[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f2iknksjnc041f":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":20,"seo_description":24,"image":25,"created_at":26,"updated_at":27,"next":28,"prev":38},"01kjcqy9jfh98pa8d77q6x0a8r","1","Aberlour's response to the Scottish Government's £1million further investment in our Intensive Perinatal Services","aberlours-response-to-the-scottish-governments-ps1million-further-investment-in-our-intensive-perinatal-services","\u003Cp>“We warmly welcome this desperately needed investment of £1 million to sustain our successful Intensive Perinatal Services across Glasgow, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fservice\u002Fintensive-perinatal-support-falkirk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forth Valley\u003C\u002Fa> and Tayside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These services reach our most vulnerable pregnant and new mums affected by alcohol or drug use. They keep families together where it is safe to do so, respecting the rights of mums and babies to have their needs met and voices heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We know from the families we have supported so far that our work with them is unlike any services or support they have had before. Our staff do an incredible job making connections, building trust and walking alongside families who have previously felt very alone, judged and excluded. Our support is helping families recognise and build on their strengths and move towards a brighter future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am extremely grateful to the Scottish Government for awarding this much-needed funding for the coming year. We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and our partners towards longer term investment in Intensive Perinatal services across Scotland, so that any pregnant or new mum who needs this level of support can access it, no matter where they live.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Justina Murray\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Aberlour CEO\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>","2026-02-26T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity CEO, Justina Murray, shares her response to the Scottish Government £1million investment in our Intensive Perinatal services across Glasgow, Forth Valley and Tayside.","media\u002FJustina Murray Cheery.jpg","2026-02-26T10:29:32.000000Z","2026-02-26T10:52:42.000000Z",{"id":29,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":19,"is_featured":7,"title":30,"slug":31,"content":32,"content_overview":11,"published_at":33,"seo_title":30,"seo_description":34,"image":35,"created_at":36,"updated_at":37},"01kk9e9ar2atrjv2szb7p085rt","Treat Children Seeking Sanctuary like every other","treat-children-seek-sanctuary-like-every-other","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Party leaders urged to secure the safety of young asylum seekers\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cbr> \u003Cbr>Young refugees seeking sanctuary in Scotland endure a postcode lottery of care and protection, according to leading charities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour Children’s Charity and the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fscottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scottish Refugee Council\u003C\u002Fa> have joined forces \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Fprotecting-the-rights-of-unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">to call on the next Scottish Parliament\u003C\u002Fa> to guarantee the rights of young unaccompanied asylum seekers while warning some are still enduring needless stress and uncertainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charities, jointly delivering lifeline support to young refugees through the Guardianship Scotland service, spoke out before the looming Holyrood election to urge party leaders and candidates to deliver safety and security for every young person arriving in Scotland alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than 1,000 children are being cared for in Scotland after arriving in the UK unaccompanied with up to 400 new referrals to the service every year. Some are fleeing war, famine or persecution while others have been trafficked across borders by crime gangs. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charities have called on the new MSPs to ensure every young asylum seeker is treated like any other child in need of care while their asylum applications are considered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every one must be treated as a “looked after” child within Scotland’s care system, according to the charities, guaranteeing help from local authorities, including care plans and other protections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justina Murray, chief executive of Aberlour, warned the treatment of young asylum seekers can vary across councils with some becoming trapped in a “grey area” between immigration authorities and social work services.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Justina Murray said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Young people arriving alone to seek safe shelter in Scotland deserve the same chance of a stable home and secure future as any other child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The decisions taken in their first weeks and months here can often shape their future for years to come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Many are given the care and support they need, and go to school, make friends, build happy, successful lives and contribute to their new communities. Some, sadly, are not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our new MSPs should help ensure every young unaccompanied person seeking asylum in Scotland is seen first through the lens of child protection not immigration control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They deserve certainty and stability as quickly as possible so they do not remain in limbo as they approach adulthood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Scottish ministers have vowed to implement The Promise intended to transform the lives of care experienced children and, according to Aberlour and the Scottish Refugee Council, young asylum seekers deserve the same protection and support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Sabir Zazi, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Children and young people coming to Scotland in search of safety deserve exactly the same support as any other child in need of care who lives here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Promise is to all children in need of care, including those arriving from overseas without their family.  If we believe in children’s rights, those rights must apply regardless of immigration status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The charities are calling on MSPs to engage with Westminster to ensure the rights of unaccompanied children are secured; deliver more funding to allow councils to better respond to their needs; publish clearer national guidance on their rights; improve recording of data to identify gaps or discrimination; and ensure age assessments are swift and fair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Graeme Marshall, service manager of Guardianship Scotland, said the frontline support service helps young unaccompanied asylum seekers navigate a complex and potentially bewildering immigration system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>He said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>We are not their voice, but we make sure their voice is heard. We help ensure all the different agencies involved in their care and immigration status are seeing a child not a case file.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Treating them as children first is not a radical demand but a simple request for respect, compassion, and decency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Read Aberlour and the Scottish Refugee Council's calls to all polictical parties ahead of the Scottish Parliament Election to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Fprotecting-the-rights-of-unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">protect the rights of unaccompanied asylum-Seeking children\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>","2026-03-09T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children’s Charity and the Scottish Refugee Council have joined forces to call on the next Scottish Parliament to guarantee the rights of young unaccompanied asylum seekers while warning some are still enduring needless stress and uncertainty.","media\u002FiStock-1481631850.jpg","2026-03-09T13:58:47.000000Z","2026-03-09T15:59:40.000000Z",{"id":39,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":19,"is_featured":7,"title":40,"slug":41,"content":42,"content_overview":11,"published_at":43,"seo_title":40,"seo_description":44,"image":45,"created_at":46,"updated_at":47},"01kj7zrec5cqtr2s5sv46hy00h","Children must be heard in election campaign","children-must-be-heard-in-election-campaign","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Aberlour Children's Charity urges election candidates to support families on the brink\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice of Scotland’s children must be heard in the looming Holyrood elections, according to a leading charity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour Children’s Charity is urging party leaders and candidates to ensure young people and their families are not drowned out as Scotland goes to the polls in May.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief executive Justina Murray called on the next Scottish Parliament to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Fsupporting-families-ending-child-poverty-scottish-parliament-election-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">show greater commitment to ending child poverty and supporting families on the brink\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Many voices will be raised during the election, but we would urge candidates to make a particular effort to hear the concerns of children, young people and their families.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Child poverty does not have to be something that our country simply has to tolerate. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our politicians can go further and faster but that will require greater commitment, more financial support for families, and the ambition to ensure they are not only lifted out of poverty but lifted out for good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Murray said every policy intended to support young people and safeguard their futures must be driven by the ambition of \u003Cstrong>“ending child poverty, not merely managing it.” \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>That demands practical, effective policies to encourage fair work, good housing, educational attainment, and better health.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There is much be done, but if politics is about priorities, there can be no greater priority for the next Scottish Parliament than supporting families and ending child poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour, delivering frontline support for families across Scotland, is calling on the Scottish Government to prioritise ending child poverty, through policies including the strengthening of Scotland’s social security systems and an immediate increase to the Scottish Child Payment to at least £40 per week and rising to £55 by 2031.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charity, which will invite candidates to a hustings for young people during the campaign, is also urging newly-elected MSPs to overhaul the collection of public debt, such as council tax and rent arrears, which, it warns, is far too harsh on Scotland’s most disadvantaged families, with some debt recovery systems helping keep children in poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murray highlighted additional risks faced by particularly vulnerable families, including those affected by disability, and called for greater financial help, stable support services and an ongoing commitment to on teenagers living with disability when they turn 18.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The transition to adulthood can be a fraught time for families affected by disability, when support for young people can fall between the cracks of different agencies and service providers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our politicians must ensure the rights of all our children and young people are better protected, but some families face particular challenges, demanding special attention and specific support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>This article was written for The Herald and published on Saturday 21st February 2026.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>","2026-02-23T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity is calling for the voice of Scotland’s children must be heard in the looming Holyrood elections","media\u002FJustina - serious.jpg","2026-02-24T14:09:57.000000Z","2026-02-25T14:09:10.000000Z"]