Michael Marra will press John Swinney to establish a cross-party commission on tackling child poverty when the two leaders meet tomorrow.
The new Scottish Labour leader, who used to work for leading anti-poverty charity Oxfam, previously told the Record that slashing family poverty rates would be a key priority for him.
JRF report highlights scale of poverty
It comes after a damning report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) published today found one in five kids are growing up in Scotland in poverty - with the SNP Government set to miss legally-binding targets on the issue "by miles".
The 2026 report warned that without "radical change" Scotland will miss its legally binding target to cut relative child poverty to below 10 per cent by 2030 by a "wide margin".
The SNP Government previously missed its legal targets for 2023-2024, although the child poverty rate did fall.
Marra's plan for cross-party body
Marra's plan is for a cross-party body modelled on the Smith Commission, which was set up to boost Holyrood's powers after Scots rejected independence in 2014.
The Scottish Labour leader wants cross-party consensus on a new package of measures to cut child poverty in half by 2030, the legal target established by the 2017 Child Poverty Act.
Marra said: "The first thing I did as Scottish Labour leader was write to John Swinney calling to establish a cross party commission to meet Scotland's child poverty targets.
"Holyrood has voted to recommit itself to those targets - now politicians need to get round a table and agree a package of measures that actually hits those targets.
"I'll be pressing the First Minister to set up that commission and get things moving for these kids."
Political reactions and report findings
Lib Dem MSP Duncan Dunlop said: "The SNP has missed its own child poverty target year after year, letting down our children time and again. It's failed to tackle homelessness, allowed the education attainment gap to increase, and its Promise to children in the care system has turned out to be an empty one.
"That more than one in five Scottish children sits in relative poverty is scandalous, and by declaring poverty his number one policy commitment, John Swinney has made it clear where accountability should lie.
"Scotland's children need and deserve better than government by announcement, review and failure to take action."
The JRF report said: "We have consistently heard the First Minister describe eradicating poverty as his defining mission.
"This commitment is welcome, but there is an increasing disconnect between the Scottish Government's rhetoric and the reality of life for families in poverty across Scotland."
It called for ministers to bring forward a "new, much bolder and properly funded plan to reduce poverty in Scotland", and reform local government funding to ensure that "services are best where they are needed the most".
According to the report, around 940,000 people in Scotland (17%) are in poverty, with 11% in deep poverty and 7% in very deep poverty.
Rates of poverty and deep poverty have only fallen by one percentage point between 2021-24 and 2020-25, and very deep poverty has shown little change, it said.
Swinney defends government record
Speaking to reporters in Crieff today, Swinney said: "The Government is absolutely focused on its central mission of eradicating child poverty. The measures we are taking have already taken 100,000 children out of poverty, and resulted in a lower level of child poverty than in the rest of the UK.
"There are a range of measures we are taking to address this situation - whether it's helping families being able to access employment, assisting with housing arrangements, or improve transport initiatives.
"But we recognise there is more to be done. And that's why eradicating child poverty is central to the Government's programme."
