Why being poverty aware in our work with children and families matters 

Poverty and neglect are not the same, but they can be interconnected.

Poverty relates to a lack of financial resources and can impact a family’s ability to meet basic needs such as housing, food, heating and clothing.

Neglect occurs when a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs are not met, resulting in harm or risk of harm.

It is important to recognise that:

• Experiencing poverty does not mean a child is neglected.
• Many families experiencing financial hardship provide safe, nurturing and responsive care.
• However, poverty can place additional stress on families, which may increase vulnerability and impact on caregiving capacity.

The reasons why children experience neglect are often complex and multi-faceted. Alongside this, there is growing evidence of a strong association between poverty, child abuse and neglect (Bywaters et al., 2022). The vast majority of families living in poverty do not harm their children; however, the evidence highlights that deprivation can act as a contributory factor, increasing the likelihood of circumstances in which abuse or neglect may occur.

Poverty is rarely the only factor. It is often part of a wider set of circumstances that contribute to harm, including for example parental mental health difficulties, domestic abuse, family stress and conflict. Children who live in the most deprived communities are more likely to come into contact with statutory safeguarding services than those living in less deprived areas (Bywaters et al., 2020).

Poverty Measures & Definitions 

In Scotland, poverty is measured using household income, with people considered to be in poverty if their income is below 60% of the UK median. Relative poverty shows whether families are able to keep up with current living standards, while absolute poverty measures whether living standards are improving over time.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation describes poverty as not being able to meet basic needs such as heating a home, paying rent, or providing essentials, alongside the stress, insecurity and marginalisation this can bring. This perspective supports a deeper understanding of how poverty can influence children’s wellbeing and development.

Evidence from the Scottish Government Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2022–25 Report shows that children are disproportionately affected by poverty. As at 2024, 11,038 children in Fife (18.0% of those aged under 16) are living in relative poverty before housing costs. 8,925 children (14.6%) are living in absolute poverty before housing costs. Both are above the Scottish rates of 16.3% and 13.2% respectively. Further information can be accessed in the Local Child Poverty Action Report 2025

What this means for practice 

Understanding the relationship between poverty and neglect is essential in supporting children and families effectively.

Practitioners should remain curious, reflective and compassionate, recognising that poverty can significantly shape a child’s lived experience, while not making assumptions about parenting capacity or intent.

In practice, this means:

• Committing to Fife’s Dignity Charter. 
• Supporting families to get the help they’re entitled to: Cost of Living Support and Get support with benefits and money advice | Fife Council pages provide tools such as a free benefit checker, income and expenditure tool and access to Lightning Reach which links families to charitable financial support. Staff can access benefit checker training here. 
• Taking a holistic view of the child’s circumstances, including the impact of financial hardship alongside other stressors such as parental mental health, domestic abuse and family relationships.
• Focusing on the child’s day-to-day experience, considering what life is like for them at home, in school and in their community.
• Distinguishing between lack of resources and concerns about care, safety and protection, ensuring responses are proportionate and appropriate.
• Recognising that families may require both practical support and safeguarding intervention, and these should work alongside one another where needed.
• Working collaboratively with partners to ensure families can access the right support at the right time, reducing stress and strengthening protective factors.

At the centre of all practice should be a clear focus on the child’s wellbeing, safety and right to have their needs met, alongside an understanding of the wider context in which families are living.

Reflective questions 

When working with children and families where poverty may be a factor, it may be helpful to consider:

• What is the child’s day-to-day lived experience?Are this child’s basic needs consistently being met, or are there unmet needs that require support?
• Are any concerns linked to a lack of resources, or are there indicators of care, safety or protection concerns?
• How might financial stress or hardship be affecting the child, parent or wider family relationships?
• Are there other factors present, such as parental mental health, substance use, domestic abuse or conflict, which may be interacting with poverty?
• What are the strengths within the family, and how are they supporting the child’s wellbeing?
• Is the child’s voice being heard, and how are we understanding their experience?
• What support is already in place, and what additional help could make a meaningful difference?
• Are we working effectively with partners to ensure the family can access the right support at the right time?