Children and Families – Page 148 – The NEN

Scottish Child Payment to be doubled, First Minister confirms

The Scottish Child Payment will be doubled to £20 per week per child from April 2022, the First Minister has announced. The decision has been welcomed by poverty camapigners.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that more than 105,000 children will immediately benefit from the increased payment, which supports low income families with children aged under 6.

First introduced in February 2021 as a £10 per week payment designed to tackle child poverty, it provides regular, additional financial support for eligible families.

The benefit, which is unique in the UK, will be fully rolled out to children under the age of 16 by the end of 2022, subject to data on qualifying benefits being received from the Department of Work and Pensions. It is expected over 400,000 children could be eligible for the doubled payment from that point.

From 2023/24 it will represent an annual investment in tackling child poverty of around £360 million a year. The increase to £20 per week further underlines the Scottish Government’s national mission to tackle child poverty.

The First Minister said: “The Scottish Government is determined to lift children out of poverty.

“Of the £2 billion a year that the Scottish Government invests to support people on low incomes, over £670 million is already targeted at children. Through the range of new payments delivered by Social Security Scotland, low income families receive, in the early years of each child’s life, £5,000 of additional financial support.

“At the heart of this is the Scottish Child Payment – the only payment of its kind anywhere in the UK, designed solely to lift children out of poverty and give them better lives. The £10 per week payment for eligible children under age 6 will be extended to all eligible children under 16 at the end of 2022; and we committed to doubling the payment to £20 per child per week within this Parliamentary term.

“I am proud that our budget will confirm that we will double the Scottish Child Payment from the start of the new financial year. This increase to £20 per child per week will reach over 105,000 children under age 6 in just four months’ time. When we extend the Scottish Child Payment to all under 16s at the end of next year, over 400,000 children and their families will be eligible.

“This is the boldest and most ambitious anti-poverty measure anywhere in the UK. Delivering it isn’t easy. It will involve hard choices elsewhere in our budget. But it is a choice we are opting to make.

“Eradicating child poverty is essential if we are to build the strongest foundation for Scotland’s future. And that is what we are determined to do.”

Scottish Government Minister and Scottish Green Party Co-Leader Patrick Harvie said: “With rising inflation, energy costs and the recent UK Government cuts to Universal Credit, further action to tackle child poverty could not have been more urgent.

“I’m therefore delighted that the Scottish Government has been able to double the Scottish Child Payment from April, just months after our policy of free bus travel for children and young people goes live.

“These bold actions deliver on key commitments made in the cooperation deal between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party, and will make a real difference to families across Scotland.”

Scottish Greens MSP Lorna Slater said the decision will be pivotal to tackling child poverty in Lothian.

Ms Slater said: “With a new Covid variant, rising energy costs, inflation and the catastrophic impact of a Tory Brexit being felt, it is more important than ever that we do everything we can to help people that are being hit by Westminster’s cuts and austerity.

“That is why I’m delighted that we will see the Scottish Child Payment doubled in the forthcoming Scottish budget. This will be pivotal to tackling child poverty and will be welcomed by families that are feeling stretched, particularly those that have been hit by Boris Johnson’s punishing Universal Credit cut.

“With Greens in government we are delivering for people and the planet and making a real difference to families in Lothian and beyond.”

“That is why we are introducing free bus travel for everyone under 22 from January, extending free school meals to all primary school pupils and ensuring that government contracts pay the real living wage. We will continue to work towards a fairer, greener Scotland.”

Social Security Scotland delivers a number of benefits for families. These include Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment, School Age Payment and Best Start Foods.

The newly doubled Scottish Child Payment, together with the three Best Start Grant payments and Best Start Foods, could give families up to £8,400 by the time their first child turns 6.

Campaigners have welcomed the announcement:

Chris Birt, Associate Director for Scotland at Joseph Rowntree Foundation said: “This is very welcome news that will provide vital support for families with young children following what is expected to be a challenging winter as the cost of living continues to rise. Doubling the payment for older children cannot come soon enough.

“As we noted in our Poverty in Scotland report, this investment alone will not be enough to meet the interim child poverty targets, but it is an important step in the right direction and will make a real difference to families.”

Majority of Scots support immediate doubling of Scottish Child Payment, new poll finds

A majority of people in Scotland support next month’s Scottish Government budget being used to double the Scottish Child Payment immediately, new polling released today has found, as campaigners continue to press for Kate Forbes, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, to back the move.

The polling, conducted by Survation for the End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland, revealed that – once ‘don’t knows’ were excluded – 68% of people in Scotland support the immediate doubling of the benefit for low income families.

Among those who voted for the SNP at May’s Holyrood elections, this figure jumped to 74%. Young people aged 16-34 were even more likely to back the call, with that figure reaching 79% in favour.

It comes amid mounting pressure on the Scottish Government to respond with urgency to what campaigners are calling a “rising tide of child poverty” across Scotland. On 18^th November, over 100 organisations from across Scotland wrote to Kate Forbes urging her to “do the right thing” and use December’s budget to double the payment.

While the Scottish Government have said the payment will be doubled ‘as soon as possible’ during the course of this Scottish Parliament, as of yet they have resisted calls to do so immediately. But anti-poverty campaigners have warned that, unless the Finance Secretary uses December’s budget to act immediately, Scotland’s child poverty targets risk failure.

Responding to the poll findings, Peter Kelly (Director, Poverty Alliance) said: “In Scotland, people believe in protecting one another and in doing the right thing. As this new polling makes clear, they overwhelmingly support taking action now to stem the rising tide of child poverty.

“Children and families living in the grip of poverty right now simply cannot wait. Scottish ministers must listen to people across the country who are calling on them to do the right thing, and double the Scottish Child Payment now.”

Polly Jones (Head of Scotland, Trussell Trust) said: “Families across Scotland are facing a really difficult winter. Right now, food banks in the Trussell Trust network in Scotland are giving out a food parcel every three minutes to people in crisis.

“This isn’t right, especially when we have the power to change this. Doubling the Scottish Child Payment now would be a huge boost to Scotland’s struggling families and I hope Ministers will listen to the public and act.”

Claire Telfer, head of Scotland, Save the Children, said: “This polling confirms what we know and what we’re hearing from parents and families across Scotland: the Scottish Child Payment is making a huge difference but it’s not going far enough and it needs to be doubled.

“Just last week a parent told us ‘Doubling the Scottish Child Payment would make a massive difference, any extra money a week would help.

“We know that many families with young children in Scotland are struggling to make ends meet, parents are going without food or not putting the heating on, to care for their children.

“As a society we can – and must – do better. Next month’s budget is a golden opportunity to act now and support families and drive down poverty by doubling the Scottish Child Payment.”

200,000 Baby Boxes delivered

The number of Baby Boxes delivered to expectant parents has reached 200,000. The milestone comes after independent evaluation showed overwhelming backing for the box and its contents.

Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “We are proud that the 200,000th Baby Box has been delivered to a family preparing to welcome their wee one. It means that 200,000 newborns and their parents have now benefitted from a range of essential items.

“The Baby Box is part of our commitment to making sure that every child, no matter what their circumstances, has the best start in life. Deliveries of the boxes have continued throughout the pandemic, supporting parents at a time when many may be facing additional financial worries or having to cope without as much face-to-face support from family and friends.

“Last year, a record 98% of expectant parents requested a Baby Box, a big rise on the 85% when they were first launched in 2017.

“This is a further vote of confidence for the scheme following the independent evaluation that showed how much parents value the Baby Box and its contents.”

One Parent Families Scotland CEO Satwat Rehman said: “The fact that all babies in Scotland are gifted a box full of essential items means that as a society we want every child, regardless of their circumstances, to get the best start in life.

“We fully support this positive public health initiative that has the potential, through its universal approach, to make a contribution to the reduction of inequalities at the start of a baby’s life.

“Parents have told us that receiving the box made them feel the Government ‘cares about families’.”

A Baby Box is offered to all newborns in Scotland.

It provides families with a range of essential items for their first six months, delivered in a sturdy cardboard box, which can be used as a safe sleeping space during the early months of a baby’s life. The contents of the Baby Box are designed to inform and support positive parenting behaviours.

In an independent evaluation, 97% of parents who took part in research rated the box and its contents as good. Parents highlighted benefits of the box, including saving them money on essential items for newborns and helping with information on child health and development.

baby-box-evaluation-research-findings Download

Baby Box Evaluation: research findings

Baby Box Evaluation – full report

MSP welcomes rollout of Child Disability Payments

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, has welcomed the Scottish Government’s rollout of financial support for families of children with a disability.

The new payment, which provides money to help with the extra costs of caring for a child with a disability or ill-health condition, opens for applications across the country today.

For the first time anywhere in the UK, disability benefit applicants can apply for Child Disability Payment online, as well as by phone, post or face-to-face.

As the Child Disability Payment replaces the UK Government’s Disability Living Allowance for children, this is for new applications. Those already receiving Disability Living Allowance for children do not need to apply.

These approximately 52,000 current cases are being automatically transferred in phases from the Department for Work and Pensions to Social Security Scotland and will be completed by spring 2023.

This is the first of three complex disability benefits to be introduced by the Scottish Government, with Adult Disability Payment to start next year.

Commenting on the rollout Gordon MacDonald, said: “The Child Disability Payment is a significant milestone for Scotland’s new social security system.

“I’m extremely pleased that families across Edinburgh will benefit from a simplified and much less stressful system that allows them to apply for the payment online, by phone, by post or face to face. For too long families have faced an overly complicated process that feels like it’s been designed to keep them out.

“I’m glad that people both here in Edinburgh, and right across Scotland, are benefitting from an SNP Government that is putting dignity, fairness and respect at the heart of its social security system.”

Child Disability Payment opens for applications

Financial support for families of children with a disability now available nationwide

Child Disability Payment opens for new applications across the country from today. For the first time anywhere in the UK, disability benefit applicants can apply online, as well as by phone, post or face-to-face.

This is the first of three complex disability benefits to be introduced nationwide by the Scottish Government. This new payment replaces the UK Government’s Disability Living Allowance for children.

Those already receiving Disability Living Allowance for children do not need to apply. These approximately 52,000 current cases are being automatically transferred in phases from the Department for Work and Pensions to Social Security Scotland. This will be completed by spring 2023.

Child Disability Payment, which will be administered by Social Security Scotland, provides families with support for extra costs that a disabled child might have.

The national roll out to all local authority areas follows successful pilots in Dundee City, Perth & Kinross and the Western Isles.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “I’m really pleased that Child Disability Payment is now available to eligible families all over Scotland.

“This is a significant milestone in the introduction of our new social security system. Families who find themselves in need of support will be able to access this help in a way that suits them best.

“Those who currently receive Disability Living Allowance for children from the DWP will also be transferred to Social Security Scotland. They will be told when this is happening and will find their payments transferred safely and securely within the next 18 months. Payments will be made at the same rate and there will be no break in entitlement.

“In the months and years ahead thousands of families will benefit from our simplified and much less stressful system, which will treat everyone with dignity, fairness and respect.

“Social security is a shared investment in building a fairer Scotland and we encourage those who are eligible for support to apply.”

Barnardo’s resources to help teachers talk to pupils about grief

At the start of Children’s Grief Awareness Week, Barnardo’s is releasing resources for teachers to help children cope with bereavement.

Before Covid-19, official stats showed one in 29 five-16 year olds had been bereaved of a parent or sibling – that’s at least one child in every average class.

With more than 165,000 deaths from Covid-19 in the UK (deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate), Barnardo’s says many more children and young people will be experiencing bereavement.

Black people and men of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage are almost twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as White people, meaning children from these communities are more likely to experience loss.

The free resources about grief are available on the Barnardo’s Education Community (BEC) website (https://www.educators-barnardos.org.uk/).

They include an introductory worksheet which explores what grief is and a volcano-making activity that focuses on how grief impacts us.

They also include some suggestions and advice about how to cope and who children can talk to when going back to school after someone special has died.

Also in the resources are some coping techniques teachers can tell children about to use when times are difficult, exercises to help ground children and regulate their breathing.

The resources will also be posted throughout Children’s Grief Awareness Week (November 18 to 24) on the Barnardo’s Education Community Twitter page (@BarnardosEduCom).

Barnardo’s Interim Co-CEO Michelle Lee-Izu said: “Sadly the raw feelings of grief and loss will be familiar to thousands of children and families across the UK, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Children have suffered a huge amount of loss in the last year. For most this has meant missing out on school and playing with their friends, but for too many children it has meant the loss of parents, grandparents and members of their family or community.

“I hope that teachers who are discussing the issue of grief with their pupils during Children’s Grief Awareness Week will find our tips and resources useful – and that they will be used to assist schools and colleges to support children who are struggling in the future.”

10 expert lessons to teach your children about money

Finance can be a difficult topic to tackle with young children, but teaching them to have a healthy relationship with money from a young age is important to lots of parents around the globe.

With this in mind, financial experts from money.co.uk have compiled a list of their top 10 tips for teaching your children about money.

1. Start with the basics of money and finance

How you introduce money to your children will partly depend on their age. A good place to start is getting children comfortable handling cash and coins. Explain to them how money is used to buy things and that it must be earned before it can be spent.

2. Speak openly about small financial decisions

Start getting your child involved with minor financial decisions, such as which brands and items to buy when shopping. This way your child is able to understand the decisions you make while also feeling in control of certain financial choices.

Older children could also help with budgeting while shopping if you ask them to keep a running total of the items you buy. Not only will this help their maths skills, but it can also help them to understand how small items can still add up in price and not everything is affordable on a budget.

3. Try simple games and toys with younger children

Creating easy monetary games such as counting pennies can help your child understand the value of different denominations of money. Try using a pile of 1p coins and asking your child to match the number of coins to the price of a higher value coin, such as 10p or 50p.

4. Set a good example with your own finances

There’s no two ways about it, children learn money habits from their parents. Showing them small activities such as checking the receipt after your shop or putting money into savings can start developing positive habits from a young age.

Encourage your child to ask questions without repercussion in this setting. While you might not necessarily have all the answers, opening up a dialogue is a healthy way for your child to learn more about finance.

5. Use pocket money as an incentive for small tasks

Using pocket money as an incentive to do chores around the house not only helps you, but it also helps your child learn more about the value of money and what it takes to earn it. Creating a simple plan with a set amount of money for different tasks, along with caps per week or month, is a great way to help your child start understanding where money comes from.

6. Use pocket money to teach children how to save

Alongside teaching children the relationship between work and money, household chores and pocket money is also a great opportunity to show children how to save. If your child has shown interest in a more expensive purchase, you could set them up with an old-fashioned piggy bank where they can ‘deposit’ their earnings or chart for them to fill out so they can track how much money they have.

7. Reward them by learning about interest

Paying small amounts of interest on the money your child has saved is a helpful way to encourage them to keep saving. Older children will be delighted to learn that the interest they earned last week can be used to earn more interest if they save until next week.

8. Use trips to the shop to learn about saving vs. spending

Another practical way to teach a child about the benefits of saving is by visiting shops. Allow them full control of their own money on the understanding that if they don’t have enough they won’t be able to borrow any more. The more they feel in control of their own finances, the more they will be able to make sensible decisions when it comes to spending or saving.

9. Use digital tools with older children

There are a whole range of online tools for teaching older children about online banking and using cards for payments. One of the leading products on the market is GoHenry, which is suitable for those aged six and up, costs £2.99 a month and allows parents to set strict spending limits, monitor what their kids are buying and where they are spending their money.

10. Teach older children about selling old toys for extra money

If you don’t want to give your child pocket money, teaching them about ways to earn money for themselves is a helpful alternative.

When they’re old enough, you could ask your child to go through their old toys, books and clothes and set aside which ones they’d like to sell.

You can then sell these on their behalf through online auction sites such as eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Not only is this a great way for your child to feel independent in earning their own money, it presents an opportunity to also discuss how to use the internet safely.

Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert from money.co.uk, speaks about why teaching children how to handle money from a young age is so beneficial.

“Creating an environment in which you are able to speak more openly with your children about your financial decisions is vital to engaging them from a young age on the value of money. Showing them how to make choices when shopping will set up good habits and understanding of managing money.

“It’s important to make sure your lessons are age-appropriate and that you continue to involve and teach your children about money as they grow. A healthy relationship with finances starts at a young age, and children learn most of their habits from their parents.”

https://www.money.co.uk/share-dealing.htm

Adoption Week Scotland: The Current Face of Adoption

Kayden (10) shows how changes in adoption have benefitted families
Adoption Week Scotland 2021 shines a light on The Current Face of Adoption

When ten-year-old Kayden was adopted, his new parents told him that his family was growing bigger, not smaller.

Kayden had been in the care of foster parents in Midlothian as his birth mother was unable to provide the care he needed. When Lee Robertshaw and Dale Briggs adopted him in 2016, they knew how important it was that his existing relationships were maintained, even though they live in Yorkshire.

So ever since the adoption, Lee and Dale have made sure that Kayden stays in touch with his foster family and his brother, who still lives with his gran in Scotland. The families exchange birthday and Christmas gifts, catch up on Facetime, and regularly spend holidays together – and the benefits to Kayden have been obvious.

“I think the most important thing has been that Kayden knows those people who he knew and loved in Scotland are still a part of his life,” Lee explained. “We tell him ‘your family got bigger, not smaller’, which has been really important to him.”

The family also stays in contact with Kayden’s mother, seeing her once a year with hopes that this might become more regular in the future.

Lee said: “It was important for us that Kayden saw his mum and his dads were not in conflict with each other, giving Kayden permission to secure his attachment to us. This has been very positive for Kayden, and just shows how important life story work is in giving children a window to understanding their past.”

Contact with birth families and previous carers such as this would have been rare, if not impossible just a few decades ago, but has become increasingly common in recent years as adoption services have recognised how important prior relationships are to adopted children. Our recent Adoption Barometer report found that 28% of children who did not have formal contact arrangements in place had contacted their birth family informally, which can lead to devastating impacts on their mental health and family stability.

That’s why the theme of this year’s Adoption Week Scotland is ‘The Current Face of Adoption’, as organisers Adoption UK Scotland and Adoption and Fostering Alliance (AFA) Scotland aim to challenge misconceptions about adoption and celebrate how things have improved for adoptive families.

With a host of events and webinars covering topics such as staying in contact with birth families and siblings, understanding early-years trauma, and current developments in therapeutic parenting, Adoption Week Scotland offers something for anyone involved in adoption, whether they’re adoptive parents, adopted people, or professionals working in family care.

Fiona Aitken, Adoption UK Scotland Director, said: “We want to highlight the current issues and areas of importance for today’s adoptive families. Areas covered this year include the value of therapeutic parenting and engaging with children and families in a trauma-informed way, the importance of adoption support and services such as our TESSA and FASD Hub, and a focus on the importance of maintaining relationships.

“It’s crucial to recognise that adoption comes with the need to consider the life story of children and individuals involved, including the wider family relationships that child may have. Recent legislation ensuring that brothers’ and sisters’ rights of contact are ensured should have a significant impact on the way we support adoptive families to keep their children’s sibling relationships in mind, and there is more to be done to explore the best way to manage contact arrangements with other birth family members. This year’s programme of events will include conversations on these important topics and more.”

Robin Duncan, AFA Scotland Director, said: “Adoption week is a great opportunity to highlight the way adoption now works and to challenge some of the misconceptions that hark back to practice from previous eras where adoption was often seen as demanding a clean break with the child’s past.

“There will be opportunities to hear about good examples of practice where children can maintain relationships with people who remain important to them. The week will also highlight the potential of therapeutic parenting and the need for trauma-informed practice as part of an approach that insists that support needs to be available to adoptive families to manage the predictable challenges they will face.”

Clare Haughey, Minister for Children and Young People, said: “Adoption Week Scotland is our chance to say ‘thank you’ to all those involved and to celebrate the difference adoption is making to thousands of young people across Scotland.

“The themes that are being looked at over the week are all very relevant and important and we are working hard in partnership with the care sector and care experienced young people to make further improvements in these areas in line with our commitment to The Promise.”

Adoption Week Scotland 2021 runs from 15-19 November. To find out what’s on, visit the full programme of events at:

https://adoption.scot/adoption-week-2021

CASE STUDY – LEE ROBERTSHAW

Lee is 38, partner Dale Briggs is 37, their son Kayden is ten. They live in Yorkshire; Kayden was adopted from Midlothian in 2016:

In 2015, Dale and I were looking to start a family and decided adoption was the right way to go. We were matched with Kayden in 2016. He had been staying with a foster family in Midlothian; his mum was unable provide the care a child needs.

During the adoption process, we were introduced to Kayden’s foster family and developed a close relationship with them over the course of several meetings. We always saw a benefit in supporting Kayden’s existing relationships and nurturing positive ties with his past. So we’ve stayed in touch with them ever since, and now Kayden sees them in a grandparents’ role.

Since we adopted Kayden, we’ve been to visit his foster family regularly, as well as exchanging birthday and Christmas gifts and catching up on Facetime. We also visit Kayden’s brother, who still lives in Scotland with his gran, and whenever we can we book a week away in a cottage or caravan so everyone can get together to enjoy one another’s company.

Keeping in touch with his old life has been a massive benefit to Kayden. I think the most important thing has been that Kayden knows those people who he knew and loved in Scotland are still a part of his life. We tell him ‘your family got bigger, not smaller’, which has been really important to him.

Dale and I spent a lot of time on Kayden’s life story and he’s now starting to understand more about his early life – how nothing that happened was his fault, and how his dads are now his forever family. Of course, things haven’t always been easy. There was a time when Kayden went through a phase when he thought he’d been taken from his mum, but that became a way to open a new conversation and correct the narrative.

We’ve had amazing support from social workers since the day we began the adoption process. Kayden’s social worker in Midlothian did an amazing job preparing him for adoption.

He knew where he’d been and where he was going, all because of the life story work that had been done. And when we needed therapeutic support as we grew together as a family, we were able to reach out to our social worker for help.

It was also really encouraging that they dispelled the ‘old narrative’ of adoption – that Kayden would not be deprived of his past or feel like he had some huge secret that he would have to keep hidden.

We do keep contact with Kayden’s birth mum. We see her once a year, and hope this might become more regular in the future.

It was important for us that Kayden saw his mum and his dads were not in conflict with each other, giving Kayden permission to secure his attachment to us. This has been very positive for Kayden, and just shows how important life story work is in giving children a window to understanding their past.

Even harder winter predicted as new Aberlour survey reveals longer-term impact of poverty on their children

Survey reveals that 71% of parents in Scotland are worried about their family finances
Seven in ten parents are also concerned about their children’s future chances
60% of parents are concerned about their children’s mental health and over half (55%) about their children keeping up with their education
Younger and single parents are the most concerned

Scottish children’s charity Aberlour has warned that a decade of rising and stagnated poverty levels in Scotland combined with the impact of the pandemic, the increasing cost of living and the end of the Universal Credit uplift, will have long-term implications for children and families living in Scotland’s most deprived areas.

In response, Aberlour today launched its ‘Poverty to Hope Fundraising Appeal’ to support children and families through what is going to be a dark and hard winter – second time around. The charity knows that poverty, like COVID19 has long-term effects and is committed to supporting families throughout. As restrictions lift and life begins to resume as normal for many, the reality is not the same for the increasing numbers of families trapped in poverty.

The Aberlour survey found that seven in ten parents are concerned about their children’s future chances, with more than half (55%) anxious about their children staying up to date at school. Meanwhile 60% of parents are worried about their children’s mental health. In addition to the Aberlour survey, Scottish Government statistics also shared the news that one in four children in Scotland are estimated to be living in poverty.

Aberlour family support workers, featured in the new fundraising appeal, relay their everyday experiences of working with children and families swept up in the tide of poverty and struggling to keep their heads above water.

They report an increasing number of children missing out on life experiences, inadequate clothing, not sure where the next meal is coming from, afraid to put the heating on and fears around the long-term effects on children’s mental health and education.

Wendy, Aberlour Family Support Worker says: “Children affected by poverty are losing out on life experiences. They are not getting the same opportunities as other children.

“Families are finding it hard to provide for their children and their basic needs are not being met. Children are going to bed without adequate bedding and with empty tummies. It’s heart-breaking.”

Lisamarie, Aberlour Family Support Worker says: “For families caught in poverty there’s increased chances of poor mental health, domestic abuse, isolation and not making ends meet.

“Most of all, I worry about the children’s mental health and their future prospects.”

This is set against a backdrop of really challenging circumstances for the poorest families. The combination of the end of furlough, reduction in the £20 uplift in Universal Credit, spiralling utility prices and cost of living and likelihood of interest rate rises is conspiring to make it an even longer, harder winter.

Professor Morag Treanor from the Institute of Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) at Heriot-Watt University says: “This survey confirms what I and my colleagues are also finding.

“More and more Scottish families are being dragged under by the rising tide of poverty and are simply unable to keep their heads above water. The stress this puts on parents can be unbearable and results in multiple adverse effects on them and their children.”

Aberlour’s work to challenge this situation for families, working alongside them long term, offering support to the whole family as well as cash for the basics via their Urgent Assistance Fund is very powerful and I am pleased to support this important campaign.”

The situation is reflected in rising demand for Aberlour’s Urgent Assistance Fund which since March 2020 has given over £1.5m in cash handouts and short-term relief to 5,090 families and 10,927 children in poverty. The charity continues to be inundated with applications to its Urgent Assistance Fund this winter and funds are dwindling dangerously.

SallyAnn Kelly, Aberlour Chief Executive says: “Over the past decade the number of children living in poverty has continued to rise and we have seen a corresponding rise in stress amongst struggling families.

“Then the pandemic hit and brought health, social and economic challenges – it’s been a perfect storm. Families, who were already struggling, are at breaking point, and as we’ve seen from the research parents are most concerned about their family finances and the mental health and future chances of their children.

“Aberlour is committed to supporting families in the long term. We stand by children and families for as long as they need us and that can often be for many years. We strive to provide a beacon of hope for their future.

“We’ve launched our Poverty to Hope Appeal, to raise awareness of the desperate situation thousands of children and families are facing right now. We are asking the public to donate what they can this Christmas so that we can continue to offer long term support and hope to more children and their families.”

Case study – Rory’s story

Rory* had a bad start to life: his parents had separated, and Rory lived alone with his dad. After the separation, Dad was struggling to cope, and his house was not the ideal environment for a child to grow up in. Children are so perceptive, and Rory was seeing and witnessing things no child should.

Over the years, Aberlour did everything to make Rory’s home life better, but eventually something had to give. His older sister Lucy became Rory’s legal guardian, giving him the chance to grow up in a more stable, loving home. But one thing stood in the way: money. Lucy simply could not afford to buy an extra bed for Rory to sleep in, nor did she know how she would cope financially long term, having to raise two kids of her own. She was already trapped in poverty but was desperate to help Rory. Before Rory moved in with Lucy, he was falling behind in school. He’d lost all confidence and even begun to believe he was a failure.

After Rory moved in with Lucy, his grades improved dramatically. All it took was a safe and loving relationship, some quiet encouragement, and a laptop for Rory to do his schoolwork on, which Aberlour provided. After a while, Rory started coming along to the Youth Club, and thanks to his growing confidence, he shared with us that he had a dream of his own: that one day he would like to become a professional cyclist, like his hero Sir Chris Hoy.

Aberlour sourced bikes which were just in need of some love (and repairs). Rory learnt how to fix a bike himself and he’s now the proud owner of one. He’s also thinking about joining a cycling club.

Anne, a family support worker for Aberlour said, ‘’I can hardly believe the change I’ve seen in Rory over the past few years: from a quiet, sad toddler, to a confident, warm young man, who’s daring to dream despite the challenges life throws at him.’’

Too many of Scotland’s young people, who, like Rory, didn’t get the start in life they needed, are growing up with no hope.

To donate, please visit: www.aberlour.org.uk/povertytohope