Nearly one in three parents in Scotland (32%) say they expect to go without things for themselves to manage the cost of their children returning to school, as pupils across Scotland head back to the classroom this week and families continue to face financial and emotional pressures long after the summer holidays have ended.

By listening to children, we can better understand not only how poverty affects their lives, but also what would make childhoods happier, healthier and safer. And crucially, they remind us that children are not simply individuals affected by poverty – they are people with ideas, expertise and a powerful role to play in creating change.