More parents have been able to start work or progress their careers thanks to an initiative to expand access to school-age childcare, according to a new report.
Eight childcare providers across Scotland received a share of almost £600,000 from the Scottish Government to help 650 children from low-income families access school-age childcare.
The funding helped to make school-age childcare more accessible, affordable and flexible for parents and carers from low-income families, or those most at risk of experiencing poverty.
The Access to Childcare Fund Phase 2 Evaluation report also highlights the positive impact the projects had on the health and wellbeing of the children and parents. It found the projects increased opportunities for children to develop social skills and strengthen relationships with both adults and peers, especially for those with additional support needs.
Children and Young People Minister Natalie Don said: “As we mark Challenge Poverty Week this report highlights the impact our support continues to make for children, young people and their families who are most in need, and how childcare providers can be key in supporting these families.
“Improving access to childcare not only brings wide ranging benefits for the children, it also helps parents to get back into work, engage in training or progress their careers. Quality childcare provision is both an anti-poverty and a pro-growth measure.
“This report follows our commitment in the Programme for Government to expand our childcare offering, and sets out the difference that funded school-age childcare can make to support families to enter and sustain employment.”
Currently, all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds are able to take up 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare in Scotland.
Work is underway with local authorities and other partners to phase in an expanded national provision for families with two-year-olds, as well as targeted early delivery of all-age childcare for low income families.
The full report was carried out independently by Ipsos Scotland.
Pupils and staff at Braes High School in Falkirk have been highlighting their innovate approaches to help cut the cost of the school day for families, as part of Challenge Poverty Week.
Cost-saving initiatives include the creation of ‘Take What You Need’ trolleys with essential school items, toiletries and snacks. S1 pupils also receive a Braes Backpack which contains a school starter kit.
The school has received more than £369,000 of Scottish Government Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) in recent years, supporting a range of work including these latest initiatives.
Scotland has the most generous universal free school meal offer of any nation in the UK – saving families an average of £400 per eligible child per year – while the School Clothing Grant has been increased so that those who are eligible receive at least £120 per child of primary school age and £150 per secondary pupil.
The 2023-24 Programme for Government set out commitments to further support reductions in the cost of the school day by funding the removal of core curriculum charges, further expanding free school meals and increasing the school clothing grant for the next academic year.
On a visit to the school, the Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “It was hugely encouraging to visit Braes High School during Challenge Poverty Week and to witness the innovative approaches pupils and staff have adopted to deal with the challenges that, sadly, too many of our young people and their families are facing.
“This work has been supported by the Scottish Government’s Pupil Equity Funding scheme – with more than £520 million this parliamentary term empowering headteachers to take creative and innovative approaches to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap.
“We are determined to do everything in our power to support families out of poverty, including investing in the game-changing Scottish Child Payment – part of a package of measures taken by this government which will help lift 90,000 children out of poverty in Scotland this year.
“We know that many families are still struggling, particularly as a result of the cost of living crisis. Tackling the cost of the school day is a key priority for the Scottish Government.”
Sara Spencer, Cost of the School Day Project Manager at Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland: “We have been delighted to work with Braes High School and their Cost of the School Day Pupil Group and see all of the meaningful ways young people have involved their school community and designed supports that help to make sure everyone can take part and feel included.
“Cost of the School Day at Braes is an inspiring example of what can happen when young people take the lead on equity in their own schools and a reminder of the impact that a poverty aware school culture and a clear focus on reducing the cost of the school day can have.”
Braes HS Head teacher Iain Livingstone said: “Our young people, staff, parents, carers and the wider community work well together to challenge poverty and support all learners. Pupil Equity Funding has helped us take forward a number of projects and support to help our young people get the most out of their education.
“We enjoyed being able to speak with the Cabinet Secretary, and seeing our young people discuss the many developments and ideas they lead.”
Braes High School worked with the Child Poverty Action Group to develop these initiatives. They are part of the new Cost of the School Day Voice network of children and young people.
Schools in Falkirk Council have received more than £26 million from the Scottish Government between 2015-16 and 2022-23 to close the poverty related attainment gap.
As the UK gets ready for Challenge Poverty Week (Monday, 2nd October to Sunday, 8th October), Edinburgh Leisure, the largest provider of sports and leisure facilities across the city, is working in local communities to support more people living in poverty and affected by inequalities to be active and well.
Poverty and poor health are inextricably linked. Despite Edinburgh being one of the wealthiest cities in the UK, Edinburgh faces some of the greatest levels of inequality. The Edinburgh Poverty Commission estimates that almost 82,000 people are living in poverty. And in terms of life expectancy, a boy born in in the New Town, Edinburgh can expect to live 21 years longer, than a boy born in Niddrie.
Forty-four percent of adults living in the most deprived communities in Scotland do not meet the recommended amount of physical activity compared with twenty-eight percent of adults living in the least deprived areas.
Helen Macfarlane, Director of Wellbeing at Edinburgh Leisure said: “Being active is one of the best things we can do for our health, wellbeing, and quality of life. Yet many people living in poverty can face barriers to being active, such as cost, lack of confidence and knowledge of what support is available.
“As part of Challenge Poverty Week, we’d love more adults experiencing poverty and inequalities to take out our £10 Get Active Pass and enjoy the life changing benefits of being active with Edinburgh Leisure. The card is not available to buy online but anyone eligible can pop into any Edinburgh Leisure venue and sign up. It really is making a huge difference to people’s lives.”
One participant explained the positive impact it is having on their life: “I don’t often leave the house but since I’ve taken out a £10 Get Active Pass, I’ve been going swimming regularly which makes a huge difference to my mental health.
“I couldn’t afford a membership, so the £10 Get Active pass has been a godsend. It’s helping me both mentally and physically and encouraged me to meet new people.”
The Edinburgh Leisure £10 Get Active Card is aimed at people on a very low income and offers off-peak access to the gym, swim, saunas and steam rooms and group fitness classes, up to 4pm, 7 days a week. Fitness classes can be booked on the day of use.
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity on a mission to keep people active and well. They run over 50 sport, leisure and school venues across the city and are committed to creating opportunities for everyone to be active and stay active.
Each year Edinburgh Leisure’s’ Active Communities team support more than 10,000 people who face the greatest barriers to being active, including those affected by health conditions, disabilities, inequalities, and poverty to improve their health and wellbeing. They deliver over 20 different programmes city wide, which aim to break down barriers to physical activity and help people to lead healthier, happier, and more active lives.
Each year, they raise over £800,000 from external funders to provide a range of targeted projects and activities which enable people on low incomes and those living with long term health conditions to be active to protect their health, wellbeing, and quality of live.
The funding is an investment into health and wellbeing, providing a significant return by reducing the need for people to access more expensive health and social care services.
Programme for Government will be published tomorrow
Scottish Government investment in the years ahead will be prioritised on measures that help grow Scotland’s economy, tackle poverty and deliver high quality public services, First Minister Humzah Yousaf said.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s publication of his first Programme for Government Humza Yousaf said that by supporting businesses and building a wellbeing economy – focused on well-paid jobs and growth – Scotland can unleash entrepreneurial talent and generate new investment that helps deliver targeted measures to lift families and communities out of poverty.
The Programme for Government will also set Scotland on a path towards tackling some of the big issues facing the country. It will ensure that responding to the climate crisis is at the heart of government, while also taking the next steps in reforming and modernising public services to help tackle the aftermath of the pandemic.
The First Minister said: “The challenges we face – including the cost of living crisis, the impacts of the UK Government’s hard Brexit, and pandemic recovery – are significant, but we have strong foundations that we can build upon, to grasp opportunities and deliver real change.
“During these challenging times, the people of Scotland need a government that is on their side. In the coming days we will outline our measures to support businesses and communities to unleash potential and promote entrepreneurship – helping provide well-paid jobs right across Scotland, and boosting national and local economies.
“Our focus on boosting economic growth will enable us to invest more in anti-poverty measures and support our vital public services, protecting the most vulnerable in society and raising the standard of living for everyone.”
CPAG: IT’S TIME TO DELIVER
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Programme for Government statement from the First Minister, John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said: “The First Minister has been right to say that tackling child poverty must be a top priority and his leadership campaign pledge to increase the Scottish child payment to £30 in his first budget was especially welcome.
“His first Programme for Government is his opportunity to show he will deliver on that promise. With low-income families still reeling under the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis there is not a moment to lose to turn his welcome words into concrete policies.”
In a briefing circulated to all MSPs the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland say Scottish government policies, including the Scottish child payment, are working to reduce child poverty.
However, they point to the government’s own analysis showing that the interim child poverty target may be missed, and that the government’s current policy package is not sufficient to meet the 2030 target of less than 10% of children living in poverty by 2030.
With one in four children still locked in poverty they say the Programme for Government must now include action that will:
• increase the Scottish child payment at the very least to £30 per week from April 2024, as committed by the First Minister in his leadership campaign (note 2). To be sure of bringing child poverty below 18% (the interim statutory child poverty target) they say a £40 Scottish child payment is needed (note 3). • Provide additional cash payments to families impacted by the UK government’s poverty producing two-child benefit limit and by the young parent penalty in universal credit . CPAG analysis shows the two-child limit affects over 80 000 children in Scotland and pushes up to 15 000 of them into poverty. • Further invest in childcare so that every parent can access the childcare they need, when they need it. • Keep the manifesto commitment to increase the minimum school clothing grant in line with inflation. That would mean lifting them to at least £150 (from £120) for primary school and £185 (from £150) for high school pupils by summer 2024. • Ensure that schools have sufficient resources to remove cost barriers, including to provide every child with a device and connectivity; remove costs for curriculum related trips and activities and ensure all pupils can attend ‘rite of passage’ trips. • Be bold in using tax powers in a progressive way to ensure sufficient resources are available to fully deliver on the actions that are needed to tackle child poverty.
The 2023-24 Programme for Government will be published alongside the First Minister’s statement to the Scottish Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday 5 September).
This Programme for Government will build on the prospectus paper, ‘New Leadership – A Fresh Start’. This was published in April, shortly after the First Minister was appointed, and set out his three national missions: equality, opportunity and community.
BPS SUPPORTS CAMPAIGN TO MAKE UNIVERSAL CREDIT ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO AFFORD TO COVER ESSENTIALS
The British Psychological Society has joined the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), the Trussell Trust, and other leading health and care organisations and charities to call for an “Essentials Guarantee”, a new law to make sure Universal Credit’s basic rate is always at least enough for people to afford the essentials.
The organisations are warning that so many people are routinely going without the essentials it poses a serious risk to the UK’s health.
Together, they have written to the Prime Minister to express their worry that, as the high prices of everyday essentials like food and housing persist, too many people are expected to live with what can be devastating knock-on consequences.
JRF’s own analysis shows the weekly Universal Credit standard allowance is £35 less than the cost of essential items for a single person, contributing to millions of people forced to use food banks because they can’t make ends meet.
Dr Roman Raczka, President-Elect of the British Psychological Society, and Chair of its Division for Clinical Psychology, said:“Nobody should be in a position of being unable to afford the essentials they and their families need to sustain their health and wellbeing, and it’s clear the current level of Universal Credit falls woefully short.
“Poverty is one of the major risk factors for the development of physical and mental health problems, and we know that children growing up in poverty are three-to-four times more likely to develop mental health problems, which also leads to long-term impacts upon their education, life chances and quality of life.
“If the government is truly committed to preventing health inequalities from widening further, tackling poverty, and reducing pressure on our already stretched and underfunded public services, it must commit to the Essentials Guarantee to protect this generation, and generations to come.”
About the Essentials Guarantee
The Essentials Guarantee would embed in our social security system the widely supported principle that, at a minimum, Universal Credit should protect people from going without essentials.
Developed in line with public attitude insights and focus groups, this policy would enshrine in legislation:
an independent process to regularly determine the Essentials Guarantee level, based on the cost of essentials (such as food, utilities and vital household items) for the adults in a household (excluding rent and council tax);
that Universal Credit’s standard allowance must at least meet this level; and
that deductions (such as debt repayments to government, or as a result of the benefit cap) can never pull support below this level.
The UK Government would be required to set the level of the Essentials Guarantee at least annually, based on the recommendation of the independent process. JRF analysis indicates that it would need to be at least around £120 a week for a single adult and £200 for a couple.
The back-to-school period can be a stressful time for parents and carers, and the current cost-of-living crisis is only set to add to this stress.
Looking to understand the situation parents face this month, UK affordable footwear retailer, Wynsors, has used the rate of inflation to estimate that families face paying 20% more for school uniform than they did back in 2018.
With that in mind, Wynsors has carried out a new survey of more than 1,000 UK parents to understand exactly how much this increased cost of school uniform is affecting their finances.
The results do not paint a positive picture for households across Edinburgh:
Over 3 in 5 parents (70%) in Edinburgh agree that the cost of buying school uniform and supplies puts a strain on their household budget.
Nearly half of parents in Edinburgh (45%) agree that abolishing school uniforms would help to save money.
76% of parents in Edinburgh do not receive any financial support with the cost of new school uniform, and are the least likely to receive any financial help from family members.
With parents spending an estimated £230.40 on average to buy a full set of new school uniform in 2023, households across Edinburgh are having to make cutbacks elsewhere to afford the cost.
More than 3 in 4 parents in Edinburgh (87%) are spending less on new things for themselves (such as clothing) so they can stretch their household budget to cover the cost of buying new school uniform, the highest when compared with other cities in the UK, and 1 in 4 (26%) only buy school supplies and uniform when discounted to do so.
Adam Foster, Retail Directorfrom Wynsors, comments: “As highlighted by this research, the back-to-school period is often a stressful time, but as the UK’s most affordable family footwear retailer, we want to take the stress out of the shopping experience by making school uniform accessible to all.
“From our low prices to our friendly in-store staff, we pride ourselves on helping parents over the last 50 years to get their kids equipped and ready for school.”
The full study, including more information on parents’ attitudes to school uniform and tips for saving money on the back-to-school shop, can be found on-site here:
£500,000 from Foundation Scotland helped develop the state of the art Broomhouse Hub, transforming the lives of hundreds living in South West Edinburgh
For over 30 years, Space @ The Broomhouse Hub has delivered transformative personal, social and community development opportunities for local people in and around Broomhouse, Parkhead and Sighthill.
The charity offers training, volunteering and employment opportunities for those disadvantaged by poverty or other limiting factors, counselling and befriending support, community food initiatives including school holiday support, social groups for isolated older people, and a range of classes and groups designed to support mental health and wellbeing.
An important organisation for many people, Space @ The Broomhouse Hub successfully navigated the many challenges of the pandemic and they are now helping local people to manage the continuing cost of living crisis.
As one of the most deprived areas in Scotland, Broomhouse feels the impact of rising costs disproportionately. Over the past few years, the charity has delivered numerous events to support all parts of the community in coping with mental and economic challenges.
Key services now include dignified access to food. From their popular community café, they offer nutritious, good value food, providing over 1,500 community meals so far this year including free meals for struggling young carers who may barely be getting one meal each day, and free meals for all children (no registration, no other purchase needed) throughout the school summer holidays.
Thanks to their ambitious vision and support from funders, Space @ The Broomhouse Hub has undergone a massive period of growth, equipping them to support the growing numbers of people that need them.
Across the last few years, the charity has tripled their staff capacity and doubled the reach of their vital support services post-pandemic. The charity cites the development of their multi-purpose community hub as the catalyst for this expansion.
Foundation Scotland’s social investment played a pivotal role in this development.
The Foundation Scotland social investment relationship with Space @ Broomhouse began in 2018. The two organisations had already worked together on several grant awards, but with growing demand for their services and an ambitious strategy in place, the team at Space turned to Foundation Scotland for expert advice and growth funding.
The social investment support offered by Foundation Scotland is a unique form of blended grant and loan, designed to help organisations to open doors and grow effectively. Over the past 11 years, they have invested over £12.5 million in 72 organisations around Scotland.
The Foundation Scotland team works closely with applicants to offer more than just traditional funding, also providing unique insight, planning support and advice to help attract further investment.
Neil Hay, CEO of Space @ The Broomhouse Hub said:“Support for capital projects, and core funding, is critical to our work, yet unfortunately not so prevalent.
“As an organisation, we believe in connections and working together for the benefit of all. The partnership approach from Foundation Scotland has been so refreshing. Both the funding and relational support allowed us to get the build off the ground.
“Together they helped us to realise our vision, and along with our other funders they have enabled us to develop our spaces, grow our team and ultimately helped us to build the foundations for a brighter future for many.”
Ali Kennedy, Social Investment Executive at Foundation Scotland, said“Space @ Broomhouse is an important and inspiring place for everyone in the local community and we are extremely proud of our involvement in its development.
“Their fabulous new facilities support significant numbers of people in the area, families have an affordable safe and welcoming place to come to and enjoy, young people are provided with opportunities to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem, and older people and those living with dementia feel part of a connected community.
“We are thrilled to be here with the team today at the Broomhouse Street Party. We’ve worked together for many years and it’s great to get the chance to see the activities in action. The Hub is a space for the community to come together. It’s clear how much of a lifeline these services are for local people.
“We know there are other groups that urgently need support to get started or grow, and this is even more challenging in the current climate. We are encouraging all interested groups to visit our website or contact the Foundation Scotland team directly to discuss eligibility.”
Organisations at the frontline of helping people facing poverty and hardship can now apply for a share of government funding to help tackle food insecurity.
The £1.6 million Cash-First Fund is aimed at public sector and third sector partnerships to deliver cash grants for food and other essentials, helping to reduce the need for food parcels.
Up to £200,000 will be made available to partnerships including community food initiatives, local authority teams, and money advice services.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Taking a cash-first approach to tackling food insecurity means people can access the essentials they need while maintaining dignity. When this is delivered collaboratively, with advice and support to strengthen people’s income, it can also help prevent future hardship.
“Local public and third sector services know their communities best and are well-placed to support households in crisis, so I encourage them to work together and apply for the Cash-First Fund.
“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is a critical mission for this government and our actions are already making a difference to households, including some of our most vulnerable children, across Scotland. The Cash-First Fund is another important milestone on this journey and our learning from this will take us another step closer towards a Scotland without the need for food banks.”
Head of Scotland at the Trussell Trust, Polly Jones said: “Cash-first partnerships will play a key role in taking us closer to a Scotland where no one needs to use a food bank.
“We are delighted the Scottish Government is launching this innovative pilot, supporting public sector bodies and community organisations to work together to ensure people get the support they need in a crisis and to reduce the need for food banks in their communities.”
Coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, Sabine Goodwin said: “This funding provides a critical opportunity to cement local cash first actions aimed at reducing food insecurity.
“Ending the need for food banks undoubtedly requires strategic vision and close collaboration at a local level. We very much welcome the Scottish Government’s support of local partnerships and the prioritisation of a cash first approach to food insecurity.
Public and third sector partnerships are invited to apply to the Cash-First Fund by 5pm on Friday 1 September.
Up to eight successful partnerships will each be provided with up to £200,000 over two years to deliver activities that improve urgent local access to cash in a crisis.
Anyone who is struggling financially can get advice through their local authority, a local advice service, Social Security Scotland or by visiting the Scottish Government’s cost of living website: https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/
Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan report published
It is estimated that 90,000 fewer children will live in relative and absolute poverty this year as a result of Scottish Government policies.
The Scottish Government analysis is published alongside the first annual report on its Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’.
The report sets out progress made on the four year plan, including that an estimated £3.03 billion was invested across a range of programmes targeted at low income households in 2022-23, with £1.25 billion directly benefiting children.
These figures represent an increase of £430 million and £150 million respectively, compared with 2021-22. As a result of that spending, poverty levels this year will be nine percentage points lower than they would have otherwise been.
The report also details key actions to help households and address the three main drivers of poverty – income from employment, cost of living and income from social security and benefits.
These include almost £83 million to help deliver employability support, introducing a rent cap to help protect tenants during the cost of living crisis and providing over £84 million to support housing costs, while increasing the Scottish Child Payment by 150% and expanding it to all eligible children under 16.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The report demonstrates that we are preventing children falling into poverty and lifting people out of it. This year, 90,000 fewer children will live in poverty as a result of the concerted actions and focus we are providing, including lifting an estimated 50,000 children lifted out of hardship through the Scottish Child Payment.
“We are focused on driving forward action at the pace and scale required and the investment of around £3 billion in a range of programmes, with £1.25 billion directly benefiting children, demonstrates our commitment to taking action.
“By March this year, 303,000 children were receiving the Scottish Child Payment. Having increased the payment by 150% and by extending it to eligible children under 16, we are providing vital financial support to families worth £1300 a year.
“At the First Minister’s Anti-Poverty Summit in May our stakeholders, partners and people who have experienced poverty backed the approach we are taking. We will continue to do everything we can within the scope of our limited powers and fixed budget to help give more children the start in life they deserve.
“But it is only with the full economic and fiscal powers of an independent nation that Ministers can use all levers other governments have to tackle poverty and inequalities.”
New plan will strengthen access to cash in a crisis
A commitment to a ‘cash-first’ approach to tackling food insecurity is at the heart of a new plan to reduce the need for people to turn to food banks.
The plan, which is the first of its kind in the UK and is underpinned by human rights, sets out nine actions which will be taken over the next three years to improve responses to food insecurity.
Actions include establishing a new £1.8 million Cash-First Programme to help reduce the demand for emergency food parcels by improving urgent access to cash in crisis and associated support.
The Scottish Government will work with councils, the third sector and community food initiatives to help prevent future need by integrating money advice and wider support into crisis responses.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Whilst none of us want food banks, we recognise the important role they play for people in need. This plan, the first of its kind by any UK Government, will support people who face food insecurity and will move us closer to our longer-term ambition of a country where there is no need for food banks.
“We want to ensure we reach people in need and by providing a cash-first approach, backed by advice and support, we will support people to strengthen their incomes and prevent future hardship and crisis, allowing them more choice and dignity.
“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of the Scottish Government’s three critical missions. The Trussell Trust suggests that our Scottish Child Payment may have helped to slow the pace of demand for emergency food parcels last year.
“Without the full economic and fiscal powers of an independent nation we can’t eradicate poverty, but we are taking all the action we can to support people within our limited powers and fixed budget.”
The plan also includes up to £623,000 funding for the British Red Cross to continue a Scottish Crisis Fund, which provides people at risk of destitution – including survivors of domestic abuse, and those no recourse to public funds – with emergency grants to purchase the food and other essentials.
Phil Arnold, Head of Refugee Support for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, British Red Cross said: “The Scottish Crisis Fund is a lifeline emergency payment for people in crisis.
“The fund enables people to continue accessing essential food, clothing, hygiene products and transport to get to key appointments, at an acute period of distress in their lives.
“The increased cost of living, widening dispersal of people seeking asylum to areas without specialist support, and reduced rights for people seeking protection in the UK, all underline the importance of a joined-up, properly resourced safety net which this fund plays an important role in providing.”
Polly Jones, head of Scotland for the Trussell Trust said: “We welcome this first plan to end the need for food banks from any government in the UK, and it comes at a time when the use of food banks is at an all-time high. Ending the need for charitable food aid requires significant leadership and urgency from all levels of government.
“The Trussell Trust is committed to working with the Scottish Government to support it to do what charities cannot and deliver bold long-term action to increase people’s income and ensure everyone can afford the essentials.”
Sabine Goodwin, Coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, said: “The Scottish Government has powers to reduce food insecurity and adopt a truly cash-first, income-focused strategy to end the need for charitable food aid in Scotland.
“As the poverty crisis deepens, frontline teams across Scotland are eager to see a time when no one needs to turn to any form of charitable food aid provision to get by. We welcome this plan and the Scottish Government’s commitment to critical steps towards that cash-first future.”
