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Plenary, 12 Dec 2002

12 Dec 2002 · S1 · Plenary

Item of business

Children and Young People (Services)

Jamieson, Cathy Lab Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Watch on SPTV

I acknowledge that, although the Scottish National Party motion and our amendment are not identical, they cover a lot of the same ground. That was meant to highlight the fact that no one party or individual has a monopoly on caring about children and young people. Indeed, there were many points in Irene McGugan's speech with which I could agree.

I wish to concentrate on one main theme: focusing on the needs of the child, not those of the services involved. As is highlighted in the various reports that have been referred to—both in the motion and in our amendment—we need to spend less time satisfying the needs of bureaucracy and more time working with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children, their families and communities. We need to continue to work to close the opportunity gap.

I have no difficulty with the fact that the SNP motion and Irene McGugan's speech commented on child poverty. Children living in poverty and disadvantage risk missing out on the opportunities and the quality of life that they deserve and they might achieve less as they grow up and later in life, which sustains cycles of poverty.

That is why we have nailed our colours to the mast on this issue. We are committed to tackling child poverty and its effects. To end child poverty in a generation was indeed an ambitious and courageous target for any Government to set, but I would rather that we had that aspiration than that we just sit back and do nothing.

The social justice annual report shows how we are working towards our long-term targets and milestones. In 1997, 34 per cent, or one in three of the population, was in poverty. That proportion has been reduced to 21 per cent in 2002, which is one in five—a 40 per cent reduction. That may be an achievement, but it is still one in five too many, and we have a long way to go.

Every Executive minister, in every portfolio, is contributing to closing that opportunity gap through the Scottish budget. The best route out of poverty, as those of us who have lived and worked in disadvantaged areas all our lives know very well, is through education and getting into employment. The new deal is helping lone parents to work if they want to do so. Through the child care tax credit, families on low incomes are now getting financial support for their child care costs, which helps parents to get into employment or training. By 2006 we will be providing £54.9 million through the child care strategy and sure start Scotland. We are expanding on existing provision, building on our commitment to pre-school places, and supporting out-of-school care.

Much of what is in the recently published reports echoes what was contained in "For Scotland's children: Better integrated children's services", including the need to join up services and work across departments and agencies. That is why I want there to be better integration of children's services among local authorities, national health service boards and the voluntary sector. We have set a target to be achieved by 2006: 15,000 vulnerable children under the age of five, every looked-after child, every pupil with special educational needs and every child on the child protection register will have an integrated package of health, care and education support that meets their needs. That is another challenging target, but it is absolutely the right aspiration to have.

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Plenary, 12 Dec 2002

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