Barnardo's Scotland launches its election manifesto
A leading children’s charity has urged political parties to put children and young people at the forefront of their Holyrood 2026 election manifestos.
Barnardo’s Scotland has outlined how the next government can change childhoods and change lives by tackling poverty with a particular focus on family support and the establishment of a network of family support services in every community across Scotland.
Martin Crewe, director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “We urge all political parties who are seeking representation in the Scottish Parliament to restate their commitment to The Promise ahead of the next election. While the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, announced back in 2021, has supported pockets of good practice, Scotland is sadly still a long way from achieving access to family support in every community.
“That’s why Barnardo’s Scotland wants to see consistent access to family support that is relationship-based, easily accessible and flexible to family need and responsive to practical, emotional and financial challenges. Barnardo’s is calling for the establishment of a network of family support services in every community across Scotland, putting an end to inequality in service availability and ensuring the delivery of support to all families who need it – regardless of where they live.
“We would like to see all parties commit to increasing investment in early intervention family support services and ensure family support is available in every community – this is crucial if we are to keep The Promise.”
Moving on to other areas where Barnardo’s Scotland is calling on the next government to act, Crewe added: “Despite ambitious targets to reduce child poverty in Scotland to 10% by 2030, far too many children, young people, and families living in or on the edge of poverty across Scotland continue to struggle – unable to afford the basic things they need to live.
“As a result, financial support for children, young people, and families has become ever more crucial to ensuring families can afford the essentials – providing them with choice, security and the resources to enable their children to thrive. In recent years, Scotland has taken positive steps to introduce policies to tackle child poverty, such as the Scottish Child Payment.
“Yet the latest statistics show that 22% in Scotland continue to live in poverty – with Joseph Rowntree Foundation analysis showing that one third of those in poverty are in very deep poverty. Meeting the child poverty targets is possible, but will only be achieved if ambitious targets is met with ambitious actions. That’s why we’re calling for politicians in the next Parliament to be brave and bold for children.
“The next Scottish Government should Immediately increase the Scottish Child Payment to at least £40 per week in the first year of the Parliament and we would also like to see the expansion of universal free school meal provision to primary 6s and 7s.”
On the subject of child exploitation, Crewe has the following ask of the next government: “Barnardo’s Scotland has a long history of tackling child sexual exploitation, abuse and trafficking in Scotland by supporting victims, raising awareness in communities, and calling for national leadership. We want the next Scottish Government to produce a new national action plan to tackle child sexual and criminal exploitation and to invest in Scotland-specific research and data collection on the scale and nature of child abuse and exploitation, building on the model of the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse for England and Wales.”
Read the Barnardo's manifesto here
