Appendix 2 - Children's Scorecard 2024
Perth and Kinross Council · 30 October 2024
Back to Perth and Kinross Council — 30 October 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Some pages contain no extractable text. They may be blank, graphics or scanned pages. OCR has not been applied.
Page 1
Appendix 2 Children’s Scorecard 2024 3rd Edition
Page 2
No embedded text on this page.
Page 3
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 2 Background ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Section 1 - Indicators ...................................................................................................... 6 General Indicators ..................................................................................................... 6 Indicators based on income ....................................................................................... 9 Indicators based on essential cost of living .............................................................. 15 Income from Social Security and benefits in-kind .................................................... 16 Indicators – survive and thrive ................................................................................. 19 Priority families ........................................................................................................ 22 Section 2 – Feedback from parents.............................................................................. 24 Social needs screening results - Early Years parents’ survey ................................. 24 Family Experience of Poverty .................................................................................. 26 Parental Experience of PKC Services...................................................................... 27 Section 3 – How our services responded .................................................................... 29 Wellbeing ................................................................................................................ 29 Stigma and Dignity .................................................................................................. 30 Crisis support .......................................................................................................... 31 Housing ................................................................................................................... 32 Education ................................................................................................................ 33 Childcare ................................................................................................................. 34 Transport ................................................................................................................. 35
Page 4
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Introduction The Scottish Government set 4 ambitious interim and long-term targets to address the challenge of reducing child poverty. The Scottish Government asked local authorities to consider how they can help achieve the child poverty targets by acting to: • Increase income from employment by supporting parents to enter, sustain and progress in work • Promote dignified living by maximising the support available to families to lead dignified lives • ensure the next generation survives and thrives – and finds a way out of poverty. In response to this request, Perth and Kinross Council decided to go directly to parents and families affected by poverty to ask what help and support they needed to increase family income and reduce essential costs. PKC commissioned research on the lived experience of families affected by poverty in Perth and Kinross. The research was conducted by the Poverty Alliance and the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University. The research was conducted between May and June 2021 and the report published in November 2021. Parents identified areas where Perth and Kinross Council was doing well to meet their needs - and areas where they would like to see us doing something better or differently. We used this information to develop the first iteration of the Perth and Kinross Offer for children and families affected by poverty. The Children's Scorecard identifies areas of accomplishment and areas of challenge. It will help us to evaluate our approaches to child poverty – and our delivery of the Perth and Kinross Offer for children and families affected by poverty. This third year of the Children's Scorecard reports against the baseline established in 2020/2021. It sets out clearly those areas where progress has been achieved - and those areas where challenges remain. The research with parents continued in 2024 when we inserted questions into the Early Learning and Childcare Bi-annual Consultation which provides a clearer picture of the extent of unmet social need in our communities.
Page 5
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition In 2019/2020 Perth and Kinross Council agreed 26 indicators to measure the extent and impact of child poverty across Perth and Kinross. These indicators were • general context data • income from employment • the essential cost of living • social security and benefits in kind • breaking the cycle of poverty Post-covid several of the statistics previously used to measure progress in these areas have been discontinued and the Scottish Government have developed their own dashboard of stats to measure progress towards attainment of the child poverty targets. Perth and Kinross Council have also revamped their own performance indicators. The Children’s Scorecard and Measuring Child Poverty project have been updated accordingly to align with the Scottish Government dashboard, the available data around income from employment and benefits and cost of living and PKCs performance.
Page 6
0 A Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality Insights From the Statistics Relative Child poverty rates have remained stable since 2017 – this mirrors the situation for Scotland as a whole. The differential child poverty rates between Scotland and England/Wales (Child Poverty is 31% and 30% respectively) suggest that measures taken by the Scottish Government, Local Government and other influencers have had a protective effect for children in Scotland. The number of children living in absolute poverty has increased during the last 3 years since 2020. This is in line with the findings of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that levels of deep and very deep poverty are increasing. Whilst many people in Perth and Kinross manage well, over a third of households are financially stretched and face considerable economic challenges. There is income inequality both between and within settlement areas across Perth and Kinross. Median income by settlement shows that the richest settlement (Murthly) has a median income of more than twice that of the poorest settlement (Bridgend). The lower quartile income by settlement for Murthly is £35,000 – and the median is £58,200. For Bridgend it is £15,700 and £27,000 respectively. Where we are doing well Increasing income from employment - The number and percentage of employees earning below the Real Living Wage has reduced significantly – from 13,000 (16.5%) in 2020/21 to 7,000 (10.4%) in 2023. Getting people into work - The employment rate is at or slightly above pre-pandemic levels (81.7% to 80%) Increasing income from benefits - £3.2M has been achieved as a result of 6565 applications for Best Start grants since 2019/2020. Scottish Welfare Fund payments have provided emergency cash to 4135 households who gained a total of £566,001. Providing affordable housing - Local authority average rentals for a 2-bedroom house at £67.91 are more than 50% cheaper than the broad rental market area figure of £148 per week. Closing the attainment gap – the gap for proportion of school leavers attaining 1 or more passes at SCQF level 6 (higher) has reduced from 44% to 29%; at Level 5 (National 5s) has reduced from 27% to 17% and for 5age of pupils age 16-19 in education training and employment has reduced from 13% to 9.5%. Where we could do better The Gender Pay Gap rose to 15.6% (from 13% in 2019/20).
Page 7
From Feedback from Parents Parents were not comfortable about identifying their income bracket in an anonymous survey – but were comfortable responding to the Social Needs Screening questions for the tool which is currently being developed to identify unmet need. 44% of parents with children in early years education belong to a Priority Family Group. 43% if parents with children in early years education sometimes or always have difficulty making ends meet in the days/week before payday. Someone went hungry in 9% of households with children in early years education in the last year because there was not enough money for food 12% of households with children in early years education lack access to the internet/devices to support learning from home for all of their children 25% of parents with children in early years education struggle to heat their homes 5% of parents with children in early years education consider themselves at some risk of becoming homeless 11% of parents with children in early years education have missed a medical or other appointment, work or getting things for daily living because they lack access to transport. From our services response There has been a significant increase in activities to support improved mental health for children and young people – and the publication of the Whole Family Support - Directory of Services was a key milestone in delivering what parents had asked for from PKC. Actions taken to support reducing stigma associated with poverty and respecting human dignity have been more evident. A Child Learning Hub has been provided by PKC learning in conjunction with Public Health Scotland and to date 70 employees have completed child poverty learning modules. Cash First approaches have been ramped up and over £1.3M secured for a Supporting People -Addressing Need programme which is being delivered by multiple partners across Perth and Kinross. Streamlining of benefits has resulted in one application being needed only for free school meals and school clothing grants. What we are doing well There is a significant range of provision for families experiencing financial crisis and food insecurity, a range of access points to secure emergency cash, help and assistance. What we could do better There is work to be done to shift resources and actions upstream to provide earlier interventions which prevent families from experiencing financial crisis and enabling them to achieve sustainable livelihoods.
Page 8
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Section 1 - Indicators General Indicators Number of children living in relative poverty - before housing costs Number of children living in relative poverty - after housing costs
Page 9
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Number of children living in relative poverty - before housing costs by Ward 2023 132 217 292 239 264 267 250 286 392 363 497 664 168 256 354 278 316 334 348 379 479 522 797 851 191 234 281 289 300 356 362 389 515 516 788 840 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Carse of Gowrie Strathallan Kinross-shire Highland Almond and Earn Strathearn Strathtay Blairgowrie and Glens Perth City South Strathmore Perth City North Perth City Centre 2022/23 2021/22 2020/21
Page 10
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition ACORN DATA - household types ACORN data is used to understand life and living conditions, lifestyles, behaviours and attitudes and can therefore help inform the public service needs of neighbourhoods and households. The table below shows the distribution of households in Perth and Kinross across ACORN categories in 2021 and 2023. This information shows that whilst many people in Perth and Kinross manage well, over a third of households (36%) are financially stretched or facing considerable economic challenges. There has been little change in the distribution since 2021. The chart below shows the distribution of households in Perth and Kinross across the ACORN categories when compared to Scotland. In general, Perth and Kinross has a considerably higher proportion of households who would generally be considered to live comfortably and a lower proportion of households facing more concerning financial challenges (35% in Perth and Kinross, 51% in Scotland).
Page 11
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Indicators based on income Median income by settlement - Perth and Kinross Source: CACI Paycheck Data 2023: Median income is the level at which half the population is above, and half is below. £27,000 £29,800 £31,200 £34,900 £35,000 £35,200 £35,900 £36,400 £37,000 £38,200 £38,800 £39,000 £39,800 £39,900 £40,100 £40,800 £41,000 £41,300 £41,500 £41,700 £41,700 £43,100 £44,200 £44,700 £45,100 £45,300 £45,500 £48,300 £48,600 £48,700 £49,900 £51,300 £51,800 £58,200 £0 £10,000 £20,000 £30,000 £40,000 £50,000 £60,000 £70,000 Bridgend Coupar Angus Alyth Perth Methven Aberfeldy Stanley Crieff Blairgowrie Dunkeld and Birnam Pitlochry Comrie (Perth and Kinross) Bridge of Earn Dunning Muthill Almondbank Letham Bankfoot Errol Burrelton Scone Milnathort Kinross Luncarty Blackford Auchterarder Aberuthven Forgandenny Glenfarg Abernethy St Madoes and Glencarse Crook of Devon Inchture Murthly
Page 12
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Mode income by settlement - Perth and Kinross Source CACI Paycheck Data 2023: The mode income is the most likely income to be found within a population. E.g. Bridgend has a median income of £15,700 – but within that community the most commonly found income level would be £12,500. £12,500 £17,500 £17,500 £17,500 £17,500 £17,500 £17,500 £17,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £22,500 £27,500 £42,500 £0 £5,000 £10,000 £15,000 £20,000 £25,000 £30,000 £35,000 £40,000 £45,000 Bridgend Aberfeldy Alyth Blairgowrie Coupar Angus Crieff Perth Stanley Abernethy Aberuthven Almondbank Auchterarder Bankfoot Blackford Bridge of Earn Burrelton Comrie (Perth and Kinross) Dunkeld and Birnam Dunning Errol Forgandenny Glenfarg Inchture Kinross Letham Luncarty Methven Milnathort Muthill Pitlochry Scone St Madoes and Glencarse Crook of Devon Murthly
Page 13
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Lower quartile income by settlement - Perth and Kinross Source: CACI Paycheck Data 2023: The lower quartile income reports on what people who are the bottom 25% are receiving in income and can expose income inequalities within areas often demonstrating that poverty is co-existing with affluence. £0 £5,000 £10,000 £15,000 £20,000 £25,000 £30,000 £35,000 £40,000 Bridgend Coupar Angus Alyth Perth Aberfeldy Stanley Crieff Methven Blairgowrie Dunkeld and Birnam Pitlochry Comrie (Perth and Kinross) Bridge of Earn Dunning Muthill Almondbank Letham Errol Bankfoot Scone Burrelton Milnathort Kinross Luncarty Auchterarder Blackford Aberuthven Abernethy Forgandenny Glenfarg St Madoes and Glencarse Crook of Devon Inchture Murthly
Page 14
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Number and percentage of employees earning below the Real Living wage Perth and Kinross median weekly earning by place of residence 2008-2003 (£) Source: ONS Local statistics for Perth and Kinross 2023- Table 7 Gross median weekly pay by place of residence. £353 £376 £365 £376 £386 £372 £398 £421 £420 £425 £434 £467 £478 £492 £531 £605 £0 £100 £200 £300 £400 £500 £600 £700 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Page 15
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Number and percentage of people in employment aged 16-64 Source: ONS L101: Local labour market indicators by unitary and local authorities Great Britain. Employment rate – Perth and Kinross % Source: ONS Local statistics Table 3: Employment rate. 80.1 80.9 86.3 79.2 81.8 80.1 81.7 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 74.0 76.0 78.0 80.0 82.0 84.0 86.0 88.0
Page 16
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Job density Source: ONS L101: Local labour market indicators by unitary and local authorities. Gender pay gap Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2023 – Gender Pay Table 7.12.viiviii
Page 17
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Indicators based on essential cost of living Median monthly rents – private sector and Local Authority based on 2 bed houses Broad Rental Market Area 2010 2022 2023 2010 to 2023 change 2022 to 2023 change Cumulativ e CPI - 2010 to 2023 (45.7%) CPI - 2022 to 2023 (9.0%) Perth and Kinross £506 £626 £644 27.1% 2.8% 45.7% 9.0% Perth and Kinross - average Local Authority rent (per week) Source: Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Statistics, Scottish Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure 1997-98 to 2023 (near actuals) 2023/24 (estimates), October 2021. Table 8. Fuel poverty stats - no update since 2019 – awaiting 2023 results The 2022 Scottish House Condition Survey key findings were reported in February 2024 – but did not include local authority level figures for fuel poverty or energy efficiency. The most recent figures available date from the Scottish House Condition Survey of 2019 which indicate that 25% of households (17,000 hhs) in Perth and Kinross were in fuel poverty and 3000 (4%) hhs had an energy efficiency rating of F or G.
Page 18
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Income from Social Security and benefits in-kind Workless households - Perth and Kinross 2019-2023 Claimant count - Perth and Kinross 2019-2023 4000 6000 4400 7000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 1850 2815 2470 2159 2019/20 202/21 2021/22 2022/23
Page 19
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Number and % of pupils taking free school meals in Perth and Kinross Primary Schools - 2020-2023 Primary School annual total free school meals and % of entitlement Secondary School annual total free school meals and % of entitlement 5007 4796 4485 48% 68% 64% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 4200 4300 4400 4500 4600 4700 4800 4900 5000 5100 2020/2021 2021/2022 2022/2023
Page 20
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Best Start Grants Source: Social Security Scotland, Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods High Level Statistics tables 5 and 11. Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grant applications approved Source: Scottish Welfare Fund statistics: Annual Update 2022 – 2023 Table 24.
Page 21
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Indicators – survive and thrive % of children with a development concern by stage of review 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 13 – 15 months – 12.9% of children reviewed had at least one developmental concern recorded 27 – 30 months –13.5% of children had at least one developmental concern recorded 4–5-year review – 14.7% of children had at least one developmental concern recorded 13 – 15 months – 15.2% of children reviewed had at least one developmental concern recorded 27 – 30 months –17.3% of children had at least one developmental concern recorded 4–5-year review – 17.2% of children had at least one developmental concern recorded 13 – 15 months - 14.6% of children reviewed had at least one developmental concern recorded 27 – 30 months – 17.4% of children had at least one developmental concern recorded 4–5-year review – 14.2% of children had at least one developmental concern recorded Number and % in workforce with no qualifications Source: Nomis web: Local Authority Profile: Perth and Kinross.
Page 22
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition 2023 school leavers SIMD Quintile 1 2 3 4 5 Total Average Tariff Points 633 715 857 997 1112 Source: Total tariff scores for school leavers by SIMD. The gap between SIMD Q1 and SIMD Q5 for the proportion of school leavers attaining 1 or more passes at SCQF Level 6 (Higher) has reduced from 44% in 2016/17 to 29% in the most recent stats (2023 leavers). The gap between SIMD Q1 and SIMD Q5 for the proportion of school leavers attaining 1 or more passes at SCQF Level 5 (National 5) has reduced from 27% in 2016/17 to 17% in the most recent stats (2023 leavers). The SIMD Q1 – Q5 gap for the % of 16-19 year-olds participating in education, employment or training has also reduced from 13% in 2016/17 to 9.5% in 2022/23. Proportion of S4 pupils staying on by SIMD
Page 23
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Looked after school leavers with SCQF at Level 4 Young people (16-19) in education, training or employment
Page 24
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Priority families % single parent households % first-time mothers under 25 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Perth and Kinross 21% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Perth and Kinross
Page 25
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition % adults reporting a limiting long-term physical or mental health problem – households with children Minority ethnic HHs There were no local statistics for minority ethnic households as a %age of the population for Perth and Kinross. % large family households Households where there is a child under the age of 1. There was no local data available on households with a child under 1 year of age. 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Perth and Kinross East Ayrshire Scotland 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Perth and Kinross East Ayrshire Scotland
Page 26
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Social needs screening results - Early Years parents’ survey Perth and Kinross Council sought the views of parents and carers with babies, under-fives and school-age children regarding care and early education provision in the local area. The Early Learning and Childcare Bi-annual Survey Included for the first time a section on Priority Parents and Social Needs Screening which gained 460 responses. • 44% of parents belonged to a Priority Family group • 10% were lone parents • 2% were from a minority ethnic group • 1% were mothers under 25 • 3% had a disabled family member • 20% had more than 2 children • 6% had a child under 1 57% of parents with children in early years education did not belong to a priority family group. The question on threshold income (to identify how many were living below the poverty line) was not answered by 91% of respondents and therefore the results are not being reported. The Social Needs Screening questions attracted a higher level of respondents than the Priority Parents question (n = 484). Do you have difficulty making ends meet in the week/days before payday? Yes – 21% Sometimes – 22% No – 54% Not answered 3% In the past year was there any day when you or someone in your house went hungry because you did not have enough food? Yes – 6% Sometimes – 3% No – 88% Not answered – 3% Does your home have enough internet access/devices to enable all your school age children to learn from home? Yes – 84% No – 7% Sometimes – 5% Do you struggle to pay energy bills (gas/electricity or fuel to heat your home)? Yes – 11% Sometimes – 14% No- 71% Not answered – 3% Do you think you are at risk of becoming homeless? Yes – 1% No 92% Sometimes – 4% Not answered – 4% In the last 12 months has lack of transportation kept you from medical or other appointments, work or getting things for daily living? Yes – 7% Sometimes – 4% No - 85% Not answered 3% Section 2 – Feedback from parents
Page 27
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Learning Social Needs Screening questions are more likely to be answered than questions on family income. • 44% of parents with children in early years education belong to a Priority Family Group. • 43% if parents with children in early years education sometimes or always have difficulty making ends meet in the days/week before payday. • Someone went hungry in 9% of households with children in early years education in the last year because there was not enough money for food • 12% of households with children in early years education lack access to the internet/devices to support learning from home for all their children • 25% of parents with children in early years education struggle to heat their homes • 5% of parents with children in early years education consider themselves at some risk of becoming homeless • 11% of parents with children in early years education have missed a medical or other appointment, work or getting things for daily living because they lack access to transport.
Page 28
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Family Experience of Poverty Intense poverty exists. There is evidence of abject poverty in Perth and Kinross. Sometimes, such poverty has is a passing intensity, which may be triggered by unforeseen circumstance (e.g., breakdown of a household appliance; loss of employment; change in family arrangements). Intense poverty may subside, rather than disappear, becoming an enduring challenge of seasonal pinch points, e.g., increased living costs during summer when children are not in school for part of the week, or in winter when energy bills are higher, and Christmas brings additional expense. Family support. For those with access to it (which does not apply to all families experiencing poverty), the support provided by families – at critical stress points and in everyday life – is acknowledged and highly valued. Families are a key source of childcare support, and a resource that is drawn on in times of crisis. Time pressure. Time pressures are reported by many families experiencing poverty. The challenges of managing children’s lives and the challenges of combining work and family life are the primary sources of this stress. Cost of living. Housing, transport, and food expenditure is reported to place strain on family budgets, particularly in rural areas. Cumulative impacts. Many of the challenges faced by families experiencing poverty are encountered by other families. However, the difficulties in facing these challenges on a low income – without the ability to drawn on a safety net of financial resource – exacerbate these problems. Similarly, the cumulative impact and interaction of these problems impacts on family life. Stigma. Many of the families described issues related to stigma, with narratives indicating stigmatisation was even experienced when accessing support. Living in Perth and Kinross Good place to live. On the whole, Perth and Kinross as a region, and the localities within, are viewed positively by families experiencing poverty. Opportunity for ready access to leisure, formal and informal, is widely appreciated. Luck. Families experiencing poverty in Perth and Kinross often used the descriptor ‘luck’ to rationalise positive experiences. This conveys a sense of gratitude for what they have, and an acknowledgement that others may not be as fortunate as themselves. It also suggests that a sense of rights and entitlement does not prevail. A Perthshire trade-off. Many families experiencing poverty accept or understand poor provision – for example in housing, or rural transport – as part of the price to be paid for where they live.
Page 29
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Parental Experience of PKC Services Referrals work. There is much evidence of effective cross referral and integration of support pathways. Where this works, it is not received as being ‘passed on,’ but rather as being directed to the right source. Successful referrals were reported within services, and across services. Positive impacts of this included being connected to support in a timely manner which was critical for prevention of intensification of problems. Key individuals. Many parents experiencing poverty made reference to a key individual who provided them with critical support and/or who ‘made things happen’. These interventions were often understood as someone going ‘above and beyond’ duty, rather than delivering routine service. These sources of key support were found across a range of service areas. Individuals, Departments, and the Council. Although people experiencing poverty did not always praise individuals or specific departments/services, overall, there was much more evidence of positive than negative appraisal of service rendered. In contrast, “the Council” tended to be viewed more negatively. How services are delivered. The way in which services are delivered is important. There were several examples of people experiencing poverty reporting that staff had shown a lack of empathy toward them or had failed to appreciate the situation in which they found themselves. Poor communication was noted for some, and public information was found to be lacking. Utilising local sources of information. It was striking how many parents, turned to local sources for information about what was available to them. These local sources were not Council-led but were often informal groups that had emerged utilising platforms, such as Facebook or WhatsApp. Housing. It was acknowledged that there was a housing shortage and that there was a long waiting list for Council housing. The lack of availability was leading people to accept whatever was offered, which was not always ideally suited to their needs, for example, some were living further away from family support, or living in accommodation without sufficient bedrooms. Childcare. Childcare was a particular challenge for those in-work. Although all were aware of entitlement, availability did not always dovetail with need, and available provision often required additional cost to either access the provision, or to pay for additional hours beyond universal entitlement. Childcare was constraining opportunities to access paid employment. Education. Schools were viewed positively and were often acknowledged as a source of wider information beyond education. School meals were not viewed to be meeting all children’s needs. Leisure. Children were widely reported to be actively engaged in leisure and sporting activities outside of school. Families also reported utilising the local environment for seasonal ‘incidental’ leisure.
Page 30
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Transport. Transport services were viewed positively in the city of Perth. In contrast, the availability and cost of transport in rural areas was often criticised. There was understanding of the difficulty in delivering rural transport. Many families in rural areas reported the necessity of having access to a car. Poor provision generates costs. Providing a service does not always lead to needs being met. Notably, with regards to housing, childcare and school meals, perceived inadequacies in provision led to family spend, e.g., paying extra for heating, paying for packed lunches where school meals do not meet children’s needs. Poor provision generates work. Service inadequacies create work for others. There is a need for systems thinking to reduce the overall workload, which would also be less time-consuming and stressful for services users. This does not only imply a shift of workload between organisations, but also leads to a shift of workload within organisations (for example, Welfare Support offering routine advice on availability/entitlement, as this information cannot be accessed independently with ease).
Page 31
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Wellbeing Parents asked for • Help for families with issues around mental health or wellbeing • Timely support for mental health for children and young people experiencing stress/distress. • Whole Family Support - Directory of Services was published in 2023 in response to parents’ requests for information. • By the end of March 2023, the waiting time for people accessing statutory Mental Health Services had increased by 10% compared to the same period last year. However, at the same time there has been a 27% reduction on waiting lists, suggesting non-statutory community-based services, such as the third sector and peer support networks, are intervening earlier and limiting the need for intervention via statutory services. • 89% of people felt their health and social care support was easily accessible and well communicated. • 2808 pupils took part in active schools and sports to improve mental health and wellbeing (22/23 – latest data available). • There were 223,276, 000 attendances at indoor and outdoor sports and leisure facilities and programmes during the reporting period (Oct – Dec 2023). • 91% of adults felt satisfied with parks and open spaces • 58% of residents were satisfied with local leisure facilities. • PKC’s Welfare Rights team received 177 referrals from Health Visitors and the Family Nurse Partnership which resulted in benefit gains averaging £1638 per family. Section 3 – how our services responded
Page 32
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Stigma and Dignity Parents asked • To be treated with empathy and understanding • That service providers understand it can be difficult for parents to admit they are struggling to make ends meet and ask for help. A Child Poverty Learning Hub has been set up on Perth and Kinross Council’s learning platform – Protecting People. 70 employees have completed the course on Poverty and Stigma. Cash First approaches have been adopted by Perth and Kinross Council, Perth CAB is leading a Cash-First Partnership involving Perth and Kinross Council and key third sector and community partners. Over £1 million in funding has been secured to deliver the Supporting People -Addressing Need programme which is geared at delivering a one-door, cash first approach to ensuring people experiencing poverty access all the services and support they need. Within this the Support and Connect project will provide all locality-based frontline workers with access to poverty-related training. Streamlining of benefits has resulted in one application being needed only for free school meals and school clothing grants.
Page 33
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Crisis support Parents asked for • Accessible information on sources of help and support for parents in crisis - money, welfare benefits, in-kind support • Help accessing support in times of crisis when they are experiencing stress • Key worker approaches - where one person helps source support across a range of organisations • Help with form filling and navigating the welfare benefits system • Cash First Approaches Welfare Benefits Checks/Money Advice offered to Council employees • Support for Foodbanks and Community Groups offering in-kind or crisis support. Our Welfare Rights Team • Responded to 8022 referrals for advice on welfare rights, advice and assistance was provided to 1734 families with dependent children with an average household gain of £1440 • secured £8.5Million in benefit income gains of which £681,000 was secured following representation at 80 benefit appeals with a success rate of 89%. • 1056 households benefitted from an average client financial gain of £1060 – a further 2762 households are either awaiting decisions on their benefit claim or are out of contact with the service. • submitted 4135 successful applications for Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grants which resulted in payments totalling £566,001.i • 686 households receiving a Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grant went onto receive a comprehensive benefits entitlement check, additional benefit entitlements were secured for 99 households resulting in a client financial gain of £651,136. • Maintained and updated 80 web pages providing access to information about welfare benefits • There was a 29% reduction in referrals from the Welfare Rights Team to the main foodbanks in the area suggesting that Cash First approaches are being successful in reducing demand for food parcels. At the same time there was an overall 4% reduction in demand for food parcels to the main foodbanks in Perth and Kinross. • Advice provision has been made available to the Gypsy Traveller community via outreach sessions at the Double Dykes facility, and to employees of the 2 Sisters Chicken Factory in Coupar Angus. • 104 community groups received community investment funding to support community led projects and initiatives to help improve equalities across Perth and Kinross. • Food insecurity during the holiday period was addressed by provision of£171,376 for the Fuelled for Fun programme which reached 479 children.
Page 34
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Housing Parents asked for • Increased supply of affordable housing • Ensure houses are let in a good state of repair • Improved Communications. • 173 new homes were completed in rural Perthshire following a £4.4M investment by Perth and Kinross Council and the Scottish Government. (Jan – March 2024 – no data for 2022/23). • PKC is supporting 5 Community Development Trusts to explore community-led affordable housing initiatives • 737 households presented as homeless to March 2023; this was an increase of 21% on the previous year but was due to demand associated with post-pandemic conditions, cost of living pressures and a reduction in the housing supply with less new-build completions and a significantly reduced turnover of existing stock. • 2,205 households were provided with energy efficiency and/or low carbon heating advice – an increase of 149% compared to the previous year. Funding for the HEAT project was increased as part of our Cost-of-Living Crisis response.
Page 35
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Education Parents asked for • Information about help available to struggling families • Information on how to access help around school costs with assurance that these will be handled discretely and sensitively Improvements in the quality of school meals • Affordable after-school provision to support parental employment. • A Child Tax Credit take up campaign resulted in an additional 210 families and 265 children receiving Tx Credits – an estimated client financial gain of £970,000. • 60 additional registered childcare places before school and 16 additional childcare places during school holiday periods were provided at Letham Early Learning and Childcare and Inch View Early Learning Centre and Wraparound Care Centres. • An additional 137 registered childcare places were provided, and families can now use tax-free childcare, universal credit or childcare vouchers to help with costs. • There are 1615 children registered to use Kids Clubs and Wraparound Care which enables parents and carers to work or take-up training opportunities. • All schools have been provided with Cost of the School Day resources and training materials provided by the Child Poverty Action Group.
Page 36
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Childcare Parents asked for • Increased access to accessible and affordable childcare • Flexible childcare options to support parental employment • Accessible information on available childcare options, places, and costs. • 269 2-year-olds benefitted from Strong Start placements in early years education. 2020 3 – 5 year lds accessed funded hours of early learning in local authority settings; • 300 2-yearolds benefited from Strong Start placements. This enables children who are most at risk experience high quality learning experiences and nurturing care and support from a younger age. Parents reported that Strong Start 2 placements enable them to return to previous employment, reduce childcare costs and have more time to focus on their own wellbeing. • 1106 3-5 year-olds benefitted from in funded provider Nurseries and Playgroups. • Child minders provided funded places for 1 2-year- old and 17 3–5 year-olds. • XX% of parents were satisfied that ELC funded childcare provided affordability, flexibility, accessibility and quality childcare. • Parents can access information PKC website and use of Find My Nearest • Early learning and childcare - Perth and Kinross Council (pkc.gov.uk) • https://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/21887/Find-my- nearest-childcare-providers • Community-led childcare provision has been established in Craigie, Perth. They were provided with management support and a start-up grant and are now able to provide 20 before school places to allow parents to get to work. An additional 20 before school places have been provided to villages in the Carse of Gowrie.
Page 37
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition Transport Parents asked for • Improved transport links in rural areas to support parental employment patterns • Affordable local transport options. • 72% of the Under 22s registered for a free bus pass • Free bus travel is provided on every Saturday in December across the whole of Perth and Kinross Council Area • Council committed to purchasing four x 8 seat vehicles to provide to 3 rural community transport groups and one rurally based commercial operator, to deliver additional public transport trips at an affordable cost to the passenger. The groups are based in Kirkmichael, Muthill and Aberfeldy. The commercial operator will cover the rural area between Blairgowrie and Dunkeld. • Council secured SCSP funding for a pilot to increase the days of operation of Service 91 and also provided a new route on Saturdays between Aberfeldy and Kinloch Rannoch. • Council entered a Public Social Partnership with Glenfarg Community Transport Group and financially contributed to supporting a six day a week regular, affordable bus service for residents in the Glenfarg/Milnathort and Kinross area. • Council increased local bus budget for FY 24/25 to take account of RPI and full year impact of new contract costs, which ensured that no subsidised local bus services in operation in 23/24 would be subject to termination in 24/25
Page 38
Children’s Scorecard 2024 | 3rd Edition 1 Confidence Intervals - Confidence intervals for child poverty (relative - after housing cost) figures were between 18% and 30% for 2020 – 2023 and 19% and 30% for relative poverty- before housing costs. The poverty estimates in the Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland report are based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This is a sample survey, and therefore there is some degree of uncertainty around the estimates produced. For example, when it is reported that 21% of individuals are living in relative poverty after housing costs, then this should be understood not as an exact figure but as a best estimate within a range. 1 End Child Poverty (cpag.org.uk) 1 The statistics on local child poverty rates after housing costs presented in this report are calibrated to regional two-year average rates from Households Below Average Income (HBAI). Due to sampling issues during 2021/22 related to the Covid-19 pandemic, additional caution may be required in interpreting these statistics. More information on the technical issues with HBAI is available here. DWP advise that while the data for FYE 2021 and FYE 2022 has undergone extensive quality assurance prior to publication, users exercise additional caution when using the data for FYE 2021 and FYE 2022, particularly when making comparisons with previous years and for local areas across countries. We further recommend particular caution in interpreting year-on-year changes in local areas, and advise focussing on longer-term trends when looking at change over time. 1 Children in Low Income Families in Relative Poverty Before Housing Costs – StsXplore/DWP 1 General Indicators used in previous reports but not in this years report are %age of families not managing financially and %age of families with no savings. These come from the Scottish Household Survey and the sample size for Perth and Kinross was not significant. 1 Jobs densities are calculated as the number of jobs per resident aged 16 to 64 for 2022. 1 The gender pay gap is calculated as the difference between average hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of men and women as a proportion of men’s average hourly earnings (excluding overtime). It is a measure across all jobs in the UK, not of the difference in pay between men and women for doing the same job. The Annual Survey for Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is based on employer responses for a 1% sample of employee jobs, using HM Revenue and Customs Pay As You Earn (PAYE) records to identify individuals’ current employer. 1 Method of calculating gender pay gap in years 2019 – 2022 was gross weekly rate this changed and is now gross hourly rate and this may account for the shift in outturn figures. 1 %age children with no development concerns at 13 – 15 months, 27-30 months and 4 – 5years was previously measured, this is the new measurement applied by Public Health Scotland. 1 Data for Priority Families was sourced via the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Dashboard and the comparator local authority was East Ayrshire. Local child poverty dashboard - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) 1 Source: Scottish Welfare Fund statistics: Annual Update 2022 – 2023 Table 24 If you or someone you know would like a copy of this document in another language or format, (on occasion, only a summary of the document will be provided in translation), this can be arranged by contacting the Customer Service Centre on 01738 475000. You can also send us a text message on 07824 498145. All Council Services can offer a telephone translation facility. BSL users can contact us via Contact Scotland BSL, the online British Sign Language video relay interpreting service. Find out more on the Contact Scotland BSL website https://contactscotland-bsl.org