Struggling parents lay out budget hopes in plea to Shona Robison

A group, who are participants in the Changing Realities project, have been working together to share their ideas on what needs to change to help support their families.

Changing Realities is a UK wide group of more than 150 parents and carers in collaboration with the University of York and Child Poverty Action Group.

In the letter to the Finance Secretary, the parents write that that “Scotland cares deeply about its weans.”

The group point out support such as Scottish Child Payment and free school meals as an example of why living in Scotland means there is often support available for young children that isn’t elsewhere.

Finance secretary Shona Robison (Image: PA)

But they feel more is needed and continued: “For parents living on a low income, life remains incredibly tough. Many of us are struggling and feel stigmatised, even when we are doing our very best to provide for our families.”

Nanda is part of the group and is a single mum to two young children. She works a part time job in Edinburgh and described the cost of living crisis as making her situation ‘so hard now’.

The group added that they understand Ms Robison has a number of challenging areas to look at but added: “We are writing to you with specific requests to help struggling families like ours.”

They believe the Scottish budget should increase the Scottish child payment in a bid to help provide basics that many are struggling for.

Earlier this year, the government scrapped plans to extend free school meals to children after primary 5, and the parents want to see that changed so there is less worry for youngsters.

The group also states that the issues are having an adverse effect on the mental health of children when they see their parents struggling.  

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The letter states: “The cost of raising children is increasing. Even basic things right now add significant pressure, such as making sure children are warm and fed and have warm coats and jackets.”

“Increasing the Scottish Child Payment to help with these costs would make a meaningful difference to parents like us.

“Providing a hot meal to children every day, regardless of their families financial circumstances, makes a big difference and is a long way from how some of us remember getting free school meals when we were young.

“However, losing free school meals is a huge worry for parents whose children are above primary 5, especially if they are already struggling with costs. We would like to see funding in the next financial year to expand free school meals for all children regardless of age.

"When families do not have enough money, this can have a knock on effect on children’s mental health."

The group finish off their letter by making an appeal for free transport to be reinstated for asylum seekers and refugees, because they feel it is particularly unfair on children that it has been taken away. 

They added: “Many of the parents in our group are asylum seekers or refugees. We know that children are children regardless of their immigration status. It isn’t fair that asylum seeking families should struggle to provide a dignified life for their children.

“There are things that the Scottish Government can do in this budget to help us, such as reinstating free transport for asylum seekers and refugees.

“When parents do not have the right to work or cannot access social security, there needs to be more support available from the Scottish Government so that people do not need to use a food bank and have opportunities to learn and train.”