Demand for child poverty action

The boxes will be taken to a child poverty rally in London

Children's charities in Dundee are demanding more is done to tackle child poverty across the city and Scotland.

Cardboard boxes have been placed in Barnardo's and Save the Children stores which people can write messages onto.

One of the giant children's building blocks has been presented to local MP Jim McGovern and he has been asked to take their calls to the Chancellor.

There are 30 cubes across Scotland which will be taken to London for a child poverty rally in October.

The UK Government has set a target of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020.

We must do everything we can to make sure no child lives in poverty by 2020 Jim McGovern MP

Irene McGugan, from Barnardo's Scotland, said: "Dundee would be recognised as an area of significant deprivation.

"Overall in Scotland, we reckon there are about one-in-four children in poverty and that would be mirrored here in Dundee."

She is urging the Holyrood and Westminster governments to take action.

She said: "It's about looking at benefits, low levels of wage in some employment sectors, it's about making childcare more accessible and certainly cheaper, and it's about recognising the barriers that some particular families face, for instance those who are caring for children with disabilities."

Jim McGovern MP said: "It is unacceptable that 250,000 children in Scotland live in poverty.

"Ending child poverty is everybody's business. I would strongly urge all schools and young people in Dundee to add their voice and get behind Save the Children's campaign.

"We must do everything we can to make sure no child lives in poverty by 2020."

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