Scottish Parliament to debate 70/30 Campaign motion to reduce Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)

Wednesday, January 25, 2021

WAVE Trust are delighted to announce that the 70/30 Campaign's goal to reduce child maltreatment (abuse, neglect and witnessing domestic violence) by 70% by 2030 will be formally debated in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 27th January.

"This is an historical opportunity for Scotland to take a lead in addressing child maltreatment", said Lead Ambassador for Scotland, Jay Haston, who said that, if measures such as those called for by the 70/30 Campaign were passed, "it would not only result in the prevention of child abuse, but also prevent substance abuse and reduce sucide rates, three of Scotland's biggest challenges right now."

70/30 Campaign Officer Alex Williamson said: "This is a huge step forward on the pathway to achieving 70/30 and it has only been achieved because of the hard work that our Scottish ambassadors have been putting in on the ground."

"For all those outside of Scotland, this is tangible proof of the power and the influence that we have as a community of ambassadors."

Create a better future for everyone

The motion, submitted by Rona Mackay MSP, reads as follows:

"That the Parliament acknowledges what it sees as the devastation caused to lives through adverse childhood experiences (ACEs); recognises the aim of the WAVE Trust 70/30 Campaign to eradicate poverty* and reduce child abuse and neglect and other ACEs by at least 70% by 2030; notes the calls on all political parties to work collegiately, through cross-portfolio action, to achieve this; understands that 122 MSPs and 513 MPs have signed the 70/30 Campaign pledge to create a better future for everyone, including for people in the Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency, and notes the calls for all elected members to do so."

We are also delighted and grateful to see such a long list of supporters on the motion's page, including Karen Adam, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Siobhian Brown, Stephanie Callaghan, Donald Cameron, Maggie Chapman, Bob Doris, Jackie Dunbar, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Jim Fairlie, Kenneth Gibson, Pam Gosal, Emma Harper, Fiona Hyslop, Bill Kidd, Monica Lennon, Fulton MacGregor, John Mason, Paul McLennan, Stuart McMillan, Marie McNair, Pauline McNeill, Jenni Minto, Audrey Nicoll, Collette Stevenson, Kaukab Stewart, Paul Sweeney, Michelle Thomson, David Torrance, Evelyn Tweed, Mercedes Villalba, Sue Webber, Tess White, Martin Whitfield.

We'll certainly be tuning in to see how this vote goes next Thursday!

*We would like to clarify that the 70/30 Campaign specifically is focused on child maltreatment only, not the eradication of poverty. This clarification should not in any way detract from how grateful we are for the submission of this motion, or our hopes that it succeeds.