250,000 children ‘locked in poverty’
Call for Scottish and UK governments to do more as families face grim choices
ONE in four children in Scotland is locked in a poverty trap, a report reveals today.
The independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation blamed lack of work, the impact of disability, struggle with childcare and lack of opportunities for mums.
The report calls for action by the governments in Edinburgh and London to address a scandal affecting nearly 250,000 young people.
It warned 90,000 children live in a family where one person is disabled. In half those cases, no adult had a job.
Around 30,000 children live with both parents with one working full time, and 30,000 kids in poverty live with a single parent out of work.
A further 15,000 lived with a lone parent working part-time who struggled to provide a decent standard of living.
Foundation chief executive Campbell Robb said the problem is getting worse.
He added: “Families in Scotland are facing impossible situations such as deciding whether to pay the rent, put food on the table or pay for heating.
“There is consensus across the Scottish Parliament that this unacceptable situation of so many children in poverty will be brought to an end within a generation. This is achievable but it means the Scottish Government needs to lead the way, working with and encouraging employers to open opportunities for parents with disabilities or caring commitments.”
The report calls for the Scottish Government to offer affordable childcare for low-income parents, including during holidays.
The UK Government should allow for greater shared rights to parental leave. And they should also raise the work allowance in the new Universal Credit.
The report comes in a week dedicated to tackling the issue. A series of events brings together the NHS, support groups and community leaders.
Labour’s Elaine Smith blamed years of Tory austerity and a lack of radical policies from the SNP, saying the statistics “should be a burning source of shame” for both parties.
SNP Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said UK Government cuts meant they were “tackling poverty with one hand tied behind our back” but added: “I know if we take action in the right ways, we have the chance to reduce child poverty to the lowest levels ever… and that is a future all of us want.”