Copyright scotsman
Thousands of people marched through Edinburgh last weekend to call for stronger action to tackle poverty in Scotland at an event organised by the Poverty Alliance and Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC). Every child deserves to grow up feeling safe, supported and full of hope. But for too many families in Scotland, poverty is stealing that chance. Right now, around 240,000 children in Scotland are living in poverty. That’s one in five children whose lives are shaped not by their potential, but by what their families can’t afford such as heating, food, clothes and a comfortable bed at night. Even more concerning is that 80,000 children are living in deep poverty, with families surviving on incomes that are 40 per cent below the median household income. That is why we’re calling on decision-makers to go further and faster. We are calling on the UK Government to lift the two-child benefit limit because it has become a key driver of rising child poverty, affecting over 1.6 million children and pushing 109 children across the UK into poverty every day. Want the latest Scottish headlines sent directly to your phone? Sign up to our new WhatsApp Channel here. We welcome the Scottish Government’s announcement in June that payments to families who are affected by the limit will begin next year through Social Security Scotland. But government policy shouldn’t have to be mitigated. There should be no limit for any child in the UK. The UK Government is due to publish a Child Poverty Strategy soon and lifting the two-child limit in its entirety needs to form part of it. READ MORE: Westminster has failed Scots, says Swinney ahead of Scotland Demands Better demo The Scottish Government’s initial mitigation efforts are working – Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty has fallen – but concerningly there appears to be an increase in poverty amongst families with a baby. This is despite the Scottish Government rightly targeting resources at alleviating child poverty during pregnancy and the early years. Inequality begins before birth and continues throughout life. It is therefore vital that increased social security is targeted at families with babies. We want to see the government explore a top-up payment for families with a baby under one. READ MORE: UK foodbanks hit record high as Labour ministers overseeing 'deepening' of cost-of-living crisis But it is not just about money. It is the compounding impact of accumulative poverty, stress and disadvantage that leads to poor outcomes for children. Poverty creates highly stressful conditions. It makes every aspect of life harder and puts a strain on relationships. Families also need high quality, multi-agency community support to empower them to better navigate the challenges they face. This will require increased investment in early years services – including health visiting, family support and mental health provision for parents, infants and children – to ensure families get help before crisis hits. Poverty is not inevitable. We can choose to build a Scotland where no child goes to bed hungry, no parent feels ashamed to ask for help, and every family has the support they need to flourish. Behind every statistic is a child. A child who deserves joy, safety, and a future full of possibility. Let’s give all children in Scotland the chance to thrive. Joanne Smith is policy and public affairs manager at children’s charity NSPCC Scotland
