Young Scots have a million reasons to celebrate today as a £1 million cash boost wings its way to 16 projects run for, and by, young people. And among them is North Edinburgh’s Stepping Stones! Continue reading Young Start Lottery success for Stepping Stones
Risk of Results Data Being ‘Invalidated’
Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has called on the Scottish Government to listen to the experts, after the Scottish Parliament’s Education Committee heard a number of concerns regarding the Scottish National Standardised Assessments at its session yesterday.
In response to a question from Mr Greer, Professor Lindsay Paterson confirmed that the differential in the age of Primary one pupils being tested – between four and six – ‘invalidates’ the use of this data beyond the level of the individual pupil, particularly given the shortage of staff who have sufficient statistical experience within local councils.
On the issue of these staff having been cut from councils over recent years, Dr Keir Bloomer of the Royal Society of Edinburgh said: “Local authorities have a declining capacity to offer support to schools.”
The committee also heard from Professor Louise Hayward that the test are extremely narrow, and do not yield a wide range of information.
Ross Greer said: “The already thin evidence base for the government’s Primary One tests is falling apart under the most basic of scrutiny.
“There is a huge difference between a four and a half year old child taking this test at the start of the school year and another pupil who takes it late in the year, by which point they could be six years old.
“Professor Paterson was clear that this significant difference and an inability to control for it when using the data, for example at school level, would simply invalidate it.
“An evidence-led approach in the first place would have avoided so many of these problems but the SNP ploughed on without one. It’s time that they listen to experts, to teachers and to parents, like any responsible government should.”
Police Scotland is highlighting the important role communities play in the fight against terrorism by supporting a UK-wide public information campaign.
The head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, believes that the public are playing a crucial role in helping police and the security services disrupt terrorist activity, with more than 22% of all reports from the public producing intelligence which is helpful to police.
Counter Terrorism Policing has launched a new public information film which will be shown in UK cinemas and across police social media accounts.
The sequel to last year’s ‘Communities Defeat Terrorism’ campaign will feature a new 60-second film based on real-life foiled plots, which will show examples of terrorist-related suspicious activity and behaviour, as well as attack planning methodology.
Airing across 120 cinemas nationwide, including 16 in Scotland, for the next eight weeks, the film will encourage people to report suspicious behaviour and activity through the Government Action Counters Terrorism website and the confidential hotline – 0800 789 321.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson, Police Scotland’s lead for specialist crime and intel, said: “Tackling terrorism and domestic extremism is a national priority for Police Scotland and we will continue to work with our partners to protect our communities.
“We should never be complacent and the UK threat level remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.
“I hope this campaign reinforces how important it is for communities to act if they see anything suspicious in their area.
“The video asks people to stop and think if they see unusual behaviour and trust your instincts. The unusual behaviour could be part of a bigger picture so it’s crucial people feel confident enough to report this to police. Let us decide how important it is and never think it could be a waste of our time.”
Data analysed by Counter Terrorism Policing indicates that the public are consistently providing information which is relevant to police.
If you are still unsure about how or what to report to police then please visit Counter Terrorism Policing for more information on how you can help.
Assistant Commissioner of Specialist Operations (ACSO), Neil Basu, the UK’s most senior counter terrorism officer, said, “Thankfully, we did not see the horrors of 2017 repeated last year, but we should not be complacent enough to think the terrorist threat has diminished.
“Counter Terrorism Policing officers are currently running more than 700 live investigations nationwide, while crucial intelligence from the public has helped police and the security services prevent 18 terror attacks in just under two years.
“We have been emphasising for some time that communities defeat terrorism, and the fact that more and more reports from the public provide information that is useful to our officers demonstrates this.
“Despite this increasing support, I know some people are still reluctant to speak to us. To them I say, reporting your concerns to us won’t ruin lives, but it might save them.
“Like other criminals, terrorists need to plan and that creates opportunities for police and the security services to discover and stop these attacks before they happen.
“But we need your help to exploit these opportunities, so if you see or hear something unusual or suspicious trust your instincts and act by reporting it in confidence by phone or online.
“That could be someone buying or storing chemicals, fertilisers or gas cylinders for no obvious reasons, or receiving deliveries for unusual items, it could be someone embracing extremist ideology, or searching for such material online.
“This new film has been made to try and help people understand recent terrorist attack-planning methods.”
Edinburgh & Lothian Greenspace Trust is another high-profile casualty of the EIJB Health & Social Care grants process:
We have an important announcement in regards to our community garden activities. As part of the recent Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board funding round we have unfortunately missed out on securing ongoing funding to continue the community garden programme.
Over the last 8 years, the Community Garden Development officers have been involved in the set up and establishment of over 40 community gardens in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The input from the Officers has been instrumental for offering support, signposting volunteers, and helping build the confidence of the people running the gardens
After eight years we will be saying good bye to the role of Community Garden Development Officers here at ELGT. While this is a sad time for us, we want to reflect on the brilliant work by the people who have been involved in making Edinburgh a greener and happier place to be.
Some success stories that we have been particularly proud to be a part of are:
Over the years we have had lots of very positive feedback:
“I just want to say a big thank you for all your support with the project, it’s been really enjoyable (and educational)” – Ryan , Drylaw Young Persons Centre
“Very helpful with members, getting everyone involved and doing it in a fun manner!, Members has a great time planting, encouraged them to be social and reminisce about their Gardening Days. Great Activity!” – Seagrove Centre.
‘I found the gardening sessions very therapeutic’ – The Action Group.
We will still have the online community gardening map on our website, for people to find their nearest community garden, but the change will be that they need to contact the garden directly.
This will be the same for potential volunteers as there will be no one at ELGT who is responsible for matching up volunteers with gardens.
We will also direct people to Social Farm and Garden who have great resources on their website for people who wish to start up their own community garden, the link is here
We are in the process of seeking funding elsewhere to enable the work to continue but if anyone has any suggested sources that could be suitable then please get in touch through info through info@elgt.org.uk
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British drivers have been offered simple do’s and don’ts for driving in icy weather, as the cold snap continues across the country.
Continue reading Car AdvICE – 7 Do’s and 7 Don’ts for Driving in Cold Conditions
£500k for food distribution services around the country
An additional £500,000 will be awarded to the charity FareShare to step up redistribution of surplus food for people struggling to afford to eat.
The funding, which doubles investment in FareShare over the next two years, will help the charity mitigate against the potential consequences of Brexit on food supply for people in need.
The funding is in addition to the Scottish Government’s £3.5 million Fair Food Fund, established to tackle food insecurity.
Communities Cabinet Secretary Aileen Campbell visited Crookston Community Food Project in Glasgow today to meet with staff, volunteers and members of the community.
She said: “In a country as prosperous as ours, everyone should have access to affordable, nutritious food. Our further investment in FareShare and community groups like Crookston ensures we reach more of the people who need help the most.
“This extra funding will further help those who have been badly hit by the UK Government’s cuts, which mean that welfare spending will be reduced in Scotland by £3.7 billion in 2020/21.
“We are also taking this step to insure ourselves against the economic damage of a possible exit from the EU. It is shocking that we have to do so, but the deal proposed by the UK Government would make people poorer and undo much of the great progress we have made as a nation to tackle inequalities and poverty.
“Regardless of the Brexit outcome, we will continue our plans to tackle food insecurity. Scotland is the only country in the UK to routinely monitor food insecurity using the UN’s recommended measure and we are continuing to address the underlying causes.”
The Fair Food Fund aims to ensure that everyone can feed themselves and their families and reduce reliance on emergency food provision. In 2018-19 the fund was increased from £1 million to £1.5 million, and will be £3.5 million in 2019-20.
FareShare is a UK-wide charity which redistributes surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, to frontline charities and community groups.
Santander bank has confirmed that it is to close 140 branches across the UK. Three branches in Lothian are to close: Morningside Road and Leith Walk in Edinburgh and George Street in Bathgate. Continue reading Politicians urge Santander branch closures rethink
The community campaign working to save historic sandstone buildings on Leith Walk is calling on councillors to represent the wishes of the community and vote against the demolition and proposed development when they meet next week. Continue reading Save Leith Walk setback as report recommends Drum proposals
The Scottish Government are developing a new Older People’s Framework in 2019 and the Scottish Older People’s Assembly have been asked to help gather views to feed into this process.
In an effort to gather as wide a range of views as possible, we have produced a questionnaire which we hope you can circulate to your networks, feature in newsletters and encourage as many people as possible to complete (within the limitations of the timescales that we have been set, which we acknowledge are very tight).
The questionnaire is available online at https://surveyhero.com/c/SOPA2019
The deadline for survey completion is Wednesday, 30th January 2019.
We will also be holding an engagement event on Monday 4th February 2019, 10am-3:30pm at COSLA Conference Centre, Haymarket, EH12 5BH.
Places are limited and will be prioritised for SOPA members but if you are interested please register on the Eventbrite website and we will confirm availability.
Please follow this link to the Eventbrite website for more information and to reserve your place.
If you have any queries, please contact Caroline Clark on the details below.
Caroline Clark | Scottish Older People’s Assembly – Co-ordinator| Eric Liddell Centre, 15 Morningside Road, Edinburgh, EH10 4DP | 0131 357 1277 |caroline@scotopa.org.uk.
The Scottish Government are currently preparing a new National Framework for Older People in Scotland. This Conference has been organised by the Scottish Older People’s Assembly to give members an opportunity to come together and make a contribution to the development of this framework.
The event will focus on the following key objectives:
Please join us to share your views, ideas and experiences.
Due to limited space, we ask that a maximum of two representatives per organisation attend. If you would like additional tickets please contact Caroline Clark on 0131 3571277
If you have any dietary or access requirements that will allow you to participate fully in this event, please let us know.
Although Christmas is now a distant memory, for many families it only served to heighten tensions when it comes to the issue of child arrangements for parents who have separated.
But, of course, the issues surrounding separated or divorced parents seeing their children are the same throughout the year. Sally Nash, Senior Associate, Family Law at Gilson Gray, shares four helpful tips on dealing with the factors that may arise when reaching an agreement on child care arrangements.
It is important to bear in mind that there is no “norm”. Clients often come to us to say that a well-meaning friend or colleague has told them that a particular pattern of contact is what “always happens”; or that it is a given that any children will principally reside with mum.
While there are certain patterns of contact which we see more often than others, ultimately what parents agree upon varies significantly.
The days are also long gone where it is presumed that the person best placed to have the children with them most of the time is mum. The law clearly directs that all such matters are determined based on what is in the best interests of the particular child concerned. Inevitably, that will vary from child to child.
The arrangements will also hugely depend on practicalities such as how close the parents live to one another. The bottom line is that there is no right or wrong answer to any situation.
2. Watch your language
Although the concepts of “custody” and “access” have been a thing of the past in Scotland since 1995, we all too often hear those terms and think of negative connotations – that a child “belongs” to one parent and the other parent is “permitted” to see the child.
However, whilst there are a few exceptions; in most family situations now both parents will have equal parental rights and responsibilities and both are entitled to be involved in all important decisions.
In our view, it helps if discussions are framed against the background of the correct terminology of “residence” and “contact” which more appropriately reflects what the discussion is about.
3. Put the child first
Even where a separation is amicable, parents can fall into the trap of making the care arrangements for their children about them and their separation, and not about the children themselves.
We would advise to give careful consideration where there is a dispute about care arrangements as to whether what is being objected to is because what is proposed is not felt to be in the best interests of the child, or if it is actually connected to the impact it would have on the parent themselves.
4. Try to find a solution
In the first instance our advice would always be to try to work with the other parent to come up with an arrangement that best meets the needs of your child.
For two parents who are struggling to resolve arrangements directly between them, there are methods of alternative dispute resolution available such as mediation where a third party can try to help you and the other party to work through the issues that have arisen.
However if the arrangements cannot be agreed, the ultimate recourse is to the court. As solicitors working day to day in this field, our advice would always be to avoid court if possible.
The bottom line is that once the arrangements for the care of the child are within the remit of the court, essentially a third party will try to make the best decision they can about what is in the best interest of the child, but what is decided may not give either parent what they want..
Ultimately, communication and cooperation between both parents is key to reducing conflict.
Sally Nash is a Senior Associate in Gilson Gray’s Family Law Team. She has worked exclusively in the field of family law for the last 15 years.
For more information or guidance on dealing with issues related to family law, visit www.gilsongray.co.uk
