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Scotsman
6 days ago
- General
- Scotsman
Shocking AI-generated film lays bare Britain's hidden child bed poverty crisis
A sobering snapshot of Britain's hidden child bed poverty crisis has been brought to life in a powerful new AI-generated video - laying bare the bleak reality facing millions of children growing up without a bed of their own. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The emotional short film has been released by sleep technology firm Simba - following new research that reveals more than one in ten children in the UK now live in bed poverty; an unhealthy sleep environment caused by a lack of proper bedding, shared sleeping spaces or overcrowded homes. Titled, No Room For Rest, the short film uses immersive, generative AI to visualise the invisible effects of child bed poverty - confronting viewers with the harsh physical and emotional toll of sleep deprivation over 24 hours. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The film follows a day in the life of a young child struggling through school, battling extreme tiredness and feeling isolated from the world around them - all because they don't have a proper bed at home. No Room For Rest Heartbreaking scenes show the shattered child missing their bus, narrowly avoiding being hit by a car and battling to stay awake in class - before the lonely youngster wanders home to their own 'mattress' - a battered blanket on a hard floor. Nearly one in five (19%) low-income adults in the UK say they've experienced bed poverty, rising to 28% in London. Bed poverty rates have also surged across several regions since 2023, up from 10% to 16% in East Anglia, 20% to 24% in the North West, and 14% to 18% in Yorkshire. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The study also found that a third (32%) of low-income parents now share a bed with their child. No Room For Rest Among single parents, that number has nearly doubled in two years, rising from 16% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. Simba's research reveals the extent of the UK's bed poverty crisis - yet just 13% of low-income parents say they've ever seen bed poverty acknowledged in the media or by public figures. 'No child should have to start their day already exhausted because they don't have a comfortable, proper place to sleep,' said Steve Reid, CEO at Simba. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We believe every child deserves the right to a good night's sleep, and it is our mission to ensure everyone has access to better sleep through Dreamspace, a nationwide initiative that will deliver complete bed bundles - including a bed, mattress, duvet, pillow and protector - to 1,000 children and families referred through charities and social services, including Barnardo's and Buttle UK'. No Room For Rest Bed poverty isn't just about sleep. It's about how tiredness affects a child's behaviour, mood, nutrition, learning and social connection. The new research shows that one in 10 (10%) parents believe poor sleep is affecting their child's mental health, while others (9%) say their children struggle to concentrate in class. Barnardo's chief executive Lynn Perry said: 'Bed poverty is just one aspect of child poverty - and yet it starkly illustrates the challenges facing families across the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many are having to prioritise essentials such as food, heating and electricity over things like replacing mouldy bedding or fixing rotten or broken beds. 'Sleeping on the floor, or in a mouldy mattress, affects a child's physical and mental health, with an impact on their life long into adulthood' Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK, says, " When children can't sleep comfortably, it affects every area of their life. Tonight, children across the UK will be sleeping on floors, airbeds, sofas and bed-sharing beyond an age that is dignified or suitable.' 'Sleep is crucial for a child's development, behaviour and emotional resilience,' says Reid. 'When it's disrupted, the impact can last a lifetime.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To help more children get the rest they need, Simba customers are able to donate and support the campaign at checkout.
The Herald Scotland
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
We need to stop comparing economies - it's not a competition
Occasional contact with a 'real economy' is a useful corrective to such selectivity in either direction. The transformation in Ireland, particularly from the 70s through to the 90s, helped by a lot of EU money and the Celtic Tiger, was remarkable but far from complete. There's plenty wealth in Ireland but there's also poverty, as a wander through Dublin or Limerick or Cork will confirm. In other words, there is a lot more in common with our own problems than the cherry-pickers like to admit. It's not a competition. Read More: According to a report by Barnardo's this very week, more than a quarter of Irish parents did not have enough food to feed their children. In 2023, Ireland spent 8.1 per cent of GDP on welfare compared to 10.8 per cent in the maligned UK. Wherever else the profits of Apple et al have gone – back to the US actually - it's not into an NHS we would recognise. My taxi driver was telling me about the 80 euros he paid for a visit to a GP with another 80 to have bloods taken. These are cherries which the myth-makers choose not to pick. That's before they move onto Norway where the comparators are equally selective. In summary, the cherry tree of Scottish Nationalist dreams combines the low business taxes of Ireland with the high welfare spending of Norway, to produce a Valhalla that exists precisely nowhere. Maybe we should put more effort into learning from every possible source rather than creating dodgy comparators. It's not only (or primarily) small states we should look to but successful devolved structures which work well within larger states. That is more the European norm but we never seem to have much interest in the concept of two governments working comfortably together. There are always trade-offs and the inward investment exchanges stirred some memories. In 1997, as Scottish industry minister, pre-devolution, I inherited a boom in inward investment and an extremely effective Locate in Scotland operation to secure it. One of my first duties was to get on a plane to Japan and Taiwan with a packed schedule of visits to great corporations which were employing huge numbers of Scots. We used to host receptions in Edinburgh Castle for these large business communities which inward investment had brought to Scotland. Nowadays, they would be much smaller affairs. However, I was acutely aware of the contradiction that we were living off the back of what was actually a Tory success story; albeit one based on a dubious selling point and limited shelf-life. The two factors that made Scotland such an attractive inward investment destination were (a) that we were inside the EU, and (b) that the Tories had not signed up to liberal employment laws from Brussels, making it easier and cheaper for businesses to hire and fire in the UK than elsewhere in the EU. It had been a political bone of contention when Locate in Scotland used that 'advantage' in promotional literature. Anyway, that bubble duly burst, as inward investment bubbles generally do. The EU expanded to take in countries like Romania and Hungary where labour costs were lower, incentives greater and the workforce better educated, particularly in IT and language skills. The days of it being hardly worthwhile to hold a press conference for less than 500 jobs in Silicon Glen were well and truly over. Scotland's inward investment strategy has had to adjust itself accordingly and there is still a very professional operation competing in a highly competitive market, as it should be. Direct Scottish representation around the world existed long before devolution and carping about it is misguided, within its well understood parameters. The recent Scottish Government press release announced 135 inward investments last year, which sounds pretty good, but omitted to mention the number of jobs involved. That is unnecessarily coy when everyone knows times have changed. If fewer jobs equate to greater sustainability, then that should be explained and argued for. But inward investment should never be over-depended upon again. Grangemouth (Image: PA) One of the lost opportunities of the past 20 years, for example, has been the failure to prepare Scotland's industrial base for the transition to renewable energy, so that 90 per cent of the hardware in offshore windfarms will be imported. Could we not have done better if there had been an industrial strategy for Scotland? Times may be about to change in Ireland too. There is trepidation about the outcome of President Trump's tariff threats because of Ireland's high degree of dependency on American corporations attracted by very low taxation. Much of their business in Ireland involves exporting finished products back into the US. If tariffs wipe out the tax advantage, they might not be around for long. I'm sure some Scottish cherry-picker will soon be telling us about this year's high growth rates in Irish GDP. What they won't mention is that they have been caused by a rush to export products to the United States in an effort to forestall the threat of American tariffs! So while inward investment comes in waves for reasons that change over time, our home industrial base should go on for ever – if it is properly supported. That should not just be on an ad hoc basis when things go wrong as currently tends to be the case. The problems of Grangemouth and Alexander Dennis were, for example, well forewarned. Hopefully common sense will start to prevail in relation to defence industries and, who knows, even nuclear in which Scotland has huge manufacturing and research capacity, if they are allowed to use them. The grass on the other side need not always be greener. Brian Wilson is a former Labour Party politician. He was MP for Cunninghame North from 1987 until 2005 and served as a Minister of State from 1997 to 2003
The Journal
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Families facing 'impossible decisions' in the face of rising costs, Dáil told
FAMILIES ARE FACING 'impossible decisions' in the face of rising costs, the Dáil has heard, after a report today has said that 40% of parents have skipped meals or ate less in order to have enough food for their children. During Leaders' Questions in the Dáil today, TDs repeatedly cited the report by poverty charity Barnardo's, which surveyed 1,000 parents and guardians with children aged under 18 in their care in May this year. Its findings painted a stark image of how families are managing to maintain their lives while being faced with increased food costs, higher energy bills and the rising cost of living. Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Social Democrats TD Cian O'Callaghan today asked how the government was going to tackle increasing grocery prices, and called for the coalition to support measures for supermarkets to publish their annual accounts . Bacik said that families are facing 'impossible decisions' over the cost of food , energy and other household bills. She said that it is 'starkly highlighted' in the charity's report. Advertisement The Journal / YouTube One in five (19%) of families had to cut back to go without food over the past six months, while two in five parents said that they skipped meals or had smaller portions to ensure their children had enough to eat, according to the survey. Younger parents, larger families, and lone parents struggled significantly more financially and were often forced to make further cuts, Barnardo's said. 'All this is in the backdrop of threatened tariffs by [US President] Donald Trump,' Bacik said. 'We know the international context is precarious. But, here at home, it is precarious too.' The Dublin Bay South TD claimed that higher costs have been impacted further by 'underinvestment' in public services in recent years, such as water, social and affordable housing and energy infrastructure. Responding to the questions, Martin said the Irish government were 'probably' the only administration in the EU to provide mass cost-of-living measures to the extent that Ireland did in recent budgets. He listed a number of examples of these measures, including once-off energy credits and cost-cutting measures for school books, supplies, exams and fees. Related Reads Calls in Dáil for supermarkets to publish their profits as price of groceries soar 'I'm genuinely afraid when I get to the till': Our readers on how food price rises affect them Consumer watchdog needs powers to 'interrogate' supermarkets over high grocery prices, TD says The Fianna Fáil leader said that there was no 'credibility' to Bacik's claim regarding public service investment and asserted that recent reports show that government's record in the provision of civic amenities has proven worthwhile. O'Callaghan said 'government actually has to act' on promises for grocery price controls and asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin how government were going to help low-income families in the face of high grocery costs. 'Taoiseach, you told the Dáil a few minutes ago that you will always prioritise the child that is left behind,' O'Callaghan said. 'What about these children?' Martin said that he found it 'very interesting' that opposition parties are in favour of universal supports, rather than targeted measures for those suffering the most, and outlined that the government intends to do the latter in the upcoming budget. The Taoiseach also rejected claims by O'Callaghan that the government does not have the 'political guts' to demand that supermarkets publish their balance sheets to the public over concerns that prices are being hiked without reason. Martin said the Competitions and Consumer Protection Commission is determined, with the Government, to tackle alleged 'price-gouging', but must do so in an 'evidence based' way. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Devastating video shows reality of millions of UK children in 'bed poverty'
A powerful new AI-generated video has been released to expose the hidden crisis of child bed poverty - with more than one in 10 British children now living in such conditions A powerful new AI-generated video has laid bare the UK's hidden crisis of child bed poverty, revealing the harsh truth for millions of children who don't have a bed of their own. The moving short film, launched by sleep tech firm Simba, comes in the wake of fresh research showing that over one in ten British children are now living in bed poverty. This is characterised by an unhealthy sleeping environment due to insufficient bedding, shared sleeping spaces or overcrowded homes. Titled No Room For Rest, the film uses immersive, generative AI to illustrate the unseen effects of child bed poverty, confronting viewers with the severe physical and emotional toll of sleep deprivation over a 24-hour period. The story follows a day in the life of a young child struggling at school, battling extreme tiredness and feeling detached from their surroundings - all because they don't have a proper bed at home. Heartbreaking scenes show the weary child missing their bus, narrowly avoiding being hit by a car, and struggling to stay awake in class. The lonely youngster then trudges home to their 'mattress' - a threadbare blanket on a hard floor, reports the Daily Star. Almost one in five (19%) low-income adults in the UK report experiencing bed poverty, a figure that rises to 28% in London. Bed poverty rates have also witnessed a dramatic surge across numerous regions since 2023, climbing from 10% to 16% in East Anglia, 20% to 24% in the North West, and 14% to 18% in Yorkshire. The research also revealed that a third (32%) of parents on low incomes are currently sharing their bed with their children. Among single parents, this figure has almost doubled over two years, leaping from 16% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. Simba's investigation exposes the severity of the UK's bed poverty emergency - yet only 13% of low-income parents say they've witnessed bed poverty acknowledged in the media or by public figures. "No child should have to start their day already exhausted because they don't have a comfortable, proper place to sleep", declared Steve Reid, CEO at Simba. 'Right to a good sleep' "We believe every child deserves the right to a good night's sleep, and it is our mission to ensure everyone has access to better sleep through Dreamspace, a nationwide initiative that will deliver complete bed bundles – including a bed, mattress, duvet, pillow and protector – to 1,000 children and families referred through charities and social services, including Barnardo's and Buttle UK". Bed poverty extends far beyond simply getting shut-eye. It concerns how exhaustion affects a child's behaviour, mood, nutrition, learning and social interaction. The latest research shows that one in 10 (10%) parents believe inadequate sleep is damaging their child's mental health, whilst others (9%) report their youngsters find it difficult to concentrate in lessons. Barnardo's chief executive Lynn Perry highlighted the severity of the situation, saying: "Bed poverty is just one facet of child poverty – and yet it starkly illustrates the challenges facing families across the UK. "Many are having to prioritise essentials such as food, heating and electricity over things like replacing mouldy bedding or fixing rotten or broken beds. "Sleeping on the floor, or in a mouldy mattress, affects a child's physical and mental health, with an impact on their life long into adulthood". Buttle UK's CEO Joseph Howes emphasised the broader implications: "When children can't sleep comfortably, it affects every area of their life. Tonight, children across the UK will be sleeping on floors, airbeds, sofas and bed-sharing beyond an age that is dignified or suitable. Sleep is crucial for a child's development, behaviour and emotional resilience," Reid states. "When it's disrupted, the impact can last a lifetime." Simba offers its customers the chance to contribute to this cause by making a donation at checkout to help more children get the rest they need. The No Room for Rest initiative can be explored at - where further details about Simba's Dreamspace mission are also available.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Kate Middleton Steps Up for Preschoolers in Powerful New Move for Kids
Kate Middleton's Centre for Early Childhood announced a major new pilot to help put mental health support into preschools The early years are a crucial part of the Princess of Wales' public life, and she sees it as something she will continue with for decades to come The new initiative is being spearheaded by two leading British children's charitiesKate Middleton's mission to help support youngsters has taken a major step. Amid Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, the Princess of Wales' foundation announced that it is providing mental health services across an underprivileged part of London. In a groundbreaking new pilot, mental health workers will provide training and consultation to staff and families to support the social and emotional development of babies and young children in two early education settings in Tower Hamlets and Hackney. It will see around 150 babies, young children and their families supported over the year-long pilot. "Happy Little Minds" is being spearheaded by two leading children's charities in Britain, Barnardo's and Place2Be (of which Kate is the patron). The non-profits will provide bespoke training and consultation about social and emotional development to around 50 early education practitioners at two nursery schools, classrooms that typically cater to children aged 3 and 4, in the two boroughs. They will also provide help for parents and carers, working directly with some children and families. It is Princess Kate's lasting and ongoing mission to underscore the importance of social and emotional development for enabling babies and young children to be mentally healthy, both in the short term and in order to provide long-lasting impact for their lives. The royal mom of three is helping spread the message that the span from infancy to 5 years old is the most crucial in terms of brain development and the foundations are laid for all that is to follow. Often, mental health problems in later life have their roots in early childhood and early intervention with babies, and Princess Kate set up the Centre for Early Childhood to funnel this work. Christian Guy, Executive Director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, said in a statement, 'Early education and childcare settings can play such an important and influential role in supporting children and their families at such a vital time, in all sorts of ways." 'If settings are well-supported to promote social and emotional development in babies and young children, there is huge potential to positively impact all children, and for early intervention and prevention of future mental health conditions in those most at risk, which could be truly transformational both for individuals and society," he said. 'Place2Be and Barnardo's have such a wealth of experience to offer, and this pilot is an important step forward in understanding more about how this can be delivered to best effect," Guy added. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! The idea for the new initiative started at the Shaping Us National Symposium in November 2023, when an infant mental health expert from Barnardo's had a discussion with Catherine Roche, Chief Executive of Place2Be. The pair then developed the idea and approached the Foundation for funding. Part of the package given to staff will be The Centre for Early Childhood's The Shaping Us Framework, which she launched in February, which is aimed at improving awareness of and knowledge about social and emotional skills to inspire action across society. In 2023, it funded a trial of an observation tool for health visitors, known internationally as the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB). In May, Princess Kate's bid to extend the initiative into the business world also bore fruit. A collection of major companies, from NatWest Bank to IKEA and the Co-op, showed how they are rolling out programs designed to better support parents and help children thrive, such as increasing paternity leave. Read the original article on People
