Being Bold: Building Budgets for Children’s Wellbeing

It has long been acknowledged that prevention is better than a cure. There have been research reports and committee inquiries with cross-party political support into what prevention means. Consequently, Scotland has made a good start over the last decade or so, and thus has some strong foundations on which to build. This report, jointly commissioned by CUKT, Children in Scotland and Cattanach, sets out some ideas for where it can go further in the space of the budget process. In budgeting for outcomes, goals are achieved not just by patching up and intervening early, but also by stopping harm occurring in the first place by creating a context in which children and families flourish.

The report focuses on the first few years of a child’s life: getting things right here will mean things go well elsewhere. At the same time, the experience of a child’s early years is shaped by a plethora of different factors and dynamics. This focus thus also constitutes a lens to look at the wider economy and how it is shaped by the policymaking process. The project is part of our Enabling Wellbeing programme.