Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2024 - 2025
Argyll and Bute Council · 17 September 2025
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 17 September 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Meeting name: Integration Joint Board Date of Meeting: 17 September 2025 Title of Report: Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2024 - 2025 Presented by: Evan Beswick The IJB is asked to: ▪ The request is for the content of this report to be noted. 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Argyll and Bute Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2024-2025 is a review of the Child Poverty Action Plan first published in 2019. It is a requirement under the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 that local authorities and health boards jointly produce and publish an annual review of their plan, setting out work being undertaken to tackle child poverty in their region. This action is required up until 2030. The Argyll and Bute Child Poverty Action Group, led by Evan Beswick (Chief Officer; Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership) have produced this year’s review, it reflects a children’s rights approach children and young people are currently coproducing an updated graphic, plan on a page version of the plan. This will be published with the substantive plan. The review also seeks to reflect the vision that: We want an Argyll and Bute where no-one lives in poverty. Everyone should be able to achieve their potential and feel healthy, happy and valued. We want to be a place where everyone understands that tackling poverty is a shared responsibility. We believe that if we act locally, and in partnership, we can make a difference. DETAIL OF REPORT This report notes that although some progress has been made in tackling child poverty in Scotland, because of factors such as the Scottish Child Payment and other national and local actions, child poverty is still very much with us. The Foreword to this report mentions Danny Dorling, who in his Book “Seven Children; Inequality and Britain’s Next Generation” 2024, noted that: In the seven most recent years surveyed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2014 – 2021, child poverty has risen faster in the UK than in any comparable country worldwide.
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2 This report also sets out the challenges of tackling child poverty in Argyll and Bute goes on to show what progress has been made in the various key areas of the plan, including employability, housing, education, benefits, data analysis and fuel poverty. It acknowledges the work of the Council, the Health Board and their partners in continuing to work together to tackle child poverty. 3.1 Other front Sections of the Report are: • Child Friendly Version of the Plan • Integrated Impact Assessments • Data and Child Poverty • Taking Action on Rural Poverty • Child Poverty and Mental Health • The Promise and Whole Family Support The Main Plan This section of the report reviews progress and changes in key areas of the plan and is laid out as always, in the following sections: A. Increasing Income from Employment and Earnings. B. Increasing Income through Benefits C. Cost of Living D. Helping Families in Other Ways E. Other Planned Work
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3 1. INTRODUCTION This report is the annual Child Poverty Action Plan Review, for 2024 - 2025. It is a requirement under the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 that local authorities and health boards jointly produce and publish an annual review of their plan, setting out work being undertaken to tackle child poverty in their region. This action is required up until 2030. Children and young people are currently working with a graphic artist to coproduce a graphic, plan on a page version for children, young people and adults who prefer a briefer, graphic presentation. This will be published alongside main plan. The introduction also discusses the Argyll and Bute picture and the factors that contribute including rurality, cost of living, transport, economic base and housing. Research is cited with regards to these factors. 2. DETAIL OF REPORT Front Sections of the Report: • Child Friendly Version of the Plan (Graphic plan on a page being coproduced). • Integrated Impact Assessments (Notes the development of the impact assessments and the integration of children’s rights). • Data and Child Poverty (Notes progress in this area since the last review). • Taking Action on Rural Poverty (TARP) Describes the progress of the project and the Citizen’s Panel). • Child Poverty and Mental Health (Notes the causes and impacts of this key issue and gives information about services in Argyll and Bute). • The Promise and Whole Family Support (Notes progress and focuses on Children’s Residential Houses and Family Placement). The Plan This section of the report reviews progress and changes in key areas of the plan and is laid out as always, in the following sections: A. Increasing Income from Employment and Earnings. • Employability. • Skills Development Scotland Argyll and Bute. • UHI Argyll and University of the Highlands and Islands. • Education and Early Year. B. Increasing Income through Benefits • Benefits. • Social Security Scotland, Argyll and Bute. • Welfare Rights Update 2024-25. • Bute Advice Centre. C. Cost of Living • Housing. • ALIenergy Fuel Poverty & Education Summary (2024–25).
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4 • Free School Meals and Holiday Provision. • Infant Food Insecurity Pilot. • My Tribe Free Period Product Initiative. D. Helping Families in Other Ways • Public Health. • Young Carers. • Working with Refugees in Argyll and Bute. • Pre-loved School Uniform Project. • Schools Share and Recycle. • Street Connect. E. Other Planned Work • Establishing a Dedicated Poverty Prevention Service. 3. RELEVANT DATA AND INDICATORS Annual statistics published today show that compared with the previous year’s statistics, relative child poverty in 2023-24 reduced from 26% to 22% in Scotland while absolute child poverty fell from 23% to 17%. UK Poverty statistics published today show levels of relative child poverty at 31% and absolute child poverty at 26%. Scottish Government, 27/03/2025. (Scottish Government, 27/03/2025). This picture is reflected in 2023 - 2024 figures released in June 2025, by the End Child Poverty (ECP) coalition. The constituency Argyll and Bute and South Lochaber, shows a rate of 22.1%; the previous year was 23.5% so a small reduction can be seen. 4. CONTRIBUTION TO STRATEGIC PRIORITIES This report meets the Council’s statutory reporting duty with regarding to tackling child poverty and relates to other strategic reports including The Children and Young People’s Service Plan 2023-2026, the Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan 2020-2034 and the Argyll and Bute Local Housing Strategy 2022 – 2027. It is closely linked with children’s rights and the statutory duty to report in this area. 5. GOVERNANCE IMPLICATIONS Guidance: Please ensure that you have followed the appropriate governance structure taking consideration of the following areas prior to submitting your paper. 6.1 Financial Impact The work outlined in this report has financial impacts, as indicated, and are aimed at improving the lives of children and their families. 5.2 Staff Governance/Culture It should be noted that Council, health and third sector staff are involved in the work outlined in the various sections of this report. 5.3 Clinical & Care Governance
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5 6. PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY This report was approved by Evan Beswick (tackling child poverty lead) and the Argyll and Bute Child Poverty Action Group. Consultation was undertaken with children and young people, and they have coproduced a graphic version of the main plan. 7. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS An Equality Impact Assessment is not required for this report because it is a review of an existing report. However, the content is focused on social inclusion and noting the challenges and barriers to tackling child poverty in our remote, rural and island places. 8. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION PRINCIPLES COMPLIANCE Data protection principles have been adhered to. 9. RISK ASSESSMENT There are no identified risks in this report, beyond the impacts if we failed to continue to carry out the work outlined in the report and develop it further. 10. PUBLIC & USER INVOLVEMENT & ENGAGEMENT 11. RECOMMENDATIONS The request is that this report is that the content of this report be noted. 12. DIRECTIONS Directions required to Council, NHS Board or both. Directions to: tick No Directions required x Argyll & Bute Council NHS Highland Health Board Argyll & Bute Council and NHS Highland Health Board REPORT AUTHOR AND CONTACT Author Name Mandy Sheridan Email mandy.sheridan@argyll-bute.gov.uk This paper has previously been reviewed in draft format at: Meeting Reviewed (tick) Date Finance & Policy Committee Audit & Risk Committee Clinical & Care Governance Committee Strategic Planning Group Argyll & Bute Council NHS Highland Board Community Planning Partnership Other