Our website uses Cookies - by using this site or closing this message you're agreeing to our Terms & Conditions, Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy
xScottish Government publishes child poverty progress report
Date: 8th July 2021
Category:
Child poverty
Scottish Government published its third annual progress report for its ‘Every child, every chance: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2018-2022’. It also includes information on what additional support has been introduced in the past year to support and protect people and communities, and what Scottish Government plans to do next year.
All of the actions in the plan are currently being delivered and the following are in progress:
- Work with the social housing sector to agree the best ways to keep rents affordable
- Evaluate the impact of the private residential tenancy on families with children
- Supporting resign of the care system
- Partnership between the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Region on inclusive growth and child poverty
- Improve community wealth and localism
- Invest in Town Centre Fund and Business Improvement Districts
New support introduced by Scottish Government between 2020-21 includes:
- Introduction of the Scottish Child Payment for eligible children aged under six
- Investment of over £56 million in the continuation of Free School Meal provision for low-income families during school closures, periods of online learning and school holidays
- Delivering two £100 hardship payments benefitting around 145,000 children and young people from low-income households receiving Free School Meals.
- Delivering over 36,000 devices to help reduce digital exclusion.
- Investment of over £100 million to third sector and community organisations to enable them to respond to local and community need.
- Committing over £375 million in education recovery funding over the course of 2020/21 and 2021/22, to support learning recovery, children and young people’s health and wellbeing, youth services, digital devices and connectivity for those who need it.
- Taking a cash-first approach to tackle food and financial insecurity
- Introduction of the Job Start Payment.
- Opening the Access to Child Care Fund to support 15 projects delivering a range of childcare models.
Child Poverty Action Group Scotland’s Director said "this progress report is above all a stark and urgent reminder that far more investment is needed to meet Scotland’s child poverty targets."
Read more about Scottish Government’s progress here.