[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f1asgpt31qi2qv":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},"01jtqyspa9bbfq5a9md0bqssjh","1","Charity urges Scots to consider fostering amid recruitment crisis","charity-urges-scots-to-consider-fostering-amid-recruitment-crisis","\u003Cp>Fostering is on the brink of crisis with a shortage of carers stripping children of the chance to live with a family, according to a leading charity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour Children’s Charity is urging more Scots to consider \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fostering\u003C\u002Fa> to help bridge the widening gap between the number of children in need of a home and available carers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nicola Fearon, the charity’s \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">head of fostering\u003C\u002Fa>, confirms applications to become foster carers have dropped in recent years and believes the pandemic may be a factor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>In recent years, there have certainly been more carers leaving and fewer coming in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are many reasons from an ageing population and people caring more for elderly relatives to the cost of living crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour, which has been delivering foster care for more than 20 years, believes the pool of potential carers is wide and diverse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Fearon said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Our vetting will be thorough but there are few things that would automatically rule out potential carers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children come from all sorts of backgrounds and carers come from all sorts of background too. It’s about empathy not experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We would encourage anyone who has ever thought about it, however briefly, to pick up the phone or send us an email.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Care Inspectorate data covering the five years up to 2024 revealed only 178 new foster carers registered in 2023, the lowest number in five years, while 405 households came off the register.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost half of potential foster carers, with most receiving at least £20,000 to care for a child, were approved within six months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fearon said while the responsibility of providing foster care can seem daunting to potential carers, it has the power to change lives, of children and carers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Fostering can change things in the most positive ways imaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The lives of fostered children can be transformed but so can the lives of carers and their own children and grandchildren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Families begin to better appreciate what they have and what it might mean not to have it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our carers say the same things again and again. They will talk about giving something back, of giving a child a family and a home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They will say it’s challenging but the sense of making a real difference to a child’s life far outweighs the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like any family, it can be difficult at times but it can be a lot of fun too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour, marking its \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002F150\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">150th anniversary\u003C\u002Fa> this year in partnership with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sundaypost.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Sunday Post\u003C\u002Fa>, is the biggest Scotland-only children’s charity delivering more than 50 frontline services for children and their families across the country.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lynne O’Brien, Chief Officer for Children and Families, believes that wide-ranging expertise allows foster carers to receive exceptional support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Our foster carers are highly valued and we can draw on different services and expertise from across Scotland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Flexibility is key and we have the ability to be creative to tailor support for children and families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>O’Brien believes the importance and value of fostering must be better recognised and called for stronger partnerships between local authorities and other fostering agencies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>There must be a wider acknowledgement of the crucial role played by foster carers, their commitment, experience and ability to transform the lives of children and young people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As a society, we must champion carers and offer them every possible support and encouragement because their work could not be more important. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children’s rights are at the heart of everything we do and we will continue to listen and learn from children, young people and families to deliver the best care and support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Would you like to know more about fostering? \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">We would love to hear from you\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>A family affair: First foster carers reveal challenges and rewards\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>It has, they admit, not always been a bed of roses but, according to Aberlour Children Charity’s first \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">foster \u003C\u002Fa>carers, that’s kind of the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Shona Stewart said:\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>It’s about being a family for children and every family will have ups and downs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You enjoy the good times and get through the bad times and you do it together as a family. It’s about belonging and love. That’s all it’s about really.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Shona and husband David were Aberlour’s first carers when the charity launched its fostering service in 2004. Experienced in social work and residential care, they were still surprised by the positive impact of fostering on their family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shona and David - not their real names, they would rather not be identified to protect the privacy of their children – said fostering was life-changing for everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Shona, 56, said:\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Even though we had worked in care, it was still a shock to have this child living with us. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It felt a little scary, for her too because she hadn’t been with a family for so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There had been long discussions about fostering but eventually we just decided to go for it, to bring these kids up alongside our own. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children need a family to grow. Families aren’t possible for every child but are the best way of giving them stability and seeing them through to adulthood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I was training as a social worker, we’d be told that if there’s one person crazy about you then you are more likely to succeed. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We just wanted to be the people crazy for these kids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>David, 58, said the demands of fostering are significant but so are the rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>He said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>There are a lot of great times, a lot of happiness, but it’s not the Waltons. It’s like any family but, because of their experience, foster children can bring an unpredictability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>When advising couples thinking about fostering, he encourages them to understand the reality and not romanticise the role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>He said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes you hear people talk about ‘rescuing’ children but we’re not here to rescue anyone, we’re here to support and encourage them, to give them the chance to live happy lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we can do that, it’s enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>This article was written for The Sunday Post and published on Sunday 11th May 2025.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>","2025-05-12T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity Urges Scots to consider fostering amid recruitment crisis","Fostering is on the brink of crisis with a shortage of carers stripping children of the chance to live with a family, according to a leading charity. Aberlour Children’s Charity is urging more Scots to consider fostering to help bridge the widening gap.","media\u002Flynne obrien web.jpg","2025-05-08T12:44:17.000000Z","2025-05-12T10:59:38.000000Z",{"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":32,"blog_category_id":19,"is_featured":7,"title":33,"slug":34,"content":35,"content_overview":11,"published_at":36,"seo_title":33,"seo_description":37,"image":38,"created_at":39,"updated_at":40},"01jt8raz6yzvrkr369b7jtqz3y","9cdbdd25-1564-45ec-84de-602c5009ebe1","International conference will help young Scots thrive","international-conference-will-help-young-scots-thrive","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Global experts to detail how science of relationships is key at Glasgow event\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>International experts will detail how to help disadvantaged Scots build brighter futures at a landmark conference backed by some of the country’s most influential charities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renowned academics and industry leaders will attend the two-day talks in Glasgow detailing how strong relationships and a sense of belonging help children and young people thrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conference will examine how childhood trauma risks isolating young people but how they can gain a new sense of belonging in families, firms and communities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Experts attending the event in Glasgow next month, will explain the biology, physiology and psychology underpinning and encouraging a person’s sense of belonging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broadcaster turned child therapist Kate Silverton will chair the event attended by a range of international experts, including best-selling US psychiatrist Dan Siegel and Gordon Neufeld, a Vancouver-based developmental psychologist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Biology of Belonging conference is being staged by the Tigers Group, which helps young people into training and work, while influential Third Sector organisations, Aberlour Children’s Charity and The Wise Group, will sponsor the event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SallyAnn Kelly OBE, chief executive of Aberlour, said helping young Scots gain a sense of belonging is integral to the work of the charity, which is marking its 150th anniversary this year, and it is delighted to be supporting the conference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said: “Supporting disadvantaged children and young people who have faced difficulties and trauma has never been more important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every child must be encouraged to thrive not just survive and that means ensuring they feel safe, loved and that they belong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This event will be an important opportunity to explore that sense of belonging and why it matters for all children, young people and families across Scotland.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wise Group, a leading social enterprise supporting people into work and out of poverty, is proud to co-sponsor the event. Chief Executive Sean Duffy said: “At the Wise Group, we work with households navigating some of life’s toughest barriers - poverty, isolation, mental health challenges - and we know that real change starts with connection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belonging isn’t a luxury; it’s the foundation for hope, resilience, and growth. It’s what enables people not just to survive, but to thrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This conference is an important opportunity to reflect on why belonging matters, and how we can embed it more assertively into the systems and services that shape young people’s lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pauline Scott, Tigers Group managing director, said: “Belonging is a fundamental biological need for our children, young people, and the adults in the lives of young people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the heart of this conference is a simple belief that when individuals experience true belonging, they can grow, heal, and thrive. That individual transformation, when nurtured and sustained, becomes the foundation of empowered communities. And those communities, in turn, hold the potential to shape more just, compassionate, and resilient societies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Biology of Belonging conference, a not-for-profit event, will take place at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Glasgow on Wednesday 7 May and Thursday 8 May.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More information at \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Flearnwithtigers.co.uk\">learnwithtigers.co.uk\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-top: 6.0pt;\"> \u003C\u002Fp>","2025-05-02T00:00:00.000000Z","Global experts to detail how science of relationships is key at Glasgow event\n\nInternational experts will detail how to help disadvantaged Scots build brighter futures at a landmark conference backed by some of the country’s most influential charities.","media\u002Fthe-biology-of-belonging.webp","2025-05-02T15:02:46.000000Z","2025-05-02T15:30:06.000000Z"]