Why we need a new story
There is an important conversation happening about child poverty in Scotland. Campaigners, politicians and the media frequently talk about the concerning facts and the urgency of the situation.
But the way we talk about it doesn’t always help.
It doesn’t chime with families who are experiencing poverty. And, though people really care about child poverty, the things they hear don’t increase their support for vital solutions.
Save the Children and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation set out to explore where the conversation can get stuck, and what we can do differently. We listened to a wide range of people, and tested different ways to talk about child poverty. We worked with a group of parents to ensure that the story resonated with people with the experience of poverty.
Our key insight? We need to tell a story - not assume facts will galvanise people (they don't). And we need to engage with how people are feeling.
We have taken everything that we heard and distilled it into five ways to tell a new story about child poverty.
- Identify with how people are feeling in Scotland right now
- Connect investing in children to a better future for Scotland
- Dial down the data: use one statistic and weave it into your story
- Talk more about a better future for all children (and less about what's wrong for some children)
- Use strong and vivid language that’s consistent with your message
By following these principles, we can tell a story that connects with people, builds support for change and drives action from politicians and policymakers.
This is a vital moment in Scotland. People want to see child poverty eradicated, but they feel disillusioned about change. The new story can help us to communicate about the issues that matter to people in Scotland, to build more effective campaigns and to galvanise support for the policy changes that are needed.
You can use this page to read the guide and mobile-friendly version, dive deeper into the evidence that underpins the new story, and get in touch with us to find out about training opportunities to explore how to use the guide in more detail.
Together we can change the story to build a better future for children and for Scotland.
Download the guide
Click on the images below to read ‘The new story of child poverty in Scotland: A guide’, download a short, mobile-friendly version of the guide, or to read our evidence paper, ‘How and why we created the new story of child poverty’.
Understanding public attitudes to child poverty
In 2024, we worked with the Diffley Partnership to find out what people in Scotland really think about the causes and solutions to child poverty. You can find out more by reading our research summary.
Be part of telling the new story
We want this to be a story that is used by people all over Scotland – from big charities to grassroots organisations, people with lived experience, volunteers, activists and campaigners, and everyone in between.
We have produced a range of training materials to support people to use the new story of child poverty in different contexts.
To find out more about training opportunities – or to ask questions about the guide and how to use it – get in touch with us at [email protected].
