If we want to reduce inequality in child development for families living on a low income, we need a change in narrative and better policy implementation that reflects the incredible value of the earliest years of a child’s life and the experience of families living in poverty.
That was the shared view of professionals working to address poverty and inequality and in the early years sector in Scotland when Save the Children and Nesta convened a group of third sector leaders, academics and senior public servants to discuss the role of family income in improving early child development.
During a day of open, frank and inspiring debate and discussion, key themes emerged around the evidence needed to design and practically implement family income interventions and the importance of income security, the need to listen to the voices of lived experience and the sensitivities around how poverty and inequality is framed and communicated.
