Thousands of families to gain new opportunities to learn, earn
and thrive.
As a result of £21 million of new, targeted investment in
colleges and skills, families at risk of poverty will receive
additional support to train, to help them enter stable, well-paid
work or progress in their career.
The Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan includes £9 million for
a Raising Income through Skills and Education (RISE) Fund, which
will give parents and carers practical help to build new skills –
offering training they can fit around family life, along with
essential support with childcare, travel, and study costs.
A £2 million Training Access Fund will support working adult
learners most at risk of poverty to access skills training, to
give them the chance to earn more and build a stable career.
A new £10 million Flexible Workforce Development Fund will aim to
incentivise businesses to offer training opportunities to parents
earning low incomes in a way that meets employer needs while
helping working parents and carers increase their earning
potential and progress in their careers.
Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson said:
"We are committed to making sure that education and training
works for everyone, especially those who need it most, as part of
our wider efforts to eradicate poverty in Scotland.
"Every person deserves opportunities to build a better future for
themselves and their household. This £21 million package of
targeted investment in skills will help remove barriers to
training, such as childcare and transport costs, which can too
often stand between parents and the skills that they need to get
on in work."
Gavin Donoghue, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland, said:
“Colleges are strong community anchors across the country, and
the funding pledged kick starts a range of ways that colleges can
accelerate and expand programmes that support people to leave
poverty.
“The investment into more anti-poverty programmes is welcome
recognition of the huge part that colleges play in making
people's lives better.
“Colleges are an opportunity that works, serving learners from
some of Scotland's most deprived communities and are a driving
force for social good in every part of the country.”
Jacqui Brasted, Scottish Funding Council Director of Access,
Learning and Outcomes, said:
“Every child should have the opportunity to flourish. Scotland's
colleges can play a vital role in transforming lives by providing
a lasting route out of poverty. They offer access to the skills
and education needed to support families enter, remain and
progress in work. We are delighted to be working with Colleges
Scotland to ensure that the welcome funding provided by the
Scottish Government is targeted where it is needed most.”
Background
Tackling Child Poverty
Delivery Plan 2026-31: Bringing
Hope, Building Futures is the Scottish
Government's final statutory Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan
delivered under the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017.
Work is ongoing with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and
Colleges Scotland to finalise detailed arrangements for the three
funds, with delivery expected to commence for parents and carers
starting courses in September for the 2026-27 academic year.
Details for how support from the three funds can be accessed will
be confirmed in due course.
