[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f30emlqpf89q2h":16},{"id":4,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":7,"slug":8,"content":9,"content_overview":10,"published_at":11,"seo_title":7,"seo_description":12,"image":13,"created_at":14,"updated_at":15},"01m5yr36vzgnkxw06xbrd8qvy9","1",false,"We can change Scotland's story on alcohol","we-can-change-scotlands-story-on-alcohol","\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justina Murray, Chief Executive, Aberlour Children’s Charity\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This week we have seen further evidence of Scotland’s toxic relationship with alcohol, with the publication of the latest alcohol-specific death figures.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn1\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> In 2025, 1,152 people in Scotland died through alcohol.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn2\">[2]\u003C\u002Fa> This may be 3% lower than the previous year, but it remains 13% up on pre-pandemic levels. Alarmingly, death rates for women are rising (3% up).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The human toll of this loss is traumatic for families and communities. So, so many lives lost. And this sits alongside the everyday harms felt by those concerned about their own drinking, and those desperately worried about keeping their loved ones alive. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story of alcohol in Scotland today is that we have a higher rate of alcohol deaths than England and Wales. We buy more alcohol per adult than England and Wales. Almost 1 in 5 of us drink enough to harm our health and to be classed as hazardous, harmful or dependent drinkers. More of us are diagnosed with chronic liver disease each year. We don’t really think about alcohol being linked to over 200 health conditions or causing 7 different types of cancer. In a country where we routinely hear, “There is no money”, alcohol harm is estimated to cost us up to £10 billion a year.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn3\">[3]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is little sign of any shift in Scotland’s entrenched ‘Alcohol Everywhere’ culture. Just this week (only a day after the alcohol death figures were released), a hospitality chain in Edinburgh asked for licensing permission for unaccompanied 12-15 year olds to be in their pubs until 8pm, describing these as “family-friendly” and “accessible” environments for young people.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn4\">[4]\u003C\u002Fa> And earlier this month we saw the First Minister raising a glass of whisky on the front cover of the SNP conference handbook, of all of the images which could have been used under the banner ‘Choose Scotland’.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn5\">[5]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what is the story for the children and families we support? I joined Aberlour last year - our 150th birthday year. Perhaps due to that timing, or certainly encouraged by it, I often reflect on the organisation’s long history and deep legacy, including what might be the same or different now compared to the early days of the Aberlour orphanage. This grew to care for up to 600 children at any one time, all in one place. Nowadays our models of care have radically altered, with our remodelled Sycamore children’s houses providing safe and loving family-sized homes in the community for 3 or 4 children at a time, alongside a broad continuum of services to support babies, children, young people and families facing disadvantage and adversity, from early help to the most intensive support. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite all these changes, that thread of alcohol harm in families - and the havoc this creates in every respect - runs through every chapter of our 150 years. This harm impacts the lives of children and families across every one of our services today, just as it shaped the story for so many children arriving at the original Aberlour orphanage.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But we are also working alongside families to change Scotland’s story on alcohol. There is quite rightly a call for better prevention and early support for families, but how we respond in a crisis speaks volumes. We offer a range of specialist services for pregnant and new mums and their babies where there is harm through alcohol and other substances. This includes our residential Mother and Child Recovery Houses, alongside community-based perinatal and intensive perinatal services. The impact of these services is mind-blowing, with 65-70% of mums staying safely with their babies, when previously their children were at extremely high risk of going into care - with all the accompanying human and financial cost of this. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These services provide concrete and costed evidence that with the right approach and investment, we can write a whole new chapter alongside children and families. This support offers a blueprint for whole family recovery, helps us #KeepThePromise (not just say it), delivers effective child protection, and models outcomes-focused Public Service Reform. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s time for a different story on alcohol harm in Scotland, let’s turn the page. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cdiv style=\"mso-element: endnote-list;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportEndnotes]-->\u003Cbr clear=\"all\">\u003Chr align=\"left\" size=\"1\" width=\"33%\">\u003C!--[endif]-->\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn1\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn1;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[1]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nrscotland.gov.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Falcohol-specific-deaths-2025\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nrscotland.gov.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Falcohol-specific-deaths-2025\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn2\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn2;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[2]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">Note that alcohol-specific deaths only include those specifically caused by alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease, alcohol poisoning.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn3\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn3;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[3]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">You can find lots of useful information and statistics at Alcohol Focus Scotland on Scotland’s relationship with alcohol and alcohol harm, including a great series of monthly blogs by Chief Exec Carolyn Lochhead, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk\u002F\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk\u002F\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn4\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn4;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref4\" name=\"_edn4\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[4]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002Fcm62yj7nqj77o\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002Fcm62yj7nqj77o\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn5\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn5;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref5\" name=\"_edn5\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[5]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fs3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com\u002Fwww.snp.org\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F06\u002FSNP-Handbook-26-online-5-public.pdf\">https:\u002F\u002Fs3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com\u002Fwww.snp.org\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F06\u002FSNP-Handbook-26-online-5-public.pdf\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv style=\"mso-element: endnote-list;\">\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn5\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>",null,"2026-10-29T00:00:00.000000Z","This week we have seen further evidence of Scotland’s toxic relationship with alcohol, with the publication of the latest alcohol-specific death figures.","media\u002F1301_transform.webp","2026-10-27T13:16:48.000000Z","2026-10-30T08:58:49.000000Z",{"id":17,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":18,"slug":19,"content":20,"content_overview":21,"published_at":22,"seo_title":23,"seo_description":24,"image":25,"created_at":26,"updated_at":27,"next":28,"prev":29},"01j6cdm1r7f7sf2fcgknhq8cxd","Leading children’s charity urges PM to scrap child benefit cap","leading-childrens-charity-urges-pm-to-scrap-child-benefit-cap","\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">Keir Starmer must scrap the two-child benefit cap and rescue thousands of young Scots trapped in poverty, according to the country’s biggest children’s charity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">One in four Scots children are now living in poverty and Aberlour is calling on the Prime Minister to take urgent action to improve their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly OBE called on the new Labour government to launch an immediate review of Universal Credit including the ban on low-income families receiving support for any more than two children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">\u003Cstrong>She said:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “We know beyond any doubt how much damage poverty is inflicting on the lives and life chances of children across Scotland. This is the true cost of not investing in these children and their families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">“We also know beyond doubt that scrapping the two-child cap is the single most immediate way of reducing that damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">“The system of Universal Credit must be reviewed as a matter of urgency and the cap removed or neutralised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">“We have heard many promises about ending child poverty and easing its impact but now is the time for action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">“It is time to take effective steps to protect and improve the lives of children trapped in poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">“No child chooses to live in poverty but offering them effective help is a political choice and there should be no greater priority for any country or any government.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">Kelly spoke out days before Scotland becomes the first UK nation to implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) imposing a legal duty on public bodies to ensure children grow up in safety and security with Article 26 giving every child and their family the right to social security.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">On Wednesday 10th July, the Daily Record revealed Anas Sarwar is also urging the new Prime Minister to review the two-child benefit cap which affects 27,000 Scottish households.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">Starmer refused to commit to abolition during the election before detailing the costs but the Scottish Labour leader wants the policy scrapped as part of an upcoming review of Universal Credit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\">\u003Cstrong>Keir Starmer told The Daily Record:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “We want to have the review of Universal Credit. We want to create the financial conditions where we can move on the two-child limit.”\u003Cbr \u002F>\n“We will continue to push for it to happen and we want to make sure we’re part of helping create the economic conditions to make that happen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>This article was written for The Daily Record and published on Friday 12th July 2024.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n","\u003Cp>Keir Starmer must scrap the two-child benefit cap and rescue thousands of young Scots trapped in poverty, according to the country’s biggest children’s charity. One in four Scots children are now living in poverty and Aberlour is calling on the Prime Minister to take urgent action to improve their lives. Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly OBE … \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fweb-backend.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fleading-childrens-charity-urges-pm-to-scrap-child-benefit-cap\u002F\">Continued\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n","2024-07-12T00:00:00.000000Z","Leading children’s charity urges PM to scrap child benefit cap - Aberlour - Web Backend","Aberlour CEO, SallyAnn Kelly OBE, urges the UK Government Prime Minister to scrap the two-child benefit cap to lift children out of poverty.","media\u002FSallyAnn-Final-scaled.jpg","2024-08-28T11:58:31.000000Z","2024-11-25T07:22:17.000000Z",{"id":17,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":18,"slug":19,"content":20,"content_overview":21,"published_at":22,"seo_title":23,"seo_description":24,"image":25,"created_at":26,"updated_at":27},{"id":30,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":31,"slug":32,"content":33,"content_overview":34,"published_at":35,"seo_title":36,"seo_description":37,"image":38,"created_at":26,"updated_at":27},"01j6cdm1rd9xx9cge6m88cq8fp","Aberlour’s election demands to tackle child poverty ","aberlours-election-demands-to-tackle-child-poverty","\u003Cp>We have l\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aunched \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fweb-backend.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F06\u002FAberlour-Manifesto-Brief-2024_digital.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">our manifesto\u003C\u002Fa> to tackle child poverty and have challenged the UK’s political parties to prioritise 5 key policies should they come to power. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The call comes at a time when 1 in 4 Scottish children and 1 in 3 Children in the UK are growing up in poverty. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> want to see an incoming government:-\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Col>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cb> Eradicate Child Poverty \u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cb> Tackle the debt crisis \u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cb> End School meals debt \u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cb> Reform Welfare and scrap the two-child limit and five-week wait \u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cb> Improve support for unaccompanied asylum seeking children\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking at the launch of the Aberlour Manifesto 2024 Aberlour young person, Ciaran (17), said: \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">‘\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cb>\u003Ci>It’s important that young people’s voices are heard and that politicians listen to what they have to say. Young people might not be able to vote but decisions politicians make have an impact on their lives. \u003C\u002Fi>\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cb>\u003Ci>So that’s why this is so important. I hope the political parties have listened and they do what young people have asked, like ending child poverty, helping refugee children and funding youth work\u003C\u002Fi>\u003C\u002Fb>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.’\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly OBE said, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cb>\u003Ci>‘Poverty is a political choice, but children do not choose to grow up in poverty. We are calling on the next UK Government to make the political choice to end child poverty and invest in our children and young people. \u003C\u002Fi>\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cb>\u003Ci>It is very disappointing that child poverty has been relegated to a side issue in this election when it should be the priority of every political party. \u003C\u002Fi>\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cb>\u003Ci>Today we have set out 5 key areas for action and we are challenging all of the UK’s politicians to work to delivering them should they be elected.’ \u003C\u002Fi>\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n","\u003Cp>We have launched our manifesto to tackle child poverty and have challenged the UK’s political parties to prioritise 5 key policies should they come to power.  The call comes at a time when 1 in 4 Scottish children and 1 in 3 Children in the UK are growing up in poverty.  We want to see … \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fweb-backend.aberlour.org.uk\u002Faberlours-election-demands-to-tackle-child-poverty\u002F\">Continued\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n","2024-06-24T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour's election demands to tackle child poverty  - Aberlour - Web Backend","We have launched our manifesto to tackle child poverty and have challenged the UK’s political parties to prioritise 5 key policies should they come to power. ","media\u002Fgirl-in-school-uniform-min-scaled.jpg"]