That can lead to all kinds of negative outcomes, one of which the Edinburgh School Uniform Bank (ESUB) is tackling directly.

Laura Scougall, client director at Blackford, is a Trustee at the charity, which has given young people more than 8,200 school uniforms since 2015.

The charity was set up to help children feel included and like they belong – it says: When a child goes to school in the “wrong” clothes, they are vulnerable to social exclusion and poor self-esteem, which may result in reduced attendance, attainment and participation in social, sporting and cultural activities.

Laura started volunteering with ESUB in 2019 after experiencing the costs involved in sending her own daughter to school. She realised many families would be unable to bear these costs and wanted to get involved. A few years on, she is now secretary of the charity.

Blackford’s flexible approach to good causes, with a week off during every year to support a charity interest, means Laura can balance her role at Blackford with her responsibilities at ESUB.

She said: “I don’t often have to take off specific chunks of time but what I love about the Blackford Charity week is the flexible and supportive approach to the way we can use it. It means that if I have deadlines to meet for ESUB, I feel comfortable time-shifting or taking the occasional ESUB call during my ‘working’ day.”

ESUB provides a bag of school uniform supplies, as well as other items like pencil cases and water bottles. Recently it has also started to partner with individual schools and community groups, to make uniform and other essentials available to families via initiatives like sharing rails, pop-up events, school ‘shops’ and more.

It relies on fundraising and donations to buy quality uniforms for young people.

Laura said: “ESUB is about more than just a bag of clothes. Many of the families we support are struggling with multiple challenges including mental health issues, disability, housing problems and domestic abuse. By taking away the financial pressure of clothing growing kids, we can take some of the weight off their shoulders and help them to cope with life that little bit better.”

To find out more about Edinburgh School Uniform Bank, get involved or donate, visit the website here.