Chair of Dumfries and Galloway’s Education Committee, Councillor Jeff Leaver, welcomed Headteachers from across the region on Wednesday (10th February) to an event day entitled ‘Closing the Gap’. Those attending heard from various speakers on the topic of Anti-Poverty and raising awareness of poverty issues in schools. This was the fourth session on Poverty Awareness for school staff, which has so far covered around 55 staff, who will then roll it out to additional staff within their own schools throughout the region.
The Council’s first Anti-Poverty Strategy was agreed in June last year, drawing on extensive research and engagement. It has since been recognised as good practice by the Scottish Human Rights Commission, COSLA and the Child Poverty Action Group, because it is not just about financial poverty or the services that public services provide to people experiencing poverty – it is also about how poverty affects people, and therefore, in this case, children. The Strategy recognises and addresses the lack confidence, lack of voice, lack of aspiration and lack of hope that results from poverty in all its forms and actually prevents people from moving out of poverty.
This Closing the Gap day was designed primarily for Headteachers, as it was felt that they are best placed to see how how these issues affect children and families. Headteachers are very much at the forefront of breaking the cycle of poverty for the current generation and would be able to address some of the challenges for pupils and teachers which are associated with poverty.
John Dickie from Child Poverty Action Group Scotland was quoted on the day as saying: “The key drivers of rising child poverty are cuts to family benefits; low pay and lack of secure employment, but teachers can make a real difference to how poverty impacts on children and young people. Taking time to understand the barriers that pupils from low income families face at school and taking action to remove those barriers as far as possible can make a real difference.”
Robin Tennant of the Poverty Alliance delivered his session before lunch. An expert in his field, he drew on the Poverty Alliance’s ‘Stick Your Labels’ campaign, which the Council signed up to last September. Combined with the Council’s Strategy, the Poverty Alliance’s campaign gives practical solutions to help the Headteachers, and their schools tackle poverty by: avoiding stigmatising pupils whose families are in poverty; raising awareness of the signs of poverty in pupils; and sharing ideas about how to reduce the financial pressures on families.
Topics covered after lunch included the’ Cost of the School Day’. The Council allocated just over £300k to this in December last year, removing pupil contributions from home economics and technical subjects – and also extending the poverty awareness training for schools staff.
Councillor Leaver said: “One of the Council’s top priorities is to provide the best start in life for all our Children. We’ve made a good start through the Anti-Poverty Strategy with 30 different Council projects and activities in place and an additional £1M set aside for initiatives over the next two years.
A number of additional key projects are being carried out by the council, such as the development of family centres; delivering financial education and poverty awareness for school pupils. In addition the Council is addressing a number of other school-related issues, such as: uniforms and clothing; homework and out of school learning; school trips; hunger; and charity and fundraising activities.
These are just some of the ways we can tackle poverty in Dumfries and Galloway, and starting in our schools is fundamental, so that the lives of all our families, especially our children and young people, are better and brighter.”
Photo attached shows:
Robin Tennant from The Poverty Alliance and Councillor Jeff Leaver, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council Education Committee
