Hi Alex,

I would like to respond to your Big Question .

My thoughts are that the Government's focus on Child Poverty Strategy should include:

How to reduce child poverty - make it a priority

Look at the Adverse impact on the development of children that child poverty is causing.

The impact on children's health including impact on unborn babies.

The impact on Children's education.

Future outlook - looking 10/15 years ahead the prospects of higher /further education/University education and employment for children who have grown up in poverty.

It's really fantastic and that somebody in government is actually curious and asking these questions, thank you.

So I think for me, it wouldn't necessarily change my circumstances and my son circumstances but without doubt the benefit cap and the two child limit is something that's holding so many families underwater and it's something that could be addressed immediately. And I think that, you know, it's criminal not to. I think, for me personally, as well, how can we change things? I've reached the limit that I can earn as a carer for my son with complex needs. It is just so low. There's no chance of us ever getting out of poverty. If it's kept that way, there needs to be a bit more fluidity and more joined up, cohesiveness inside the system for parents who are self-employed. Because at the moment, it's a cliff edge, if you earned a penny over what you're allowed to and then you get nothing. And that is looking at everything from free school meals right through to losing things like your council tax support. So everything has a knock-on effect. It's not just money in the bank, but there's no infrastructure for helping carers.

People like me with really positive skill sets have fallen out the labor market because we've had to do the job of, you know, the authorities and services, and that's really wrong. I feel like there isn't enough support for carers and that is really super difficult. I think you should be listening to Children and Families. Lived experience is so priceless, and I also think that we should be able to sort of audit the progress

I am an asylum seeker and 34 weeks pregnant as well. I am at a hotel right now. I have some difficulties financially and also psychologically. I am receiving just home office support - a few pounds per week. It is nothing for eating, clothing and subsistence.

In these periods, i need more support and help.

Sometimes it is too hard to wait for home office payments to buy or solve your needs. As everyone knows, financial difficulties have direct impacts on the psychology.

I think this is an opportunity to follow on from the previous weeks question, I think this would be a great chance for the Cabinet to show respect and promote dignity when dealing with this subject. Especially in regards the families in hardship because in all fairness to the people involved, as someone who is classed as working poor, the factors which keep both myself and my family firmly in this category are mostly, not all, outwith my own control and yet the majority of the time when asked my opinion on these issues, I am made to feel somewhat inadequate in regards to my circumstances. A feeling I know more people than not have experienced.

But, to the other priorities. I believe the cause of poverty should be properly examined to best understand the complexities of the situation. With extra attention placed on the cost of living crisis, the aftermath of a global pandemic as well as the inflated rent market in the private sector of house lets/renting making it almost impossible to live adequately.

I believe the should have varied panels of parents carers, guardians teachers, yes many panels, from the most socially economically deprived areas nationwide as unfortunately the poverty situations vary from region to region and an overall blanket approach won't work if they are serious about combating this rising crisis.

And lastly, the previous point will ensure they are tackling the most important issues faced.

My daily life is quite difficult as a single mother. Taking care of a baby alone is very hard. But I feel happy when I see my baby growing up and being healthy.

Ở khách sạn buồn và chán .nhiều lúc tôi cứ sợ trầm cảm mất

Staying in the hotel is sad and boring. Sometimes I'm afraid of getting depressed.

Tôi đang ở khách sạn, ở đây rất buồn chán. Tôi cảm thấy ở đây rất tù túng và đồ ăn ở đây thật sự rất khó ăn. Rất buồn.

I am staying at a hotel, it is very boring here. I feel very confined here and the food here is really hard to eat. Very sad.

I am a mother with 3 children but I live with one at the moment the other two are back home in Sierra Leone. I live in Glasgow City as an asylum seeker.

Today is a beautiful day because I took my son out to the movie theatre and we went to Amma to learn about Changing Realities, to learn about the wellbeing of every person in life. That your children still need you in their life.

We need respect for our ethnicity, cultural and religious belief. Government should keep in mind these factors while formulating any policies towards them and then government can expect to achieve good result from their policies.

Government should give priority for the low income families and homeless people as these are the main reasons for child poverty. Voice for these group of peoples need to be heard. Government can run a survey among these peoples and hear their concerns for the child poverty and can act upon their recommendation.

Child poverty needs immediate attention, not a year long study. It is holding children back from reaching their full potential in life, while also tearing families apart. The government needs to end the two child benefit cap with immediate effect and give all school aged children the option of having a free school meal each day. Once this has been done some poverty would have ended, then the government can start working on other issues like, Universal credit payments and other benefits to ensure they are adequate at meeting the cost of living in today’s society.

My daughter, who is now 18, was suddenly plunged into a world of poverty at the age of 8. Her mother and my partner left the family home without explanation and cut all contact. I had been claiming incapacity benefit for many years, my partner was working and claiming tax credits. Which entitled my daughter to free school meals. A short while after I informed the relevant departments about the changes, immediately they stopped the tax credits, which ended my daughters free school meals. The child benefit was also paid into my ex partners account which I was informed could not be changed without her advising them, so this was also money I was not receiving in order to support my daughter. This issue took almost two years to resolve. This meant that I was left to support myself and my daughter on my benefits as a single person until my daughter finished school education.

Growing up in poverty has restricted my daughter from experiencing childhood like you would expect them to have and unfortunately held her back from being able to do so much more to help her own future. My daughter missed out on so much at school, like outings / trips, healthy school meals, school uniform, books, after school clubs and so much more. These are all everyday expenses that just can’t be covered by rates of benefits that are paid to families. This is also before you start to think about household bills, internet, phone, warm clothing and bedding.

The whole social security system needs to be brought up to date, making it easier and quicker to claim, with rates paid in order for no child or family to ever have to live in poverty in the modern world.