Fife Council has implemented initiatives focused on reducing poverty and social stigma, prioritising children's rights through the Cash First programme and Food4Fife Strategy. These initiatives aim to provide financial support and ensure dignified access to healthy food, particularly for families facing economic challenges.
Approach
Fife Council is working on reducing stigma surrounding poverty by involving individuals with lived experience in service design. Project assistants with personal experience of poverty are employed to work within area teams, contributing to recruitment, communication, system changes, and evaluation of funding. The Cash First approach, supported by Scottish Government funding, aims to provide immediate, flexible financial support embedded in dignity, respecting people's human rights to make informed decisions about their needs.
Resources and support
The initiative required strong collaboration with the Scottish Government and community partners. The funding secured for the Cash First programme enabled tests across seven areas, reflecting diverse local conditions.
Outcomes
The Cash First programme supports people in crisis, offering dignity and choice. The Food4Fife Strategy, launched in May 2024, aims to prevent food poverty and ensure healthy, affordable meals. Both initiatives facilitate meaningful community participation and input. It has been confirmed that Café Inc will be back during the summer holidays (Monday 7 July – Friday 15 August 2025) for children and young people across Fife.
Overcoming challenges
The integration of lived experience in programme design ensured that services met real needs. Regular feedback and adaptive strategies helped navigate challenges. The programme's success is measured through reduced food bank reliance, increased community engagement, and improved service delivery.
Lessons learned
Other organisations can learn from Fife's approach by embedding lived experience into service design and delivery and adopting flexible, human rights-based support methods.
Children and Young People's Involvement
Children and families have actively participated in co-designing services, ensuring their needs and rights are central. Ongoing involvement ensures services remain relevant.
Relevant UNCRC Articles
Article 2: Equality and non-discrimination. Every child has equal rights and should be given the same opportunities, regardless of their circumstances. The Cash First programme ensures equitable access to support for all children, addressing inequalities related to socioeconomic status and providing opportunities for an improved quality of life.
Article 12: Respect for the views of the child. Children have the right to express their views and have them considered in matters affecting them. Children and families are involved in the co-design of services, ensuring their voices shape the support they receive.
Article 26: Social security. Every child has the right to benefit from social security, supporting their development and wellbeing. The Cash First programme provides financial support and security to families, ensuring children have the resources needed for their development and wellbeing.
Article 27: Adequate standard of living. Every child has the right to a standard of living adequate for their physical, mental, spiritual, moral, and social development. The Food4Fife Strategy and Cash First initiatives support families in achieving a better standard of living by addressing basic needs like food and financial security.
Sources
Fife's annual report on Tackling Poverty & Preventing Crisis
-
Improving outcomes for people and communities affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity: Joining the dots across key policy agendas (briefing)
There are a number of key policy agendas that are part of a broader ambition to improve outcomes for people and communities across Scotland affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity. This briefing highlights the links across these and explores opportunities for re-framing these multiple policy ambitions as opportunities to work together around the common goal of improving outcomes for people and communities.
-
Improving outcomes for people and communities affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity: joining the dots across key policy agendas (infographic)
This infographic provides an overview of a small number of key national policy agendas, approaches and commitments, all designed to support a cross-policy, person-centred approach to improving outcomes for people and communities across Scotland affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity.