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Call for child benefit top-ups for poor | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Scottish government has been urged to top up child benefit payments to the poorest families to ensure children have enough food. | The Scottish government has been urged to top up child benefit payments to the poorest families to ensure children have enough food. |
Children's Commissioner Tam Baillie said children could not be expected to thrive unless they were well-nourished. | Children's Commissioner Tam Baillie said children could not be expected to thrive unless they were well-nourished. |
The Scottish government is consulting on the new social security powers devolved under the Scotland Act 2016. | The Scottish government is consulting on the new social security powers devolved under the Scotland Act 2016. |
Mr Baillie said research suggested that almost one in five children in Scotland was living in relative poverty. | |
And foodbank provider Trussell Trust has estimated that about a third of its food parcels go to children. | And foodbank provider Trussell Trust has estimated that about a third of its food parcels go to children. |
'Concentrate at school' | 'Concentrate at school' |
Mr Baillie said: "This can only harm children's physical and mental well-being; unless their basic need to be well nourished is met, we cannot expect children to concentrate at school or on other activities." | Mr Baillie said: "This can only harm children's physical and mental well-being; unless their basic need to be well nourished is met, we cannot expect children to concentrate at school or on other activities." |
In June, the government's Independent Working Group on Child Poverty urged ministers to use new social security powers coming to Holyrood to fund an increase in child benefit. | In June, the government's Independent Working Group on Child Poverty urged ministers to use new social security powers coming to Holyrood to fund an increase in child benefit. |
The group said an increase of £5 per child per week would lift 30,000 children out of poverty at a cost of £256m a year. | The group said an increase of £5 per child per week would lift 30,000 children out of poverty at a cost of £256m a year. |
Publishing a report on the issue - entitled Living is more important than just surviving - the commissioner highlighted the lack of accurate data about the numbers of children experiencing food insecurity. | Publishing a report on the issue - entitled Living is more important than just surviving - the commissioner highlighted the lack of accurate data about the numbers of children experiencing food insecurity. |
Food insecurity means children not having enough food to eat or not being certain that there will be enough food for them and their families. | Food insecurity means children not having enough food to eat or not being certain that there will be enough food for them and their families. |
Mr Baillie said the report was prompted by the "rapid" increase of food insecurity in Scotland and the absence of children's input in discussions on the causes and solutions to poverty. | Mr Baillie said the report was prompted by the "rapid" increase of food insecurity in Scotland and the absence of children's input in discussions on the causes and solutions to poverty. |
According to the research, conducted with 32 children in four local authority areas in Scotland, young children have well developed ideas around solutions to food insecurity including: | According to the research, conducted with 32 children in four local authority areas in Scotland, young children have well developed ideas around solutions to food insecurity including: |
The commissioner said: "The greatest insight of this research is of young children's desire and ability to solve the challenges they see in the world around them, which raises a number of questions about the inclusion of children in public policy and decision making more generally." | The commissioner said: "The greatest insight of this research is of young children's desire and ability to solve the challenges they see in the world around them, which raises a number of questions about the inclusion of children in public policy and decision making more generally." |
Pete Ritchie, executive director of the Nourish Scotland campaign group, said there was currently no population wide monitoring of food insecurity in Scotland or the rest of the UK. | Pete Ritchie, executive director of the Nourish Scotland campaign group, said there was currently no population wide monitoring of food insecurity in Scotland or the rest of the UK. |
He added: "The Scottish government could include a child-specific measure of food insecurity in the Child Poverty Bill." | He added: "The Scottish government could include a child-specific measure of food insecurity in the Child Poverty Bill." |
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