish Government to eliminating child poverty.”

Neil Mathers, head of Scotland at Save the Children, said: “The updated child poverty strategy is a welcome move by the Scottish Government and we particularly support the focus on education as a way of helping children from low-income households to succeed and build a future free from poverty.

“The strategy needs to drive real action on child poverty. Children’s life chances are being thwarted due to the circumstances they are born into.

“We need partners at local and national level to work together and put plans into action on the ground, so that the aspirations in this report become a reality.

“We have warned that Scotland is at risk of falling head-first into a child poverty crisis that could have a devastating effect on an entire generation.

“That is why every effort needs to be made to tackle it now and why the child poverty strategy must ensure we are doing everything we can to prevent it.”