Kirsty the Holyrood Baby: Poverty, Early Intervention, and Getting It Right For Every Child

50% off ticket prices due to the move online!

This year, as Kirsty the Holyrood Baby turned four, there have been significant challenges for children like her growing up in poverty. Conditions for many families have worsened due to the COVID-19 lockdown and the Scottish Government has also had to postpone the roll-out of flagship policies such as the Scottish Child Payment and the ongoing expansion of funded early-years provision.

This bespoke policy event will provide a much-needed opportunity for those who support children like Kirsty to get together to discuss where we go from here.

In partnership with Save the Children

The Context

Kirsty, the Holyrood Baby, is a fictional child, born into one of Scotland’s most deprived communities on the day the current crop of MSPs took their seats in 2016. She is a conduit through which Holyrood magazine can examine the parliament's progress in tackling poverty, early intervention, and children's rights – as well as the implementation gap between policy ambition and the reality for children growing up in poverty in Scotland.

Since Kirsty's third birthday, it was decided to postpone the implementation of parts of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, although the Scottish Government has remained committed to GIRFEC.

Join us on 6th October as we examine what recent and upcoming policy changes and the wider implications of the COVID-19 pandemic mean for the support and services you provide to children in Scotland.

Key Issues We'll Discuss

Practical guidance to support and sustain the GIRFEC approach under existing legislation
Examining the effects on policy and the lives of the least well-off the Covid-19 outbreak
Lifting 30,000 children out of poverty through the Scottish Child Payment?
Giving all children the best start in life by expanding funded early-years provision
Addressing poor take-up and challenges around signposting services
Embedding a rights-based approach in service delivery
How to close the implementation gap between policy and practice
A co-designed approach to putting children's voices at the centre of service delivery
Taking a whole system approach to transformational change in children's services

Confirmed Speakers

Claire Telfer, Head of Scotland, Save the Children (Chair)
Shona Robison MSP, Former Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport & Chair, Social Justice and Fairness Commission
Jamie Greene MSP, Scottish Conservatives Education Spokesman & Member, Education & Skills Committee
Jacquie Pepper, Depute Director, Education & Children's Service; Chief Social Worker, Perth & Kinross Council and co-Chair, Children and Families Standing Committee, Social Work Scotland
Sue Palmer, Independent Writer and Education Consultant, and Chair, Upstart Scotland
Margo Mackay, Associate, Talking Mats
Sara Spencer, Cost of the School Day Project Manager, Child Poverty Action Group
Kerry McKenzie, Organisational Lead for Child Poverty, Public Health Scotland
Dr Deborah Wason, Public Health Intelligence Principal, Public Health Scotland
Aileen Nicol, Head of Improving Permanence and Protection, CELCIS

Agenda

09:55 Welcome and Introduction from the Chair

Claire Telfer, Head of Scotland, Save the Children (Chair)

Session 1: Policy Landscape Since Kirsty's 3rd Birthday

Practical guidance to support and sustain the GIRFEC approach under existing legislation
Consequences of postponement of flagship policies:- the Scottish Child Payment and doubling of funded early years provision

10:05 Keynote Address: Shona Robison MSP, Former Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport & Chair, Social Justice and Fairness Commission

10:25 Aileen Nicol, Head of Improving Permanence, Centre of Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection (CELCIS)

Questions and Discussion

Session 2: The Reality for Children Living in Poverty

Poor take-up and challenges around signposting services
Embedding a rights-based approach in service delivery
Tackling the poverty-related attainment gap
Financial barriers to learning
Impact of poverty on early years
Impact of COVID-19 on poverty and the life chances of children

11:05 Sara Spencer, Cost of the School Day Project Manager, Child Poverty Action Group

11:25 Kerry McKenzie, Organisational Lead for Child Poverty, Public Health Scotland

Dr Deborah Wason, Public Health Intelligence Principal, Public Health Scotland

Questions & Discussion

12:00 Break

Session 3: The Next 5 Years: Getting It Right For Kirsty

As we look forward to the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election in May 2021:

Taking a whole system approach to transformational change in early years
Co-designed approach that puts children's voices at the centre
Changing the already 'poor outlook' for Kirsty pre-pandemic

12:20 Panel Discussion

Jamie Greene MSP, Scottish Conservatives Education Spokesman & Member, Education & Skills Committee
Jacquie Pepper, Depute Director, Education & Children's Service; Chief Social Worker, Perth & Kinross Council and co-Chair, Children and Families Standing Committee, Social Work Scotland
Sue Palmer, Independent Writer and Education Consultant, and Chair, Upstart Scotland
Margo Mackay, Associate, Talking Mats

13:00 Closing Remarks from Chair

Claire Telfer, Head of Scotland, Save the Children

13:10 Close of the event

Get In Touch

Book now or email or call Adam on 0131 285 1692

If you have an inspiring case study or a project that you think is relevant, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We are always on the lookout for new speakers.