Around 137,000 children across Scotland have no parent in work.
That is the conclusion of a report by The Campaign to End Child Poverty, published on Tuesday, which highlights that children living in families who are surviving on benefits has jumped by 13% in the past 12 months.
It’s a depressing picture for Glasgow - the report claims four of the city's constituencies have the highest unemployment rates in the country, with Glasgow North East topping the table as the only constituency in Scotland where over 4,000 people are out of work. The report warns that the number of children in families without jobs is rising to its highest level for a decade.
It claims that without a £4 billion government investment now, 2.3 million children throughout the UK will be living in poverty next year, more than half a million above the government's target. Spending £4 billion would take the government close to its aim of halving child poverty by 2010.
The report also shows that some of Scotland's most affluent areas have seen the biggest rises in unemployment, with more than 100% increases in constituencies such as West Aberdeenshire and East Lothian.
The Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy's East Renfrewshire constituency has seen a 98% rise in jobless totals while the constituencies of both the Fist Minister Alex Salmond and the Chancellor Alistair Darling have seen rates in their constituencies rise by 61% in the past year.
Douglas Hamilton, Save the Children's Head of Scotland said: "These figures are shocking and illustrate that Scotland's poorest are becoming even worse off. The highest jobless rate in Scotland is Glasgow North-East, an issue that must be addressed during the forthcoming by-election. As a nation, we cannot let this continue."
Today's report, Through Thick and Thin: Tackling Child Poverty in Hard Times, written by leading social policy researcher Donald Hirsch, provides strong evidence for the government to implement End Child Poverty's 'Recession Recovery Package'.
The report is also urging the government to give better financial support to parents who are out of work or in low-paid jobs, to help make work pay during the recovery.
John Dickie, Head of Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, added: "This report shows that government can reduce child poverty even in a recession.
"It is vital for families across Scotland, and the rest of the UK, that the Chancellor uses the Pre-Budget Report to invest in the benefits and tax credits needed to protect our children from unemployment and poverty and to get the government back on track to hitting its child poverty targets."
