[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f11qvhlljmsv46":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},"01jcng6pfp1w6rjeg6zpzvb00s","1","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":29,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":19,"is_featured":7,"title":30,"slug":31,"content":32,"content_overview":11,"published_at":23,"seo_title":33,"seo_description":34,"image":35,"created_at":36,"updated_at":37},"01jcnfeqnc8mtrny305b61q628","Aberlour Children's Charity: Treat child poverty like Covid","treat-child-poverty-like-covid","\u003Cp>The devastating impact of poverty in Scotland demands the same emergency response as Covid, the country’s biggest children’s charity warns today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour insists the escalating crisis trapping young Scots in poverty requires the same urgent support offered to families during the pandemic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One in four children now live in poverty but, the charity warns, the figure is far higher in Scotland’s poorest postcodes where half of all children may be growing up in families struggling to stay afloat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SallyAnn Kelly, Aberlour chief executive, said the number of young lives blighted by poverty now demands the same response that delivered urgent financial support for families as Britain locked down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>No one could ever underestimate the suffering and loss inflicted by Covid but the lives and life chances of thousands of children are being as badly impacted by poverty as the pandemic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need the same ambition, determination and urgency around poverty as we had during lockdown in terms of supporting families and protecting the lives of children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The swift and effective action taken then is needed now and our governments need to step up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Kelly said the difference in the response to poverty is because decision-makers are not directly affected as they were by the pandemic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>The emergency support for families during Covid would have been thought impossible just a few weeks earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The reason that vital assistance was put in place with such speed was because politicians and policy-makers were just as affected as everyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There was no sense that Covid was something happening to other people and that is why the response to poverty is so different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The experience of living in poverty is so far from decision-makers’ lives that they have no understanding of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They believe poverty is something that happens to other people, to poor people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Kelly said the distance between politicians and poverty has sabotaged effective action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>It’s about what commentators call proximity and, right now, our decision makers seem far, far away from families in poverty. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The issues faced by those families do not impact on politicians’ day to day lives and so they are not so invested in addressing them. That was not the case during Covid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems like policy-makers have no real understanding of the daily challenges facing families, of getting food on the table, getting kids to school, paying for clothes, staying warm and all the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If that awareness was there, we would have seen less talk and far more action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Politicians would believe us when we say the safety net meant to catch any of us if we fall is in tatters. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Far too many families are plunging right through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour has urged the Scottish Government to increase the Scottish Child Payment and for UK ministers to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fnews-item\u002Fletter-to-pm-urging-an-end-to-the-two-child-limit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">scrap the two-child benefit cap\u003C\u002Fa> because, Kelly said, giving more financial support for families in poverty is the simplest and most effective response to the unfolding crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spoke out as Aberlour launches its \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fpovertyrelief\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poverty Relief fundraising campaign\u003C\u002Fa> with every pound donated being delivered to families in the most extreme hardship through its \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fget-help\u002Furgent-assistance-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Urgent Assistance Fund\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Kelly said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>“The same urgent assistance happened during the pandemic, of course, and happened with unprecedented speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The difference was the middle classes were trusted so if you were working but furloughed, for example, you would be supported financially because the government trusted you to do the right thing by your family. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Families living in poverty deserve that same trust now.” \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She added: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>“There is still this notion of the deserving poor and the undeserving poor. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nobody questioned if people were deserving or undeserving during the pandemic. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“During Covid, there was an absolute determination to protect everyone and the will to put measures in place urgently. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need that same urgency and determination to help families in poverty right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour has welcomed a number of initiatives aimed at easing the crisis, including the Scottish Child Payment and the UK government’s determination to improve the pay and conditions of workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>However, Kelly said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>We welcome all of that but it takes time and children do not have that time. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They are suffering right now and they need action right now. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There must be emergency relief for families, even if only on a temporary basis, until these promised changes take effect. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That kind of temporary, emergency support is exactly what happened during Covid and is exactly what is needed now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\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>","Aberlour Children's Charity calls for child poverty to be treated like Covid","Aberlour Children's Charity is calling on the UK and Scottish Governments to treat child poverty like the Covid pandemic. The devastating impact of poverty in Scotland demands the same emergency response as Covid.","media\u002FSallyAnn-Final-scaled-serious.jpg","2024-11-14T13:57:54.000000Z","2024-11-18T10:54:29.000000Z",{"id":39,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":19,"is_featured":7,"title":40,"slug":41,"content":42,"content_overview":11,"published_at":43,"seo_title":40,"seo_description":44,"image":45,"created_at":46,"updated_at":47},"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"]