What is Poverty?

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation describes poverty as resources being well below minimum needs. Living in poverty can make it difficult for families to heat their homes, provide food and fully participate in activities considered to be ‘normal’ for 21^st century living. 

The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 outlines four measures of poverty across Scotland: relative poverty; absolute poverty; combined low income and material deprivation; and persistent poverty.

Relative Poverty

Relative poverty is based on a household’s net income falling 60% below the median income for a household in that financial year.

Absolute Poverty

Absolute poverty is based on a household’s net income falling 60% below the median income for a household in a base year, currently the financial year beginning April 2010. 

Combined Low Income and Material Deprivation

Combined low income and material deprivation refers to households that fall 70% below the median household income that year and cannot afford specific goods or services for their children, such as, one holiday a year or a separate bedroom for children of different genders aged 10 years or over.

Persistent Poverty

Persistent Poverty includes households living in relative poverty for three of the last four years.

Child Poverty in Scotland

From figures obtained for the Child Poverty Action Group, in the year 2019-20 one in four children in Scotland were living  in poverty and 68% of children living in poverty in Scotland lived in a household where at least one person worked. In addition 38% of children in lone parent households live in poverty and 29% of children with a dsiabled parent also live in poverty. Health Scotland reported in 2019 that relative child poverty was increasing in Scotland.

The Scottish Government passed an Act of Parliament in 2017 outlining their plans to eradicate child poverty in Scotland. By 2030 the Child Poverty (Scotland) 2017 Act aims to reduce the number of children living in households in relative poverty to below 10% and those children in households living in absolute poverty combined with low and material deprivation and persistent poverty to less than 5%.

Poverty and Education

Research has shown that children living in poverty are at an educational disadvantage in their learning. A study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation demonstrated that the attainment gap in Scotland in literacy and numeracy, between low and high income families, begins early and is apparent by the age of five. At this time there can be between a ten to thirteen month gap. Children from low income families are more likely to leave school earlier, impacting on longer-term job prospects. 

Parent socio-economic status has a greater influence on learner attainment than the school they attend (source: JRF). Arguably, learners are beginning their educational journeys from an uneven starting point based on the income and circumstances of their families. This can lead to families being stuck in a generational poverty cycle. Schooling should be equitable for all learners, allowing learners to fully participate in their education to achieve the best possible outcomes, regardless of family circumstance.

The Scottish Government recognises that there is a poverty-related attainment gap in Scotland and has set up ‘The Scottish Attainment Challenge’ to try and help achieve equity within the education system. The focus of the The Scottish Attainment Challenge is to improve literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing across targeted areas of Scotland through the distribution of the Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) and other targeted interventions. 

Poverty Proofing Schools

The Child Poverty Action Group found that schools can be expensive places, particularly for low income families and launched the Cost of the School Day campaign to help raise awareness of the barriers to learning and participation facing some learners. Many schools in Scotland are being encouraged to consider the cost of the school day for their learners and develop action plans to help target inequality, mitigating the effects of child poverty. 

Uniforms, school trips and events, travel to school, homework, after-school clubs and lunches can all have a significant impact on families and learners’ participation in the full life of the school. Does the learner that gets the free school bus miss breakfast club every morning because it doesn’t arrive in time? Does that same learner miss out on the opportunity to attend after-school events because the bus home is their only means of transport? Are there learners that are often absent from school when there is a school fundraiser or charity event because they can’t engage? These are some of the challenges facing families in Scotland and impacting on the participation in whole school life and it is important that schools examine their practices to reduce or even eliminate these barriers for families. Doing this in a discreet, sensitive and non-stigmatising way is also essential.

Some of the elements that impact the cost of the school day to families can be outwith a school’s control, such as, the cost of lunch and transport to school. In Scotland there has been a roll-out of free school meals for learners up to Primary 5 regardless of family circumstances. Schemes like this have helped mitigate some of the challenges families face, however, there are many things schools themselves can do to try and support low income families. Schools could consider sharing information about grants for uniform or meals regularly and could develop a yearly financial calendar in order to help families plan for costs during the school year.

Some schools offer subsidised places on school trips or residentials, supported by fundraising activities led by parent councils. The learning involved in trips outside of school is often deep and extremely valuable, so making these events accessible to all learners should be considered a priority. It’s also worth checking if there are any local charities or organisations that might help fund school trips or help purchase things for extra-curricular clubs, such as sports equipment or craft materials. 

Many schools in Scotland are now making great use of uniform recycling schemes to help support families as well as protect the environment. This could be expanded to incorporate a winter clothing drive, a ‘swap shop’ to help meet the clothing needs of families or the collection of costumes and other specialist clothing that can be used to support school events. Engaging and communicating with families is vital to developing strategies that work best for your school community. 

With the ongoing increases we’re seeing in the cost of living, it’s possible that even more families will start to face difficult financial choices in the coming months. Schools must do what they can to minimise the impact on learning, participation and attainment for all learners. Not all families will ask for help and not all poverty is evident, so developing accessible policies and practices in your school that address the cost of the school day could be what keeps your community thriving.