SCATHING TARGETS FAIL WARNING: 1 IN FOUR KIDS STILL LIVING IN POVERTY

Charity calls on all parties to pledge funding

- CHRIS MCCALL

SCOTLAND is on course to miss a child poverty reduction target by a "large margin", a report has warned.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation said the target will be missed unless parties make changes in the next Scottish Parliament.

Its report shows around one in four children in poverty, and levels of poverty "largely the same" as at the start of the parliamentary session in 2021.

However, it said there are some signs the Scottish Child Payment is starting to have an impact.

The JRF is calling for all parties in next year's election to increase social security spending and expand free nursery places for low-income households in a bid to get within range of the target.