Calls for Parliamentary Cross-Committee to tackle child poverty in Scotland
A coalition of children’s charities and anti-poverty organisations, including CELCIS, have called for the creation of a Parliamentary Cross-Committee dedicated to tackling child poverty in Scotland, in a letter sent to conveners of three Committees of the Scottish Parliament.
In the joint letter to the Convenors of the Education and Gaelic, Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice, and Social Justice, Housing and Local Government Committees, the coalition warns that greater parliamentary scrutiny is urgently needed if Scotland is to meet legally binding child poverty targets set out in the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017.
The signatories argue that tackling child poverty must be the Scottish Parliament’s top priority in the lead up to the deadline to meet the 2030-31 statutory targets of less than 10% of children being in relative poverty, 5% of children being in absolute poverty, 5% of children being in combined low income and material deprivation and 5% of children being in persistent poverty.
The coalition includes Joseph Rowntree Foundation, One Parent Families Scotland, and Save the Children and the Children and Young People’s Commissioner for Scotland. The letter was organised by Aberlour Children’s Charity.
Read the Scottish Government's Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2026-2031