Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, is supporting the campaign to save indoor and soft play centres in Scotland. Mr Briggs has submitted a motion at the Scottish Parliament which has gained cross party support from Liberal Democrat, Labour and Independent MSPs.
Indoor and soft play areas employ hundreds of staff across Edinburgh and the Lothians, whose jobs are at risk due to closures.
Indoor play centres were due to open on the 14th September, but was postponed with 4 days’ notice. The new opening date of 5th October is looking increasingly unlikely with the rise in the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Scotland.
Thousands of pounds have been spent by indoor and soft play centres preparing for a reopening that is looking like it will not happen. The autumn and winter months are the busiest times for indoor and soft play centres, with the weather being less good.
Indoor and soft play centre campaigners have held a rally outside the Scottish Parliament yesterday (Wednesday 23rd September) to raise the profile of indoor play centres and highlight the lack of support from the SNP Ministers and the Scottish Government.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“Indoor and soft play areas have spent thousands of pounds getting themselves Covid-19 ready, to minimise the spread of transmission, and allow them to open their doors again.
“These businesses have been told at short notice that they are no longer able to reopen and many are at real risk of closure, threatening jobs and peoples livelihoods.
“If the indoor and soft play areas are being singled out to stay closed, then the Scottish Government must provide them with the necessary support to survive through to next year.
“Indoor and soft play areas are valuable in the community, allowing young children to play and interact, as well as being sociable places for parents.”
Jennifer McNaughton, manager at Pandamonium Play Centre, said:“The majority of family run soft play areas in Scotland will not survive after the announcement at the start of October if they do not receive financial support from the Scottish Government.
“Indoor and soft play centres in England, Ireland and Wales are allowed to be opened with strict guidelines and since mid-August in England.
“Why are other sectors such as night clubs and theatres allowed to open when indoor soft play areas are not, which provide cheap and cheerful unstructured play, that prevents obesity and is crucial for children’s mental health?”
Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault in the Haymarket area on Sunday (20 September 2020).
Police were called to Morrison Street around 10pm after a 27-year-old man was attacked by a group of four men. Emergency services attended and the victim was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment to serious facial injuries.
The suspects are believed to have made off along Morrison Street and onto Torphichen Place.
The first man is described a white, aged 20-30, of slim build, with dark hair and dark facial hair. He was wearing a black hoodie and black bottoms.
The second man is described as white, aged 20-30 and wearing a grey hoodie. He was carrying a black rucksack and a skateboard.
The third man is described as white, aged 20-30 and had a bag and skateboard.
The fourth man is described as white, aged 20-30 and wearing a dark hoodie, dark joggers and white trainers.
All four men wore face coverings.
Detective Constable Oliver Healy of Gayfield CID said: “We believe this to be a targeted attack on the victim who has been left with significant facial injuries.
“Extensive enquiries are ongoing to trace the individuals involved, with officers speaking to local residents and businesses as well as examining CCTV.
“There were several passers-by in the area at the time of the incident and I would urge anyone who saw what happened, and it yet to speak to police, to get in touch.
“I would also ask any motorists with dash-cams who were in the vicinity to please check their footage in case they have captured anything which could assist the investigation.
“Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting reference number 3946 of Sunday 20th September 2020. Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.”
An Edinburgh teenager who defied medical experts has had his passion for dancing transformed into artwork for Edinburgh’s new Sick Kids hospital.
Evan Glass, 13, battled through his first two hours of life and mum Danni was told he may never eat, talk or walk. Since birth, he has been fascinating medical experts with his resilience – but it is his dance performances which most often leave people speechless.
Evan began dancing five years ago through attending classes run by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity’s (ECHC) Arts Programme. Run in partnership with Dance Base, the classes support children receiving treatment at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children with their physiotherapy. Through dance, Evan has completely transformed the way he moves.
Danni Glass, Evan’s mum, said: “I was given the news that every mum fears after giving birth – I was told that my baby wouldn’t make it. Doctors still can’t believe he is here but he is proving everybody wrong!
“Since beginning ECHC’s Step Out dance classes, Evan has come on leaps and bounds. His movements used to be quite stiff and robotic but now he moves much more fluidly. His balance has also really improved but where we have seen the biggest changes are in his confidence – it has really helped to bring him out of himself.”
When Evan was offered the opportunity by ECHC to have his dancing made into a piece of artwork for the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP), he jumped at the chance.
To create the piece, Evan and Dance Base Instructor Christina Liddell wore sensors on their wrists and ankles which tracked their movements as they danced together. These movements were digitalised and coloured, then transformed into the beautiful piece of artwork that is now displayed for all to see on entering the new children’s hospital.
Danni said: “Evan is my little miracle. I am so, so proud of everything that he has achieved. He just forgets everything when he dances and loses all of his anxieties – it’s just wonderful to watch.
“He was so excited to take part in the making of the artwork with Christina and thinks the finished piece is the greatest thing ever. I never realised it would be as big as it is – it’s absolutely amazing! When he first saw it, he was so chuffed and wanted to take photos from every angle. It’s just incredible to think that his artwork is now on display for people to see in the hospital forever.”
Fiona O’Sullivan, Arts Programme Manager at ECHC, said: “We are all so proud of just how far Evan has come with the help of our partnership with Dance Base. Since starting out, he has danced with Christina at a number of our events and he always steals the show!
“Our Arts Programme doesn’t just provide distraction for children in hospital – it achieves real results that help to improve patients’ health and wellbeing.
“Evan is testament to this and we are thrilled that his artwork is now on display at the RHCYP so visitors can see just how remarkable he is.”
ECHC’s Arts Programme will play a key role at the RHCYP when it opens next year. The charity has funded over £3.1million worth of enhancements at the new hospital to give children and young people a positive hospital experience.
Evan’s artwork is just one of the many beautiful and often interactive art and design pieces that can be seen throughout the new building.
To help support more children, young people and families in hospital and healthcare like Evan and Danni, donations can be made at www.echcharity.org/donate
All Muirhouse Medical Centre patients eligible for the Flu Injection are invited to attend a walk in or drive through clinic. These clinics are being held on Saturdays and Sundays in October and November.
You may attend any clinic, at the time allocated to your surname. Please be aware that the first clinics are likely to be very busy.
Walk-In clinics will be at Pennywell All Care Centre. They are on Saturday 10th, Sunday 11th, Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th October. Please go to the clinic at the allocated time-slot for the first letter of your surname (listed below).
Drive Through Clinics will be held on Saturday 24th, Sunday 25th and Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st, Saturday 7th, Sunday 8th, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th November at Scottish Gas, 1 Waterfront Avenue, Edinburgh EH5 1SG
You can attend on any of these dates. Please go to the clinic at the allocated time-slot for the first letter of your surname. If there is more than 1 person in the car, come at the time allocated by the surname of the driver.
The time slots are: A & B: 9.00am – 10.00am C & D: 10.00am – 11.00am E – H: 11.00am – 12 noon I – L: 12 noon – 1.00pm M – N: 1.00pm – 2:30pm O – R: 2.30pm – 3.30pm S – U: 3.30pm – 4.30pm V – Z: 4.30pm – 5.30pm
Children’s Flu Vaccine
Children from the age of 2 -5 on 01.09.20 will be offered the flu vaccine and it is strongly recommended that you get your child protected from the flu. You will be sent a leaflet telling you how to book an appointment for your child to get it. (It is a nasal spray, not an injection).
Children at Primary school will be given the injection at school between October and December. They will bring an information leaflet home from school and a permission slip for you to sign.
For more information visit www.nhsinform.scot/childflu or call 0800 22 44 88 .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has outlined his Winter Economy Plan at Westminster
Mr Speaker, Thank you for granting me permission to make this Statement to the House today.
Earlier this week the Prime Minister set out the next stage of the government’s health response to Coronavirus.
Today I want to explain the next phase of our planned economic response.
The House will be reassured to know I have been developing plans to protect jobs and the economy over the winter period.
Plans that seek to strike the finely-judged balance between managing the virus and protecting the jobs and livelihoods of millions. Mr Speaker,
I know people are anxious, and afraid, and exhausted, at the prospect of further restrictions on our economic and social freedoms.
I share those feelings, but there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic.
We are in a fundamentally different position than we were in March.
And we now know much more about this virus.
Public awareness of the risks, and how to mitigate them, is far greater.
And we have met our promise to give the NHS whatever it needs, with significant new funding for NHS capacity, for PPE, and, I can inform the House today, we have now provided over £12 billion for test and trace.
In economic terms, while our output remains well below where it was in February, we have seen three consecutive months of growth.
And millions of people have moved off the furlough and back to work.
But the resurgence of the virus, and the measures we need to take in response, pose a threat to this fragile economic recovery.
So our task now is to move to the next stage of our economic plan, nurturing the recovery by protecting jobs through the difficult winter months.
Mr Speaker, The underlying rationale for the next phase of economic support must be different to what came before.
The primary goal of our economic policy remains unchanged: to support people’s jobs.
But the way we achieve that must evolve.
Back in March, we hoped we were facing a temporary period of disruption.
In response, we provided one of the most generous and comprehensive economic plans anywhere in the world with £190 billion of support for people, businesses and public services, as we protected our economic capacity.
It is now clear, as the Prime Minister and our scientific advisers have said, for at least the next six months the virus and restrictions are going to be a fact of our lives.
Our economy is now likely to undergo a more permanent adjustment.
The sources of our economic growth and the kinds of jobs we create, will adapt and evolve to the new normal. And our plan needs to adapt and evolve in response.
Above all, we need to face up to the trade-offs and hard choices Coronavirus presents. And, Mr Speaker, there has been no harder choice than the decision to end the furlough scheme.
The furlough was the right policy at the time we introduced it.
It provided immediate, short-term protection for millions of jobs through a period of acute crisis.
But as the economy reopens it is fundamentally wrong to hold people in jobs that only exist inside the furlough.
We need to create new opportunities and allow the economy to move forward and that means supporting people to be in viable jobs which provide genuine security.
As I’ve said throughout this crisis, I cannot save every business. I cannot save every job. No Chancellor could.
But what we can and must do is deal with the real problems businesses and employees are facing now.
In March, the problem was that we ordered businesses to close.
In response, we paid people to stay at home and not work.
Today, the problem is different.
Many businesses are operating safely and viably, but they now face uncertainty and reduced demand over the winter months.
What those businesses need is support to bring people back to work and protect as many viable jobs as we can.
To do that, I am announcing today the new Jobs Support Scheme.
The government will directly support the wages of people in work giving businesses who face depressed demand the option of keeping employees in a job on shorter hours rather than making them redundant.
The Jobs Support Scheme is built on three principles.
First, it will support viable jobs.
To make sure of that, employees must work at least a third of their normal hours and be paid for that work, as normal, by their employer.
The government, together with employers, will then increase those people’s wages covering two-thirds of the pay they have lost by reducing their working hours.
And the employee will keep their job.
Second, we will target support at firms who need it the most.
All small and medium sized businesses are eligible.
But larger businesses, only when their turnover has fallen through the crisis.
Third, it will be open to employers across the United Kingdom, even if they have not previously used the furlough scheme.
The scheme will run for six months starting in November.
And employers retaining furloughed staff on shorter hours can claim both the Jobs Support Scheme and the Jobs Retention Bonus.
Mr Speaker,
Throughout this crisis, we have sought parity between employees and the self-employed providing more than £13 billion of support to over 2.6 million self-employed small businesses.
So I am extending the existing self-employed grant on similar terms and conditions as the new Jobs Support Scheme …
Mr Speaker,
These are radical interventions in the UK labour market; policies we have never tried in this country before.
Together with the Jobs Retention Bonus, the Kickstart scheme for young people, tens of billions of pounds of job creation schemes, new investment in training and apprenticeships, we are protecting millions of jobs and businesses.
Mr Speaker, If we want to protect jobs this winter, the second major challenge is helping businesses with cash flow.
Over the last six months, we’ve supported business with tens of billions of pounds of tax deferrals and generous, government-backed loans.
Those policies have been a lifeline.
But right now, businesses need every extra pound to protect jobs rather than repaying loans and tax deferrals.
So I’m taking four further steps today to make that happen.
First, Bounce Back Loans have given over a million small businesses a £38 billion boost to survive this pandemic. To give those businesses more time and greater flexibility to repay their loans, we are introducing Pay As You Grow.
This means:
loans can now be extended from six to ten years – nearly halving the average monthly repayment
businesses who are struggling can now choose to make interest-only payments
and, anyone in real trouble can apply to suspend repayments altogether for up to six months
No business taking up Pay As You Grow will see their credit rating affected as a result.
Second, I am also changing the terms of our other loan schemes.
More than 60,000 Small and Medium sized businesses have now taken out Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans.
To help them, I plan to extend the government guarantee on these loans for up to ten years, making it easier for lenders to give people more time to repay.
I am also extending the deadline of all our loan schemes to the end of the year. And we are starting work on a new, successor loan programme, set to begin in January.
Third, I want to give businesses more time and flexibility over their deferred tax bills.
Nearly half a million businesses deferred more than £30 billion of VAT this year.
On current plans, those payments fall due in March.
Instead, I will allow businesses to spread that VAT bill over 11 smaller repayments, with no interest to pay.
And any of the millions of self-assessed income taxpayers who need extra help, can also now extend their outstanding tax bill over 12 months from next January.
The final step I’m taking today will support two of the most affected sectors: hospitality and tourism.
On current plans, their VAT rates will increase from 5% back to the standard rate of 20% on January the 13th.
So to support more than 150,000 businesses and help protect 2.4 million jobs through the winter I am announcing today that we are cancelling the planned increase and will keep the lower 5% VAT rate until March 31st next year.
Mr Speaker, Today’s measures mark an important evolution in our approach.
Our lives can no longer be put on hold.
Since May, we have taken steps to liberate our economy and society.
We did these things because life means more than simply existing.
We find meaning and hope through our friends and family, through our work, through our community.
People were not wrong for wanting that meaning, for striving towards normality, and nor was the government wrong to want this for them.
I said in the summer that we must endure and live with the uncertainty of the moment.
This means learning our new limits as we go.
Because the truth is the responsibility for defeating Coronavirus cannot be held by government alone.
It is a collective responsibility, shared by all.
Because the cost is paid by all.
We have so often spoken about this virus in terms of lives lost.
But the price our country is paying is wider than that.
The government has done much to mitigate the effects of the awful trade-offs between health, education and employment.
And as we think about the next few weeks and months, we need to bear all of those costs in mind.
As such, it would be dishonest to say there is now some risk-free solution.
Or that we can mandate behaviour to such an extent we lose any sense of personal responsibility.
What was true at the beginning of this crisis remains true now.
It’s on all of us.
And we must learn to live with it and live without fear.
– Customers can sign up for weekly, fortnightly or monthly deliveries of food boxes –
– Customers will receive the delivery without needing a delivery slot –
– Savings introduced for food boxes as demand for other online services increases –
– A Feed a Family Box is also being offered to feed a family of four for five days –
– New site opened in Wakefield to manufacture food boxes –
Morrisons is today announcing new measures to its online food box service that will help customers to get a delivery of groceries to their doorstep.
With demand for online delivery slots increasing across the retail sector, Morrisons will be offering more ways to help customers buy its pre-prepared food boxes.
New measures include:
From today, Customers can opt for a weekly, fortnightly or monthly food box delivery so they can receive a regular and predictable home delivery.
Those who opt for this ‘subscription’ service will receive a 5% discount.
To support customers who want to switch to its Food Boxes Morrisons is offering a further 20 per cent discount which will apply to the first shop. The code is BOX154864P.
Morrisons has set aside a facility in Wakefield with hundreds of staff to make food boxes for the nation.
Morrisons is offering a Feed a Family Recipe Box to feed a family of four for five days
With coronavirus case rates rising and new restrictions being introduced, demand for food boxes has increased by 56% per cent in the last week.
Morrisons food boxes were launched in March in response to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. They provide an alternative for customers who are not able to leave their home or would prefer not to visit a supermarket. Customers can choose from a range of pre-prepared boxes to meet their needs.
Aidan Buckley, Director of Food to Order, for Morrisons said: “Customers use our food box service to get fresh food and cupboard essentials delivered to their doorstep quickly. We are making the service simpler and even better value to ensure everyone can get access to affordable food at this difficult time.”
Morrisons is offering a Feed a FamilyRecipe Box to help families get through the week. It contains five meals to feed a family of four. Costing just £30 each meal works out at only £1.50. A Cupboard Essentials box at £22 includes Long Life Milk, Soup, Rice, Pasta, Tuna, Beans, Custard Creams, Wine Gums and even a 4 pack of Toilet Roll.
Customers can also access a Beers, Wines and Gin Boxes, along with Flowers as treats for themselves or gifts for others.
Morrisons food box range includes; a series of weekly ‘food parcel’ style Essentials Boxes for meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans; Fruit, Meat and Fish boxes for households who want to stock up; and Gluten Free, and Lean Meat boxes for customers with special dietary requirements.
All boxes are ordered online and delivered to customers doors the next day by DPD.
For further information and to order a Morrisons Food Box please visit:
Scotland’s GDP increased by 6.8% in July, according to statistics announced today by the Chief Statistician. The increase in the latest month follows revised estimates of 6.7% growth in June and 3.1% May, and falls of 20.1% in April and 4.9% in March.
Although GDP has increased for the last three months, it remains 10.7% below the level in February, prior to the direct impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July there has been further growth in the three main sectors of the economy. Output in the Services sector is estimated to have increased by 5.5% compared to June, output in the Production sector increased by 8.6%, and Construction sector output is estimated to have increased by 23.4%.
Commenting on the publication of Scottish July GDP figures yesterday, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “As the Prime Minister said last night, the struggle against covid is the single biggest crisis the world has faced in our lifetimes.
“The UK Government is focussed on stopping the spread of coronavirus and keeping people safe, while doing everything we can to protect the economy.
“Through the furlough and self-employed schemes, we directly supported more than 930,000 jobs in Scotland, a third of the workforce.
“Now, the Chancellor’s comprehensive Plan for Jobs is bringing in the Job Retention Bonus, creating new jobs for young people through the kick start scheme, doubling the number of work coaches, and are supporting jobs in the tourism and hospitality sectors through a VAT cut.”
Background points:
The UK Government has directly supported more than 930,000 jobs in Scotland, a third of the workforce through the furlough and self-employed schemes.
Over 1.8 million jobs in the hospitality sector have been supported through the Eat Out to Help Out scheme with more than 6.3 million meals eaten in Scotland.
The UK Government has loaned more than £2.3 billion to 65,000 Scottish businesses.
An additional £6.5 billion in Barnett Consequentials has been provided by the UK Government to the Scottish Government since March 2020.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to make an announcement on a new emergency employment scheme to replace the current furlough arrangements later today.
Two-thirds of branded grocery packaging not fully recyclable
Crisps, chocolate and cheese are among the worst foods for packaging recyclability, with brands including Pringles, Cadbury and Babybel failing to do their bit for the environment, a new Which? investigation has revealed.
The consumer champion analysed 89 of the UK’s best-selling branded groceries and found only a third (34%) had packaging that was fully recyclable in household collections. To make matters worse, around four in 10 (41%) items had no labelling to show if they could be recycled, leaving consumers none the wiser about how to dispose of them.
Which? looked at 10 different categories of items including popular brands of chocolate, fizzy drinks, crisps, yoghurts, drinks, cheese, bread loaves and cereals. Which? experts broke down each item’s packaging into its component parts, weighed them and assessed whether each piece could be easily recycled.
The recyclability of different types of groceries varied hugely. The worst category by some distance was crisps, with only three per cent of packaging recyclable in household collections. This included Pringles and their notoriously hard to recycle combined material tube.
The tube’s plastic lid made it the only product in the category to have at least one component that was recyclable in household recycling. However it wasn’t labelled to say so and the tube design is far heavier than any other packaging in this category – so it would take more energy to transport.
The best of a bad lot in this category was a Quavers multipack. None of the individual packets of crisps were easily recyclable, but the outer bag, at least, was recyclable at supermarket collection points. However it wasn’t labelled to say so, meaning consumers could mistakenly throw it out with everyday rubbish.
While significantly better than bagged snacks, when Which? took apart and analysed cheese packaging it found that a third (34%) was not easily recyclable. Snack packs of Cathedral City and Babybel were packaged in plastic net bags, which are not only difficult to recycle but can also cause problems if they get caught up in the recycling machines accidentally.
Cheestrings were also found to be problematic, with packaging that was not recyclable in household collections.
At the other end of the spectrum, packaging for Dairylea Cheese Triangles, Seriously Spreadable Cheese and Laughing Cow triangles was all recyclable – but all had this important information missing from their labels at the time of testing. Philadelphia Soft White Cheese’s packaging is recyclable and was correctly labelled.
Among the chocolate snacks Which? looked at, almost a third of packaging was not recyclable. Favourites like four finger KitKats, Cadbury Bitsa Wispa, M&Ms, Cadbury Dairy Milk bars and Cadbury Twirl Bites were all found to not be recyclable in household recycling at all.
The Galaxy Smooth bar had 100 per cent recyclable packaging, but due to a lack of labelling risked being thrown out in the same way as its less eco-friendly counterparts.
None of the bread packaging Which? looked at was recyclable in household collections. But it was recyclable if taken to supermarket collection points alongside plastic bags. All of it was labelled.
The most recyclable category was fizzy drinks, which were found to be 100 per cent recyclable. All 10 items Which? looked at in this category were correctly labelled.
Juice drinks were mainly recyclable in household collections, with the exception of Ocean Spray and Capri-Sun. Ocean Spray cartons are like Pringles tubes in that they are made of mixed materials that make them difficult to recycle in household collections, while Capri-Sun’s foil pouches are not recyclable.
In a separate survey, Which? found that the recyclability of grocery packaging is important to eight in 10 respondents (79%), and two thirds (67%) often or always look for recycling info on grocery packaging before deciding how to dispose of it.
Some brands are trialling more environmentally sound options. Pringles is testing a new recycled paper tube at several UK Tesco stores, which if successful could be pushed out more widely.
In response to Which?’s findings, some manufacturers said that food waste had a larger carbon footprint than plastic waste and claimed that moving away from traditional packaging to recyclable alternatives could lead to compromised, stale or damaged food. Some also said that their packaging was recyclable at TerraCycle collection points.
But Which? believes that a lack of consistency and hugely varied approaches to grocery packaging shows that some manufacturers could be doing a lot more to ensure the materials used to package their products do not end up in landfill.
The responsible use of the right materials to package food is just one part of the problem. In order to tackle unnecessary waste, products also need to be correctly labelled with clear instructions of how packaging should be disposed of.
The recurring inconsistencies Which? has found on the way groceries are labelled when it comes to recyclability shows how confusing it is to navigate for even for the most environmentally conscious consumers.
Which? is calling on the government to make recycling labelling simple, clear and mandatory, so that all consumers are able to make informed decisions when buying groceries.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said:“Consumers are crying out for brands that take sustainability seriously and products that are easy to recycle, but for any real difference to be made to the environment, manufacturers need to maximise their use of recyclable and recycled materials and ensure products are correctly labelled.
“To reduce the waste that goes to landfill, the government must make labelling mandatory, simple and clear, enabling shoppers to know exactly how to dispose of the packaging on the products they consume.”
Long term support needed to stop Covid-19 causing permanent harm to a generation
This generation of children will need support to help them cope with the lasting effects of bereavement and loss long after the crisis is over, to avoid long term impact to their mental health and wellbeing.
This is the message from Barnardo’s on the same day the charity broadcasts its latest TV advert in its Believe in Me campaign, highlighting the importance of support services for children and young people who have experienced bereavement, loss or grief.
The leading national children’s charity says this is the situation for thousands of children facing a new reality after lockdown. In many cases, they have lost a loved one, lost the chance of opportunities they were about to take up or lost their normal support systems.
In the ad, to be aired from 24 September 2020 onwards, a computer generated crow symbolises the feelings of loss and grief a young boy experiences from losing his Mum, before receiving support from a Barnardo’s counsellor.
Before Covid-19, official stats showed 1 in 29 5-16 year olds had been bereaved of a parent or sibling – that’s at least one child in every average class.
Data is not yet available to show how much this number has increased due to Covid-19. But as of 1 September, 41,504 people had died within 28 days of being tested positive for COVID-19 – so we know many more children and young people will be experiencing bereavement.
Some communities will be especially impacted by grief and bereavement, especially those at higher risk of becoming seriously ill or dying from the virus, such as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities or those living in areas of high deprivation.
Data from Kooth, the online mental health counselling provider, shows the emotional toll the pandemic has had on BAME children. It has seen a 26.6% increase in BAME children contacting them with suicidal thoughts, compared to 18.1% for white children as a result of Covid-19.
And a survey of Barnardo’s frontline staff found approximately four in five(81%) are supporting someone reporting an increase in mental health issues due to the Covid-19 crisis.
There is support out there for children who are struggling with the return to school, including the Government-funded See, Hear, Respond programme, which is led by Barnardo’s and delivered in partnership with 80 charities and organisations. However, this is only funded until the end of November.
The Government has announced several initiatives to support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, including a package of mental health support through local authorities for schools to run for the next six months.
But Barnardo’s says that much more needs to be done.
Children’s grief will not just stop when these programmes stop and says there must be a strategy for longer term support, because children will need differing levels of support at different times.
This must not just be about providing counselling sessions for children, but also looking at how the systems in place to help young people cope with their mental health and wellbeing can be improved.
Ensuring schools are places of safety, offer a nurturing learning environment, and are linked to specialist services that can support children and young people through this difficult time will be critical.
And the UK’s leading children’s charity is calling on the Government to go much further than this in the longer term.
It wants the Government to use the pandemic as a catalyst to bring about a sea change in the education system – to ensure that schools prioritise child welfare and wellbeing, so that they are on a par with academic achievement.
There must also be additional long-term investment in early intervention children’s services to help not only children who are experiencing issues arising from the pandemic now, but also those who will need help in the future.
The pandemic has shut down valuable sources of income for the charity so it is also asking people to donate to ensure it can give the support that is needed.
Barnardo’s Chief Executive, Javed Khan said: “Our new TV advert features a young boy suffering from grief after the death of his mother.
“Sadly, these raw emotions will be familiar to thousands of children and families across the UK, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Too many children and young people have lost family members and experienced loss in their wider communities – especially those from BAME communities. Others have lost support systems, contact with friends and families, and missed out on opportunities, creating feelings of isolation and anxiety for the future.
“At Barnardo’s we believe that with the right support all children can recover from trauma and work towards a positive future. We provide this support across the country – but we can’t do it alone. Now more than ever we rely on the support of our friends and partners, and the generosity of the public, to continue our vital work.”
Case study – The Kerry Family – Barnardo’s Orchard Mosaic Bereavement Service – Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Rachel and Keith Kerry’s son Owen was killed in a knife attack in a social club in Cramlington, Northumberland on Christmas Eve 2016. He was 19.
Owen’s sisters Eve and Summer (now 14 and 9) started bereavement therapy at Barnardo’s Orchard Mosaic in Jesmond, Newcastle within a fortnight of Owen’s death. Rachel also has therapy at Orchard Mosaic. Their therapy is funded by Victim Support. Rachel is a Youth Worker and Keith is a Youth Support Worker.
Eve wasn’t ready to talk so she started by doing a lot of creative therapy with drawing and using shells and stones and other objects to represent feelings, which helped her express herself until she was ready to talk about how she felt.
“When my brother died it was very sudden and really upsetting” she says. “I came to Orchard Mosaic to get help and talk about how I felt about it. I was nervous – I was crying at first but I’ve been coming for two years and I’ve really shared things.”
Eve’s mother Rachel says: “At the time everything was such a blur – we were conscious that we wanted the girls to have that avenue to express how they felt. Because it was such an intense situation, we were very concerned they wouldn’t be able to share their feelings and that they would think they wouldn’t want to burden Mum and Dad with how they were feeling – that they’d think we’d already got enough on our plates.
“Just having the professional support there has been vital for the girls – to have someone who can give them an expert, objective view to help them understand a little of how they are feeling. So if they are feeling angry the therapist can tell them that that is how people normally react and be able work with them to deal with those feelings.”
Both girls have been coming to therapy for two and half years. The sessions with Barnardo’s have come in groups of six for Eve and Summer, so that they can use them as they’ve needed to – especially at difficult times like Christmas, Owen’s birthday and starting new schools. They can stop when they think they’ve gone as far as they can, but come back as things change and they feel different.
“It’s good to have that continuation, that safety net” says Rachel. “Because the door is left ajar for you to come back if you need to, it strengthens you knowing you have that safety net to catch you.
“It’s helped that the girls have been with the same workers all along and have not had to go through it all again from the beginning with different people. In that way the Barnardo’s workers have become like a nice family.”
“When I’m not managing I know I can come back” says Eve. “It helps to know once you’ve stopped your sessions that if you need the therapy again you can come back to the same person and not have to tell everyone everything all over again.”
When Summer first started she was only five years’ old and wasn’t ready for talking about her feelings , so she has had a lot of play therapy, then when she was a bit older she came back to start talking.
“I didn’t talk about my feelings at first, but I wanted to come”,she said. “I started doing some activities and it helped a lot.
“When I was angry I had lots of ways to help, like listening to music and stress balls, talking to adults. They all helped me when I was feeling angry but listening to music was my favourite.”
Rachel worried about Eve starting secondary school as the high profile nature of the their bereavement was well known, especially in a relatively small town like Cramlington.
“Everyone in the town knows what has happened to us, so the therapy has helped. It’s been an additional avenue for Eve to talk about the things on her mind, and it’s focused on her and her needs, so she knows this is for her and she can say whatever she wants. It’s important that it’s not to us she’s talking to, her parents, but someone else, so she can say what she wants without any worries about upsetting us.
“Everyone has been super supportive, and we’ve had a lot of support from our community with different charity events. But it can be a bit difficult to have people who know of you even if they don’t know you. It’s been more an issue for me – no one has ever said anything – but sometimes it’s been hard to get up in the morning and it’s hard to feel the spotlight is on you.”
“At school people understand but they don’t understand” says Eve. “They know what I’m going through, but they haven’t experienced it because it hasn’t happened to them. But they support me.”
Even so the grief has had an impact on Eve at school – she’s been distracted from her learning, so some of the therapy has been about the impact of what’s happened on her life, so she can stay focused.
“It’s been a joined-up thing with the school and Barnardo’s” says Rachel. “It’s hard for Eve in a new school and if she didn’t have the avenue to express her feelings she might have been pulled in the wrong direction.
“But grief has an impact on everything, every area of your life and at the time you don’t realise how wide it goes. In my therapy we’ve ended up talking about everything, not just Owen and my feelings. It’s really helpful to have your grief recognised and to have it confirmed that it’s a normal response to an abnormal situation and that that’s okay.”
Keith has had post-traumatic stress disorder and has tried different types of therapy (not through Barnardo’s) but he feels he hasn’t found the right way to help him yet. But he sees how effective the therapy has been for the others.
“We can see the change in the girls when they have the sessions” he says. “Before Summer came back she was angry without realising why and we could see the difference in her after a few sessions – it was the same with Eve. You can see the difference for even a small period of time.”
“It’s been good for us to see how the therapy worked for Eve at the beginning” says Rachel “and now it is helping Summer. I think it’s reassuring – obviously not everything works for every person, but for us it has worked. Everyone is at different stages of grief – we’re all past the initial shock, but we’re all managing and coping in different ways now.”
The difference the therapy has made is stark for Rachel and the girls.
“I think if I hadn’t come I would have been stuck” says Eve. “It’s made a difference being around someone you can share anything with and they won’t judge you for it.
“I don’t think I’d be where I am right now if I didn’t come here and get the help I needed. It’s helped me stay on the right track and understand why I feel like this and I know it’s part of grief”.
“I’ve really benefited from my sessions” says Rachel. “I dread to think where I’d be without them. I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without the help from Barnardo’s – that’s absolutely fact.
“It’s helped me with so many things like my relationships, being a better mam, working through things at work – we’ve talked about everything.
Summer sums it up: “It makes me feel a bit happier to come here and I really like it.”
2 – Shay from Merseyside
At the age of 14, Shay suffered from crippling anxiety and depression after her nan died and then her parents separated just a week later. She couldn’t leave the house for months and stopped going to school. Not long after, she was at the Manchester concert when there was a terrorist attack and was diagnosed with PTSD. Shay was supported through therapy by Barnardo’s BOSS service in Merseyside and is now looking to the future with hope as she studies her dream course at university.
Shay’s story
Shay*, 21, from Merseyside, has just completed her first year of university in Liverpool where she is studying advanced beauty, achieving a 1st for her coursework and practical exams. She is excited about the future as she enters into her second year.
It would be difficult for anyone that didn’t know Shay to guess the immense challenges she has overcome in the past few years, and still manages today, after struggles with crippling anxiety and depression triggered by events in her teens.
Up until Shay was 14, she had never really had any issues with her mental health, despite the fact she’d been bullied from a young age.
She was picked on by a girl in her class throughout primary school about anything and everything – from the way she looked to the way she held her pen – and this carried on with the same girl through high school.
Shay said: “Although there were a few other girls in her group, it was the same girl that was the ringleader and the bullying mainly went unnoticed by teachers.
“My mum knew about it and would come in and speak to teachers, who would have a word with the girl, but nothing changed. If anything, it got worse after every time she was spoken to. I had my own friends and so I just tried my best to ignore it.”
But in 2014 when Shay was in Year 9, she unfortunately suffered a series of traumatic events in the space of just a few days, when her nan died and then only a week later, Shay’s dad left her mum, taking her brother with him.
Shay said: “I was really close to my nan, she only lived nearby with my grandad and I used to go round to see her every Sunday and we would bake together. Her death hit me and my mum really hard. And then a week later, my dad left and took my brother with him. I’d noticed my mum and dad had been arguing for a while, but him leaving was just a total shock. My dad and I were so close but after he left, he didn’t want to have any contact with me. I just felt so depressed and so did my mum.”
Following the death of Shay’s nan, the school provided a bereavement counsellor for two weeks to help her come to terms with her loss. One of the things Shay did with her counsellor was to make a shoe box of memories of her nan, which Shay says helped her and she still has now.
But after this traumatic time, Shay’s depression and anxiety just began to get worse. She started to become withdrawn from her friends and not wanting to go out, only really speaking to her mum. And the bullying at school started to have much more of an impact on Shay’s wellbeing.
Things got so bad that over the next year, Shay was only able to go into school for one or two days a week. Another girl at school also started bullying her and made threats, resulting in Shay not wanting to get out of bed and barely leaving home.
Shay’s mum and her school referred her for counselling. Shay said: “I hadn’t thought about counselling, or that it was something I needed, but I was in such a bad place and just couldn’t see a way out. The counsellor came to visit me at school.
“In the space of only a few weeks, I was appointed three different counsellors, having to re-tell my story each time to each one. As you can guess, we didn’t get very far as it was mainly me just having to re-explain what had happened to me and how I felt each time, which just made me feel even worse and more depressed.”
To try and support Shay at school, she was offered ‘isolation’, where she was put in a room with a handful of other pupils.
Shay said: “There was no teacher in the room, you were given the topic and had to teach yourself and look things up on google if you were unsure. All the naughty kids were put in this room too, sometimes including the people that bullied me. It was so difficult to motivate yourself and I really struggled as it just made me so anxious all the time and didn’t help at all.”
Shay didn’t go into school for almost all of Year 11 and dropped most of her lessons. She started having suicidal thoughts and was referred to Barnardo’s BOSS service in Merseyside, which provides counselling for children and young people in the area.
Shay said: “By this point, I was so anxious and couldn’t leave the house, but I also knew I simply couldn’t carry on like this and wanted things to change.
“My counsellor from Barnardo’s came to the house to visit me and asked if I wanted help. She explained she would visit me at home for the first few sessions, but then she wanted me to start coming out to meet her, to get me out of the house.
“It was quite overwhelming at first but then I started to feel more hopeful about things. I met my counsellor once a week and she helped me with coping methods.
“She helped me to deal with the loss of my nan by talking about how it made me feel and writing my feelings down in a diary. She encouraged me to put all my nicest memories of my nan into a memory jar, and read these when I felt sad. I still use this now sometimes.
“We would make to-do lists and set goals to give me a focus of things to do for the day, so I wouldn’t just hide away in bed. She got me to start doing more of the things I enjoyed, such as baking, walking the dog and practising make up again, which was one of my passions I’d lost for a while.
“After the first few sessions, I started getting the bus to meet her. The first few times my mum would wait outside, but then I started getting the bus on my own and my counsellor would meet me at the bus stop.
“I became more positive and gained the confidence to start at college a couple of days a week and re-sit my GCSEs. I was still anxious for most of that time as I readjusted to socialising again, but I was also excited and started to plan what I wanted to do with my life.”
Shay started work experience at a beauty salon and the owner, who had also suffered with anxiety, helped Shay to continue building a more positive mindset.
Throughout Shay’s whole journey, her mum has been her absolute rock. The pair grew so close and did everything together.
On 22 May 2017, Shay and her mum had arranged to go to Manchester to see Shay’s idol, Ariana Grande, in concert.
Shay said: “I loved the concert but I was anxious about how many people were there, so my mum and I got up to leave slightly early to avoid the crowds at the end. As we were about to walk into the foyer, that’s when the bomb went off.
“We saw the people lying on the floor and everyone started screaming and trampling over each other. We ran to a different exit to get out and called a friend to pick us up.
“I just felt numb and empty about it all. I can’t remember much about what happened – I must have blocked it out – and the whole time period of weeks surrounding that night are a blur.
“The next morning was one of my GCSE exam re-sits. I didn’t want to go, but I also didn’t want to go back to how I was before, so I used the techniques my Barnardo’s counsellor taught me to not stay in bed and dwell, but to get up and went to sit my exam, which I was proud of myself for. I met with my counsellor a few days later as mum was worried this might set me back, but it hadn’t hit me then and didn’t until a long time after.”
Two months later, Shay was on holiday with family. As they watched an outdoor show one evening, a thunder and lightning storm hit unexpectedly.
Shay said: “Everyone started screaming and running to get away from the storm and it brought everything back from that night.
“I had a panic attack and started crying and felt I was reliving what happened at the concert. After that, I struggled to deal with loud or unexpected noises like people slamming doors and fireworks, or people running.”
Shay was later diagnosed by a doctor with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Shay had moved on from her one to one counselling sessions and started attending group therapy sessions through Barnardo’s, where a small group of young people would meet with the counsellor each week.
Shay said: “We did lots of ice breakers and exercises to explore anxiety and build our confidence, as well as things like meditation. We all made friends and it was really valuable to realise other young people were going through similar things to me.”
Shay continued in her efforts to move forward and enrolled on a beauty course at college, which she loved. However, she started to feel depressed again during a difficult period when her mum was ill and had a long stay in hospital, meaning Shay was living on her own.
Shay said: “I accessed support through adult mental health services but was discharged as I was struggling to keep appointments whilst visiting mum. I was able to restart these though once mum was feeling better and they helped me to manage the change of starting university and to feel more stable.”
A specialist NHS Hub kept in regular contact with Shay after the terror attack at the concert to monitor her PTSD and provided a series of specialist therapy sessions to manage the side effects she was still experiencing. Shay’s PTSD symptoms have since improved and she has even recently been back to the Manchester venue to attend a concert with friends.
“It was very emotional at first to remember where it all happened, but I enjoyed myself and was really proud I could do this. I’ve have been back a few times now.”
For the past two years, Shay has been involved with a Barnardo’s participation group linked to the BOSS counselling service, where she and several other young people that have used the service meet to talk about issues affecting them and young people in general, and help to advise Barnardo’s on how to make their services more user friendly.
Shay said: “I enjoy being a part of this group, it feels good to give back and help others after how much Barnardo’s has helped me.”
Shay was also able to go on a trip abroad last year with her university course, which was a huge landmark moment for her and something she never thought she would have the confidence to do.
“I felt so much pride that I was able to do this – of course I was anxious in the lead up and all the way to my mum dropping me off at the airport, but I calmed down when I saw my friends and I loved the trip. It’s given me the self-assurance now that I feel I could travel more in the future with friends.”
When asked what would have happened if she hadn’t received support for her mental health, Shay said:“If I hadn’t been able to access the counselling and support with Barnardo’s that I’ve had to improve my mental health, I feel like I still wouldn’t have left the house.
“I just couldn’t have seen a future going forwards and Barnardo’s has supported me so much.
“I’m so much more positive now and so proud of how far I’ve come in my journey. I learnt lots of different techniques that I still use every day to help manage my anxiety and depression, such as different breathing techniques and meditation, as well as the to-do lists, setting goals and writing down how I feel in a diary, which I really recommend.
“My goals started off as mini ones, such as getting the bus by myself and going to see friends, but they graduated to bigger goals, such as college, saving up for my own car, learning to drive and going to uni! A few years ago, I could barely leave the house but now I’m hardly in it as I’m always out with friends or walking my dog.
“I do still struggle sometimes with my anxiety, but it’s not as intense as it was and I have techniques I can use to help me deal with it.”
Has the lockdown impacted on you?
Shay said: “I feel the lockdown was a step backwards for me and had quite a big impact.
“I was doing really well before, and although I was lucky I could continue my studies online, I started getting more anxious about leaving the house, being near crowds and talking to people when I started going back out. I’m excited to start uni again and see my friends though.”
Shay’s advice for other young people who may be struggling with anxiety, depression or with their mental health in general, is this:“It’s hard to speak to people about things at first, but it does get easier and it does get better.
“There is support out there and although in the beginning I felt like nothing would work and was anxious about going to therapy, I started looking forward to it each week. It was good to have someone to talk to and I learnt lots of coping techniques that I still use today.
“By accepting help I feel it does help you to move forward and when I look back now, it’s crazy to think how far I’ve come in the last few years.”
Scale and urgency of the situation demands joint working to find solutions
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for urgent four nation talks to continue to drive coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission to the lowest possible level.
Acting quickly and decisively is essential, said the First Minister, pointing to scientific opinion that bringing the virus back under control will require measures beyond those which any of the four nations have so far announced.
Last night’s letter also highlights the fact that the ability of the Scottish Government and other devolved administrations to take action is curtailed by a lack of financial levers to deliver economic support, for example to the hospitality sector.
The First Minister said four-nation talks should consider three inter-related questions:
Based on the most recent data, what further actions might be necessary and is it possible to reach early four nations agreement on introducing them?
Given that further restrictions will inevitably have an economic impact, what support is required for affected sectors?
If it is not possible to reach a four nations agreement on further restrictions with associated support, what arrangements can be put in place to ensure that devolved administrations are not constrained in making what they judge to be essential public health decisions because they lack the financial flexibility to provide support to affected sectors or individuals?
