[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f1lpl558qb4hur":16},{"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":15},"01m45vtvk0pdb1y7c1cqv76edp","9cdbdd6d-4900-4646-a012-d3e67a5ee788","1",false,"Panic and Promises Won't End Child Poverty","panic-and-promises-wont-end-child-poverty","\u003Cp>We live in a world that seems to spin faster every day, where all the dials are turned to 11 all the time.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The headlines crash from one calamity to another as our political leaders rush to promise emergency action while their opponents demand even more urgency. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is noisy, tiring and a few hours later, when the news cycle spins to another red alert, the last one, whatever it was, is most often forgotten. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For years now, child poverty in Scotland has been routinely described as a national emergency demanding emergency action. It is and it does but, with more than one in five children still growing up in poverty in Scotland today, is it time to ask if the language of emergency and crisis is helping?  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it only encourages more haste but less speed, a birling carousel of taskforces and committees, policy papers and special reports, but too little measured and impactful action? Are we even checking if the blizzard of promises and commitments is being delivered before starting the snow machine again? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if the endless planning and process is actually slowing us down? What if somehow all the talk is delaying implementation of practical, tested, and effective measures to improve the lives and secure the life chances of the 210,000 children growing up poor in one of the wealthiest countries in the world? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because we already know what works. We have known for years.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there are no magic bullets, no simple solutions to the complex social issues that have blighted our poorest communities for decades. Child poverty, like Scotland’s drugs crisis, another national emergency, is embedded in longstanding economic trends that have stripped far too many of our neighbourhoods of jobs and hope. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those trends will not be reversed overnight but, in the meantime, we should not let perfect be the enemy of good. As Challenge Poverty Week begins today, the biggest challenge is to see the wood not the trees, to recognise and appreciate what is already working and build on it. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are things that we know ease the impact of poverty on young lives; that have been trialled, tested and measured; that inch their families from peril to safety; that give them new strength, confidence and a path to a more secure future. So why not have more of them? \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are services that our charity and others are delivering every day, hand in glove with our partners in social work, health care and education. These are services delivering real, measurable success, making children safer, healthier and happier today and improving their chances tomorrow. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intensive family support, for example. The clue is in the name. It is the opposite of easy. Any family’s journey back from the very edge of crisis is one of hard yards and no shortcuts. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our teams arrive to work, shoulder to shoulder, with families on the point of collapse, with children often on the edge of care. Ensuring those babies and young people are safe is always the priority but, after that, keeping them with their families is the driving force because that, all research suggests, is the best way to stabilise childhoods and secure futures. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intensive family support means doing whatever it takes to keep children safe and families together. It can rebuild broken relationships; improve parents’ confidence in themselves; create new connections in communities; and help build firmer financial foundations with advice on welfare rights, maximising incomes and problem debt. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any investment in intensive family support and other specialist services, for pregnant women and new mums, for example, is more than returned in thriving families, stronger communities and money saved. Resource is better spent on intensive support keeping families safely together, than managing their separation through a lifetime of crisis-led state intervention.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our two Mother and Child Recovery Houses, in Falkirk and Dundee, for example, offer recovery spaces for pregnant and new mums with a history of substance use, allowing them to recover while staying safely with their babies. This helps keep families together and children at home, improves their futures and saves millions of pounds in avoided care costs. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is true child protection and the big question is not whether we can afford to roll out these services across Scotland but if we can afford not to?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Justina Murray \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cbr>\u003Cstrong>Chief executive of Aberlour Children’s Charity \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>This article was written for the Daily Record and published on Monday 5th October 2026.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>",null,"2026-10-05T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity CEO, Justina Murray, explains what must be done to end child poverty in Scotland. We know what works and we've known for years. ","media\u002FRS873_0E5A9135.jpg","2026-10-05T11:05:26.000000Z",{"id":17,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":6,"is_featured":7,"title":18,"slug":19,"content":20,"content_overview":11,"published_at":21,"seo_title":18,"seo_description":22,"image":23,"created_at":24,"updated_at":25,"next":26,"prev":36},"01jc3h3qxjx3ckn3ew5rhtfm2e","Children’s charity will salute Speyside roots on special anniversary","childrens-charity-will-salute-speyside-roots-on-special-anniversary","\u003Cp>Scotland’s biggest children’s charity will return to its Speyside roots to mark a special anniversary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour, named after the town where its work began, will soon have spent 150 years caring for Scotland’s most disadvantaged children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charity has supported thousands of young Scots and their families since the Reverend Charles Jupp opened an orphanage in the Moray town in 1875.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To mark the anniversary next year, Aberlour will hail his far-sighted vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the next century and a half, his determination to protect and improve the lives of children would lead to the creation of one of Scotland’s most respected charities delivering care and support for thousands of young Scots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SallyAnn Kelly, Aberlour’s chief executive, believes next year’s anniversary is an opportunity to salute the charity’s founders, the children it has cared for and the town where it all began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>We might do things differently today than 150 years ago but our mission and determination to protect and care for children in need is unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next year will be a significant milestone for our charity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have come a long way in 150 years and hope to go further but the anniversary must be an opportunity to look back as well as forward. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How our journey began in Aberlour led us to where we are today and will guide us into tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next year is an opportunity to recognise the enduring influence of Aberlour in our charity’s past, present and future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The charity is also, however, determined to acknowledge a darker chapter in its history during the anniversary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 2020, the third phase of the Scottish Child Abuse inquiry concluded children cared for at the orphanage and other homes run by Aberlour, and other charities, had suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse between 1921 and 1991.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charity offered an unreserved apology to victims at the time but its chief executive SallyAnn Kelly promised they will be acknowledged and remembered in its anniversary year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Our charity has much to be proud of and while our anniversary will celebrate that, it must also properly recognise the children we failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It would be dishonest not to and only a clear-eyed understanding of our past will ensure we build a safe and secure future for our charity and the children we care for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children who spent time at the orphanage and our other homes and staff who worked there will have many memories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most, we hope, will be happy and inspiring, others may be sadder and more troubling, but this anniversary is an opportunity to remember all of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Generations of children were raised in the Aberlour orphanage in the first half of the last century before it was understood that residential care is better delivered in smaller houses as the charity began to build a new network of “family homes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charity is already in discussion with staff and children who spent time at the orphanage while being advised by local historians on how best to mark its origins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is urging anyone who grew up in the orphanage or worked there to share their memories to help mark the special anniversary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Discussions are also underway about possible events to mark the anniversary in the town, including an exhibition of photographs charting the charity’s story and a heritage tour visiting significant landmarks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jupp’s work, supported by heiress and philanthropist Margaret Macpherson Grant, began with just four boys being cared for in a cottage by the Lour Burn before the orphanage opened seven years later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The orphanage, extensively rebuilt after two serious fires in the 1930s, closed in 1967 with Speyside High School being built on the site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Did you live or work at the orphanage?  If you would like to share your memories, please email sarah.mcnaught@aberlour.org.uk \u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>","2024-11-07T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity will return to its Speyside roots to mark its special 150th anniversary next year.","media\u002FAberlour-Orphanage-1875.jpg","2024-11-07T14:40:32.000000Z","2024-11-14T14:17:08.000000Z",{"id":27,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":6,"is_featured":7,"title":28,"slug":29,"content":30,"content_overview":11,"published_at":31,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":32,"image":33,"created_at":34,"updated_at":35},"01jcng6pfp1w6rjeg6zpzvb00s","Emergency help for families in crisis","emergency-help-for-families-in-crisis","\u003Cp>Scotland’s biggest children’s charity has delivered millions of pounds in cash lifelines to families in the most extreme hardship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fget-help\u002Furgent-assistance-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aberlour’s Urgent Assistance Fund\u003C\u002Fa> has given out more than £3.3m in just four years to help buy food, heating and clothing with average payments of £306.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost half of those applying do not where their next meal is coming from, more than half need money to buy clothes for their children and one in five cannot afford a bed for a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charity’s fundraising appeal to relieve poverty this winter begins today with every pound donated directly helping families through the crisis fund. Donate to the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fpovertyrelief\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poverty Relief fundraising appeal\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are just three of the applications received as winter looms. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Sandra’s* story\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My daughter goes to school in shoes that let in water and she is cold for the rest of the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is making her ill. She is picking up every cold that’s going around and is exhausted all the time. Her mattress has springs poking through it. Some mornings I find her sleeping on the sofa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her youngest brother is still in nappies but it’s hard to buy the baby things he needs. Even the clothes to keep him warm are beyond me. A warm jacket is what he needs most. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winter is coming and my children are exhausted and freezing. It breaks my heart. I am doing everything I can but it is never enough, not even close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Neil’s* story\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My flat flooded because of the upstairs neighbours and my son’s bedroom was badly damaged, the beds and the flooring. The hall too. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t have a penny to spare but have been trying to fix things up. It’s still like a bombsite though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s a cold, cold flat and so poorly insulated. The damp causes mould. You clean it and clean it but it keeps coming back. It smells so bad. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve got a prepaid gas meter and am spending a fortune just trying to keep the place warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Christmas is terrifying me. I don’t even have money for clothes for my kids never mind presents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eldest son is ten and big, he’s wearing clothes for 14-15 years. They’re more expensive and he’s also got a skin condition meaning he can only wear certain fabrics. It’s so tough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>April’s* story\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My husband is not keeping well since he lost his job. He’s been diagnosed with anxiety and is going to orthopaedics for severe nerve pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We are in terrible debt. We haven’t been able to pay our mortgage so owe £20,000 and are being chased for £1500 in council tax. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After feeding our children and trying to keep the house warm, we haven’t got a penny. I live in dread of the house being repossessed. I have no idea where we would go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Us and three children out on the street in the middle of winter. It’s unthinkable but I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s the only thing I can think about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m just scared. Every day, every minute, I’m terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Names changed and stories anonymised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>This article was written for the Daily Record and published on Monday 18th November 2024.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>","2024-11-18T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity has delivered millions of pounds in cash lifelines to families in the most extreme hardship. The charity’s fundraising appeal to relieve poverty this winter begins today with every pound donated directly helping families.","media\u002Ffamilies-in-crisis.webp","2024-11-14T14:11:00.000000Z","2024-11-18T10:59:59.000000Z",{"id":37,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":38,"is_featured":7,"title":39,"slug":40,"content":41,"content_overview":11,"published_at":42,"seo_title":43,"seo_description":44,"image":45,"created_at":46,"updated_at":47},"01jbexctmbgygjht7xak42055g","2","Aberlour's response to the UK Budget ","aberlours-response-to-the-uk-budget-2024","\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">Today’s [Wednesday 30th October 2024] UK Budget includes a number of measures that will provide some relief to struggling families in Scotland. But so much more is needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">We applaud the Chancellor’s action to tackle the debt crisis faced by low-income families by reducing the maximum amount that can be taken through Universal Credit deductions, from 25% to 15%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">This will in effect keep more money in families’ pockets for essentials and the things their children need. A good start, but we need much wider reform of public sector debt recovery to prevent families from being pushed, often deeper, into poverty as a result of public debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">Increased funding available to the Scottish Government, along with the continuation of the Household Support Fund, will mean more money to help and support low-income families in Scotland and must accelerate efforts to tackle child poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">However, we know the single biggest action to reduce child poverty right now is to end the heinous two child limit. Today the Chancellor failed to make that commitment to immediately lift 300,000 children out of poverty, despite a clear and collective call from anti-poverty organisations, children’s charities and campaigners, as well as children and young people themselves, to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">We continue to call on the Prime Minister and Chancellor to take urgent action to end child poverty. That must mean reform of Universal Credit by ending the two child limit and the five week wait and making sure that benefit entitlements provide an adequate income that lifts families out of poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>SallyAnn Kelly OBE\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Aberlour Chief Executive\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>","2024-10-30T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour's response to the UK Budget 2024","Aberlour Children's Charity responds to the UK Budget announcement made on Wednesday 30th October 2024","media\u002FSallyAnn-Final-scaled-serious.jpg","2024-10-30T14:31:09.000000Z","2024-10-30T15:31:01.000000Z"]