Action on Child Poverty and Fairness

A new report outlining the size of the task faced by Dundee agencies tackling local child poverty and fairness across the city is to be considered by councillors.

While Dundee is setting itself the ambitious goal of matching the Scottish Government’s overall national target of reducing child poverty to less than 10% of children living in relative poverty, latest figures show a rate of 27.1% for the city. 

Councillors will hear that effective long-term action will be required to respond to the ongoing challenges associated with low incomes and insecure employment, substance use and mental health issues as well as the poverty-related attainment gap.

The report explains that the escalating cost of living crisis will make these challenges even greater. 

Dundee City Council was the first Local Authority in Scotland to declare a Cost of Living crisis in June 2022. A rapid response group was established by the Dundee Partnership to deliver a co-ordinated response to the unfolding crisis. A series of “Cost of Living summits” were held between September 2022 and January 2023 to focus on collective action that would help city communities.

A combined Fairness and Local Child Poverty report is to be considered by the committee. 

Actions highlighted in the report tackling the various issues include: 

• Dundee Advice Service securing payments for people totalling millions of pounds
• A child poverty pathfinder in Linlathen linking employability and childcare
• Initiatives provided by the Dundee Community Food Network
• Work to deliver gendered services
• Increasing uptake of free school meals
• Employability projects
• The ongoing campaign for the living wage across the city. 

Council leader John Alexander said: “Statistics concerning child poverty in Dundee are grim, that is why we committed to doing as much as we can to turn this around. 

“We owe the children of this city a brighter future and to make the city a better place for everyone. 

“But, as with our work directed to cut drug deaths and the poverty-related attainment gap, we are dealing with problems that have been decades in the making. There are no quick or easy solutions. 

“These issues have also been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis and we are responding swiftly to get help where it is most needed.                                         

 "It is vital that people experiencing poverty at the sharp end can have their voices heard. 

“I am heartened by the strong partnerships that exist between Dundee organisations and agencies across the public, private and third sectors and the ongoing desire to work together to transform life for people in the city. 

“Only recently, we approved budget investment proposals to tackle social inequality, and this included funding for the Dundee Food network, a schools inclusion project and a further test of the roll out of welfare and debt advice provision within schools. 

“We also included fuel advice and fairness projects within this £900,000-plus investment, as we recognise that more needs to be done.” 

The annual report explains how the Fairness Leadership Panel is now firmly established as a driving force in the Dundee Partnership’s efforts to reduce poverty for children, families and communities. 

The Panel is a full and effective collaboration between people with lived experience of the impact of low incomes and representatives of influential bodies and groups in the city. 

Jacky Close of Faith in the Community, who contributes to the leadership panel, said: “At a time when resources are reducing and need is increasing it is essential that we all work together to do everything we can for our citizens. 

“Design and delivery of services, allocation of resources, and the focus of our efforts needs to be guided by people with lived experience of the impact of low incomes. They know the current issues and they know the best solutions; their voices need to be heard. The Fairness Leadership Panel will continue to review the Fairness and Local Child Poverty actions, influencing and challenging decisions through their expertise by experience.” 

The policy & resources committee meets on Monday June 26.

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