Our vision is that every child in Scotland has the chance to flourish (Aberlour Child Care Trust)

Aberlour Child Care Trust has  launched its ‘No Bad Ends’ campaign. 

The campaign was launched following research that shows young people from the most deprived communities in Scotland are up to three time more likely to die before they reach their 25^th birthday.

Aberlour is appealing to members of the public to start a monthly donation to the charity to help to reach more children and young people.

To donate, please visit: www.aberlour.org.uk/donate

In addition, Aberlour is calling for the Scottish Government, public authorities and the business community to match the public’s generosity and commit to tackling the root causes of poverty in Scotland together. Specifically, Aberlour is calling for:

1. A commitment from the Scottish Government to a transitional fund that will support local authorities to deliver early intervention family support services, as well as continue to provide specialist support for children and families most affected by poverty and inequality.
2. A commitment from the Scottish Government and public authorities to develop a child wellbeing approach to budget setting and economic planning that ensures public spending prioritises child wellbeing.
3. A commitment from the business sector to provide quality, secure, flexible and family friendly employment, ensuring jobs and income levels that enable families to thrive, not just survive.

Local MSP David Stewart, Labour, who joined with the Aberlour Child Care Trust when they visited the Scottish Parliament,  said:

“I share Aberlour’s commitment to making sure that a bad start doesn’t define the rest of someone’s life in 21^st century Scotland. Aberlour is to be congratulated on this bold and confronting campaign, which is calling for a big debate and real action to tackle poverty and change the outcomes for young people in our most deprived communities. This is a call elected representatives must respond to.

“Meeting Aberlour in the Scottish Parliament gave me a chance to learn more about their work, this campaign and what we can do together here in the Highlands and Islands to change the outcomes for young people facing a challenging start to life. “

This is the 30th anniversary of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The Scottish Government has announced that the UNCRC will be incorporated into Scots law to the maximum extent possible within the powers of the Scottish Parliament. To do this a Bill will be brought before the Scottish Parliament.

Commenting Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:

“Our Bill will take a maximalist approach. We will incorporate the rights set out UNCRC in full and directly in every case possible – using the language of the Convention.

“Our only limitation will be the limit of the powers of this Parliament – limits to which many of us obviously object.

“This approach will mean that the Convention on the Rights of the Child is enshrined directly into Scots law. This represents a huge step forward for the protection of child rights in Scotland.

“Every devolved body, every health board, every council and the Scottish Government itself will be legally obliged to make sure they respect children’s rights. And, if they don’t, children and young people will be able to use the courts to enforce their rights. I hope the example of Scotland incorporating the convention will spur the UK and other countries to follow suit.”

SallyAnn Kelly, CEO, Aberlour Child Care Trust said:

“Aberlour knows the real and proven difference that our services make to the lives of children and young people in Scotland’s most deprived communities. It’s time for a conversation about how we end the unacceptable consequences of poverty in this country. We need a political response that meets the needs of vulnerable young people. “

The research was carried out by Dr Morag Treanor, Professor of Child and Family Inequalities at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University. It is the first to focus on the impact deprivation can have on deaths in young people and was based on Scottish mortality records from 2011 to 2017 supplied by National Records of Scotland. The research focused on deaths due to ‘external causes’. By categorising these deaths using the SIMD (the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) Dr Treanor was able to compare the least and most deprived quintiles with clear and shocking results.

Dr Morag Treanor said:

“What we wanted to do was understand the impact deprivation has on life expectancy, specifically in young people. I was surprised just how difficult it was to find the data I needed to complete this research, and I’ve discovered that a study like this, focusing on deaths in young people under the age of 25 across Scotland, simply hasn’t been undertaken before. The results of the research really couldn’t paint a clearer message and underlines the massive inequality between rich and poor in this country.”