Day: March 14, 2022

Native Edinburgh announces Community Creation Initiative

£1000 fund now open to designers

Budding artists and designers now have the chance to make their mark on a historic building in Edinburgh, with a piece of their commissioned art set to be displayed in the lobby of aparthotel group Native Edinburgh as part of their refurbishment plans. 

Bringing sustainability and a sense of local place into their renovations, the exciting new community collaboration sees Native Edinburgh supporting Scottish designers ahead of their relaunch in May as a lifestyle destination.

Launching today (Monday, 14th March) the new initiative will give local designers the chance to take home £1000, on top of having their commissioned art or designs on display and becoming part of the hotel interiors.

Native is calling out artists with a keen eye on sustainability using wood carving – modern or traditional in the creation of their aesthetic objects to apply to win the commission fund. This is a rare chance to be part of the aparthotel’s stylish decor, and any designers are encouraged to send fill out this form with Native choosing the first successful designer of the fund by March 31st.

The Native Community Creations campaign will see each of their aparthotels in the UK collaborate with designers, artists, suppliers to run year-long creative programming on property that supports creativity and sustainability. 

Nestled in the original fabric of Edinburgh’s historic New Town, an area of outstanding neo-classical and Georgian architecture, and a UNESCO world heritage site, Native Edinburgh is ensuring their interiors are as beautifully adorned as their exteriors, with this new competition open to all designers in Edinburgh and beyond. 

Awarded double gold from Greengage’s ECOsmart programme in 2021, Native has embraced a road to recovery that targets sustainable travellers and an eco-friendly approach to operations.

Believing that by choosing sustainable accommodation you can, amongst other things, cut down your own carbon footprint without compromising on a comfortable and stylish stay, Native’s latest style elevation has even looked to the Scottish environment for inspiration. 

With 82 apartments comprising studios, one bedrooms, and ground floor leisure, Native Edinburgh provides the flexibility and amenities of a design-led boutique hotel, coupled with the space, comfort and privacy of a home from home in the heart of the city.

Rani Saidi, head of marketing of Native Places UK said: “Collaboration is part of our fabric here at Native. We are always championing the independents in the cities we feature, and it’s now time to shine the spotlight on creatives. 

“This new community initiative will support designers across the UK in our properties, and in Edinburgh, we will be marking our refurbishment with a collaboration with a local designer. 

“With a £1000 prize fund, we are inviting creatives across Scotland to apply to our fund and help us bring a sense of community to our lobby in Edinburgh.”

The Community Initiative Fund is now open to designers and artists. The fund will close on 31 March 2022, with one designer picked to receive £1000 and their work commissioned for Native Edinburgh.

To apply now, enter here. 

IAS launches free legal advice scheme for Ukrainians

The Immigration Advice Service (IAS) has announced a new scheme that will offer free legal advice to Ukrainian nationals and residents who are both in the UK or attempting to migrate to the UK following the Russian invasion.

The free advice scheme has been launched due to IAS’s growing concern over incorrect and misleading advice provided to Ukrainians by the Home Office helpline.

For over a decade, IAS has helped thousands of clients with their immigration issues and strongly believes that everyone should be entitled to reliable, professional immigration, and asylum advice. The new scheme will allow Ukrainian nationals and their family members to make sense of and navigate the constantly changing concessions offered by the Home Office.

Natalie Pashley, Immigration Casework Supervisor at IAS, said: “A group of lawyers at IAS have volunteered their time to provide this assistance following alarming conversations with a number of clients who had received incorrect, misleading, and often dangerous advice from the helpline set up by the Home Office.

“Our experience of dealing with the Home Office helpline has been no better, in one phone call I had towards the end of last week, they were not even aware that family members of British Citizens could make a free application, and were still advising people to go to the Kyiv Application Centre, which has been closed for some time now.”

The IAS is aware of several examples in which Ukrainian nationals and residents have received incorrect or dangerous advice from the Home Office following Russia’s invasion of the country.

Recently, the Home Office Ukraine helpline advised a British Citizen, currently in the UK, to travel to Kyiv in order to apply for a visa for his wife. This information was not only incorrect but put this person in an incredibly dangerous situation.

They spent several days at the Polish border waiting to leave Ukraine and have so far waited over a week for a decision on what is supposed to be an urgent application. The free advice scheme that IAS is offering will help to avoid cases like those outlined above.

The seriousness of the current situation in Ukraine means that now, more than ever, accurate and helpful immigration advice is needed to ensure the safety of Ukrainian nationals and residents and IAS’s experienced immigration lawyers are helping to provide this.

North Berwick High School team are runners up in national business investors competition

Senior pupils from North Berwick High School have been named as runners up as part of a competition to find the most promising next generation of business investors.

The young women, aged 16-18, were recognised in the Growing Future Assets Competition, a contest to nurture future female investment experts and encourage them to consider a career in the industry. 

But the winning teams faced tough competition to triumph in the finals, with entries up by a record-breaking 300% this year.

The girls from North Berwick High School were runners up in the senior 16 -18 age group category, winning £500 for the school and £100 of vouchers each.

The team from Lochaber High School in Fort William won the senior competition collecting £1000 for the school and £200 of vouchers of the students’ choice for each team member.

North Berwick High School team members Bethan, Marcia and Keira say: “We really enjoyed getting an insight into the world of investment and are inspired to continue to find out more.

“Working closely with our mentor Amanda was massively helpful, she supported us with the financial aspect of the competition and gave great presentation tips, which will give us a competitive edge in our future careers.

“The Growing Future Assets Competition has given us unparalleled knowledge which we otherwise wouldn’t have had, and we would encourage young people curious about business and finance careers to get involved in the future.”

In the 13-16 year category, the team from Larbert High School, Falkirk, came out top and runners up were girls from Bishopbriggs Academy, East Dunbartonshire.

Financial educators Future Asset believe that being female should never be a barrier to progressing in a chosen career and the contest introduces senior schoolgirls to potential careers in investment, demonstrating how working in the sector can change the world for the better and give young women valuable, transferable skills.

Business Education teacher for North Berwick High School, Hannah Fox says: “The competition offers more than a chance to gain an insight into the investment industry via task completion, it opens doors to valuable industry mentors and opportunities for work place visits.

“It is genuinely the most valuable educational competition I’ve worked on and would not hesitate to recommend it to educational peers.”

During the competition youngsters had to prove their ability to spot the next big investment prospect by researching, analysing and pitching a company, from a selection of 38 businesses, they considered a great long-term venture.

The North Berwick High School team alongside two other teams pitched renewable energy company Ørsted, the fourth picked Accsys Technologies which produces high-performance building material from renewable wood sources. All considered environmental sustainability of central importance.

Mairi Dudley, Head of UK Market Development at Ørsted, said: “We are honoured to have been chosen by so many of these high-achieving girls as their investment of choice. As the world’s most sustainable energy company, we hold social sustainability and inclusion at the highest value.

“Reducing barriers and widening participation in traditionally male-dominated industries is vital for us to keep achieving our goals and protecting the environment. It’s inspiring to see these values held in such high esteem by future generations.”

More than 80 groups, totalling almost 370 girls, took part from all over Scotland. They were mentored by more than 80 investment management professionals offering advice, inspiration and career insights, and supported by teachers.

Fund Manager for Artemis and judge for the Senior competition, Neil Goddin says: “What a fantastic finals day we had; the standard of presentations was extremely high and all the teams, both in the final and the wider competition, should be proud of the effort they put in.

“Watching the confidence and knowledge levels grow through the competition was great to see and I am sure we will see lots of young females joining the asset management in the coming years.”

More than 80 groups, totalling almost 370 girls, took part from all over Scotland. They were mentored by more than 80 investment management professionals offering advice, inspiration and career insights, and supported by teachers.

Chief Operating Officer for Martin Currie, Jennifer Mair says: “Martin Currie recognises the value of a diverse workforce and we partner with a number of organisations to grow diversity in the investment management industry.

“We support Future Asset with their aim of informing female talent about financial services and the range of possible career opportunities in the sector.  We were delighted to act as mentors for and share insights with the team from North Berwick High School.  We are very proud of their achievement in the recent Growing Future Assets Investment Competition.”

Helen Bradley, Future Asset programme manager, says: “The judges were hugely impressed by all the teams. The standard was fantastically high and all the presentations were worthy of industry professionals.

“The winning senior team, Lochaber High School, delivered passion and commitment that the panel felt was unrivalled.”

For more information visit https://www.futureasset.org.uk/

Construction: Start performance continues to decline, but negative curves start to soften

  • Planning approvals and main contract awards rally, indicating future recovery
  • Value of underlying work starting on-site (less than £100 million) during the three months to February fell 12% against the preceding three months, down 30% compared with the previous year
  • Residential project-starts performed poorly, with the value declining 21% against the preceding three-month period to stand 46% lower than a year ago.
  • Non-residential work starting on-site increased 1% against the preceding three months but fell 2% compared with a year ago
  • Civil engineering-starts slip back 17% against the preceding three-month period to stand 34% lower than the previous year.

Glenigan, the construction industry’s insight expert, has released the March 2022 edition of its Construction Index.

The Index focuses on February 2022, covering all projects with a total value of £100m or less (unless otherwise indicated), with all figures seasonally adjusted.

It’s a report which provides a detailed and comprehensive analysis of year-on-year construction data, giving built environment professionals a unique insight into sector performance over the last 12 months.

Silver Linings

Although decline continued into February, making it the weakest on record, performance-wise since 2015, a strengthening pipeline of planning approvals and main contract awards indicates future, if not immediate, recovery.

This month’s Index shows that, the downward curve, which has persisted since spring 2021, is starting to soften. Supply chain issues might continue to bite, but are less aggressive in material terms.

Glenigan Index March 2022.png

However, socio-economic ructions caused by the Russia-Ukraine situation will no doubt have an effect as fuel and energy prices are likely to rocket in Q.2 and Q.3. However, the full impact is still too early to appreciate.

Sector Analysis – Residential

Private housing experienced one of the worst overall performances of any sector during this period, with the value of project starts declining by 23% against the preceding three months (to February 2022), standing 50% lower than a year ago.

Social housing fared little better, having remained relatively robust in the preceding months, falling 16% during the period and 26% compared with the previous year.

Looking at the sector overall, work commencing on site fell 21% during the three months to February, and were 46% lower than the previous year.

Sector Specific – Non-Residential

It was a mixed bag in the non-residential sector, however, a few trends are starting to emerge which indicate post-COVID resurgence.

Last month, the Index reported that hotel & leisure grew (23% on the preceding year, and 35% in the three months to January). Once more, the sector has increased performance-wise, standing 23% on the preceding the three months to February and 7% higher than a year ago.

Community & amenity was another March index high-riser, experiencing a spike in activity. Starts jumped 28% against the preceding 3 months and 38% compared with a year ago.

Industrial-starts, the consistent star performer in Index terms, declined 17% during the three-month period covered by the Index. However, the vertical remained steadfast, up 19% on the previous year.

Sprinting ahead, office construction-starts increased by nearly a fifth (17%) in the three months to end of February, but fell marginally short compared to 2021 levels (-6%)

Education and health-starts fell, reflecting a steady decline in both sectors, which will no doubt throw the Government’s levelling-up policy open to scrutiny.

Whilst infrastructure construction-starts indicated green shoots of recovery, increasing 2% during the three months to February, the value fell 27% compared to 2021.

Modest increases will be tempered by another sharp fall for civils work, down 17% against the preceding three months and 34% compared with a year ago. The utilities sector added further salt to the wound once again posting big losses in start terms, falling 43% against the preceding three months to February to stand 48% lower than a year ago.

Regional Analysis

The North East was the best performer during the three months to February, and the only one that experienced growth against this period and 2021 (+6%).

Inconsistency reigned supreme in the other regions. Scotland experienced the greatest increase in project starts against the preceding three months (+13%), but was down 36% on a year ago. Similarly, project starts in London declined by over a quarter (26%) compared to 2021, but increased during the three months to February. The South East was the only other region to experience growth against the preceding three months (+4%).

Unfortunately, all other regions returned poor performances. The value of project starts fell in the West Midlands by 41% during the three months to February, standing 54% lower compared to a year ago. Strong declines were also seen in the East Midlands, East of England, North West and South West on both the Index period covered and 2021.

Commenting on the Index’s findings, Glenigan’s Senior Economist, Rhys Gadsby says, “We urge readers of this Index to maintain a positive outlook. Whilst project starts remain low, the downward curve is softening and, as our most recent Forecast predicted, a gradual rise in the latter half of 2022 is likely.

“External events are skewing the market and no doubt current geopolitical events in Eastern Europe will create some challenges. However, the UK construction industry is incredibly resourceful, and the strong pipeline of planning approvals and contract wins is testament to this. In our view it’s very much a case of ‘keep calm and carry on’.”

To find out more about Glenigan, click here.

Summer is just around the corner – get ahead and keep it fun not fatal

National charity and leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), is urging people to get summer ready by brushing up on their water safety skills and knowledge. 

With over 400 people dying each year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning, it’s clear that it’s a topic that needs more attention. 

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “With June, July, and August proving to be the months with the most fatalities, it is vitally important that everyone has an understanding of water safety, especially during the summer months. 

“We have seen a rise in the number of drownings over the last few years, with peaks during the summer. In July 2021, there were 49 accidental drowning fatalities in the space of just two weeks in the UK, and we know that with the right water safety knowledge, accidental drownings are avoidable. 

“We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy their summer break and enjoy being in or around water but be safe in the knowledge that they, and their children, have the skills and understanding about water safety, which could potentially save a life.  Every life is worth saving.”

Drowning is not just a topic that needs attention for those who take part in water-based activities either, evidence shows that one in two people who accidentally drown never intended to enter the water and in 2020 evidence from the National Water Safety Forum showed that 45% of accidental drownings took place when people were taking part in everyday activities.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has a range of free educational resources available on their website for children, young people and parents and are holding their annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign in June.

The campaign will take place between 18th-25th June and aims to equip everyone across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge to make the right decisions about water safety. 

Lee Heard continued: “This year for Drowning Prevention Week we are aiming to educate more young people than ever about water safety and give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water. 

“We have a range of free educational resources available on the RLSS UK website, including lesson plans for schools and resources for parents. 

“In a recent survey, over 55% of parents said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water; this is something we want to change. 

“Drowning Prevention Week brings the focus of water safety to people’s minds, giving everyone the opportunity to be equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge to be summer ready when it comes to being safe in and around water when the warmer weather is here.”

With many families opting for staycations and heading to the coastlines and waterways for holidays in recent times, having an understanding of what to do if you find yourself or someone else in trouble in the water is more important than ever. 

Lee Heard added: “If you or someone else finds themselves in difficulty in the water, it’s vital to remember the Water Safety Code:

whenever you are around water you should stop and think to assess your surroundings and look for any dangers;

stay together when around water and always go with family and friends;

in an emergency call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast;

and finally float to live, if you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help, or if you see someone in the water, throw something that floats to them and resist temptation to go in.”

Drowning Prevention Week takes place 18th – 25th June and free resources can be downloaded from www.rlss.org.uk.

Partnership helps communities cope with financial difficulties amid cost-of-living crisis

  • Royal Bank of Scotland and Citizens Advice Edinburgh are working together to provide debt support and advice to customers locally and across the UK, with over 2,100 referrals since October 2020.
  • Edinburgh based advisers assist in instances where Royal Bank believes that Citizens Advice could offer support that addresses a root cause of financial vulnerability.
  • Previous Citizens Advice research found that 1 in 10 families – about 3 million UK households – faced a cost-of-living crisis, unable to cover even basic bills such as food and heating.

Royal Bank of Scotland is today announcing the launch of a report in partnership with Citizens Advice, focusing on support for vulnerable customers. There have been over 2,100 referrals from NatWest and Royal Bank to Citizens Advice since the programme started in October 2020.

Citizen Advice advisers based in Edinburgh have supported teams from across Royal Bank by providing a referral service for customers who contact the bank and express difficulty with debt, benefits, relationships and family.

The advisers assist in instances where Royal Bank believes that Citizens Advice could offer support that addresses a root cause of financial vulnerability.

The project has successfully helped customers across Scotland with complex financial issues and continues until September 2022, by which time NatWest and Royal Bank expect to have helped over 4,000 people with complex financial advice needs. This service is available across NatWest, Royal Bank and Ulster Bank.

The latest report details the impact of the pilot one year on. It found that:

  • There have been over 2,100 referrals from NatWest and Royal Bank to Citizens Advice since the programme started in October 2020 with the numbers increasing month on month.
  • Over half (59%) of the referrals were from customers who had not accessed Citizens Advice before
  • 86% of customers were over 35, compared to the Citizens Advice overall base of 73%
  • The top three problems leading to referral are debt (62%), benefits (32%) and relationships (18%)

The report is released as millions of people face up to rising household costs. Previous Citizens Advice research has revealed:

·                     1 in 10 UK families – about 3 million households – were facing a cost-of-living crunch this winter, unable to cover even basic bills such as food and heating.

·                     1 in 5 of all adults are cutting back on food shopping or turning off the heating, while 1 in 10 anticipate needing to use food banks.

Benjamin Napier, Chief Executive Officer at Citizens Advice Edinburgh said: “We are committed to giving people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward – whoever they are, and whatever they need.

“Together with Royal Bank of Scotland we have been able to help people in the most vulnerable situations in our society across Scotland. The programme is an important way for us to reach more people who may need our help and might not have known about our services.”

David Lindberg, CEO, Retail Banking at NatWest Group said: “Through our partnership with Citizens Advice, we want to deliver personalised support to our most vulnerable customers. Many people who come to us for support have complex financial issues which impact their lives.

“In this current economic environment, it’s more important now than ever to be able to intervene when customers experience early signs of financial difficulty and help them to improve their financial capability.’’

Stephen Timms MP said: “It’s important that people have organisations they can turn to for support when experiencing financial difficulty.

“As we continue to recover from the pandemic and changes to the cost-of-living cause people to experience complex problems they may not have experienced before, it is encouraging that organisations such as NatWest Group and Citizens Advice are working together to meet the wider advice and support needs of vulnerable customers.”

You can access the full report here: Strengthening the safety net: supporting NatWest Group’s most vulnerable customers

Strenghtening-support-RBS-CABDownload

NHS Lothian launches spring COVID-19 booster programme

Over 75s, immunosuppressed individuals and those living in care homes are now able to receive an additional COVID-19 booster vaccination as part of its efforts to protect those at highest risk from COVID-19.

These people will be invited as they become eligible from at least 24 weeks after their last booster, with the first groups receiving appointments from this week.

Jane McNulty, Director of Nursing for Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “We are delighted to offer this further vaccination to the most vulnerable to people in our society.

“The degree of protection the vaccine offers wanes over time, which is why booster vaccination is needed to maintain the best protection against COVID-19 for those at highest risk of severe effects of the virus.

“The spring booster will improve your level of protection significantly and is the best way to protect your health and those around you.”

NHS Lothian will also start offering vaccinations to all children aged 5-11 in Lothian on Saturday 19 March, following its initial offering of the childhood vaccine to children most at risk from COVID-19 and children living with an immunosuppressed person.

Letters will be sent out to parents and carers in the coming weeks inviting them to bring their child to a child vaccination clinic in the Lothian area.

Paediatric vaccinators will be available at the clinics to answer any questions people may have about the COVID-19 childhood vaccine.

Parents and carers to do not need to contact NHS Lothian proactively to arrange an appointment.

Ms McNulty added: “The primary aim of our vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19.

“I encourage anyone who is still to have any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.”

Established vaccination clinics for over 12s will continue to operate separately from these clinics, with NHS Lothian still encouraging all over 12s to get any outstanding vaccinations.

Over 18s can receive their first, second and booster vaccinations at all drop-in clinics. Those aged 12-17 can also attend for their second dose if it has been at least 12 weeks since their first dose and they have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 12 weeks.

More information on the 5-11 vaccination programme is available on NHS Inform:

https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/the-vaccines/vaccinating-children-aged-5-to-11-years/

Information on clinic locations and opening times for over 12s is also available on NHS Lothian’s website:

https://www.nhslothian.scot/Coronavirus/Vaccine/Pages/Drop-in-Clinics.asp

Sleep Cove Podcast Plans Ukraine Charity Special Episode

Sleep Cove, one of the world’s largest Health podcasts, is hosting a Ukraine charity special episode. All sponsorship money will be donated to charities with the episode content chosen by Ukrainians.

Christopher Fitton, the founder of Sleep Cove, the podcast that helps people sleep with hypnosis, meditations and stories, is producing a charity special episode for the people of Ukraine.

Christopher says, “Before I worked full-time in mental health, I contracted for a tech company that had many staff based in Ukraine, especially Kharkiv.

“My colleagues were fantastic people and upon seeing how the terrible invasion unfolded, I reached out to them, offering to do a charity special for a Ukrainian cause of their choice.

“A Ukrainian fairy-tale called Kotyhoroshko (pea-roller in English) was chosen as the bedtime story for the episode. It’s a tale of how a boy defeats a dragon, which seems like a perfect analogy right now.

There will be a charity drive on the show for listeners to donate to charities helping Ukraine and its people.”

The episode goes live today – 14th March. All episode sponsorship money from present and future advertisements will be donated to these causes:

Council to recognise Ukrainian leaders

Edinburgh councillors will consider granting the most prestigious honour it can bestow to the Ukrainian President and the Mayor of Edinburgh’s twin city, Kyiv.

In recognition of heroically standing by their country and their citizens to lead the fight against the invasion of Ukraine, Council Leaders are seeking support to confer the Freedom of the City jointly to President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mayor Vitali Klitschko, in a Motion (Item 8.1).

The Freedom of the City is a tradition that dates back over 560 years to 1459, with Her Majesty the Queen and Sir Chris Hoy the only living individuals with the Scottish Capital’s freemanship. It can only be ‘bestowed upon those who are held in the highest esteem’.

The symbolic gesture will be considered at a meeting of the Council on Thursday (17 March), alongside a further Motion (Item 8.2), which condemns Russia’s ‘horrific and illegal attacks on the Independence of Ukraine, their people, and their homes’ and outlines further practical steps Edinburgh may take to support humanitarian efforts and those displaced by the crisis.

If the Motion is agreed, up to £100,000 of Council funding would be targeted towards coordinating local efforts with the Edinburgh Partnership. This would help Edinburgh maximise supplies to Ukraine, support local infrastructure for facilitating donations as well as the transport of supplies to Poland and elsewhere.

Other steps would see letters sent to the Home Office, UK Foreign Office and MOD to seek clarity and support for victims of the war arriving in Edinburgh – particularly children – and ask for help with temporary accommodation.

In an additional display of solidarity with Ukraine, a ban on Russian cultural events and performances in Council-owned venues could be set (further to the cancellation of a Russian concert at the Usher Hall) and the Council would end its relationship with the Russian Consulate.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We all stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people in fighting this oppressive Russian regime and we will do everything we possibly can to support them.

“Following the city summit I hosted with the Depute Leader last week, with the Acting Consul General for Ukraine and local community leaders, we are now setting out a series of steps we can take together as a city.

“As part of this, we’re bringing forward Motions to ask Councillors to stand with us in condemning Putin’s tyranny, and intend to offer the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh to the President of Ukraine and Mayor of Kyiv.

“By remaining in Kyiv, they are fighting side-by-side with their citizens against the Russian invasion, in a true defence of their nation. This is not just in recognition of their own leadership and bravery, but the bravery of all Ukrainians battling for their nation.

“With members’ agreement, we will write to the Home Office encouraging unrestricted refugee visas and local working to source host families to house refugees, with a focus on those with cultural and language understanding to best support unaccompanied children.

“The experiences of those fleeing their homes and their country is heart-breaking and we are looking at how we can help those who seek refuge, but we also need the Home Office to outline a plan.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Edinburgh has a strong Scottish-Ukrainian population and many of us have heard stories from local friends and family members about the atrocities people in Kyiv and across Ukraine are facing.

“We pride ourselves on the warm welcome we offer to those in desperate need of our help and I hope we can drive forward support for refugees.

“The outpouring of grief and support from Edinburgh people has been incredible and we won’t stop flying the Ukrainian flag until the war is brought to an end. The Granton gasholder being lit up is yet another symbol of our solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

“We want to show our admiration for the outstanding leadership of the President and of the Mayor of our twin city, Kyiv. They are standing by their constituents and their country and heroically leading Ukraine’s response to invasion.

“Parties of all colours have already told us they agree – the Freedom of the City is the highest civic honour we can offer Mr Zelensky and Mr Klitschko – and if confirmed with a formal vote next week we will be able to take this forward.”

Both Motions will be raised by the Council Leaders on Thursday, following a City Summit held last week with the Acting Consul General of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Church in Edinburgh, Police, ETAG and the University of Edinburgh to drive forward Edinburgh’s efforts.

The Council has already supported the Gas holder in Granton to be lit up blue and yellow and is flying the Ukrainian flag from the City Chambers. The Lord Provost has also written to the Mayor of Kyiv outlining Edinburgh’s deepest sorrow for events, and the Council is reviewing all investments and contracts for Russian ties.

Citizens, businesses and organisations who wish to support aid efforts can make a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Appeal.

This is a co-ordinated effort with the Red Cross, Christian Aid, Oxfam and Save The Children.

Online advice booklet launched to support Scotland’s kinship carers

A new online booklet is launched today to help people across Scotland who care for the child of a relative, or friend, after the vast majority (88%) of kinship carers said they were not given enough information about how to access vital financial and emotional support.

What Now? produced by the Kinship Care Advice Service for Scotland (KCASS), includes a guide to the kinship assessment system, as well as contact details of organisations and support groups who can offer help and advice to carers.

Since 2010, there has been a significant increase across Scotland in the number of children being cared for by family member or friend because they are unable to live with their birth parents, an arrangement known as kinship care.

The latest Scottish Government statistics show there were 4,456 children formally looked after in kinship care in 2019-20, (31% of the looked after children population), compared to 3,172 children in 2009-2010 (20% of the looked after children population). **

KCASS, which is operated by Adoption UK Scotland and Adoption and Fostering Alliance Scotland in collaboration with the Child Poverty Action Group, is urging kinship carers and social workers to access What Now? online, or request a hard copy of the booklet, launched to mark the start of this year’s Kinship Care Week.

Susan Hunter, KCASS project coordinator, said: “Since its inception our KCASS Advisory Group, all of whom are kinship carers, has highlighted the lack of suitable information available to them, particularly at the start of their kinship journey. 

“All too often kinship carers get in touch with our helpline asking for assistance; they have taken on the care of children at short notice with no understanding of what this will entail for them and their family.

“Kinship carers describe feeling overwhelmed and very much alone. Where they have been provided with information, they have found this to be difficult to comprehend with terms they are not familiar with, leaving them confused and uninformed.”

Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “Kinship Care Week provides an opportunity to celebrate and pay tribute to the important role that kinship carers play in providing loving, secure, stable, and nurturing homes for children and young people who can no longer live with their parents.

“All kinship carers deserve to get the support they need, and I welcome publication of the What Now? booklet, which will help kinship carers access important information. I would like to thank members of the KCASS Advisory Group who ensured the voices of those with care experience were heard when the booklet was developed.”

Fiona Aitken, director, Adoption UK Scotland, said: “We’re proud to be facilitating Kinship Care Week as an opportunity for us to raise the profile of the carers who tirelessly provide loving homes for their children. 

“The week allows us to provide valuable opportunities for children in kinship families to take part in fun activities, workshops and group sessions for carers and learning and networking events for practitioners, encouraging all Scottish kinship care families, and those who support them, to take part.”

Robin Duncan, Adoption and Fostering Alliance Scotland director, said: “Kinship Care Week is a great opportunity to increase awareness of kinship care and give recognition to the carers for the remarkable, and often unsung, contribution they make. It also gives us the chance to spread the word about the new What Now? booklet so that this can be as widely available as possible helping to improve the availability and consistency of support to people when they take on the care of a child.”

This year’s Kinship Care Week takes place from 14th -18th March and features a range of webinars and discussion groups for carers, social workers, and childcare professionals. A full programme of events can be found at https://kinship.scot/kinship-care-week-2022/

Kinship carers or professionals can order a hard copy of What Now? by contacting KCASS at advice@kinshipscot.org, or by calling 0808 800 0006.

What-Now-booklet-2022_onlineDownload

Case Study

Michelle became a kinship carer to her two granddaughters five years ago. She says she and her husband were not given any advice or guidance at the time about kinship care or what was expected of them as carers.

She said: “When I first became a kinship carer I got a call out of the blue asking me to look after my granddaughters for a few weeks whilst social work got things sorted out at home. Five years later they are still with us.

“The day they arrived I heard the words kinship carer, something I had never heard of before and knew nothing about. My husband, daughter and I looked like rabbits caught in headlights with two little children. We were given no help, advice, or guidance as to what to do or what was expected of us, we felt so very alone and angry. We had no contact numbers and did not even receive a phone call. If I had been given this booklet then it would have made things a little easier. Just to know that we were not alone and that help was out there, it would have been an absolute lifeline.

“I suggested developing a booklet like this at the KCASS Advisory Group which I am a part of. I didn’t want anyone else to go through the horrible, sometimes debilitating situation I was left in. This booklet would have helped so very much.

“That is why I am so very passionate and determined that it should be given to all kinship carers when they take on the care of a child, just so they know that they are not alone and have all the information they will need.”