Anti-poverty organisations react to FM's child poverty focus
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 15th May 2024.
Eradicating child poverty has been placed at the top of the agenda, as John Swinney became First Minister last week. In his statement to the Scottish Parliament, he said: "Yesterday, I was asked what would be the single most important policy objective for my Government. I made clear it would be the eradication of child poverty."
SCDC is among many organisations who have called for more to be done to reduce child poverty, with recent statistics showing that, on average over three years, 24% of all children in Scotland - 240,000 - were living in relative poverty after housing costs.
The Scottish Government has set its own target of a 10% child poverty rate by 2030, and an interim target of 18% when this year's figures are published in March 2025.
Reacting to the news The Poverty Alliance welcomed the focus on eradicating child poverty and said that: "The new First Minister and his government must place renewed focus on the actions needed to meet Scotland’s legal targets on child poverty."
Child Poverty Action Group said that it was "hugely encouraging" that child poverty will the government’s top priority, and that the "first step must be an immediate above-inflation increase to the Scottish child payment, and commitment to ensuring it reaches the £40 per week needed by the end of the parliament."
Children in Scotland echoed that call and said that "with the introduction of new UNCRC legislation coming into effect this summer, we have a unique opportunity to improve outcomes for children and young people in Scotland".
What you need to know this week.
The SCDC Weekly gives you everything you need to know around community development and beyond.
It’s free, concise and delivered directly to your inbox every Wednesday.