UofG Centre for Public Policy

24 September 2025: The Centre for Public Policy is hosting a fringe event at the SNP Annual National Conference in October, focused on child poverty and what more can be done to eradicate it.

Child poverty eradication is the SNP’s top priority, with ambitious 2030 targets. Progress has been made, but major challenges remain. The Centre for Public Policy will host a panel discussion at the conference at 5pm, Saturday 11 October, to discuss the issue.

It will feature a conversation between Centre for Public Policy Director Professor Nicola McEwen; Centre for Public Policy Associate Director Professor Kezia Dugdale, Joseph Rowantree Foundation Associate Director for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Chris Birt, and Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice.

They will discuss whether the Scottish Government has the powers to eradicate child poverty, what more can be done within devolved powers and working across governments and sectors, and who is accountable if targets are missed.

The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.

The event theme is driven by a research project the Centre is currently undertaking, titled The State of Poverty. Funded by The Robertson Trust, it looks at poverty in Scotland as a multi-level, multi-sector grand policy challenge, and the impact of siloed decision making on people living with poverty.

If you are attending the conference, we hope to see you there for an open and frank discussion about this important issue.

Professors Nicola McEwen and Kezia Dugdale and members of the wider Centre for Public Policy team will be attending the conference across the weekend. Please contact public-policy@glasgow.ac.uk to connect with them.

Event information

Can child poverty be eradicated?

Saturday 11 October, 5pm – 6pm

Meeting room 4, Level 1, TECA

Hosted by the Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow

Speakers

• Professor Nicola McEwen, Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow
• Professor Kezia Dugdale, Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow
• Chris Birt, Joseph Rowantree Foundation
• Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice

More information – The State of Poverty research project 

The Centre for Public Policy is working on an 18-month project which will explore poverty in Scotland from a governance perspective.

The project will understand the impact of siloed decision-making on people living with poverty and use an innovative policy lab approach to drive solutions. This research puts people at the heart of understanding the cumulative and intersectional impact of policy and budget choices on those living in poverty.

Find out more about The State of Poverty project on the Centre for Public Policy website.

Contact public-policy@glasgow.ac.uk for more information. 

---

First published: 24 September 2025