[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f3s2icpj7kd307":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},"01k3r3v9w6jhjqz80wpt4sy39q","1","Blog: 'We are not their voice but make sure their voice is heard","blog-we-are-not-their-voice-but-make-sure-their-voice-is-heard","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>How children fleeing danger are helped to find sanctuary in Scotland\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young and alone, they arrive seeking safety and shelter but many need one thing even more urgently: a good night’s sleep. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than 1000 children are now being cared for in Scotland - across every council area – after arriving in the UK unaccompanied, some fleeing war and persecution, others trafficked by crime gangs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Catriona MacSween, who leads \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fget-help\u002Fguardianship-scotland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guardianship Scotland\u003C\u002Fa>, offering the children lifeline support, said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>When the young people first arrive, many are stressed, uncertain and utterly exhausted,”.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Many have been travelling alone for weeks and months, living on the streets and on their wits, with no adult to trust or turn to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They will have felt surrounded by risk and been constantly vigilant, always on guard. Their sleep patterns are shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Helping them get some proper rest is often the priority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The Scotland-wide service does far more than help the youngsters sleep, however, and delivers practical and emotional support to the children and teens as their claims for asylum are processed. There are currently 1070 being cared for in Scotland with around 400 new referrals every year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based in Glasgow but with staff across the country, Guardianship Scotland, delivered in partnership by Aberlour Children’s Charity and the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fscottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scottish Refugee Council\u003C\u002Fa>, is now statutory, giving young people the legal right to have someone in their corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>MacSween, head of service, said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>We help the children navigate what can be a daunting and bewildering process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We are not their voice in that process but make sure their voice is heard. We listen to them and advocate for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Children seeking sanctuary in Scotland – some fleeing war, persecution or famine, others trafficked by people smugglers or other organized crime gangs – often do not speak English or know who to trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>MacSween said the guardians provided to each of them offer a fixed point, an anchor, as they apply for asylum or refugee status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>It can be frightening with many different adults seeking information from them and about their lives in a language that is not their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Social workers will want to better understand their situation, the police might be looking into possible trafficking and the Home Office wants to know why they fled their homes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It would be daunting for anyone, never mind a child and, to help, we need to build trust and a relationship with them as quickly as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They may never have heard of a social worker, or lawyers or the Home Office. They may not even understand what asylum is, only that they want to feel safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can help them understand why this information is needed, how it will be used and assure them it is confidential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Being told what is going on offers some sense of control in a very confusing situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Clear communication is the first priority and that means, after staff, the service, funded by the Scottish Government, spends most on interpreters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>MacSween said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The young people need to understand what’s happening. All these discussions and the decisions leading from them are literally life-changing. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did the children leave their home? Why can they not return? Were they trafficked? The facts matter, accuracy matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It can be both traumatic and overwhelming. We sit down with them and interpreters, if necessary, and talk through every part of it. Who’s who, what they can expect, what their rights are.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The guardians are at all the meetings, across all the different systems - social care, immigration, criminal justice - so we often gain a fuller picture than any single agency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Often a small thing noted in one part of the process can colour another, \u003Cstrong>MacSween adds: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>We don’t represent the children but work with them and their lawyers or advisors. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Each agency is looking at things through their own lens but we have no focus apart from the wellbeing of the children and helping them through the process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hard, documented evidence to corroborate their version of events is rare and very often children will not understand what might be helpful or relevant. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is a jigsaw of information from all the different discussions but we can help put the pieces together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We might pick up on something that provides evidence of trafficking perhaps, or how their experience has impacted on their mental health, or find and collate medical evidence of an assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We are with the young people in many different contexts and learn more about their lives than might be gained in more formal meetings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The guardianship model, pioneered in Scotland, has become an international benchmark of best practice with campaigners calling for a similar service to be introduced in England and Wales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young people can be supported by Guardianship Scotland until they are 26 but must be referred before their 18th birthday. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without documentation, age can be difficult to establish with certainty but, MacSween said, there seems to be more unaccompanied children being wrongly assessed as adults after arriving in the UK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>It is understandable, particularly for those arriving in boats on the south coast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At that point, when they have literally just got off a boat, age is often only assessed on their appearance and that journey is going to make anyone look older.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They arrive wet, exhausted and hungry. Some young people look older and often it is only when they are in a hotel, alone among adults, that someone, often staff, will raise a red flag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Around half of the unaccompanied children arrive through the UK National Transfer Scheme from elsewhere in the UK while others arrive in Scotland “spontaneously” after being smuggled or trafficked. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some trafficking victims will be found on the streets after escaping from slavery or crime, the cultivation of cannabis farms, for example, or sexual exploitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A third come from Vietnam, the largest group by nationality, followed by Sudan and Afghanistan. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The potential involvement of trafficking gangs can make already-complex asylum applications even more challenging, according to MacSween.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps their families were misled, told there would be a job for them in the UK, and took money from traffickers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if their home country is safe, returning them might put them in danger from traffickers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Investigating these issues can be hugely difficult, involving many different agencies with different points of interest. It can be a long and often unpredictable process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are complex, messy cases, and all the agencies have a different perspective. Our only focus is the child’s wellbeing and their best interests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We help them give them stability, a voice and, hopefully, over time, a sense of belonging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The guardians help with the young people with everything helping them find friends, understanding their legal rights and “wraparound” support offers tailored mental health support and helping them remain positive and hopeful and, yes, get a good night’s sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>MacSween said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>There is a lot of trauma there and these children are being interviewed again and again, often about the worst things that have ever happened to them. Unimaginable things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Being with them through that process can be challenging, harrowing work and that is just one reason we go out of our way to celebrate good news when it comes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just when young people hear they are being allowed to stay here in safety but, before that, when their lives take a step forward. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When they begin to feel safe again, when they start sleeping again, when they start smiling again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>This article was written for The Sunday Post and published on Sunday 31st August 2025.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>","2025-08-31T00:00:00.000000Z","In our latest blog service manager of Guardianship Scotland, Catriona MacSween, explains the support the service provides to unaccompanied asylum seeking children arriving in Scotland.","media\u002FCatriona MacSween.jpeg","2025-08-28T10:33:49.000000Z","2025-09-01T09:05:09.000000Z",{"id":29,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":6,"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},"01k3rc4h9cdzpchzepa0tzzncy","Blog: We must end school meal debt and hidden hunger in school for good","blog-we-must-end-school-meal-debt-and-hidden-hunger-in-school-for-good","\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">This year Aberlour Children’s Charity celebrates its 150th anniversary.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">In 1875, when Aberlour was established as an orphanage in Moray in the north east of Scotland, our primary purpose included feeding hungry bairns.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">It saddens me to see that a century and a half later we are still in the business of feeding hungry bairns.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">In recent years, Aberlour has campaigned alongside the Scottish Sun to see an end to school meal debt.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">However, despite government action to tackle it, school meal debt continues to be a burden on low income families and their children across Scotland.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">We welcomed the introduction of the School Meal Debt Fund by the Scottish Government to write off the debts of struggling families over the last two years.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">Alongside this we have also welcomed the extension of free school meal eligibility to all primary school aged children whose families receive the Scottish Child Payment.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">So then why are we still seeing the presence of school meal debt creating further financial strain on low income families across the country?\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">New figures show that since the School Meal Debt Fund helped cancel out nearly £3 million of school meal debt last year, that debt has accumulated again to more than £800k.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">What this shows is piecemeal and limited short term actions won’t solve the problem.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">We need a real commitment to long term action by making the School Meal Debt Fund permanent until it is no longer needed.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">To prevent school meal debt in the first place means increasing free school meal eligibility to all low-income families receiving the Scottish Child Payment.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">We know that too many families who are barely able to keep their heads above water are still struggling to feed their children at home, let alone at school.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">We continue to see school meal debt building up amongst many families being pulled under by the cost of living.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">School meal debt is a symptom of families simply not having enough money to provide for themselves.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">That school meal debt even exists should shame us as a society. \u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">Children have a right to healthy and nutritious food and government must uphold that right by making sure no child goes hungry.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">Government must put in place the necessary measures to prevent school meal debt in the first place.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">By providing free school meals for all low income working families and their children – in both primary and secondary school – government can prevent school meal debt and tackle hidden school hunger.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">But government must also make sure families have the means to provide for themselves by coordinated and targeted support for those most families most in need.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">At the same time, it must create sustainable routes out of poverty for those families where there are none.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">But this is not just an issue for the current Scottish Government.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">Next year there will be elections to the Scottish Parliament and we will have a new government, perhaps made up of more than one political party.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">The next Scottish Parliament must be the parliament where we prioritise ending child poverty above all else.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">Scotland must move from managing poverty to preventing it.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">At Aberlour, our children, young people and families are clear that they want our politicians to prioritise ending poverty. \u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">One of the first and most immediate actions government can take to help struggling families facing financial hardship is to end school meal debt.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">Therefore, we need to see cross party support to achieve this.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">That is why at Aberlour we urging people to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002F150\u002Fdream\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">write to their MSP\u003C\u002Fa> to support our campaign to see an end to school meal debt.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">We all must do what we can to make Scotland a country where no child ever goes hungry and no child is burdened with debt ever again.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">That must also mean that those with influence and power to make the changes needed must step up and take the steps necessary to make that happen.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">In this significant year for Aberlour it is important we look back over the past 150 years to see how life has changed for Scotland’s children.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">I ask myself have things got better?\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">When I see children going hungry at home and in school in 2025 I think the answer to that question is no – not for our most disadvantaged children. \u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">At Aberlour our message is loud and clear.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">Scotland must no longer be a country where our bairns go hungry.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">So let’s end school meal debt and hidden school hunger for good.\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\"> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cstrong>\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">SallyAnn Kelly OBE\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">CEO of Aberlour Children's Charity\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: 115%;\">\u003Cem>\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif;\">This article was written for The Scottish Sun and published on 2nd September 2025.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>","2025-09-02T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour CEO, SallyAnn Kelly OBE, shares in her latest blog the shocking fact that since the introduction of the school meal debt fund £800,000 in debt has still be accumulated. We must be a country where no child goes hungry. Let's end school meal debt.","media\u002FSallyAnn-Final-scaled-serious.jpg","2025-08-28T12:58:40.000000Z","2025-09-02T09:32:45.000000Z",{"id":39,"blog_author_id":40,"blog_category_id":41,"is_featured":7,"title":42,"slug":43,"content":44,"content_overview":11,"published_at":45,"seo_title":46,"seo_description":47,"image":48,"created_at":49,"updated_at":50},"01k38mkcxh350thnxadzfpcapf","9cdbdd25-1564-45ec-84de-602c5009ebe1","01j303dx3cjt8w60w789nzk3vr","Johnny, our frontline youth worker warns of a lost generation of young Scots ","frontline-youth-worker-warns-of-a-lost-generation-of-young-scots","\u003Cp>Our veteran youth worker has urged greater support for Scotland’s children as he stands down after three decades on the frontline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Johnny Hendry, who has been working with youngsters in Govan for more than 30 years, called for urgent action to ease the damage inflicted by the pandemic on the lives of many young people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He retired from Aberlour Children’s Charity yesterday and said he is stepping back with mixed emotions after years of austerity undermined funding for life-changing youth services. Johnny said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp> I’ve been the luckiest man in Govan to have worked with so many brilliant young people but it’s no easier for them now than it was when I started. In many ways, it’s harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lockdowns have affected young people in ways that we haven’t even measured yet never mind addressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is a whole generation that lost so much during those years, whether socialising or education, and they need to be our number one priority. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sacrificed a huge amount and we should be making that up to them. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The epidemic of mental health problems, stress, anxiety, depression, affecting young people, for example, is already clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are children being left behind right now, who are disengaging right now, and they need more help and support not less.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Johnny ran a popular youth club in Govan for years, as part of Aberlour's Youthpoint Glasgow Service, and said it was a safe haven for young people whose home life might have been affected by social issues like poverty, substance use, or domestic abuse. He said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Just knowing we’re there for them can make all the difference in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We built relationships with young people that lasted long after they left the club. It is about building trust and relationships but also consistency about being there, year after year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Johnny hails the people of Govan for their strength and spirit and says their communities deserve greater backing. He said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>There are social issues here like elsewhere but protecting young people from the impact of those issues has to be the priority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why can’t there be a hub for youth services in Govan, for example?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One place, pulling everything together, where young people know they can come for help or advice or just a game of pool and some company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That should not be impossible but funding is so difficult. We cut this and cut that but every pound spent on improving the lives and chances of young people is a pound invested in our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We get that investment back ten times over when they grow up healthy and happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Johnny said their importance cannot be overestimated for providing a destination away from drink, drugs, and crime while also building a crucial support network for young people seeking a new direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Johnny said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The actual activities are only the tip of the iceberg. It might be the reason young people come but not the reason they stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clubs are a meeting place, a support network. It is not easy to build trust with young people. It is hard work but the rewards are immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To help a young person gain confidence, to find something at school that engages them, to get a job, start a family? There is nothing more rewarding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helping one child find a foothold in life is enough in itself but the real challenge is to cement that, to make sure their children get the same chances and their children’s children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is all I have tried to do and I can’t think of a more important job.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour paid tribute to the veteran youth worker as he retires and said he has helped change the lives of countless young Glaswegians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maxine Hawthorn, assistant director, said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Johnny leaves an amazing legacy in Govan. He will be missed by Aberlour but just as missed in the communities where he helped so many young people for so many years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tireless support, emotional and practical, helped many of them find a foothold and forge a secure future that, without him, would not have been possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>","2025-08-22T00:00:00.000000Z","Frontline youth worker warns of a lost generation of young Scots ","A veteran youth worker has urged greater support for Scotland’s children as he stands down after three decades on the frontline.","media\u002FJohnny Hendry.jpg","2025-08-22T10:18:45.000000Z","2025-08-22T10:23:34.000000Z"]