Category

• Fully Validated and Adopted Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Mitigation
• Reduction

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Poverty driver

• Reduce cost of living
• Provide benefit in-kind (material)
• Provide benefit in-kind (experience)
• Increase income from benefits

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Keywords

• Employment
• Financial
• Food
• Housing
• Social Security

Aim

• To support families with children in the Linlathen and Mid Craigie by improving employment outcomes.
• To lift disadvantaged families in Dundee out of poverty with innovative, sustainable approaches.
• To deliver consistent, trusted, person-centred and place-based support to families to increase their social, financial and emotional stability, ultimately to reduce poverty on a sustained basis.

Summary

The Dundee Child Poverty Pathfinder tests innovative, sustainable approaches that support disadvantaged families and tackle child poverty in Dundee. Its four core partners—Dundee City Council, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland—engage with and provide person-centred support for local families. The project initially targeted families in Dundee’s most deprived areas, Linlathen and Mid Craigie, with tailored employment support. The Dundee Child Poverty Pathfinder aims to adapt and refine approaches that fully utilise government investment, with the project’s 2025 Scottish Government evaluation reflecting a broader need for a system change rooted in multi-agency, place-based partnerships.

What difference does it make?

The Dundee Child Poverty Pathfinder has produced roughly £2,000,000 worth of additional financial gains. Additionally, many service users have entered work or college. The project has also enabled disadvantaged families to secure beds for children, and carpets and heating for houses. The Dundee Child Poverty Pathfinder has worked with food banks to provide support for families.
Although there have been little differences in the number of people living in poverty, there have been positive outcomes in wellbeing and readiness for work.

Key take-aways

• Tackling poverty locally requires targeted support for disadvantaged families.
• Ensuring staff and key workers are non-judgemental makes initiatives more approachable for and beneficial to service users.

 

Organisations

• Dundee City Council. • Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). • The Scottish Government. • Social Security Scotland.

Location

Dundee City (predominantly Linlathen and Mid Craigie)

Contact