In general, I have some very big feelings about the coming election. I feel very uncertain about what is going to happen next in Scotland and who will come into power, which is also causing feelings of confusion and worry for me and others around me.

Sahar writes about her experience at the election hustings hosted by @povertyalliance.org a couple of weeks ago. It discusses some of the candidate responses and calls for more policy interventions to support struggling families across Scotland. Read here: changingrealities.org/blog/the-202...

After years of dedicated advocacy, thorough research, and the unwavering voices of families affected by the two-child benefit cap, we’re finally seeing a significant and hopeful shift in the social policy landscape of the United Kingdom. This moment didn’t just happen by chance. It’s the result of relentless work by groups like Changing Realities, whose dedication to amplifying the voices of families affected by the cap has been vital. Changing Realities, along with various charities, campaigners, and individuals who have lived through these challenges, have been crucial in highlighting the real human impact of this policy. Their efforts, which have been rooted in shared personal stories and campaigning for lived experience to be regarded as ‘evidence’, have transformed the national dialogue and sparked momentum for change. As we stand on the brink of this long-awaited reform, there’s a palpable sense of relief, renewal, and cautious optimism in the air.

A couple of great participant blogs from the past week. ✍️

Beauty M writes about the lifting of the two-child limit, the impact this will have for families and how this needs to be the start of more reform to the benefits system. Read here: changingrealities.org/blog/breakin...

Struggling families like mine don’t talk about the cost of living any more – now it’s the cost of survival | Ella Michalski Trying to make ends meet is an impossible effort, and things are rapidly getting worse. It’s time the government listened to people like us, says Ella Michalski of Changing Realities, a project…

Struggling families like mine don’t talk about the cost of living any more – now it’s the cost of survival
buff.ly/hheWQVp
It’s time the government listened to people like us
@stevedarlingmp.bsky.social @changingrealities.bsky.social @marisharay.bsky.social @libdemlocalgov.bsky.social @tuc.org.uk

Struggling families like mine don’t talk about the cost of living any more – now it’s the cost of survival | Ella Michalski Trying to make ends meet is an impossible effort, and things are rapidly getting worse. It’s time the government listened to people like us, says Ella Michalski of Changing Realities, a project workin...

"families like mine don’t talk about the cost of living any more – now it’s the cost of survival"

important and compelling piece by Ella from @changingrealities.bsky.social today - www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

'The term “crisis” suggests something that we could move beyond. But this impossible effort to make ends meet is a constant now for millions.'

Struggling families like mine don’t talk about the cost of living any more – now it’s the cost of survival | Ella Michalski Trying to make ends meet is an impossible effort, and things are rapidly getting worse. It’s time the government listened to people like us, says Ella Michalski of Changing Realities, a project workin...

Changing Realities participant, Ella Michalski, has written a powerful piece for @theguardian.com about the 'cost of survival crisis', calling for the government to take tangible action to support families facing the realities of rising costs. Read here 👉 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Struggling families like mine don’t talk about the cost of living any more – now it’s the cost of survival | Ella Michalski Trying to make ends meet is an impossible effort, and things are rapidly getting worse. It’s time the government listened to people like us, says Ella Michalski of Changing Realities, a project workin...

Will the government listen & learn? This is now a cost of survival crisis for millions, w/ support urgently needed. Support must include reforms to UC & help for families w. children @resolutionfoundation.org @cpaguk.bsky.social

Ella Michalski @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Changing Realities participant, Arabella, in The Scotsman today ahead of the Scottish elections and the change that families surviving on a low income want to see from the Government. Read below 👇

The Scottish parliament election takes place on the 7th May this year.

'Changing childhoods and protecting parents' - our priorities for Scotland's new government after the May elections.
🆕 📣 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 New Changing Realities briefing: 📣 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ⬇️
www.changingrealities.org/writings/our...

As an SEN parent, it can often feel as though the whole world is against you. Exhaustion and overwhelm are embedded deeply in daily life, and the navigation through school support is dark, fruitless and treacherous to say the least. The glimmering hope of light at the end of the tunnel started with the publication of the SEND White Paper a few days ago.

Ella writes about the Schools White paper on SEND: "The fractured relationships between parents and schools are at an all time high; how can we tangibly see and trust that what is being offered will be upheld?" New lived expertise blog post out now:
www.changingrealities.org/blog/send-re...

I've avoided all forms of media so that I could sit down and (skim) read through the two documents published by the Department of Education today and form my own opinions of the contents.

"I am desperate to find the positives here. Yes, I want my child educated in a mainstream school. I also want to be able to choose which school that is. A right I will lose under the new system." New blog out 'SEND reform: putting my child last' by Helen:
www.changingrealities.org/blog/send-re...

Grateful to @aloner.bsky.social @prospectmagazine.co.uk for commissioning my (very) personal take on the schools white paper, which also draws on joint work with @changingrealities.bsky.social @cpaguk.bsky.social www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/pol...

Congratulations to @changingrealities.bsky.social for being named as a @bigissue.com Changemaker - a wonderful recognition of hard work by parents and carers who've been lobbying politicians to eradicate child poverty in the UK.

Incredible to see @changingrealities.bsky.social named as one of the @bigissue.com Change Makers. So much more change to be made & no one better to do it with than the over 200 parents we work with and @cpaguk.bsky.social & @lshtm.bsky.social @glasgow.ac.uk

🎉 Changing Realities has been celebrated as a 2026 @bigissue.com changemaker for our work in the politics and activism category 🎉 @uofgussp.bsky.social @glasgow.ac.uk www.bigissue.com/news/activis...

The Schools White Paper is a vital opportunity to reform school support so that it works for all children. Changing Realities parents, who are all raising children on a low income, have set out what they would like to see in the White Paper on SEND reforms, parental engagement, and on the government’s approach to enrichment. Parents want to work directly with government to deliver the ambitious changes needed. While we may not agree on everything, one thing on which we all – and we believe government too – do agree is that the current system of SEND support is completely broken, and requires urgent and radical reform.

'Principles for the Schools White Paper' published today - from parents who know exactly what change is needed and why: www.changingrealities.org/writings/pri...

Great to see one of our @changingrealities.bsky.social articles is one of the most downloaded articles published in the Journal of Poverty and Social Justice in 2025! It shares parents' everyday struggles & recommendations for change/ read it here: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

Must 📖 @uiscejordan.bsky.social paper on exploring the lived realities of the CoL crisis through participatory research.

In @brisunipress.bsky.social Journal of Poverty & Social Justice edited by @socpolsteve.bsky.social @drmarcopomati.bsky.social bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

Must 📖 @uiscejordan.bsky.social paper on exploring the lived realities of the CoL crisis through participatory research.

In @brisunipress.bsky.social Journal of Poverty & Social Justice edited by @socpolsteve.bsky.social @drmarcopomati.bsky.social bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

According to Jonny Roberts, a @changingrealities.bsky.social participant and Universal Credit recipient, the system is too often defined by a lack of trust.

But there are better (and simpler) ways of doing things, especially when it comes to childcare ⤵️

All Scottish children need extra help, not just babies EVERY day, around 125 babies are born in Scotland. Each new life represents a new beginning but also significant, and often scary, changes for their…

"It was right to increase the Scottish Child Payment to £40 for babies. But they should have been braver and increased it for all children on a low income" Read @ilonapin.bsky.social and @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social new piece in @scotnational.bsky.social

www.thenational.scot/politics/257...

Excellent new report, grounded in the lived experiences, collective reflection and strategic insight of @changingrealities.bsky.social participants.

As Alara says, "claimants can be great individual case studies to learn from, but, collectively, can be great co-workers for this change process"

Today we launch our co-produced report with Resolution Foundation. Participants from CR shaped many of the discussions and recommendations that you will find within the report. We call for structural and cultural changes to UC that could drastically improve interactions with the system. Read below👇

📢 💷 Ahead of the Scottish government budget for 2026-27 published this afternoon, we've published a policy briefing based on findings from our Family Finances study in partnership with colleagues and participants from the @changingrealities.bsky.social project 🧵

On December 18, 2025, I stepped through the iconic black door of No. 10 Downing Street, carrying more than just a diary appointment. I brought with me hope, memories, and the quiet weight of every family whose story has intertwined with the mission we pursue at Changing Realities.

"As a mother, my heart swelled with pride. But as an advocate, I felt something even deeper: a reassuring reminder that this country still has space for compassion..." Why we [continue to] do this work, a blog by Beauty reflecting on a visit to No.10: www.changingrealities.org/blog/hope-at...

So it came as a massive surprise to me that not only were we listened to but some of the things we called for – for example, the removal of the cruel two-child limit – were actually implemented.

'When I was inside No 10 Downing Street, I felt included & like I was part of something bigger & more powerful than I ever could have imagined. But this is not the end. Next year, we will continue to work for change: hopefully stronger, bigger & better.' www.changingrealities.org/blog/ending-...

Reflecting on her year as part of @changingrealities.bsky.social Sahar Khan writes: 'deep down though I feared that the voices of me & the parents like me are weak, & that it was all happening for the sake of it. Nothing will change, I worried. And who will listen to any of us, and especially to me?

So it came as a massive surprise to me that not only were we listened to but some of the things we called for – for example, the removal of the cruel two-child limit – were actually implemented.

'When I was inside No 10 Downing Street, I felt included & like I was part of something bigger & more powerful than I ever could have imagined. But this is not the end. Next year, we will continue to work for change: hopefully stronger, bigger & better.' www.changingrealities.org/blog/ending-...

A large group of adults and children stand outside the door of 10 Downing Street with a Christmas tree behind them on the lefthand side.

📸 Yesterday @lshtm.bsky.social’s Maddy Power & families from @changingrealities.bsky.social met Sir Keir Starmer & @darrenpjones.bsky.social at 10 Downing Street to discuss challenging #childpoverty in the UK.

Changing Realities is a collaboration between LSHTM @glasgow.ac.uk @cpaguk.bsky.social

Yesterday, over 60 of us fr @changingrealities.bsky.social came together in @10dowingstreet.bsky.social for a reception at which the PM & @darrenpjones.bsky.social thanked us for our efforts to push for action on child poverty. Together, we can make change happen. But this is just the beginning.