Child poverty in north was over 26 per cent before coronavirus struck, report reveals
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THE number of children in poverty in Caithness, Sutherland and easter Ross was 26.3 per cent before the coronavirus pandemic struck, according to a new report.
The work done by Loughborough University shows that in 2019-20 over a quarter of children in the north constituency were growing up in poverty.
The research reveals the figure rose from 22. 5 per cent in 2014-15 to 26.3 per cent five years later. The position was better in neighbouring Ross, Skye and Lochaber where the number of children in poverty increased by 2.1 per cent to 22.7 per cent over the same period. Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey experienced a change from 20.1 per cent in 2014-15 to 21.9 per cent in 2019-20.
The report found that 24.3 per cent of children in Scotland were in poverty before Covid-19 struck in 2019-20, up from 22 per cent in 2014-15.
Councillor Linda Munro, who chairs the health. social care and wellbeing committee, said:"There is no doubt that child poverty has negative and long-lasting effects on the health, wellbeing and educational attainment of the children who experience it, but it also has a much wider cost for society and our local communities.
"The constituency-level breakdown provided in Loughborough University’s report, evidences the increases in child poverty for so many of our Highland children. It is therefore essential that we continue with our multi-agency approach to child poverty in Highland."
Committee members also received an update on a number of schemes which the council has successfully administered locally on behalf of Scottish Government to reduce financial insecurities and inequalities. They included:
*Free school meal vouchers for low-income families whose children receive free meals in schools.
*A Christmas £100 Covid Hardship Payment for low-income families whose children receive free meals in schools.
*A local Fuel Support Scheme for households in receipt of council tax reduction who are also experiencing fuel insecurities.
* An Easter £100 Covid Hardship Payment for low-income families whose children receive free meals in schools and early learning and childcare settings.
Pandemic Support Payments of £130 are planned for households receiving council tax reduction. Timescales for delivery of these payments will be announced by the Scottish Government in due course.
Earlier, members were informed of the work being undertaken to finalise the 2020/21 Local Child Poverty Action Update Report.
The report is being finalised and will provide a summary of actions undertaken to address child poverty during 2019/20 and actions to be taken during 2020/21.
