The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 places a duty on local authorities and health boards to report annually on activity they are taking, and will take, to reduce child poverty, reflecting a deepening collaboration between the Community Planning Partnership.

The report recognises that the cost of living issue continues to have a substantial impact on the lives of our children, young people, and their families, and that the downturn in the economy continues to impact negatively on family finances and wellbeing. Levels of child poverty continue to vary considerably across communities.

The report states however that child poverty is not inevitable, and that further to Aberdeen City Council and NHS Grampian working together to implement #ThePromise, they are now working to ensure that all their strategic planning and implementation is driven by a better understanding and monitoring of child poverty to ensure that together they take an agile approach to changing needs and that all policy levers are used.

The Local Outcome Improvement Plan, which promotes prevention and early intervention, is the shared Partnership Plan to address poverty and inequality of outcomes across Aberdeen City.

Over the last year, considerable work has been undertaken to align Partnership Plans for children with the Local Outcome Improvement Plan. Aligning plans more closely will help ensure that all single and multi-agency work impacts positively on the child poverty agenda.

Aberdeen City Council co-leader councillor Christian Allard, newly appointed chair of the Community Planning Aberdeen Committee, said: “This is a significant report which has clearly seen many officers across Aberdeen City Council and NHS Grampian working together to recognise what child poverty means in real terms, and how by working together and with Community Planning partners we can tackle this issue.

“The report makes it clear that no one agency can address child poverty alone, however by having joined-up policies and strategies we can ensure that we do all that we can to give all our children and young people and their families the best start and a bright future.”

The Child Poverty Action Report is available to view within the Community Planning Aberdeen agenda (pages 161-236).