Day: March 7, 2020

600 adoption matches made

Milestone reached as adoption support website launched.

Six hundred matches have been made between children in care and prospective adoptive parents since 2011 – the equivalent of more than one a week.

The milestone comes after the 600th young person was matched with adopters via Scotland’s Adoption Register.

The Register is an online database which facilitates matching between looked after children and prospective adopters. Established in 2011, the Register acts a central point for local authorities ensuring prospective adoptive parents go through a robust and supportive matching process in order to best meet the needs of both the child and their potential families.

A new website from Adoption UK Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government, has also been launched which offers key advice and guidance for current and prospective adoptive parents.

Minister for Children and Young People Maree Todd said: “We know that adoption has the potential to completely change the direction of a child or young person’s life by providing them with a loving, supportive and permanent home and family.

“Reaching this milestone means that there are 600 fewer children in care, having been placed with families who offer the most supportive and stable home they possibly can.

“We now know more than ever before about what it takes to ensure adoption matches are successful and our new website will act as a vital portal for current and prospective adoptive parents.

“The website is the first online resource in Scotland to provide a single point of information for prospective adopters, adoptive families and professionals working within the adoption sector – ensuring that the guidance and support they need pre and post adoption is available to them. I would encourage anyone with an interest in adoption to visit the site and find out more.”

Robin Duncan, Manager of Scotland’s Adoption Register, said: “The Register is all about helping find families for children when it has been decided that adoption gives them the best chance of growing up in a safe, secure and loving home.

“The statistics are less important than the stories of the children and families involved, but the milestone of 600 matches is a really heartening sign of how well the Register is working and how it continues to create good solutions for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children.”

Parents Stevan and Denis, who have been through the adoption process, said: “We started our adoption journey 5 years ago. We went through the numerous stages of the process: preparation group, home study and then onto our approval panel.

After approval, the family finding started. Using a portal such as Scotland’s Adoption Register was at times tough due to the huge amount of children that are profiled but it did lead to us finding our two little boys and we fell in love at the first glance of their profile!

“The next step was meeting our sons, which was a huge bag of mixed emotions. The first day of introductions with the boys went amazingly well, we only got to spend a few hours with them but being called Dad and Daddy for the first time brought tears to our eyes! The remaining days of introductions flew by and before we knew it we had our boys home and family life began.

“After a while parenthood started to become more natural to us and routines were put in place which quickly helped the boys thrive and we haven’t looked back since. Every day we count our blessings to have two gorgeous, happy boys. Adoption was everything we could have of hoped for and more! Even through the tears, tantrums and sibling squabbles, we wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Last year the Scottish Government continued its efforts to improve the adoption process for everyone, by provided more than £500,000 directly to adoption stakeholders:

  • £240,000 to St Andrews Children’s Society to maintain and expand Scotland’s Adoption Register
  • £98,000 to AFAS to maintain services to professionals and practitioners in the adoption sector
  • £75,000 to Adoption UK (Scotland) to provide a national helpline and support for adoptive families in Scotland
  • £55,000 per annum to Birthlink in order to provide and maintain the Adoption Contact Register for Scotland£40,000 to St Andrews Children’s Society to support adoptive families, both during and after the adoption process

Scotland’s Adoption Register is funded by the Scottish Government and currently hosted by St Andrew’s Children’s Society.

The Register has a remit to facilitate family finding across Scotland with the aim of increasing the numbers of children that are placed for adoption and to make the linking and matching process work as well as possible for children and prospective adopters.

See Adoption UK Scotland’s new website.

Penumbra ralses self-harm awareness

Leading mental health charity, Penumbra, last week hosted a special event to mark self-harm awareness day.

Penumbra is a leading mental health charity providing a range of support services across Scotland to around 1800 people each week. Penumbra works with partners across 18 local authority areas to provide innovative mental health support in a community setting.

Our compassionate and highly skilled recovery teams work with the people we support to create tailored and person focussed strategies that give practical steps towards recovery. Using our I.ROC wellbeing toolkit, our ‘whole person’ approach is based on the rights of the people we support through choice, dignity and the expectation of recovery.

Penumbra is an Alliance partner of Future Pathways, which arranges support for people who experienced abuse or neglect while in care as children.

The charity’s Edinburgh service has operated the a Self-Harm Project since 2005. It currently provides:

  • 1:1 Therapeutic support sessions to enable people who self harm or with suicidal ideation to cope with crisis and trauma by exploring their emotions and concerns in a confidential setting. Support is provided by multi-disciplinary team including therapists and specialist peer workers.
  • Information, advice and support for parents, carers, family and friends who are affected by, concerned about and informally supporting people who self harm.
  • Skin Camouflage Service to help people affected by scarring gain confidence by using specialist camouflage products and techniques, building confidence
  • Facilitated Group Workshops (community or other location based) for those who are in contact with people who self harm.
  • Training Sessions for professionals and those who support people who self harm.
  • Awareness Raising Sessions for professionals and those who support people who self harm.
  • Training Day for organisations.

Assistant Service Manager for the self-harm project, Samantha Harrison, commented: “The Edinburgh Self Harm Project works with people who are at risk of suicide and self-harm, and we provide a safe and non-judgemental environment where people can explore their issues about self-harm in confidence.

“We’re often the first opportunity people have had to talk about these issues in a compassionate and sensitive setting.

“Self-harm is a complex issue so everything we do is person centred and we very much see our project as a user-led where we take a holistic approach in looking at all aspects of someone’s life, rather than just focussing on injuries. What’s really beneficial to us as a team is that some of our colleagues are employed as Peer Workers who are able to use their lived experience to support people through recovery.

Support Manager for the self-harm project, Ran Majumder, added: “We were delighted that Sunday’s event was a great success with no empty seats and we want people to continue the conversation about self-harm long after it.

“We hope the event helped to shine a spotlight on self-harm, by providing a forum where members of the public and professionals alike were able to gain invaluable insight into the issues surrounding self-harm from our team.”

Six years jail for attempted murder of baby

A man has been sentenced for the attempted murder of a baby in Edinburgh. Lukasz Chomiczewsk, 26, was sentenced to six-years imprisonment yesterday.

Chomiczewsk was convicted on Tuesday 18 February, following a trial at Edinburgh High Court at which he plead not guilty.

Chomiczewsk committed the offence on Tuesday, 6 August, 2019 at an address in Leith, when he strangled the one-year-old girl which could have resulted in her death.

Detective Chief Inspector Iain Ramsay of Edinburgh’s Public Protection Unit said: “This was a senseless attack on a defenceless child resulting in serious injury.

“Chomiczewsk was in a position of care for the girl and was meant to protect her, instead he subjected her to a terrifying ordeal, for which there is no justification.

“I would like to thank all the officers and partners across all agencies involved in this investigation who helped to secure the conviction and today’s sentence. It sends a clear message to those in the community who would commit such crimes that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Edinburgh Science Festival: Making Science Sociable

Making Science Sociable

Edinburgh Science Festival isn’t just for kids! We’ve rounded up the best events in this year’s programme that would make for a fun day or night out with friends and leave you enlightened and entertained.

Whether you’re into coding, comedy or cocktails, we’ve got something for everyone this April …

Dynamic Earth After Dark

Saturday 4 April
7:30pm | 3 hours

£12/£10

Ages 14+

Stratosphere, Dynamic Earth

Prepare for jaw-dropping beauty and stellar entertainment under the shadow of Gaia by Luke Jerram. This scale version of our home planet offers a unique opportunity to view Earth as it’s seen from space while you enjoy explosive science demonstrations that showcase the incredible power of the elements – earth, air, fire and water. Experience Dynamic Earth after dark and celebrate with a special themed cocktail, elementary face painting and preview fun, interactive activities before anyone else.

Dome Nights

Sunday 5, Saturday 11, Sunday 12, Monday 13, Friday 17 and Sunday 19 April
6pm | Durations vary

Prices vary

Ages 8+

ShowDome, Dynamic Earth

Marvel each night at an unforgettable selection of films in Dynamic Earth’s newly upgraded 6K 360° dome cinema. Screenings include awe-inspiring solar system visuals in Gustav Holst’s Planets 360, films inspired by the music of Pink Floyd and a selection of shows from Dynamic Earth’s daytime collection. Take the chance to view Luke Jerram’s stunning Planet Earth art installation, Gaia, before or after an evening of movie magic.

Wildcats and Whisky

Friday 10 April
7pm | 2 hours

£30

Ages 18+

Holyrood Distillery

Join us for a dram or two of Scotland’s most iconic drink as we tell you the story of one of the country’s most famous animals. Hear Edinburgh Zoo’s wildcat expert discuss the history of wildcats in Scotland and reveal the exciting next chapter in the battle to save our last native cat species. This night out with a twist is full of feline fun that you won’t want to miss. Over 18s only.

Stranger Than Fiction: Panel Game

Monday 13 April
7.30pm | 1 hour

£9/£7/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 12+

Upper Hall, Pleasance

A panel game with a difference – the panel vs you! The Festival’s most popular lie-busting show is back with an elementary theme as a motley team of non-fiction writers will try to pull the wool over your eyes by sneaking some surprising facts hidden amongst ridiculous fiction and persistent science myth. Each round has a different flavour ranging from short themed talks to quickfire truth-or-fiction. Get ready to make some noise.

Cyber Zone

Monday 13 — Sunday 19 April
Times vary, see individual listings

Prices vary, see individual listings

All Ages

Salisbury Building, Pleasance

Discovering the digital world has never been so cool. We’re introducing our very first, immersive Cyber Zone packed with events covering technology, computing, programming and artificial intelligence (AI) for children and adults

Cyber Zone events include Hack Your Own Self-Driving Car, Enter the Multiverse: Crafting Immersive Stories in VR, App Factory For Grown Ups, Artificial Intelligence For Grown Ups, Interactive Digital Storytelling For Grown Ups, Create A Virtual Reality World​For Grown Ups and Coding For Grown Ups

Islands of Love: The Science of Reality Romance

Tuesday 14 April
8pm | 90 mins

£9/£7/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 14+

Pleasance Theatre, Pleasance

Don’t be muggy, come along and dissect an absolute bev of a brain and uncover the personalities that are most likely to couple up – especially if it’s all seen on TV. Dr Raj Persaud explores the scientific theory behind our favourite summer lovefest. What kind of personality type is best for you and do they ever end up on a TV programme like Love Island? How can you improve your ability to spot different personality types? Come along and take part in our fun science experiment where you judge each character and we’ll tell you if you were right.

The Science of Poetry

Wednesday 15 April
7.30pm | 1 hour

£9/£7/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 12+

Pentland Room, Pleasance

Find your inner poet and discover how you can help raise awareness of the biggest global environmental challenges. Join Prof Patrick Corbett from Heriot-Watt University and Scottish poet Dr Colin Will for a discussion on the use of poetry in science communication with a focus on the Earth sciences. You’ll have the opportunity to test your poetic skills through writing your own poem which geological specimens, from the British Geological Society, will provide inspiration for. 

Jukebox Bingo: Science Up Your Life!

Wednesday 15 April
8pm | 90mins

£9/£7/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 12+

Pleasance Theatre, Pleasance

Lay down your labcoats, dust off your party threads and take a firm hold of your dobbers as the Festival gets glittery with a special science-flavoured edition of Edinburgh’s musical quiz sensation. Jukebox Bingo is a 2020 twist on the beloved pastime of the nannas of the nation, testing your recall of scientifically-inspired chart classics from across the decades. Match the tracks on the decks to the artists on your bingo card to win some truly questionable prizes. Featuring sideshow shenanigans aplenty, this is a night out not to be missed. 

Ugly Animal Preservation Society

Thursday 16 April
6pm | 1 hour

£9/£7/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 12+

Cabaret Bar, Pleasance

Stand-up comedy with a conservation twist. Enjoy an evening dedicated to raising the profile of some of Mother Nature’s more aesthetically challenged children. The panda gets too much attention and the ugly blobfish was made famous by the internet, so now the Ugly Animal Preservation Society move their attention to EDGE (Evolutionary Distinct Globally Endangered). Sit back and laugh as comedians Simon Watt and Rachel Wheeley join science communicator Hana Ayoob to take you through the world’s weirdest and most wonderful critters. 

What’s So Funny?

Thursday 16 April
6pm | 1 hour

£9/£7/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 12+

Pleasance Theatre, Pleasance

Why do we laugh and when do people laugh the most? Pioneering researcher into the science of laughter, professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL and regular contributor to BBC Radio 4, Prof Sophie Scott, will take you on a journey to discover all of this and more. A scientist studying laughter – it’s funnier than you might think! 

An Evening with Gaia

Thursday 16 April
7pm | 3 hours

£15/£12

Ages 18+

Stratosphere, Dynamic Earth

To honour the 30th anniversary of the now iconic pale blue dot image, join us for an evening packed with science talks, live music, poetry, and hands-on activities, all in the shadow of the incredible Gaia at Dynamic Earth. View our beautiful blue marble as it’s seen from space and delight in the evening’s entertainment. The evening’s lineup includes satellite expert Dr Murray Collins, Glasgow-based musician Nicolette Macleod, mythologist Dr Christine Plastow, geologist Dr Roger Musson, poets Hannah Lavery and Leyla Josephine, in association with the Scottish Poetry Library, and will be hosted by comedian Susan Morrison. 

Univer-Silly Challenged

Thursday 16 April
8pm | 90 mins

£12/£10/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 12+

Cabaret Bar, Pleasance

Are you ready to have your geek-card challenged? Join comedians Simon Watt and Rachel Wheeley, along with some special guests, for an anarchic comedy gameshow turned pub quiz that lets you embrace your inner nerd. Win points in wacky rounds, to give your team the advantage in a fiendish final challenge for chance to become the Challenged Champions and go home with a niche prize. Turn up with a team or join in with some random punters you meet on the night. 

European Stone Stacking Championships

Friday 17 — Sunday 19 April
11am—4pm | Drop-in

£10 to participate/Free to watch

All Ages

Dunbar Beach, Eye Cave Beach

Rounding off the Science Festival’s contribution to Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters, the European Stone Stacking Championships returns for the fourth Year.

Stone stacking takes materials found in nature and works with Earth’s gravity to create sculptural towers, archways and other awe-inspiring structures from rocks and stones. Transient in nature – at the mercy of the elements, tides and time – these wonderful land-art creations merge artistic skill and the laws of physics to amazing effect.

With competitions, demonstrations and workshops across the weekend, be amazed by what the professionals can create and try it for yourself!

Cheeseology

Friday 17 April
6pm and 8.30pm | 90 mins

£15 Includes samples

Ages 12+

Quaker Studio, Pleasance

Cheeseology returns! Exploring the science behind cheesemaking and ripening, dairy technologist Paul Thomas and journalist and cheese expert Patrick McGuigan are ready to take you on a cheesy journey through some of Europe’s finest exports. Cheeseology combines a tutored tasting with an exploration of cheesemaker practices and physicochemical parameters which influence texture and flavour development. 

Queer by Nature

Saturday 18 April
6pm | 1 hour

£9/£7/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 12+

Cabaret Bar, Pleasance

What do penguins, lizards, sheep and humans all have in common? They all engage in homosexual behaviour. A bisexual woman armed with a biochemistry degree and committed to investigating the science behind her identity, comedian Florence Schechter takes us on a hilarious and thought-provoking tour of LGBTQ+ behaviour in animals and the evolutionary benefits of being queer. Expect laughs, single innuendos and a whole load of fun, sexy, science facts. Please note this event includes some graphic descriptions of a sexual nature. 

Coasts and Cocktails

Saturday 18 April
8pm | 90 mins

£20/£18 includes drinks

Ages 18+

Quaker Studio, Pleasance

Scotland has over 10,000 miles of coastline and a huge population that lives and works beside it. It’s time to celebrate our bodies of water with an evening of entertainment featuring poet Janette Ayachi and Neu Reekie’s Michael Pedersen, in association with the Scottish Poetry Library, with songs and stories from host Nicolette Macleod. Close out the final Saturday of the 2020 Science Festival in style with a couple of complimentary sea-themed cocktails to make you feel less like a fish out of water!

10,000 Decisions

Sunday 19 April
8pm | 1 hour

£9/£7/#SCIFIVE £5

Ages 12+

Cabaret Bar, Pleasance

Good or bad, our decisions make us who we are. American comedian Robyn Perkins brings her Sydney Fringe Comedy award-winning show to the Edinburgh Science Festival! 10,000 Decisions uses a series of hilarious personal anecdotes, family stories and neuroscience to come up with a well thought out decision for one anonymous audience member. It’s quirky, thought-provoking and fun, laced with intriguing science.

Whisky and Water

Sunday 19 April
8pm | 90 mins

£20/£18 includes samples

Ages 18+

Quaker Studio, Pleasance

It is one of the world’s most loved spirits, with a history stretching back as far as we can remember, but what makes Scottish whisky so great might surprise you. Our expert panel will guide you through the symbiotic relationship between Scotland’s most famous drink and the environment in which it is made.

Join us for a tipple provided by Isle of Arran Distillers and find out why the whisky industry just might be as important to Scottish water as Scottish water is to whisky. Snacks and samples are provided.

www.sciencefestival.co.uk

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Stagecoach calls for new public transport apprenticeship

  • Company marks Scottish Apprenticeship Week with call for new qualification
  • Dedicated bus driving Modern Apprenticeship could deliver hundreds of new opportunities
  • New initiative and funding flexibility would enhance Scotland’s position as bus world leader

Stagecoach has called for a new Scottish apprenticeship to be created to maximise career opportunities for young people in the country’s public transport sector.

Britain’s biggest bus and coach operator has marked Scottish Apprenticeship Week (2-6 March) with a call for the introduction of a dedicated new apprenticeship qualification for the bus and coach sector in Scotland.

The company, which was founded 40 years ago in Perth, said that creating the new qualification and making funding more flexible could give young people in Scotland access to hundreds of extra apprenticeships opportunities a year.

Last month, Stagecoach announced it was to recruit 600 extra apprentices during 2020. By the end of the year, it will employ around 1,000 driver apprentices and around 200 engineering apprentices.

The majority of these opportunities will be created in England where there are accredited apprenticeships in bus and coach driving and in bus and coach engineering. However there is no bus and coach driver apprenticeship currently available in Scotland.

Stagecoach has also called for a more flexible approach to apprenticeship funding. The key role of a bus driver cannot be undertaken by anyone under 18 years of age, however current funding in Scotland is largely focused on apprenticeships for 16 to 18-year-olds.

Stagecoach Apprenticeships Manager Matthew Darroch said: “There has been a welcome focus on upskilling the UK’s workforce by governments across the country in recent years. We have been making huge investment in extensive new opportunities for young people, but we want to do more.

“Stagecoach is the industry leader in delivering bus driver apprenticeships in England, and we have similar ambitions for Scotland. If a Scottish Modern Apprenticeship in bus and coach driving was made available, Stagecoach would be able to deliver around 250 of these apprenticeships a year in Scotland.

“Public transport is central to delivering the Scottish Government’s welcome and ambitious climate change targets. To make that happen, the public transport sector needs the next generation of skilled bus drivers to operate the vital greener bus and coach services which support our economy and keep our communities connected.

“These simple changes could also help give further impetus to the bus sector in Scotland, which is a world leader in terms of manufacturing and operations.”

Around 550 driver and engineering apprentices are currently employed by Stagecoach across its operations in England, Scotland and Wales. The huge expansion of apprenticeships in England will see the company more than double the number of learners employed over the next 10 months.

Stagecoach is already the industry leader in bus driver apprenticeships .The 12-month programme provides a combination of practical training and off-the-job learning. It is delivered in partnership with training supplier Interserve Learning & Employment, complementing Stagecoach’s high standards around safety and customer service.

More than 30 Stagecoach employees have gained their bus driver apprenticeship to date , with a further 100 expected to have completed the programme by the summer. They are the first in the country to have achieved the qualification.

Stagecoach’s engineering apprenticeship programme has run for more than 15 years, with a number of employees having gone on to develop their careers with the business.

For more information on the bus driver apprenticeship programme go to: https://learning-employment.com/apprentices/transport-apprenticeships/stagecoach-bus-drive-apprenticeship/

Further details on engineering apprenticeships are available at: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/national/apprenticeship-schemes-with-stagecoach-bus

Stagecoach is a supporter of the Scottish Government’s Developing Our Young Workforce initiative, which is designed to help all of the country’s young people get work ready and ensure employers have access to the skills to help their businesses grow.

The company offers a range of work experience opportunities, provides placements as part of Foundation Apprenticeships, hosts workplace visits for schools, helps bring the curriculum to life in the classroom, and supports its employees who mentor young people.

Letters: Support Mary’s Meals on Mother’s Day

Dear Editor

This Mother’s Day, I am thinking about everything women do to give their children the best start in life.

Like the women in countries such as Malawi, Liberia and India, who rise early each day to cook and serve food to hungry children in their communities with the charity Mary’s Meals.

Their dedication epitomises powerful motherly love, and it is thanks to them that Mary’s Meals is able to feed 1.6 million hungry children around the world every school day. The food they lovingly serve attracts little ones into the classroom, giving them the energy to gain an education that can, one day, be their ladder out of poverty.

I am in awe of these incredible women. And that’s why I am asking your readers to send a Mary’s Meals gift card to the special women in their lives this Mother’s Day. For just £15.90, it will feed a hungry child every day for an entire school year.

Please visit marysmeals.org.uk/mothersday to purchase your gift card in honour of the mums who make Mary’s Meals. I have already told my boys this is a gift I would be delighted to receive!

Love,

Sophie Thompson (Actor)

Hate Crime & Third Party Reporting

Police Scotland takes hate crime very seriously and will do everything they can to bring those responsible to justice:

If you have been targeted because of your disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity, or you are aware of someone else being targeted, we want you to report it.

Reporting hate crime is important.  If you report it we can deal with it, we can try to prevent the same thing happening to someone else and together we can work to rid Scotland of hate.

We are committed to dealing with hate crime and take all reports of hate crime seriously.

You can report a hate crime:

Third party reporting

In some cases victims and witnesses of Hate Crime do not feel comfortable reporting the matter directly to the Police, and may be more comfortable reporting it to someone they are familiar with.

To ensure anyone is able to report Hate Crimes, Police Scotland works in partnership with a wide variety of partners who perform the role of 3rd Party Reporting Centres. These partners have been trained to assist people in submitting a report to the police, and can make such a report their behalf.

Examples of 3rd Party Reporting Centres participating in the scheme range from Housing Associations to Victim Support offices and Voluntary Groups.

Find your nearest Third Party Reporting Centre.

If you are interested in becoming a Third Party Reporting Centre, please contact the Equality & Diversity unit by e-mailing:

 SCDEdinburghDiversityUnit@scotland.pnn.police.uk