Every child, every chance: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2018-2022

The Scottish Ministers must prepare a plan (a "Delivery Plan") for each of the following periods-

• 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2022
• 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026
• 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031

This is the first of three Delivery Plans that will be prepared. The actions set out here take us up to 31 March 2022.

Preparations for the second Delivery Plan will begin in 2021.

A Delivery Plan must set out-

• the measures that the Scottish Ministers propose to take during the period of the Plan for the purpose of meeting the child poverty targets;
• an assessment of the contribution the proposed measures are expected to make to meeting the child poverty targets;
• an explanation of how that assessment has been arrived at; and
• an assessment of the financial resources required to fund the proposed measures.

Each action in the Plan is accompanied by a summary box, setting out the expected impact on child poverty and the resource implications.

Chapter 7: Assessing Impact contains the full detailed explanation of the analytical approach underpinning the Plan.

It also contains a separate page of analytical information for each of the new interventions in the drivers section of the Plan ( Chapters 2-4).

A Delivery Plan must, in particular, set out what (if any) measures the Scottish Ministers propose to take in relation to-

The provision of financial support for children and parents, including the making of such provision by virtue of Part 3 of the Scotland Act 2016 (welfare benefits and employment support).

Chapter 4 sets out our proposals for providing direct financial support to families through the social security system.

Children living in households whose income is adversely affected, or whose expenditure is increased, because a member of the household has one or more protected characteristics.

Chapter 1 summarises our approach to priority groups - groups who we know are at higher risk of poverty, sometimes because of a protected characteristic, for example where an adult or a child in the household is disabled; minority ethnic households; and households where the mother is particularly young or the child is less than one year old.

More detail on the analysis underpinning our priority groups is available in Annex 2.

In addition, a full Equality Impact Assessment and Children's Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment have been carried out and are published as Annexes 3 and 4.

Supporting local authorities to consider the automatic payment of benefits and support.

This is an example of something that we expect our National Child Poverty Co-ordinator (Chapter 6) to be able to take forward.

The provision and accessibility of information, advice and assistance to parents in relation to-

• social security matters;
• income maximisation; and
• financial support.

Chapter 3 contains the section ' New help on income maximisation and the poverty premium'. This section sets out a range of commitments related to income maximisation, financial support, benefit uptake and the poverty premium.

Education and, in particular, closing the attainment gap.

New help with costs of the school day.

New support for students and communities from Further and Higher Education.

Ongoing commitment to the Scottish Attainment Challenge (see We're already doing a lot to help low income families, After School and Holiday Childcare, Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences).

The availability and affordability of housing.

Chapter 3 contains a section on 'New help with fuel poverty and housing costs'.

The availability and affordability of childcare.

Chapter 3 contains commitments on 'Expanded early learning and childcare' and 'After school and holiday childcare'.

The facilitation of-

• the employment of parents (with remuneration that is sufficient to secure an adequate standard of living); and
• the development of the employment-related skills of parents.

Chapter 2 sets out our approach to parental employment; adequate wages; and employment-related skills development.

Chapter 5 also contains a section on 'Support for students and communities from further and higher education' which is relevant.

Physical and mental health.

Chapter 5 includes a commitment on 'Increased funding for mental health'.

Chapter 6 contains a section on 'Working in partnership with the NHS on children's health and wellbeing'.

Children living in single-parent households.

Chapter 7 assesses policies for their impact on priority groups, including single-parent households.

Arrangements for setting the amount of the revenue support grant payable to each local authority in order to ensure that resources are directed for the purpose of contributing to the meeting of the child poverty targets.

Any commitments in the Delivery Plan which require changes to the revenue support grant will be discussed and agreed with COSLA in accordance with the usual procedure.

A Delivery Plan must, in particular, set out whether, during the period of the Plan for the purpose of meeting the child poverty targets, the Scottish Ministers intend to bring forward legislation to exercise the power provided for in section 24 of the Scotland Act 2016 to top-up social security benefits in relation to providing a top-up for child benefit paid under section 141 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.

Chapter 4 contains a commitment to introducing a new income supplement.

In preparing a Delivery Plan, the Scottish Ministers must-

• consult the Commission on the measures they propose to include in the Delivery Plan;
• have regard to any recommendations made by the Commission; and
• set out in the Delivery Plan the changes, if any, they have made in the Delivery Plan as a result of any such recommendations.

In October 2017 the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Chair of the Poverty and Inequality Commission to request advice on the Plan.

That advice was published on 28 February.

We have set out throughout the document where and how we have taken account of the Commission's recommendations.

In preparing a Delivery Plan, the Scottish Ministers must consult-

Such local authorities or associations of local authorities as they consider appropriate.

The following were consulted:

• COSLA
• Shetland Islands Council
• Dundee City Council
• Fife Council
• Highland Council
• Dumfries and Galloway Council
• Falkirk Council
• West Lothian Council
• Glasgow City Council
• Parent Network Scotland (local authority and health parenting coordinators)

Such persons and organisations working with or representing children as they consider appropriate.

The following were consulted:

• Scottish Out of School Care Network
• Save the Children
• Children in Scotland
• Action for Children
• With Kids
• Children's Parliament
• Young Scot
• Princes Trust
• LGBT Youth
• Scottish Women's Aid

Such persons and organisations working with or representing parents as they consider appropriate.

The following were consulted:

• One Parent Families Scotland
• Fife Gingerbread
• Stepping Stones for Families
• Homestart
• Circle

The Scottish Parliament.

The following were consulted:

• Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee
• Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee
• Social Security Committee
• Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
• Local Government and Communities Committee
• Justice Committee
• Finance and Constitution Committee
• Health and Sport Committee
• Equalities and Human Rights Committee
• Education and Skills Committee

Such persons and organisations as they consider appropriate who work with or represent children or parents living in households whose income is adversely affected, or whose expenditure is increased, because a member of the household has one or more protected characteristics.

The following were consulted:

• LGBT Youth
• BEMIS
• Radiant and Brighter
• Interfaith Scotland
• Contact
• British Deaf Association
• Inclusion Scotland
• People First
• Voices of Experience
• Scottish Refugee Council
• British Red Cross

Such persons who have experience of living in poverty and such other persons as they consider appropriate.

The following were consulted:

• 2 parent groups convened by One Parent Families Scotland
• 1 parent group convened by the Poverty Truth Commission
• 1 parent group convened by 3-D Drumchapel
• 2 parent groups convened by Falkirk Council
• 1 parent group convened by Shetland Council
• 1 parent group convened by Fife Gingerbread
• 1 parent group convened by Contact Scotland
• 1 parent group convened by British Deaf Association, People First, Inclusion Scotland and Voices of Experience
• 1 parent group convened by Maryhill Women's Centre
• Young people focus group convened by Young Scot
• Young people discussion group convened by Princes Trust
• Six discussion groups with children convened by the Children's Parliament