Our Priorities: Vulnerable People. The Issues Vulnerability is a significant issue for Glasgow, with many individuals and families facing situations where they are subject to increased levels of risk. People can be exposed to greater levels of vulnerability based on the situations they face themselves in such as sickness, low income, or bereavement. Additionally, there are those at risk through the behaviours of others such as prejudice and discrimination. All of these issues place great stress and pressure on individuals and communities. Evidence suggests that a disproportionate number of Glaswegians lives are impacted by a range of issues surrounding vulnerability. For example, SIMD 2012 demonstrates that over one-in-five (22%) Glaswegians are income deprived, compared to 13% nationally. One third (33%) of Glasgow children are defined as living in xxxxxxx00, compared to 19% across Scotland. Almost one-in-ten children in Glasgow (9%, or 10,415) are known to Social Work Services. The number of children looked after in the city was 3,761 in July 201114, over 23% of the Scottish total, despite Glasgow accounting for less than 11% of children in Scotland. The number of people prevented from working as a result of disability or sickness (and potentially limiting income) is 43,000 in Glasgow, or 36% of the inactive population, compared to just 31% of the equivalent Scotland population and 24% across the UK. Over one-in-four adults in Glasgow (115,000) have a mental health issue15. This can lead to greater levels of vulnerability for some in this group – e.g. people with mental health issues are three times more likely to be in debt. A sizeable number of new migrants have arrived in the city in the past 5-10 years from different routes – for example, as refugees or economic migrants. For some parts of the city such as Pollokshields East, up to half of residents are from Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) communities. This provides some unique challenges in relation to the provision of key services to support such diversity of residents – e.g. how public bodies can support individuals and families who are experiencing discrimination, potential exploitation or targeted hostility. The costs to the individual and their families can be massive, both in economic and human terms. As a city and society in general, there is a great financial cost to dealing with the consequences of increased vulnerability amongst residents. A significant proportion of public sector budgets focus on supporting individuals and ...
Our Priorities: Vulnerable People. The Issues Vulnerability is a significant issue for Glasgow, with many individuals and families facing situations where they are subject to increased levels of risk. There are many trigger points that increase vulnerability, reflecting key stages in people’s lives, such as childhood, having families or old age. Equally, people can be exposed to greater levels of vulnerability based on the situations they face themselves in such as sickness, low income, or bereavement. Additionally, there are those at risk through the behaviours of others such as prejudice and discrimination. All of these issues place great stress and pressure on individuals and communities. Evidence suggests that a disproportionate number of Glaswegians lives are impacted by a range of issues surrounding vulnerability. For example, SIMD 2012 demonstrates that over one-in-five (22%) Glaswegians are income deprived, compared to 13% nationally. One third (33%) of Glasgow children are defined as living in poverty12, compared to 19% across Scotland. Almost one-in-ten children in Glasgow (9%, or 10,415) are known to Social Work Services in one context or another. The number of children looked after in the city was 3,761 in July 201113, over 23% of the Scottish total, despite Glasgow accounting for less than 11% of children in Scotland. The number of people prevented from working as a result of disability or sickness (and potentially limiting income) is 43,000 in Glasgow, or 36% of the inactive population, compared to just 31% of the equivalent Scotland population and 24% across the UK. Over one-in-four adults in Glasgow (115,000) have a mental health issue14. This can lead to greater levels of vulnerability for some in this group – e.g. people with mental health issues are three times more likely to be in debt. Glasgow has the largest concentration of non-white residents across Scotland. In 2008, this was estimated at over 11% (almost 67,000). Whilst many are members of long standing settled communities, a significant proportion have arrived in the city in the past 5-10 years from different routes – for example, as refugees or economic migrants. For some parts of the city such as Pollokshields East, up to half of residents are from Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) communities. This provides some unique challenges in relation to the provision of key services to support such diversity of residents – e.g. how public bodies can support individuals and families who are experiencing discrimination, prej...
