The role of the Local Child Poverty Co-ordination Group (or ‘national partners’ for short) is to coordinate the effort and resources of national partners working to support local authorities and health boards in the development and implementation of their Local Child Poverty Action Reports.
We also have a role in identify and supporting the implementation of effective practice to tackle child poverty.
Remit of the National Partners Group
- Delivering support and guidance in response to the needs of local partners
- Engaging with child poverty leads based within local authorities and health boards (‘local child poverty leads’) to understand the kind of support required from national partners
- Working to a joint plan of support activity informed by feedback from local child poverty leads
- Providing clear information to local partnerships about who we are, what we can offer, and how to engage with us, and what we are trying to achieve;
- Being responsive and flexible to emerging and changing needs of local partners;
- Maintaining up to date understanding of the factors influencing child poverty at local and national level
- Using our learning to influence national and local child poverty policy, planning and implementation.
The Group meets on a four-week basis and the meeting minutes are shared on our Knowledge Hub.
Members of the National Partners Group
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government has recently published its latest four-year plan to tackling child poverty (Best Start, Bright Futures: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022 to 2026). The Plan outlines how the Scottish Government and its partners will work together to deliver on Scotland's national mission to tackle child poverty. It sets out a vision for Scotland, the changes that are needed to achieve this, and the actions the Scottish Government will take with partners to deliver that change.
You can also find the refreshed guidance on developing a Local Child Poverty Action Report.
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
COSLA is the voice of Local Government in Scotland. COSLA works on councils' behalf to focus on the challenges and opportunities local authorities face, and to engage positively with governments and others on policy, funding and legislation. You can find information on COSLA’s work related to children and young people and its latest publications on its website.
Public Health Scotland (PHS)
PHS is the leading national agency for improving and protecting the health and wellbeing of people in Scotland. It is jointly sponsored by COSLA and the Scottish Government, and collaborates with third sector organisations to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce premature mortality. Its areas of focus are COVID-19, mental health and wellbeing, community and place, as well as poverty and children. Information about its child poverty-related work and its latest publications are available on its website.
Improvement Service (IS)
The IS was established in 2005 as the national improvement organisation for Local Government in Scotland. It was set up to deliver improvement support that would help councils to provide effective community leadership, strong local governance and deliver high quality, efficient local services. Improvement Service hosts the National Coordinator for Local Child Poverty Action Reports and the Project Officer for Child Poverty and UNCR. Find our recent publications on child poverty here.
Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit (SPIRU)
SPIRU is an interdisciplinary research group based at Glasgow Caledonian University working in partnership with the Poverty Alliance and other stakeholders to investigate and develop effective responses to poverty and inequality in Scotland and beyond. SPIRU has a sustained record of investigating and contributing to policy development to reduce child poverty, particularly in Scotland. It has worked closely over many years with organisations such as the Child Poverty Action Group, Save the Children, One Parent Families Scotland and Children in Scotland to document, diagnose and remedy deprivation among households with children and to improve opportunities for young people from disadvantaged communities. Visit the SPIRU website for access to its most recent annual report and publications.
Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland (CPAG)
CPAG is a charity based in the UK that works to alleviate child poverty and social exclusion. CPAG collects evidence from families living in poverty, and pushes forward achievable and long-term solutions to tackling child poverty. They support families across the country by giving frontline workers practical help with the social security system so families can stay afloat. Visit the CPAG website for its briefings and reports.
Poverty Alliance
The Poverty Alliance is Scotland’s network of organisations and individuals working together to end poverty. Amongst many activities, it influences policy and practice, supports communities to challenge poverty and provides evidence through research. Read more about its work and find its publications on the CPAG website.