Tag: Poverty

Tacking Poverty and Building A Fairer Country

Speech by the Social Justice Secretary, Shona Robison, opening yesterday’s Tackling Poverty and Building A Fairer Country debate

Presiding Officer, I am pleased to open this debate on the urgent need for us to tackle poverty and build a fairer, more equal country.

We must seize the opportunity, build upon our strong efforts to date, and use every lever at our disposal to bring about the change needed to tackle this problem.

We already invest around £2 billion each year in support for people on low incomes, including over £672 million targeted at children. We have a strong focus on those at greatest disadvantage, including disabled people. And we are supporting innovative action with our £50 million Tackling Child Poverty Fund.

But we must do more. That is why we have committed a wide range of ambitious action to be delivered in the first 100 days of this Parliament – maintaining the tremendous pace taken of change throughout the COVID pandemic.

This is a priority across all Ministerial portfolios. No one action will bring about the change needed, it needs all parts of government and broader society to work together and to impact the drivers of poverty reduction – increasing household incomes from work, reducing costs on essentials and maximising incomes from social security.

The eradication of poverty and building a fairer more equal country must be a national mission for government, for our parliament and for our society. We must try, where possible, to unite on this issue and work together to create a fairer Scotland.

Backed by over £1 billion of additional funding, our response to the pandemic shows that we can make change happen at the pace and scale required to support people and improve their lives. And we wand to build on this can do approach.

We delivered free school meal support during all school holidays and periods of remote learning for children from low income families – helping to tackle food insecurity during the pandemic. We will continue this whilst expanding Free School Meal support to all primary pupils, which will start within the first 100 days of this Parliament.

Also, in our first 100 days we will complete the roll-out of 1,140 hours of funded Early Learning and Childcare and have set out the next stage of our ambition to expand childcare further and develop a wraparound childcare system, providing care before and after school, all year round. This will make an important contribution to children’s development and will unlock the potential of parents in the labour market.

We will also deliver our £20 million summer programme for pupils, helping children socialise, play and reconnect – an essential investment to support the wellbeing of all children and young people [backed by £7.5 million from our Tackling Child Poverty Fund].

Through two Pandemic Support Payments of £100 to low income families with children we put money directly into the pockets of those who needed it most.

Building upon this approach, we will effectively pay the Scottish Child Payment through introducing bridging payments of £520 for families not yet eligible for the Payment, with £100 to be paid to families this summer. We will also provide £130 to every household who received Council Tax Reduction in April, reaching around 500,000 households.

I am pleased I can also make two announcements.

First, building on the practical support we offered during the pandemic, we will be providing the British Red Cross with a further £250,000 to continue their cash-first crisis support to those most at risk of destitution. This includes help to those impacted by the UK Government’s hostile policies that exclude them from most mainstream supports including the Scottish Welfare Fund.

And secondly, in recognition of the importance of listening to families affected by poverty, we will trial Family Wellbeing Budgets to put families firmly in control of the support they need. This new support will be delivered in partnership with the Hunter Foundation and will help to improve people’s wellbeing and capabilities.

Presiding offer, where we have the powers we are making a difference to people’s lives.

Nowhere is this more evident than in our approach to housing. Scotland has led the way in the across the UK with almost 100,000 affordable homes delivered since 2007, over 68,000 of which were for social rent. This is making a significant difference to people right across the country, and particularly for families with children.

We want to deliver a further 100,000 affordable homes by 2032. It is our aim that at least 70% of those homes will be for social rent, helping to tackle child poverty and homelessness.

But to tackle poverty effectively we must deliver a fair work future for Scotland, and we are working hard to do just that just now – but we are constrained by the powers available to us.

We cannot accept a future where two thirds of children living in poverty come from working households and where people are forced to rely on benefits to top-up their earnings.

We have to transform workplaces to tackle poverty and long-standing labour market inequalities, such as the disability employment gap and the barriers to employment faced by people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

With full powers over employment we could, as a minimum, ensure that all employees in Scotland receive the Real Living Wage, ensuring that their wages represent the true cost of living.

We could outlaw unfair fire and hire tactics, prohibiting employers from dismissing employees and subsequently re-employing them on diminished terms and conditions, and we could ban inappropriate and exploitative use of zero hour contracts, giving people the certainty about their working hours – ensuring they can plan their lives and incomes.

That’s why I have asked all party leaders to support our request to the UK Government for the full devolution employment powers to this parliament. So we can tackle poverty with the powers we need to make the change.

Social security is also an important tool to tackle poverty, and again those powers don’t lie in our hands. 85% of spending remains at Westminster alongside income replacement benefits such as Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.

If we didn’t already need it, the pandemic further evidenced that the UK welfare system is not fit for purpose and risks undermining hard won progress. This is the system people in Scotland have to rely on and we shouldn’t have to mitigate against polices we disagree with like the £80 million we spent last year on Discretionary Housing Payments to mitigate the bedroom tax in full and support people with housing – we could be investing in other anti-poverty measures. If we had the powers here we would be able to do that. 

The removal of the £20 uplift to Universal Credit is a callous act which will push 60,000 families across Scotland, including 20,000 children, into poverty and will result in families unable to work receiving, on average, £1,600 less per year than they would have done a decade ago – a decade ago – in 2011.

That’s a massive threat to the progress we could make here. We could be delivering the doubling of the Scottish child payment with one hand, only to see it removed by Westminster welfare policies  with the other. Surely there is no-one across this chamber that can think that isin any way a good idea or a fair system?

We need to make significant investment into the pockets of those who need it most need. The Scottish child payment does that. That’s why it’s so important.

We have urged the UK Government to make the changes needed and to deliver a social security system which is fit purpose – scrapping harmful policies such as the two child cap, the rape clause, the benefit cap and 5 week wait under Universal Credit. Unfortunately, our calls, alongside many charities, organisations, and even the UN Poverty Rapporteur have been ignored. It’s time for full powers to come here so we can make the difference.

We have already shown we can make a difference – a public service based on human rights with respect and dignity at its heart and viewed as an investment in the people of Scotland.  Principles we enshrined in law.

Through our powers, we are tackling child poverty head on, with the Scottish Child Payment, which currently pays £40 every four weeks for every eligible child under 6. We are committed to doubling this to £80, making even greater impact.

Alongside our Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods we are providing over £5,300 of direct financial support for families by the time their first child turns six and further for subsequent children as we don’t put a cap on children. These payments are making a real difference to low income families, helping them to access the essentials they need.

That support is unmatched anywhere else in the UK.

Presiding officer, our next steps will build on the strong foundation we have set, and will be taken forward at pace these changes. No one who sits in this parliament, whatever their political beliefs, can underestimate the scale of the challenge that we face.

I want to take that forward and I’m pleased to work with anyone across this chamber who wants to join me in doing that.

George Heriot’s pupils raise £2,616 by taking part in Invisible Cities’ ‘In Our Shoes’ Challenge

As part of their Poverty Week focus, students kept their shoes on for 48 hours straight to raise awareness around homelessness 

George Heriot’s School took part in Invisible Cities’ ‘In Our Shoes’ Challenge: an innovative new challenge introduced by the social enterprise, where pupils are asked to keep their shoes on for 48 hours straight (without removing them at all).   

The mission behind the challenge is to help school children to understand more about and discuss some of the issues faced by rough sleepers while on the streets such as podiatry issues, lack of access to adequate shoes, etc.  

Zakia  Moulaoui  Guery, CEO and Founder of Invisible Cities said: “We are delighted to say, that through completing this challenge, George Heriots School raised an amazing £2616 which we split with our fellow social enterprise and friends at the Grassmarket Community Project.”  

Based right next to the school, Grassmarket Community Project have been a long-standing partner of Invisible Cities and have supported with recruiting new guides and working on collaborative projects together.  

Katherine Duncan, Principal Teacher of Curricular Enhancement, explained: “Our Junior School pupils took part in Poverty Awareness Week at the end of March as part of our annual Financial Education focus. 

“It created an opportunity for them to learn more about the causes of poverty (both locally and globally) and how poverty impacts on the rights of everyone affected.   

“Putting themselves “in the shoes” of rough sleepers not only allowed our pupils to empathise with rough sleepers, but also helped them to make a difference by raising £2616 for Invisible Cities and the Grassmarket Community Project.”

Invisible Cities is a social enterprise that trains people who have previously experienced   homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city in Edinburgh, Glasgow , York and Manchester. 

Zakia  Moulaoui  Guery, CEO and Founder of Invisible Cities, said: ” This challenge was designed to give a different perspective on homelessness and focus on a very practical issue that people can face. 

“We are so thankful to the school, teachers and pupils alike for taking part and supporting us with such a generous donation.”   

Jonny Kinross, CEO for Grassmarket Community Project, said: “We are delighted to be one of the beneficiaries of George Heriots School’s incredible fundraising effort as part of their poverty awareness week.

“With this donation we will be able to provide practical support, training, access to free IT classes, free IT equipment, free food 5 days a week and one to one support including counselling and therapies to many of the City’s homeless and vulnerable.   

“As the lockdown relaxes and we are able to provide one-to-one face to face support this donation will enable us to re-connect to people who are exceptionally vulnerable and isolated – to help them sustain their tenancies, ensure they receive the benefits and support to which they are entitled as well as get the emotional and mental health support they need.

“What an exceptional fundraising initiative and our huge thanks go out to the pupils and their families who got behind and will help us to ensure that no one is left behind in the city’s recovery.”   

For more information on Invisible Cities visit https://invisible-cities.org/     

Great feedback: Praise for Leith police Beat Hunger campaign

The ‘Beat Hunger’ Campaign is aimed at tackling food inequality and poverty in the North East of Edinburgh and has continued its drive to improve community wellbeing.

Over the last month, the North East Community Policing Team have distributed 112 ‘Beat Boxes’ to 28 identified vulnerable families and young adults referred to us by partners including Community Renewal Edinburgh, Dr Bell’s Family Centre, Castleview Primary School and Children 1st.

We’ve completed 23 recipient evaluation questionnaires and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Here’s a sample of the feedback sent to us:

‘Great way of police being involved in community projects’ – Taylor.

‘This really got me back into cooking after losing the enjoyment for a while. My kids loved it and the recipes took me out my comfort zone’ – Rebecca.

‘It has been good for breaking the barrier between police and a young guy like me in a good way’ – James.

‘You made my family and I so happy, I don’t know how to thank you’ – Nora.

‘Thank you so much for the Beat the Hunger boxes for our families. The feedback has been amazing, all of these initiatives really do make a difference’ – Castleview Primary School.

Local community Sergeant Elaine McArthur-Kerr of Leith Police Station said: “This initiative is directly aligned to our purpose to improve the wellbeing of our people, places and communities and acknowledges the increasing shift within Police Scotland to adopt a public health, whole system approach to tackling many of the complex issues faced by a significant proportion of the people our officers & staff come into contact with.

“This fantastic and innovative opportunity to encourage positive lifestyle choices has generated considerable public support and has been recognised by Local Policing East ACC Tim Mairs.

“Plans to develop the initiative alongside local priorities are ongoing and we hope to circulate the community cook book to all in the city in the near future.”

‘Dropped into a Cave’: Save the Children report on life for low-income families during lockdown

Save The Children Scotland has launched “Dropped into a Cave”, a report telling the stories of how families with young children living on low income or experiencing low income for the first time fared in the last year:

‘We listened to parents across Scotland who had received one of the over 1500 Emergency Early Years Grants we issued since April 2020. We heard how the pandemic was a tipping point for many.

‘Now is the time for the newly elected members of the @ScotParl to ensure families on low incomes are prioritised, listened to and involved in decision making as we recover from the pandemic

‘We need commitments now to:

  • ensure holistic family support for all families, incl. financial, practical & emotional support
  • protect family incomes while working towards a minimum income standard
  • opportunities for children to play & build relationships.
dropped-into-a-cave-compressedDownload

Child poverty rising in every Scottish local authority, latest figures reveal

Child poverty has risen in every Scottish local authority since 2015, according to new research published today by the End Child Poverty coalition. The new data shows the scale of the challenge faced by UK, Scottish and local government if commitments to end child poverty in Scotland are to be met.

The research by Loughborough University, on behalf of the End Child Poverty coalition, shows that, even before the pandemic*, levels of child poverty in Scotland ranged from nearly one in six children in the Shetland Islands and East Renfrewshire to nearly one in three in Glasgow – once housing costs are taken into account.

Across the UK the North East of England has seen the most dramatic rise in child poverty in the past five years with child poverty rising by over a third – from 26% of all children to 37% – over five years.

Scotland has lower levels of child poverty (24%) than England (30%) or Wales (31%). However, campaigners in Scotland say that there can be no room for complacency if statutory child poverty targets agreed by all the Holyrood parties are to be met.

The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act, passed unanimously by the last parliament, requires the new Scottish government to ensure fewer than 18% of children are living in poverty by 2023/24, on course to less than 10% by 2030. Councils and local health boards are also required to publish annual Local Child Poverty Action Reports setting out action being taken at local level to tackle child poverty. The End Child Poverty campaigners are urging that local powers, including over economic development, housing and welfare, are all used to maximise family incomes and reduce the costs parents face.

Responding to the latest figures Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “In Scotland, we share a responsibility to care for all of our children. These statistics show the need for bold, far-reaching action to loosen the grip of poverty on people’s lives, and ensure each of us has what we need to live a decent and dignified life. 

“Stemming this rising tide of hardship must be a priority for the new Scottish Government, and there are actions that can be taken right now to do just that – starting with doubling the Scottish Child Payment and accelerating its rollout for children over the age of 6. This would mean families who are struggling to stay afloat will receive the support they need to avoid being swept into poverty.”

Speaking on behalf of members of End Child Poverty John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, added: “Solid foundations have been laid in Scotland for future progress on child poverty, not least the introduction of the Scottish child payment and an increasing focus on action at local level.

“But this new data is a stark reminder that child poverty was still rising in every part of Scotland, even before the pandemic struck. The challenge now is for government at all levels to use every power they have to boost family incomes and reduce the costs that struggling parents face.

“The new Scottish parliament must act on election promises and make tackling child poverty its top priority. The cross party commitment to at least doubling the Scottish child payment needs to be implemented as a matter of utmost urgency in order to help meet the 2023/24 targets.

“But child poverty also needs to be a priority at local level. Local powers, including over economic development, housing and welfare, must be used to maximum effect to ensure all families have a disposable income fit for giving children a decent start in life.”

The End Child Poverty coalition is also calling on the UK government to recognise the scale of the problem and its impact on children’s lives.

They say a credible UK government plan is needed to end child poverty across the UK, including a commitment to increase UK child benefits. Given the extent to which families are already struggling, the £20 per week cut to Universal Credit planned in October should also be revoked they say, with the support also extended to those still receiving financial assistance from the old benefit system, referred to as ‘legacy benefits’, before they are switched to Universal Credit.

“The figures speak for themselves – the situation for children couldn’t be starker. We all want to live in a society where children are supported to be the best they can be, but the reality is very different for too many.

“The UK Government can be in no doubt about the challenge it faces if it is serious about ‘levelling up’ parts of the country hardest hit by poverty. After the year we’ve all had, they owe it to our children to come up with a plan to tackle child poverty that includes a boost to children’s benefits. And they need to scrap plans to cut Universal Credit given parents and children are having a tough enough time as it is.”

Find out more on End Child Poverty’s website

League tables don’t reflect our schools’ amazing work

A school feels ‘under attack’ when put at the bottom of a narrow-focused league table, says Craigroyston headteacher Shelley McLaren

Each year the release of newspaper school league tables for Scotland is a day I dread, and the publication of the 2021 results yesterday was no different. The language of the headlines – “Which school is the best in Scotland?” and “Scotland’s schools ranked best to worst” – is both incredibly damaging and demoralising for staff, pupils, parents and school communities across the country, not to mention the reputational harm it can cause for years to come (writes SHELLEY McLAREN).

The stories will continue today in the local news, where it feels like we need to put on our armour and prepare for attack. No matter how much we’ve done in all other parts of school life throughout the year, the focus to determine our worth and whether we are a “good” school seems to rest singlehandedly on the one measure of how many young people achieve five Highers in one sitting.

As a school, we pick up the pieces from this for months to come – only for it to come around again next year. It is not, of course, that we do not focus on trying to improve by the measure of five Highers, but, because of context and, indeed, probably our own vision and values, we will always be near the “bottom”.

Our main aims are educating our young people out of poverty and instilling in them the belief that no matter where you come from or the challenges you have faced in your life, you can still achieve your dreams and be the best you can be. University, a modern apprenticeship or a job are all given equal weighting; the most important thing is that the young person has achieved the best they can – and, believe me, every day we support, challenge, motivate, nurture and push high expectations to ensure this happens.

League tables aren’t fair on schools

I congratulate those top-performing schools where up to 86 per cent of young people have achieved the “gold standard” of five Highers. It is an incredible achievement and should be celebrated – but everything is about context, and schools should and need to be measured on so much more.

I am not shirking accountability or responsibility as a headteacher – the measure of five Highers is important – but if closing the attainment gap simply meant improving this one measure, and that determined whether we were a “good” or “bad” school, we would have used our Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) and Scottish Attainment Challenge funding very differently – and probably not made that many gains.

I could concentrate on the fact that 70 per cent of our young people live in SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) 1 and 2 or that 20 per cent of each cohort arrive at us with a reading age of 8 or below, or that nearly 40 per cent of our students are on free school meals. This would make it easy to excuse why we are one of the “worst” schools in the league table – but I won’t, because that is not what we base our views of children on.

What I will focus on is that, in 2020, nearly 95 per cent of our young people left school to go into a positive destination – above the national average of 93.3 per cent – and that last session 100 per cent of our young people in S4 achieved five or more national qualifications (nobody was “left behind”, regardless of any barrier) and that this year 23 of our young people (almost a third of the cohort) are heading off to universities across the country – the same group of young people who didn’t achieve five Highers in one sitting.

I implore you, please don’t judge our incredible young people or our amazing school, filled with dedicated, passionate staff, on this one measure of five Highers – know that we are doing everything possible to ensure that our students are given a gold-star service to prepare them to have the best life possible after school, with or without the achievement of the “gold standard”.

Are we one of the “worst” schools in the country? Of course we’re not – and I would vehemently challenge anyone who considers this to be the case.

Shelley McLaren is headteacher at Craigroyston Community High School

This article first appeared in TES

Morrisons launches Little Library Book Exchange with 50,000 books to help disadvantaged children

– Morrisons will be donating 50,000 books to help families in need –

– Customers can also bring unwanted books to Morrisons Little Libraries where children and families can pick up a book for free –

Morrisons has launched a book donation and exchange station for children – the Morrisons Little Library – in its stores across the UK which aims to promote reading and literacy in children, particularly those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Morrisons Little Library was inspired by Canterbury-based children’s author, Rebecca Smith, who approached Morrisons asking for help to tackle the issues surrounding children’s literacy and the lack of availability of books at home.

Morrisons Little Library exchanges will be set up in stores across the UK from this week. Customers can bring along unwanted books to donate and all children, teenagers and parents can pick up a book for free. Books will also be donated through the initiative to local schools and community groups, via Morrisons Community Champions.

David Potts, Morrisons CEO, said: “The past year has been extremely difficult for everyone and we want to help as much as we can. We know that our younger customers love reading but some may not have access to books of their own. That’s why we’re launching the Morrisons Little Library – so every child has the chance to enjoy reading and brighten their future.”

Rebecca Smith said: “To think that there are children who have never enjoyed a bedtime story is heart-breaking.  Stories change lives. Every child and every parent should have access to that experience. The Morrisons Little Library provides that potentially life-changing access.”

Research from The Open University, which has been involved in shaping the initiative, shows that reading books helps children to start conversations, spark imagination and support emotional wellbeing.

The National Literacy Trust recently reported that children who own books are six times more likely to read above the level expected for their age but that one in 11 disadvantaged children don’t own a single book.

Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education Literacy at The Open University, added, “It’s been great working with Morrisons to help make the Little Library idea a reality. Reading benefits children and young people in so many ways and is especially vital after such a difficult and disruptive year, as it creates a safe space to escape and learn.”

To continue to support children’s literacy, Morrisons has created a new book – Cedric The Seed – and will be publishing 50,000 copies. The book will be distributed nationwide by Morrisons Community Champions to local community groups and schools to ensure they are reaching those who need them most. 

Cedric the Seed has been written for Morrisons by Danielle Corrigan from Saddleworth, who began writing children’s books last year whilst she was homeschooling her own children. Danielle began writing positive stories for children to read last year to help them cope with the mental health effects of lockdown.

Inspired by the pandemic and how lives were changed in an instant, the book follows Cedric, a small sunflower seed as he is separated from his family and friends. His journey is full of unexpected adventure, friendship and fun as when Cedric begins to grow, he realises his friends and family were there all along. 

The initiative is the latest from Morrisons which aims to make good things happen and bring hope to the nation. Last month, Morrisons gave away over 2.5 million packets of sunflower seeds to customers to grow at home and half a million postcards for people to send messages to their loved ones who they haven’t been able to see due to lockdown. 

Morrisons Community Champions have also launched the “Little Sunshine” awards which aim to recognise those who have gone above and beyond to help their community during the pandemic.

Everyone Aboard: Scotland’s political leaders urged to commit to expansion of free bus travel

Over 100 organisations from across Scotland have today written to the leaders of Scotland’s political parties, urging them to commit to a radical extension of free bus travel, in a move that they say would have a transformative impact on the lives of people across Scotland’s communities. 

The call has been made as part of the Poverty Alliance’s Everyone Aboard campaign, which asks for their support in extending fre bus travel to under 25s and people on Universal Credit and other low-income benefits. 

The coalition of organisations – coordinated by the Poverty Alliance and including Friends of the Earth Scotland, the Scottish Youth Parliament and Barnardo’s Scotland – are making the call at a time of growing poverty in Scotland, with recent Scottish Government statistics showing over 1 million people in Scotland are now living in the grip of poverty. 

Bus travel will, the letter states, be critical in stemming the rising tide of pandemic-related youth unemployment, with bus travel particularly important for young people and people on low incomes to help them access the labour market. Without this action, the organisations have warned, they “risk being left behind in our economic and social recovery.” 

Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “We are calling on the leaders of Scotland’s political parties to take the bold, far-reaching action to help loosen the grip of poverty on people’s lives. Removing the barrier to transport would be a significant step towards building a Scotland where everyone is included, no matter their income.   

“This move would also help advance gender equality, as women disproportionately rely on public transport to access jobs, healthcare and activities to boost their wellbeing.

“Lone parents, who are predominantly women, would particularly benefit. Expanding the use of public transport will play an important role in reducing Scotland’s emissions and responding to the climate emergency.

“Extending free bus travel is a key way the next Scottish Government can help make Scotland a greener and more just place for us all to live.” 

Mollie McGoran MSYP, Trustee of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said: “Young people and people on low incomes have been some of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and so must be put at the heart of the recovery.

“That’s why we support the aims of the Poverty Alliance’s Everyone Aboard campaign to provide free bus travel for young people and people on low incomes in Scotland. 

“We believe that Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government should provide funding to support initiatives which make it easier, cheaper, and safer for young people to use active and sustainable travel options.

“Our 2018 national campaign All Aboard found young people feel bus fares are too high. The cost of public transport creates barriers to participation which are denying young people and those on low incomes access to opportunities, and this proposal would be a great step in the right direction.”  

Gavin Thomson, Air Pollution Campaigner, Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Transport is the biggest emitting sector in Scotland. To meet our climate change targets, bold action must be taken to promote cleaner forms of travel, like public transport, and lead a just transition away from fossil fuel private car use.  

“Extending free bus travel to all young people under 25 and those on Universal Credit will form an important part of the solution and help ensure no one is left behind as we transform our transport system.

“The upcoming Scottish Parliament election provides political parties an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to tackling climate change. We must seize it.” 

The full letter can be read here: Everyone Aboard letter to Scotland’s party leaders

Invest in Scottish maternity to tackle deprivation, says RCM in message to next government

Tackling Scotland’s social deprivation and inequalities by investing in maternity services and staff must be at the heart of the next government’s policy. That’s the message from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in a Blueprint for maternity services published this week.

In five areas for action, it also calls for an end to Scotland’s midwife shortage, saying some areas of the country struggle to attract enough midwives. 

The pandemic has also exposed starkly existing inequalities hitting vulnerable women and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.  Maternity and other areas of healthcare have a key role to play in efforts to address these inequalities, says the RCM 

The RCM’s five areas for action for the next Scottish Government are: 

  • tackling social deprivation; 
  • delivering the best maternity care for all the people of Scotland; 
  • supporting NHS staff to recover from the pandemic; 
  • ensuring Scotland has birthplaces that are fit for the future; and 
  • ending Scotland’s midwife shortage for good. 

Pulling no punches, the Blueprint says the pandemic ‘has been brutal’ on maternity and other NHS staff, who have worked throughout to ensure safe and high-quality care for women. This has hit their mental and physical health and they must be given the time and support to recover from it. 

Jon Skewes, Executive Director for External Relations at the RCM, said: “There has been a monumental effort from midwives, maternity support workers, and maternity care assistants through the pandemic. It is time to step-up and really invest in them, in their pay and in their working conditions.

“Right now, we have a demoralised and exhausted workforce and women falling through the cracks and not getting the care they deserve. Staff are also often working in old, poorly designed buildings that are simply not fit for purpose. The pandemic has exposed the extent and the impact on care of this crumbling infrastructure.” 

Additional training places for student midwives are also needed in more of Scotland’s universities. When they qualify new midwives generally stay within the regions they trained in leaving the chances of recruiting staff stacked against other areas without midwifery courses.  

Jon Skewes added: “Tackling deprivation goes way beyond maternity and the wider NHS. Fixing it must be done through multiple channels including social care, education, and others.

“Maternity is a very good place to start improving the health of the nation, reduce inequalities and indeed, save lives that should not be lost. This has been a really tough year for the NHS and the people using it as it creaked under the weight of pandemic demands.

“It has also been a remarkable year because of how its staff and the service responded. Now is the time to invest to make it fit for the future.” 

Inexorable rise in food bank use

1.9 million meals distributed – and latest statistics DO NOT include pandemic period

Between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020, the Trussell Trust’s food bank network distributed 1.9 million three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, a 18% increase on the previous year. More than seven hundred thousand of these went to children.

Across Scotland, more than 237,000 were distributed – 80,000 of which were for children.

Food bank use has increased by 74% over the last five years, the charity reports. The top three reasons for referral to a food bank in the Trussell Trust network in 2019-20 were low income, benefit delays and benefit changes.

Releasing the charity’s latest annual statistics, Trussell Trust’s CEO Emma Revie said: “This year has been an extraordinarily difficult one, with many more people across the country facing destitution as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Food banks carry on, working as tirelessly as ever, to support people in crisis through the unprecedented challenge the pandemic continues to pose.

“The statistics in our 2019/2020 report show the situation in food banks up until the end of March, before the true economic impact of the pandemic had hit. Despite this, we see a rise in the number of people being forced to use a food bank yet again.

“This constant rise in food bank use, year after year, cannot continue. More and more people are struggling to eat because they simply cannot afford food – and when we look to the year ahead, it’s likely even more people will be forced into destitution. This is not right.”

“We know this situation can be turned around – that’s why we’re campaigning to create a future where no one needs a food bank. Our benefits system is supposed to protect us all from being swept into poverty and while additional government measures have helped some people stay afloat this year, clearly more needs to be done.

“That’s why we united with partners from across the charity sector in urging the UK government to make sure everyone can afford the essentials through the economic downturn.

“And we want to see governments at all levels doing everything in their power to protect people from financial hardship.

“We have outlined what needs to be done – it’s in our power to protect one another, we’ve seen it during this health crisis, and we need it to continue during this economic one.”