Scotland risks falling into a child poverty crisis as new figures forecast around three in 10 youngsters could be impoverished by 2020, a think-tank has warned.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) said that after families' housing costs were taken into account, 28.4% of children were likely to be living in relative poverty by 2020, up from 21.4% in 2011.

Save the Children Scotland said such an increase could devastate a whole generation of children.

The projections for north of the Border are slightly better than those for England and Wales, where one-third of youngsters are forecast to be living in relative poverty by 2020. The UK Government has pledged to eradicate child poverty by 2020, and the Scottish Government backs this goal.

But the IFS said it "seems almost certain the targets will be missed by a substantial margin", adding the uncertainty in its projections grew the further it looked into the future and the 2020 figures "should not be seen as precise forecasts of incomes and poverty rates".

Neil Mathers, head of Save the Children in Scotland, said: "If the number of children living in poverty rises by this amount Scotland will fall headfirst into a child poverty crisis. It will mean greater pressure on services and have a damaging effect on society and economy as well as on the children and families themselves."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "Our most vulnerable members of society must be protected and it is frustrating that the Scottish Government efforts to tackle child poverty are being hindered by UK welfare cuts."