Bringing Hope, Building Futures: Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2026-2031 – Children's version

What we’ll do to help families

Helping families earn more money

We need to help families to find and stay in good jobs. We know that also means helping people with things like childcare, transport, skills, and education.

To help families with this, we will:

Make it easier for them to find work

Good jobs mean families can afford food, clothes, and school things, and it can make things better at home. We will help parents learn new skills and find work that suits them.

Make sure work is fair

Some parents work really hard but still struggle to pay bills. Fair jobs that pay well mean families have enough to live on. This helps children feel included at school, allows them to take part in clubs, and worry less about money at home. We will work with employers to make jobs fairer and pay more.

Help with childcare

When childcare is good and does not cost too much, parents can work and children can play and learn in a safe place. This helps the whole family. We will help families get the childcare they need by doing things like making sure all primary schools have a free breakfast club so children can start their day well.

Help with transport

If buses and trains cost too much or don’t go to the right places, it’s hard for parents to get to work and for children to get to school or see their friends. We will work to make sure buses and trains are better. This includes letting every child and young person use the bus for free.

Reducing the cost of living

We need to help families afford the things they need every day, like food, clothes, and bills, if we want to reduce child poverty in Scotland. Helping with these costs makes it easier for families to do other things like working, improving their skills or taking up training or education. To support families with the cost of living we will:

Build more houses that families can afford

A safe, warm home helps children stay healthy, sleep well, and feel ready to learn at school. When families can afford their rent or mortgage, they have more money for other things. We will help families by continuing to build more houses that are right for families and that don’t cost too much.

End child homelessness

Every child deserves a safe place to live which makes them feel confident and settled. We will work to make sure no child ever experiences homelessness in Scotland.

Make homes cost less to heat

Cold and damp homes can make children sick and make it harder for them to do their homework. We will make it cost less for families to keep their homes warm, so they do not have to worry so much about their bills.

Tackle public debt

Owing money and having debt can make families feels stressed and means they have less money to spend on other things. Helping manage debt makes life easier for families. We will look at ways we can help families to have less debt working with government, local councils, and others so life feels easier.

Increasing income from benefits

Benefits give money to families that need it, making it easier for them to buy things like food or keep their house warm. We know that some families need benefits more than others. To help families we will:

Provide more support to families who need it most

Not every family can get enough money from working to pay for everything they need. In Scotland we have given families more help, with something called the Scottish Child Payment. We will give extra support to families who have a baby under one year old, because we know having a baby costs a lot of money.

Help more people get the benefits and support they are entitled to

Lots of families in Scotland are already getting the benefits and support that are there for them. But we know that for some, it can be more difficult. To help these families we will make sure we tell them about the support available and make it easier for them to get the support they need.

Provide more money and debt advice for families

Good advice helps parents feel in control and plan ahead. We will support services that help families with money worries.

Supporting children and families to thrive

We want Scotland to be the best place in the world for our families to live, work and raise their children. We want it to be the best place for all our children and young people, so they can do everything they want in life.

To support our children and families to thrive we will:

Support young families

The first years of life are very important. Supporting parents early helps children have the best start possible. We will make sure families get the support they need when their children are little.

Help children and young people at school

To support our children and families to do their best, we will make sure all young people can take part in their school and communities. This includes making sure more children can get a free meal at school, so they don’t go hungry, and making sure children don’t have to pay money to take part in classes.

Provide Whole Family Support

Every family needs help sometimes - and that is normal. We will make sure support is easy to find and there when families need it. We will also give more money to charities to support families in their local area.

Using information we have to support families

Good information helps us understand what families need. We will help local councils and others to use the information we already have about families to make sure we give people the help they need.