Young people say that tackling child poverty should be the Scottish Government's top priority in its first 100 days, according to new research from Save the Children Scotland and Young Scot.
More than 2,600 young people across Scotland were asked what they think the new government should focus on during its first 100 days in office. Two-thirds (66%) identified child poverty as a priority – making it the highest-ranked issue, ahead of the NHS, education, the economy and climate change.
The findings highlight the extent to which young people see poverty affecting the lives of children and families around them. More than six in ten (61%) said they know families in their area who are affected by poverty, while 43% believe decision-makers are not doing enough to tackle it.
Young people also backed a range of measures to support children and families, including free food for under-18s in schools and colleges, improved mental health services, access to good quality homes and increased support through benefits such as the Scottish Child Payment.
Claire Telfer, Head of Scotland at Save the Children, said:
"Young people have sent a clear message to the Scottish Government: tackling child poverty should be a priority from day one. It's significant that child poverty was ranked above every other issue we asked about. Young people see the reality of poverty in their communities and want to see meaningful action to change it.
"The important thing now is that we listen and work together to deliver the change young people want to see. The Scottish Government has set an ambitious target to reduce the number of children experiencing poverty to less than one in ten by 2030. While progress has been made, young people still see double that number - one in five of their peers missing out on opportunities they need to thrive.
“We are calling on government to publish a revised Child Poverty Delivery Plan in the first 100 days that sets out how they will build on progress to date and meet these vital targets. Young people deserve a clear roadmap for change and it’s time to deliver.”
Young Scot CEO John Loughton said:
"Scotland's young people have spoken clearly – tackling child poverty should be the Scottish Government's first priority. When two-thirds of young people, in a poll of thousands, identify this as the issue that matters most, we should all listen. That's exactly what Young Scot and Save the Children Scotland have done here, given young people that opportunity to be heard and provide a clear message for policymakers, government and all those working to tackle poverty.
"These findings show that young people understand poverty sits at the root of many of the systemic challenges facing Scotland and their message couldn't be clearer - reducing child poverty should be not only a long-term ambition, but an immediate priority. Too many young people see the impact of poverty every day and they are asking for action that matches the scale of the challenge so that the benefits are felt across generations."
Many of the young people who took part in the research were not old enough to vote in the recent Scottish Parliament election but highlighted that the decisions made by ministers and MSPs over the coming years will have a lasting impact on the Scotland they grow up in.
Save the Children Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government to use its first 100 days to publish a strengthened Child Poverty Delivery Plan that sets out a credible pathway to meeting Scotland's 2030 child poverty targets.
Save the Children works with children, families and partners in communities across Scotland to challenge poverty, campaign to tackle and prevent the drivers of poverty and lessen its impact on children and families. The organisation also focuses on working closely with schools and organisations to improve children’s learning and development in the early years.
For more on the work that Save the Children Scotland does, please visit: Scotland | Save the Children UK
For more information, please contact: Emma Craig, Save the Children, 07929442572, [email protected]
ENDS
Notes to editors
The ‘first 100 days’ refers to the first sitting of the new Parliament on 14 May 2026 and ending on the 22 August 2026.
Research was conducted by Save the Children Scotland and Young Scot and gathered responses from more than 2,600 young people across Scotland.
66% of respondents identified child poverty as a top priority for the Scottish Government's first 100 days.
61% said they know families in their area affected by poverty.
43% said decision-makers are not doing enough to tackle poverty.
Scotland's Child Poverty (Scotland) Act includes targets to reduce child poverty to less than 10% by 2030.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) recently published analysis which argues that the latest Scottish Government Child Poverty plan fails to set out how the targets will be met and is therefore open to legal challenge. We recognise the very real progress that has been made on child poverty in recent years, but are deeply concerned that the Scottish Government’s Plan does not go far enough to meet the needs of children and families struggling today, and that the government’s own modelling shows that the actions set out in the Plan will not meet the targets.
Save the Children has joined JRF and other charities to call on the Scottish Government to urgently (in the first 100 days) publish an updated plan that sets out the action needed to meet the targets.
Young Scot is the youth information and citizenship charity for Scotland, providing universal and targeted support to address inequalities and ensure accessibility for all young people aged 11–26. Delivering direct services for young people for over 40 years, we are woven into the very fabric of growing up in Scotland. Through the Young Scot National Entitlement Card (NEC), young people can travel for free on buses across Scotland and access 1000s of exclusive discounts at shops, restaurants and experiences in Scotland and Europe - helping them save money every day.