Save the Children and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation are working together to understand public attitudes to child poverty in Scotland. Our project, Changing the Story, is using survey-based and qualitative research to generate new evidence about what the public think. We will use this evidence to build support for action to end child poverty in Scotland.
At the centre of Changing the Story, a group of parents and carers with lived experience of poverty are helping to inform and make sense of the research. In this blog series, they reflect on key findings from the research to highlight why we need to see bolder action to end child poverty.
Alexander lives in the east of Scotland with his partner and three children. His son Glen has Down’s Syndrome and is non-verbal: he needs daily care and support. Alexander has always worked, but 12 years ago, he became a full-time carer.
Living on a low income means that there is a lot of uncertainty about the future. But like any parent, Alexander just wants Glen to be able to make the most of every opportunity.
“He really is the most awesome kid. He’s got this incredible aura. When people meet him, he just instantly brightens their day.”
In Scotland today, one in four children are living in poverty. More than half of these children live in a household where someone is disabled. This tells us that our social security system is simply not providing adequate support to help families meet the additional costs for disabled people.
As a result, lots of families are struggling to afford the basic essentials, like food or a winter coat. Alexander’s family is just one of them.
“I’m a full-time carer for Glen so I’m currently on benefits. Glen recently turned 16 and that meant that we now don’t get a School Clothing Grant or the Scottish Child Payment for him. So, essentially by turning 16, he’s already lost out on two pretty crucial payments. Which means, as a family, we’ve got to find that money elsewhere, all the while he’s in full-time education.”
The social security system has provided a vital support that has enabled Alexander’s children to thrive at school. Glen has now been able to apply for Educational Maintenance Allowance, which helps meet some of the costs of continuing in education. But there is still a sense of unfairness that Glen and his siblings might not be able to enjoy the same opportunities as other children and young people.
“If you’re a family on a low income and your kids want to stay on at school… when that pre-16 support is removed, the parents might not be able to support their child to go to school anymore. They might have that opportunity pulled from under them. It is shocking and heartbreaking at the same time. The more financial support families get to keep their children in school, the more opportunities they will have.”
This sentiment is shared by the public. A national survey conducted as part of Changing the Story found that three quarters of people (76%) are concerned about the levels of child poverty in Scotland and similarly high numbers of people support policy solutions that would help families like Alexander’s.
Alexander likes the idea of a Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), which would ensure that no family falls below a set income that allows them to meet their needs. He believes that a MIG would “ensure fairness right across the board with the stroke of a pen”. In its national survey, Changing the Story found that this policy enjoys broad support: nearly three-quarters (72%) of the public would support introducing a MIG as a way to reduce child poverty.
Today, too many families are being overlooked by politicians, meaning parents like Alexander are struggling to make ends meet, and young people like Glen are struggling to access the information and services that they deserve. It’s time for this to change.
“The systems in place make it near impossible for low-income families. It’s time to invest in the young people, they are the future after all.”
