A CHILD POVERTY STRATEGY FOR SCOTLAND
1. Introduction
The Scottish Child Poverty Strategy is currently being developed in line with the requirements of the UK Child Poverty Act. It will set out the measures that the Scottish Government and partners will propose to take over the next three years to reduce levels of child poverty, inequality and disadvantage in Scotland.
The Child Poverty Act sets out UK-wide targets for the eradication of child poverty in Scotland. While these targets are predominantly income-based (one is a combined low income and material deprivation target), the focus of the strategy will be on a broader consideration of child poverty and disadvantage. The aim of the strategy will be to improve outcomes for children. We know that the relationship between income poverty and other forms of disadvantage is complex, and many other types of disadvantage are important determinants of children’s outcomes.
This is consistent with our existing broad based, holistic approach to tackling child poverty in Scotland, set out in our 3 key social policy frameworks – and we will remain committed to the ‘whole population’ agenda on tackling poverty set out in AoP. We believe that tackling child and adult poverty cannot be meaningfully separated.
This strategy provides us with an opportunity to strengthen and add momentum to the particular challenges of child poverty. We are well aware of the profound importance of children’s experiences and opportunities in determining their outcomes later in life. We are also now seeing the downward trends in poverty stalling– and may expect the challenges of the economic situation to further disadvantage many vulnerable families. The case for additional action is very strong indeed.
Matters for Board discussion/agreement:
· Agreement to provide high-level reference group function for strategy development
· Endorsement of overall approach
· Comments on focus of the strategy
· Comments on and suggestions for initial delivery ideas
· Discussion of the role of Child Poverty Commissioners
2. Background
A. Process and timings
(i) Governance
It is hoped that the Tackling Poverty Board can take on the role of high level oversight of the Scottish strategy’s development and implementation.
A new SG officials working group has been set up and will meet for the first time on 27 May. This may develop into a small number of short-life thematic groups taking forward different aspects of the strategy.
Once it is established, the UK Child Poverty Commission will undertake external scrutiny of, and advise on, child poverty strategies. At present it is not anticipated that this will be set up until Oct/Nov 2010 at earliest, pending discussions with the new UK Government.
While Health and Wellbeing portfolio Ministers and Social Inclusion officials will have lead responsibility for formulation of the strategy, the lead for delivery of the strategy will fall to Scottish Ministers collectively. We also plan to work with the COSLA elected members’ Tackling Poverty group (and this is a subject for discussion at their June meeting).
(ii) Partnership working, stakeholder engagement, and informal consultation
Scottish Government officials have been regularly meeting with external stakeholders to seek views on the strategy. In particular, six-monthly meetings between the End Child Poverty Coalition and Mr. Neil already take place, and the strategy was the focus of the last meeting. The Coalition has since produced a paper setting out their priorities for the strategy.
SG officials continue to work closely with the UK Government and other DAs to share information, experience and good practice, and to ensure that our approaches are as coherent as possible. We will discuss with Whitehall and other DA officials any changes likely to arise out of the formation of the new UK Government. Child poverty did not feature in the initial Coalition Government Agreement and there will be an update at the Board meeting.
We will also be working closely with COSLA and the relevant CPP networks (such as the Tackling Poverty Officers Network) on the development of the strategy.
Some early arrangements are being made for informal consultation on the content of the Scottish strategy. Save the Children have been funded by Scottish Government to undertake a programme of local engagement, and will be providing early feedback from these workshops. A Children’s Summit is taking place in June 2010 – and it is hoped that discussions generated in this forum will inform early development of the strategy (in particular, there will be a workshop on ‘targeting disadvantage’ that we hope will inform the strategy’s development).
(iii) Formal consultation and advice
Specific arrangements will have to be made regarding formal consultation on the draft strategy, in line with the Act’s requirements. We envisage that the draft will be subject to public consultation, seeking written contributions - along with more targeted consultation activities with children and families, and with other relevant stakeholder groups. The latter will be facilitated through representative groups – yet to be decided but likely to involve groups such as Young Scot and Parenting Across Scotland.
The Act provides for the establishment of a new Child Poverty Commission, including one member to be appointed by Scottish Ministers. This will be composed of leading experts in child poverty, who will advise on the development of the strategies and will have a small research budget to commission analysis as they see fit. It was anticipated by the previous UK Government that the Commission will be established in October/November 2010. We will be seeking confirmation of this from Whitehall colleagues.
(iv) Timings
Current aims are to issue a draft strategy for consultation in autumn 2010, and to publish in winter 2010/11.
B. Strategic directions: early messages
(i) Establishing the evidence base: UK Government recently published their strategic directions paper (March ’10) and Scottish Government have been sighted on and involved in its development. This has been informed by a wide programme of analysis, undertaken to identify the key factors driving child poverty, and the priority areas for change[1].
Scottish Government analysts are currently examining this paper from a Scottish perspective in order to ensure that we have a clear view of the differences and points of convergence between Scotland and the overall UK picture. This will ensure that our strategy is based on a sound understanding of Scottish circumstances and trends.
So far, the Scottish picture does not look substantially different to the UK as a whole in respect of the key factors impacting on child poverty. On the basis of this there have been few signs that we should regard the policy priorities as radically different to those set out in the UKG paper. However this work has yet to be completed and some significant areas are still outstanding (e.g. analysis of the labour market, horizon scanning).
A summary of this work so far has is provided as an Annex.
(ii) Scoping current policy: Through the three frameworks, GIRFEC and CfE (including senior phase: MCMC), we already have a lot of ground well covered. However some initial scoping work has identified some priority areas for further exploration:
· Rural child poverty
· Education and wider support for 8-16 year olds
· Family-friendly working practices
· Second earners in families
· Under-employment
· Social mobility
· HE/FE funding
· Reducing the ‘poverty premium’
(iii) Anticipated priorities of strategy: While the structure may well change, at the moment we are roughly planning along the same themes set out in ‘Mapping the Route to 2020’ (UK Govt paper). These themes are:
· Employability (childcare availability and affordability, skills, productivity and progression, family friendly working, tackling inequalities in the labour market, support for people with disabilities/health conditions, financial inclusion, financial capability);
· Children’s life chances (early years, schools, parenting/family support, housing and neighbourhood renewal, children’s services, MCMC, health); and,
· Local delivery.
We would not, of course, expect to diverge from the key messages set out in the three social policy frameworks – and instead would fully intend to build on these and provide a greater focus on the specific drivers and impacts of child poverty and disadvantage.
C. Delivery: some ideas
This part of the paper focuses on some ideas for directions that may not be adequately covered by existing SG policy/activity. These are just rough ideas for discussion at this stage, and views from the Board are welcome.
(i) Trying out new approaches
· more/better support for businesses, esp. SMEs, to facilitate family friendly and flexible working practices (e.g. pooling creche resources in business parks, changing recruitment procedures, greater awareness of employees rights to request flexible working/how to meet these requests/business benefits of flexible working practices)
· test sites: working with employers/employability partnerships on this theme (perhaps building on lessons from supported employment test sites?)
· FE/HE opportunities - any scope for looking at targeting of resources more effectively?
· building on recent research: anything specific that can be done to tackle families in persistent poverty? Building on Save the Children’s qualitative research – perhaps work on role models/mentoring/advocacy for families in poverty – structural difficulties for families compounded by low aspirations and cultural factors? Work with Inspiring Scotland? Scope for further work with Schools?
(ii) Supporting established good practice
Support for use of established good practice models, based on positive evaluations e.g.:
· Working For Families learning sets
· You First - support for roll out - handbook and hands-on support
· Family Nurse Partnerships
· Support for more on-site location of JCP/HMRC staff (in schools, children's centres...) and other (if positively evaluated) approaches from UKG Child Poverty Pilots and DWP School Gates project)
· Better co-ordination/delivery of financial inclusion support to families (building on Healthy Start) – roll out to NHS across Scotland
· How can we – and to what extent are we - supporting, encouraging, facilitating good local approaches to e.g. childcare? (e.g. WFF childcare 'circle' example)
(iii) Supporting local strategic planning and implementation
Support for local implementation of the strategy will be a key priority for Scottish Government, and we envisage that the Scottish Government Learning Networks will play a leading role in developing, delivering, and promoting resources for local implementation of the strategy.
This may involve assistance with:
· local strategy development
· impact assessment of strategies and budgets
· access to and interpretation of data
· partnership working
· evidence on, and interpretation of effective practice
We anticipate that this will take the form of some online resources, guidance and learning sets. We will need to ensure that we integrate this work with the capacity building and improving local indicators projects. Further plans for implementation will be developed in consultation with COSLA and CPPs.
Social Inclusion Division
May 2010
How far do the evidence and principles presented in the UK child poverty strategic direction apply to Scotland?
Scottish poverty trends similar to rest of UK (Chapter 1)
· Some progress over last ten years.
· However, UK Child Poverty Unit estimate 250 thousand (24%) of children in relative poverty by 2020 - a 4% point increase on current levels.
· As in rest of UK, must consider small, high risk groups who won’t affect targets.
Work (Chapter 2)
· “Paid employment is most important factor in reducing poverty risk” - ECP.
· During recession unemployment increased more in Scotland but is still close to UK levels - UK 8%, Scotland 8.1% (LFS, Jan to March 2010).
· Wages in Scotland compare favourably with other regions - FT median wage is 4th highest (of 12) (ASHE 2009).
· Slightly lower in-work poverty rates in Scotland - Scot 6%, UK 8% (FRS 2007/08).
· Scotland one of the better performing regions for benefit take-up (DWP figures).
· ECP mentions improving skills, childcare, family friendly working, addressing broader inequality, more responsive benefit system and debt and financial exclusion - all issues in Scotland .
Many data sources to show that early intervention is important (Chapter 3)
· Attainment gap also exists in Scotland.
· As do issues around smooth transitions to adulthood.
· Already quite a bit of work in SG Early years framework and Equally Well.
Geographical issues (Chapter 4)
· Issues around deprived and rural areas are perhaps more important in Scotland.
· Role of LAs will be different (bill doesn’t introduce duties on Scottish LAs) but just as important.
· Working between SG and Westminster important on many issues.
Summary
· No major Scottish differences affecting principles and evidence.
· Close working between UK Gov, SG and LAs is important.
· As is linking with existing SG frameworks/work.
· BUT there is a lot to do! Highlighting issues to consider is the easy bit.
[1] www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/budget2010_childpoverty.pdf