OVER the past 30 years, I’ve taught in communities right across Scotland, many of which faced real challenges. As a primary school teacher I’ve witnessed the heartbreaking impact which poverty has on our young people. I’m standing as an SNP candidate in my home constituency of Glasgow Kelvin at this election because I know that Nicola Sturgeon is absolutely committed to making child poverty a thing of the past.

When I hear the term child poverty, I think of the boy in my classroom that comes to school on a dark December morning without a warm jacket or the girl who comes to school hungry and unable to learn. I’m often told that Kelvin is a very affluent part of Glasgow. As someone who lives there, I know that the amazing communities in this great part of the city have so much to offer. But poverty – and indeed hidden poverty – is an issue in schools here as it is across the country. I know these communities like the back of my hand and I am absolutely determined to use my experience of working with these families to eradicate child poverty here in Kelvin and across Scotland if elected on May 6.

Here in Scotland, we’ve made real progress to address the scandal of child poverty despite the vast majority of welfare powers being held by Westminster. We introduced the Scottish Child Payment which has been described as “game-changing” in the fight against child poverty by campaigners. Heading into this election, we’ve pledged to double this payment from £10 per week for every eligible child to £20 per week. This policy has the potential to transform the lives of families by making sure every child has what they need to grow up and become a happy, healthy and fully active member of society.

Every child born in Scotland is eligible to receive a free baby box, full of vital resources which help to give that child the best start in life. In addition to this we’ve also introduced the Best Start Grant to put money into the hands of new parents to ensure their baby gets everything they need. Every child deserves to enter this world with love, care and security. That’s exactly what we’ve achieved in Scotland under the SNP.

When the SNP took office in 2007 the total number of hours a child received in nursery was just 412. From this August, that will have increased to 1140 hours of free early years education. Once they enter P1, children in Scotland can benefit from the provision of free school meals and uniform grants for families who need it. These policies are making a difference and I’ve seen their impact in my own classroom.

For many reasons, this is the most important election that Scotland has ever faced. It’s by giving both of your votes to the SNP that we can build on the work we’ve been doing to create a fairer Scotland and take our country’s future out of the hands of Boris Johnson. This election is about the right to decide who leads Scotland’s recovery: Boris Johnson or the Scottish Government equipped with the full powers of independence.

Every day of my professional life has been dedicated to improving the life chances of our young people. I know this is a commitment that I share with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP. If elected to the Scottish Parliament, I want to continue this work to help make Scotland the best place to grow up.

For a period during the pandemic, I taught at a “hub school” for vulnerable children and those whose parents were key workers. This was one of the most difficult yet impactful experiences I’ve had during my 30-year career. Working so closely with these children allowed me to develop an understanding of their lives and the barriers they face. This is exactly the kind of experience that I want to bring to the Scottish Parliament. Kelvin needs a strong, local representative who understands the constituency and what we need to unlock that potential and make child poverty a thing of the past.

To build a fairer country, we need the full powers of independence. That will only be achieved by giving both of your votes to the SNP, securing an SNP majority and returning Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister. Boris Johnson and his Tory government have been roundly rejected in Scotland. They cannot continue to deny democracy. Only the SNP are strong enough to take Scotland to a better future.