[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f3a8myrb1n2ahq":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":6,"is_featured":7,"title":19,"slug":20,"content":21,"content_overview":11,"published_at":22,"seo_title":19,"seo_description":23,"image":24,"created_at":25,"updated_at":26,"next":27,"prev":38},"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":28,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":29,"is_featured":7,"title":30,"slug":31,"content":32,"content_overview":11,"published_at":33,"seo_title":34,"seo_description":35,"image":24,"created_at":36,"updated_at":37},"01k47kqdxqz79bmyp8437wqevy","2","Aberlour’s response to the Scottish drugs deaths statistics","aberlours-response-to-the-scottish-drugs-deaths-statistics-2023-24","\u003Cp>On behalf of everyone at Aberlour I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to anyone who has lost a family member, friend or a loved one as a result of a drug related death. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annual drugs related deaths statistics published yesterday [Tuesday 2nd September 2025] show a reduction in drugs deaths over the last year. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whilst that is encouraging it is no cause for celebration. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Scotland we still have the highest number of drug related deaths in Europe proportionally. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than 1017 deaths occurred in 2023\u002F24. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every statistic represents a person, and every death is one too many. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is well evidenced that poverty is a key driver of drugs deaths, with those from the most deprived areas in Scotland twelve times more likely to die from drugs misuse. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we are to sustain a reduction in drugs harm and drug related deaths then we must be equally determined and relentless in our fight against poverty and inequality and how it impacts on our most disadvantaged communities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Aberlour we are committed to support the National Mission on Drugs Deaths and to reduce drugs harm and improve the lives of all those affected by drugs and problem substance use. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We welcome the significant investment in residential rehabilitation and recovery services by the Scottish Government to date, including dedicated services for women such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fservice\u002Fmother-and-child-recovery-houses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aberlour’s Mother and Child Recovery Houses\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evidence shows that these services are working to help families to heal by providing vital recovery treatment and support for women and their babies, to keep families together and to help Keep The Promise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We know this must include the agency for individuals to choose which supports and services are best for those that need them, and to ensure support is available when needed for as long as needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By creating sustainable routes out of poverty and nurturing a sense of purpose and opportunity we can help tackle and prevent the trauma and pain that too often leads to drugs use and addiction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>SallyAnn Kelly OBE\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cbr>\u003Cstrong>Aberlour Chief Executive\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>","2025-09-03T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour’s response to the Scottish drugs deaths statistics 2023\u002F2024","Read Aberlour Children's Charity's response to the Scottish drug death statistics 2023\u002F2024","2025-09-03T10:59:55.000000Z","2025-09-03T11:02:41.000000Z",{"id":39,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":40,"is_featured":7,"title":41,"slug":42,"content":43,"content_overview":11,"published_at":44,"seo_title":41,"seo_description":45,"image":24,"created_at":46,"updated_at":47},"01k3r38jdx1kr4deg5h5rjrevx","1","Blog: Children seeking sanctuary in Scotland must be protected","blog-children-seeking-sanctuary-in-scotland-must-be-protected","\u003Cp>Polarising debate around asylum seekers risks the safety of children seeking shelter in Scotland after fleeing famine and war, according to charity leaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SallyAnn Kelly OBE, chief executive of Aberlour Children’s Charity, called for calm after weeks of escalating street protests at hotels housing asylum seekers in Scotland and across the UK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>More people are being displaced around the world because of issues, from famine to war, without safe or legal routes to find shelter in the UK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The consequences of that displacement demand a calm and humane debate not one full of heat and anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour, in partnership with the Scottish Refugee Council, is supporting more than 1000 unaccompanied children seeking asylum in Scotland after conflict or being trafficked into Scotland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kelly said young people, often fleeing war and famine in their home countries, are alone, vulnerable and demand the greatest protection after arriving in the UK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Kelly said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>These children have come to Scotland, unaccompanied by an adult, looking for safety and often after enduring unimaginable journeys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The stress and uncertainty has often already taken a toll on their physical and mental health and the kind of focus currently on adult asylum seekers could be catastrophic for vulnerable young people. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We see the impact of the tone of the current public debate on them.  Sadly, here in Scotland, they still have to ask ‘am I safe?’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These young people must be protected and supported until their applications are decided and we must ensure their voices are heard, especially during such fraught times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The Scottish Government funds \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fget-help\u002Fguardianship-scotland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guardianship Scotland\u003C\u002Fa>, a support service delivered by Aberlour and the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fscottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scottish Refugee Council\u003C\u002Fa>, ensuring every unaccompanied child is given a guardian to ensure their voice is properly heard in the asylum process.\u003C\u002Fp>\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, Aberlour CEO, SallyAnn Kelly OBE, shares the vital support Guardianship Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish Refugee Council, provides to unaccompanied asylum seeking children in Scotland.","2025-08-28T10:23:35.000000Z","2025-09-01T09:05:25.000000Z"]