[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f141i8050dhlgd":17},{"id":4,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":6,"is_featured":7,"title":8,"slug":9,"content":10,"content_overview":11,"published_at":12,"seo_title":8,"seo_description":13,"image":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16},"01m5fanaffkxrzkrpj1x4keag4","9cdbdd6d-4900-4646-a012-d3e67a5ee788","01j303dmcc6n6900v73fs88bc7",false,"Right to Food Commission supports Aberlour's Call to End School Meal Debt","right-to-food-commission-supports-aberlours-call","\u003Cp>School meal debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three words that should never be uttered in the same sentence\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Children bearing the burden and stigma of debt should shame any society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, here in Scotland that is what we saw happening for thousands of children and their families around the country.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For many high school children having a negative balance on their parent pay account would mean being unable to access a meal at school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>School meal debt and hidden school hunger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two sides of the same coin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what side that coin lands on it would still show how badly we have failed many of Scotland’s most disadvantaged children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is why at Aberlour we were compelled to do something about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make sure we stood beside those children and their families and to call for something to change – urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We wanted to make sure we saw an \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fabout-us\u002Fpolicy-and-influencing\u002Fpublic-debt\u002Fschool-meal-debt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">end to school meal debt and hidden school hunger for good\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 2023 we urged the then First Minister, Humza Yusaf, to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To bring an end to the shameful practice of children and their families being chased by debt collectors for school meal debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>School meal debt is a symptom of families not having enough money to provide the very basics for their children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fundamentally, it is about a lack of income.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We welcomed the introduction of a one-off School Meal Debt Fund to write off outstanding debt for one year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But we were clear that was not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our evidence shows that the majority of children with school meal debt are from low-income working families who do not qualify for free school meals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, along with writing off the debt for struggling families, we called for the expansion of Free School Meals to all low-income families across Scotland to help prevent school meal debt in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again, we welcomed John Swinney’s subsequent commitment to continuing the School Meal Debt Fund for a further year to write off nearly £3 million of school meal debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Figures show that this benefitted 70,000 children and their families across Scotland over the last two years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A welcome relief for many, but still a limited intervention without a long-term solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our campaign to end school meal debt has continued up to and during the recent Scottish Parliament elections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last year we also published evidence that pointed to the extent of school meal debt for children and their families in England.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What our research suggested was that around 1 in 4 children not eligible for free school meals in England had regular or persistent school meal debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so we called on the UK Government to act and follow Scotland’s lead by taking action to end school meal debt for children across the rest of the UK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This week saw the launch of the independent UK Right to Food Commission report and findings following their work to evidence the scale of food insecurity across the UK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Commission’s report provides a roadmap and clear actions all governments across the UK must take to end food insecurity for all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This includes ending school meal debt for good for all children the length of the country, from Aberdeen to Aberystwyth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Scotland, the SNP made a commitment during the Scottish Parliamentary election campaign to end school meal debt once and for all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That manifesto pledge was then followed by the First Minister announcing that families struggling with school meal debt would continue to be helped by committing the same level of investment again this year to write that debt off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time this will happen alongside the further expansion of Free School Meals in primary schools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The urgent measure and a preventative solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is much more the First Minister must do to make real progress on his ambition to “eradicate child poverty”.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this is one example that the rest of the UK can follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Making sure no child ever again is burdened with debt or goes hungry at school would be a quick win for Andy Burnham, to show his commitment to tackling food insecurity by ending school meal debt in every postcode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Martin Canavan\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Head of Policy & Influencing \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>",null,"2026-10-21T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity's Head of Policy & Influencing, Martin Canavan, shares what must be done to end school meal debt and hidden hunger in schools for good. He shares what has been done in Scotland and what must be done in England.","media\u002Fshared image.jpg","2026-10-21T13:33:25.000000Z","2026-10-22T08:11:54.000000Z",{"id":18,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":19,"is_featured":7,"title":20,"slug":21,"content":22,"content_overview":11,"published_at":23,"seo_title":24,"seo_description":25,"image":26,"created_at":27,"updated_at":28,"next":29,"prev":30},"01jygn1g66x6j5m8hh5p12hbsx","1","Aberlour Children's Charity is delighted to announce the appointment of Justina Murray as our new Chief Executive ","aberlour-childrens-charity-is-delighted-to-announce-the-appointment-of-justina-murray-our-new-chief-executive","\u003Cp>Today [Tuesday 24th June 2025] Aberlour Children's Charity is delighted to annouce the appointment of Justina Murray as our new Chief Exectuive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justina, an advocate for social justice with over 30 years’ experience in the public and third sector, joins Aberlour from \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sfad.org.uk\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs\u003C\u002Fa> (Scottish Families), where she worked since 2017 following previous senior roles at South West Scotland Community Justice Authority, North Ayrshire Council and strategic policy posts in Auckland, New Zealand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During her eight years as Chief Executive of Scottish Families Justina transformed the charity, introducing multiple new services and innovative programmes to extend reach and impact. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under her leadership, Scottish Families profile and influence has grown greatly and the staff team and charity income increased significantly. Justina is now eager to make a lasting impact for children and families supported by Aberlour, the largest solely Scottish children’s charity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Justina says: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>I feel very humbled and privileged to be taking up the role of Chief Executive at Aberlour. I intend to bring the same level of energy, passion and commitment as SallyAnn has so visibly demonstrated over her time with the charity. I recognise I have very big shoes to fill! I am really looking forward to joining the team, continuing Aberlour’s vital work to beat poverty and discrimination, and working hard to make rights real for Scotland’s children, young people and families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Justina will be starting her new role in Autumn, succeeding SallyAnn Kelly OBE who has led Aberlour as CEO for 11 years and is hailed as a leading voice in the third sector.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Aberlour’s Chair, David Robb, said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>We are excited to welcome Justina as our new CEO. Whilst we have made significant progress for children and families across Scotland there is still much to be done. Justina embodies the values of Aberlour and we are keen to leverage her knowledge and experience, alongside her commitment and drive to create change to secure better outcomes for children and families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>David added: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>We would also like to express our gratitude to SallyAnn for her outstanding commitment and dedication to Aberlour. She has revitalised the organisation over the last 11 years, introducing many new services and enriching and strengthening the ways in which we support children and families across the country, placing campaigning for children and families at the heart of what we do.\u003Cbr> \u003Cbr>“As we celebrate our 150th year, we are well-placed to look to the future, and we very much look forward to welcoming Justina to the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>","2025-06-24T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity is delighted to announce the appointment of Justina Murray our new Chief Executive ","On Tuesday 24th June 2025 Aberlour Children's Charity is delighted to announce the appointment of Justina Murray as its new Chief Executive.","media\u002FJM2.jpg","2025-06-24T09:41:53.000000Z","2025-06-24T09:57:59.000000Z",{"id":18,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":19,"is_featured":7,"title":20,"slug":21,"content":22,"content_overview":11,"published_at":23,"seo_title":24,"seo_description":25,"image":26,"created_at":27,"updated_at":28},{"id":31,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":6,"is_featured":7,"title":32,"slug":33,"content":34,"content_overview":11,"published_at":35,"seo_title":32,"seo_description":36,"image":37,"created_at":38,"updated_at":38},"01jxwgkh95wbc6gg310c7kn269","New Report From Aberlour Children's Charity Warns That UK Disability Benefit Cuts Could Further Disadvantage Vulnerable Families ","new-report-from-aberlour-childrens-charity-warns-that-uk-disability-benefit-cuts-could-further-disadvantage-vulnerable-families","\u003Cp>A new report has found that the proposed reforms to UK disability benefits risk further disadvantage on families with a disability, especially amongst lone parent families where there is also a disability (either a child or adult within the family).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The research carried out by University of Glasgow Professor Morag Treanor, on behalf of Aberlour Children's Charity, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fopfs.org.uk\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">One Parent Family Scotland\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.trussell.org.uk\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trussell\u003C\u002Fa> considered the levels of debt owed to public bodies, including the levels of debt experienced by disabled people and lone parent families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Fhouseholds-with-a-disability-and-lone-parent-families-and-the-impact-of-public-debt-and-arrears\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this report\u003C\u002Fa> and in \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Fpublic-debt-publications\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">previous research\u003C\u002Fa> Professor Treanor has shown how public debt, owed for example to councils and the DWP, pulls families deeper into poverty and exacerbates the debt crisis facing so many people in Scotland and across the UK. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resulting in more and more low-income families finding it harder to make ends meet and unable to afford day to day essentials. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>55% of children with a disability are in a lone parent family.  Those lone parent families with a disability are most likely to depend on food banks and at a high risk of having fuel and energy debts\u002Farrears. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is evidence however that disability benefits provide a level of support and a protective blanket to disabled couple parent or lone parent families who might otherwise fall deeper and further into debt. This strongly indicates that disabled benefits are helping mitigate, to some extent, financial hardship and help prevent disabled families from plunging even further into debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The research recommends that the UK Government must not implement any changes to Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments if they were to result in vulnerable and disadvantaged families being pushed into even deeper poverty. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also state that any reforms to the welfare system must ensure that low-income families are adequately supported to help them provide for their children, prevent them falling into debt and align with other policies and actions to reduce child poverty. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Aberlour Chief Executive, SallyAnn Kelly OBE, said:\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>At Aberlour we believe reforming our welfare system is necessary especially if it helps people who are able to work get into employment. However, we are clear that reforms should always protect the most vulnerable and should be implemented in a manner that does not push more people into further and more entrenched poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This research suggests that this is exactly what could happen. We are urging the Government to think again and prevent this very harmful outcome by making changes that safeguard the most vulnerable families. Our research and work into public debt has outlined the struggles facing families and how the cost of living crisis is leading to millions of people lacking the means to pay for their basic needs and seeing them spiralling into debt, often to public bodies, as a consequence. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If these reforms are introduced in their current shape this research strongly suggests that many of our most disadvantaged families will be pushed even deeper into debt. This must be avoided and we would urge the government to listen to what families are saying and make the necessary changes to their proposals - changes that will protect and safeguard families, provide additional support and avoid potentially catastrophic outcomes for millions of the most vulnerable people and their children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Cara Hilton, senior policy manager for Scotland at Trussell, said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The UK government’s plans to slash support for disabled people who most need our collective protection from hunger is cruel and irresponsible. This research clearly shows that the right support can help prevent disabled families from falling into hardship. Cutting it is ill-considered and will leave more disabled people at risk of needing a food bank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One of the key findings of this research is that people in disabled households are twice as likely to be referred to a food bank than people in households without a disability. If the government chooses to go ahead with cuts, these figures will only get worse.  Trussell’s own analysis finds that 15,000 more people in disabled households in Scotland will be at risk of needing to use a food bank. But there is still time for the UK government to rethink and do what’s right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Satwat Rehman, Chief Executive of One Parent Families Scotland said:\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Many single parents, the majority of whom are mothers, are raising children alone and often without respite. When disability is also part of the equation, whether a child’s or their own, the pressures multiply. This report clearly shows that these families are at significantly higher risk of accruing public debts, including council tax, benefits overpayments and energy arrears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At OPFS, we regularly hear from parents forced to rely on credit cards to cover basic needs like food and heating. Debt is not a result of poor budgeting, it is a direct consequence of inadequate income and rigid, punitive welfare policies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With the UK Government poised to introduce cuts to disability benefits, this report is a timely reminder that welfare reform must work to support, not penalise, families. We urgently need reforms that stop pulling vulnerable families under: a just approach to debt recovery, an end to harmful Universal Credit changes, and a commitment to policies that give families the stability and dignity they deserve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Fhouseholds-with-a-disability-and-lone-parent-families-and-the-impact-of-public-debt-and-arrears\">Read the full report\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>","2025-06-17T00:00:00.000000Z","A new report by Aberlour Children's Charity, with One Parent Families Scotland and Trussell,  has found that the proposed reforms to UK disability benefits risk further disadvantage on families with a disability, especially amongst lone parent families.","media\u002FiStock-1899502710.jpg","2025-06-16T13:59:32.000000Z"]