Child poverty in Scotland has been routinely described as a national emergency demanding emergency action, but with one in five children still growing up in poverty, the chief executive of Aberlour Children’s Charity is asking whether the language of crisis is helping.
Justina Murray argues that the endless cycle of taskforces, committees, policy papers and special reports may be encouraging more haste but less speed, and that too little measured and impactful action is being delivered.
The case for action over planning
Murray questions whether the blizzard of promises and commitments is being checked for delivery before the snow machine starts again, and suggests the endless planning could be slowing progress. She highlights that 210,000 children are growing up poor in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
“We already know what works,” she writes. “We have known for years.” While there are no magic bullets for complex social issues, Murray says we should not let perfect be the enemy of good.
Intensive family support
As Challenge Poverty Week begins, the biggest challenge is to see the wood not the trees, to identify what is already working and build on it. Murray points to intensive family support as a service that eases the impact of poverty on young lives, with teams working shoulder to shoulder with families on the point of collapse.
Keeping children with their families is the driving force, because all research suggests that is the best way to stabilise childhoods and secure futures. The support can rebuild broken relationships, improve parents’ confidence, create new community connections and build firmer financial foundations with expert advice on welfare rights, maximising income and problem debt.
Recovery houses and savings
Aberlour’s Mother and Child Recovery Houses in Falkirk and Dundee offer recovery spaces for new mums with a history of substance use, allowing them to recover while staying safely with their babies. Murray says the services help keep families together, improve futures and save millions of pounds in avoided care costs.
“The big question is not whether we can afford to roll out these services across Scotland but if we can afford not to?” she concludes.
