Want to get trim before the summer – try before you buy
Edinburgh Leisure is offering non-members the opportunity to try out their facilities with a free 7 day pass. The offer runs from Monday, 16 April and runs until Monday, 30 April 2018. Continue reading Want to get trim before the summer? Try before you buy
The Scottish SPCA has launched a new website www.saynotopuppydealers.co.uk in collaboration with The Scottish Government, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, RSPCA, Battersea, Dogs Trust, Trading Standards Scotland, Blue Cross, OneKind, BSAVA and the University of Edinburgh to help raise awareness about the truly devastating effects of puppy farming. Continue reading Scottish SPCA: Say No to Puppy Dealers website launched
National Pensioners Convention Scotland are holding their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 1st May at 11am in the CWU Scottish Branch office in York House, South St Andrew Street.
YOUNG people at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children have been treated to a visit from Police Scotland’s newest four-legged recruits. German Shepherds, Otto and Karma, were named by children in the hospital thanks to the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC). Continue reading Four-legged recruits visit Children’s Hospital
A ground-breaking initiative to combat domestic abuse is to be expanded around the country to help maximise victims’ safety and hold offenders to account for their violence. £2.8 million will be available for local authorities to apply for support to roll out the Caledonian System within their area to enable more perpetrators to address their behaviour.
The Caledonian System is a specialist court-mandated programme working with male perpetrators, which also aims to improve the lives of women and children affected.
The announcement was made by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson while attending training for social workers who work with male offenders and liaise with the women and children’s services for the programme. He said: “Levels of domestic abuse remain at unacceptably high levels in Scotland. We know that the official statistics still do not paint the whole picture, as victims are often too afraid to report abuse. We also know domestic abuse disproportionately affects women, with men as the primary perpetrators.
“Put simply, attitudes need to change. The Caledonian System has been running in parts of Scotland and the evidence indicates that men who completed the programme posed a lower risk to partners, children and others by the end of the programme. Women also reported that they felt safer.
“The funding I am announcing today will further strengthen our push to eradicate this scourge on society. Domestic abuse offenders need to understand the harm they cause and what they can do to change their behaviour.”
Linda Rodgers, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Women’s Aid said: “It is crucial that we have a range of services across Scotland for those affected by domestic abuse and that these services include interventions to support perpetrators to change their behaviour. The Caledonian Programme is a safe and robust perpetrator programme developed in Scotland for the Scottish context.
“I am absolutely delighted that the programme will now be operating and enhancing the safety of women and children across Scotland.”
The Caledonian System is not an alternative to prosecution but is a direct alternative to custody and to other high tariff community disposals given after an accused has been convicted of a domestic abuse related offence.
If at any point the programme is breached by the perpetrator the case is returned to court for consideration of whether a separate sentence should be imposed. It is currently delivered through hubs in Aberdeen City, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Dumfries & Galloway and North Ayrshire Councils.
The overall funding to the local authorities that deliver the Men’s Programme currently is approximately £1.3 million per annum, with approximately £1.1 million distributed to local authorities and SACRO to deliver Women’s and Children’s Services.
An evaluation of the Caledonian System was published in November 2016. Based on the most recent figures, more than 450 men are engaged with the Men’s Programme, with over 1200 having participated since 2011. There have been 1230 women offered access to the Women’s Service in that same timescale, with over 720 currently engaging, and 1040 children known to the Children’s Service.
The safety of partners and their children is an absolute priority for the Caledonian System. There was a strong belief among women interviewed for the evaluation that the Women’s Service, and the fact that it works together with the Men’s Programme as a system, had both contributed significantly to making them safer.
Evidence indicates that men who completed the programme posed a lower risk to partners, children and others by the end of the programme. There is also evidence that women engaged with the programme feel safer. More information on the Caledonian System is available on the Scottish Government website.
“This treatment is cruel and it is inexcusable” – City of Edinburgh Council Leader Adam McVey
SNP Council leader, Adam McVey, has called on all City of Edinburgh councillors to attend a demonstration, on Thursday and show their opposition to the UK Government’s Two Child Cap and associated “Rape Clause”. Continue reading McVey urges city councillors to attend two-child limit demo
Friday 20th April 10am – 12 noon
North Edinburgh Arts
Free lunch – All welcome
Have you ever been involved with The Junction? If you have, we want to hear from you! This year, The Junction celebrates 13 years of supporting the young people of Leith and we’re planning to produce a booklet that tells our story. One section of this booklet will be dedicated to positive stories from people who have had a part in our journey, whether that’s as a client, volunteer or any other form of involvement. Continue reading Ye ken The Junction?
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced £2,262,000 to support trade unions in accessing skills and lifelong learning opportunities for workers across Scotland. Continue reading Scottish Union Learning: £2.2 million for worker skills development
Dear Editor
The 52% who in 2016 voted to leave the European Union expressed various reasons for doing so. In the main there was widespreda concern about how the country was being run: frozen wages, rising prices and drastic cuts in both local and national public services – and there seemed to be no end in sight to this policy. It was indeed a deliberate policy, aimed in turn at different sections of the population, a ‘divide and rule’ tactic to exercise control.
Massive confusion was created in the UK and those in power seem to talk about anything but the real problems, such as who own major industries – and are they operated to benefit all, or just shareholders and investors?
Major industries such as electricity, gas, water supply and sewerage, public passenger transport; all these are life essential services for all people – and because they are they should be publicly owned.
These are the questions that should be put to the people, and only the Labour Party is doing that. It is not right that these industries should be privately owned and controlled to make millions in profit for the few.
A. Delahoy,
Silverknowes Gardens
