Month: February 2023

Childline delivered 1,345 counselling sessions last year with children in Scotland experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings

Children’s Mental Health Week 6 -12 February

  • From April 2021 to March 2022, Childline counsellors delivered 1,345 counselling sessions with children in Scotland who were experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings

NSPCC Scotland has released new data from its Childline service to mark Children’s Mental Health Week and raise awareness of how we can help and support children when they are experiencing poor mental health and suicidal thoughts.

Children’s Mental Health Week (6-12 February) is an annual event in the UK that aims to raise awareness of children’s mental health. It is co-ordinated by the children’s charity Place2Be, and this year’s theme is Let’s Connect, encouraging children and young people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding, and meaningful ways.

This new data from the NSPCC reveals that Childline counsellors delivered 1,345 counselling sessions with children in Scotland who were experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings last year from April 2021 to March 2022.

Adeniyi Alade, service head of Childline in Scotland, said: “At Childline, we know that hundreds of children across Scotland are struggling with their mental health, and it remains the number one concern that our counsellors speak to children about every day.

“Whilst some are grappling with anxiety, others are experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts and feelings. Many of these children tell our counsellors they are the first person they have spoken to and that they’ve not known who else to turn to.

“No matter what a child’s experience is, if they are struggling with their mental health, we believe it is essential they get the support they need to help them cope quickly. That’s why this children’s mental health awareness week we want to remind all young people that Childline is here for them 24/7, whether that be on the phone or via an email or 121 chat.

“As well as speaking with one of our counsellors, we also have lots of resources and advice available online like our monitored message boards which allow young people to speak with their peers and connect and share their experiences.”

Sandra Gordon, a Childline counsellor at NSPCC’s Glasgow call centre, said: “Over the last few years mental health has been a huge issue. For some young people things can be so tough at home and sometimes they think about taking their own life.

“They may feel anxious and be struggling on a lot of levels. Young people feel isolated when they have fallen out with friends, they are arguing with parents and finding their schoolwork difficult.

“We are there to listen, we’d never judge any young person, and we try to build their confidence and self-esteem. We allow them to explore other options and try to make them feel valued. For many young people it can be easier to talk to someone you don’t know and it helps to know they can remain anonymous.” 

A boy aged 15 from Scotland who called Childline said: “I’m going to kill myself tonight. Every day is so hard; everyone is upsetting me all the time.

“I’m just so stressed. I’ve been feeling like this all week but today things happened which are the last straw for me.”

Another 15-year-old boy who called Childline said: “For the past few months, I’ve been feeling lonely and like I’m nothing. Most recently I’ve had really dark thoughts about suicide.

“I’ve been self-harming as a distraction as wherever I go it’s always on mind – it seems to just follow me and it’s really overwhelming. I act as happy when I’m around my mum – she seems to think I’m fine but I’m really dying inside.

“I feel like nobody understands and I don’t know who to tell. I’m worried they’ll laugh and won’t believe me or say, ‘you out of all people can’t be feeling that!’.”

A boy aged 17 who called Childline said: “I keep getting these suicidal thoughts and I don’t know what to do about them. I try to distract myself or I ride them out, but the thoughts always end up coming back.

“You’re the first person I’ve told this to. I don’t really want my mam to know cos it will only worry her and probably make me feel even worse.”

Advice for children:

  1. Talk to a trusted adult about how you are feeling and what is worrying you. This could be a parent, guardian, sibling over the age of 18, grandparent, teacher or a Childline counsellor. Sharing how you feel with someone you trust means that they can support you and give you ideas on how to cope. It will also help you feel less alone with your worries, and they can let you know that they will be here for you.
  2. Be kind to yourself. Speak to yourself like you would a friend and take the time to check in on your basic needs such as eating, drinking and resting.
  3. Take a break if you feel overwhelmed or are struggling to cope you could go for a walk or listen to some music to give yourself some headspace. Taking some deep breaths will also help you feel calmer and less panicked and you can visit Childline ‘s Calm Zone to find some activities that can help relax you.
  4. Try and build a healthy routine to give yourself some structure to your day. For example, you could set reminders on your phone to take regular breaks where you may read a book, go for a walk or ring a friend. Or you could get up earlier than normal and start your day with some deep breaths, some gentle exercise and have a healthy breakfast.
  5. Helping others or doing a random act of kindness can help you feel good about yourself and can distract you from your worries. This doesn’t have to be anything extravagant; it could be as simple as offering to do a house chore like the washing up or making someone a cup of tea.
  6. Contact Childline if you feel you have no-where else to turn or would like some extra support.
  7. Our counsellors are available 24/7 and you can get in touch online at childline.org.uk by email or 1-2-1  chat or on the phone on 0800 111 or. Our trained counsellors are here for you and no worry is ever too small.

For Adults:

  1. Let them know you’re there for them, this will reassure them that you are on their side and it will remind them that they can come to you about anything.
  2. Try talking to them over text or on the phone, if they don’t feel able to talk in person.
  3. Be patient and staying calm and approachable, even if their behaviour upsets you recognising that their feelings are valid and letting them know it’s okay for them to be honest about what it’s like for them to feel this way.
  1. Think of things you could do together to help them cope, like yoga, breathing exercises or mindfulness.
  2. Encourage them to talk to adult they trust like their GP, someone at their school or Childline. Especially if they’re finding it hard to talk at home.
  3. Take care of yourself and get support if you need to. Try not to blame yourself for what’s happening and stay hopeful.

Scotland commits £500,000 emergency funding for Türkiye and Syria

Funding to support humanitarian aid efforts

£500,000 in emergency funding is to be given to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to support the humanitarian aid efforts following the severe earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.

Regions of southern and central Türkiye and western Syria were hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in the early morning of Monday 6th February. The earthquake has caused a significant loss of life and severe damage to homes and infrastructure. The funding will enable the DEC to focus on priorities including emergency food, hygiene supplies and blankets.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The scenes over the last few days from Türkiye and Syria are heart wrenching. This earthquake has caused a huge amount of damage and significant loss of life that will be felt for some time to come.

“There is an urgent need to support the humanitarian efforts being made to help those affected in Türkiye and Syria.

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting efforts in the region and members of our emergency services have already been deployed to help the search and rescue operation on the ground.

“We will provide £500,000 in humanitarian aid to the DEC Appeal to support those affected with medical care, shelter, food and clean water.

Members of the public can also pledge support and make donations to the DEC Appeal in a variety of ways and I encourage everyone to consider donating to the DEC if they can do so.

“The people of Türkiye and Syria desperately need our support.”  

The DEC Appeal for Türkiye and Syria launches today (Thursday 9 February 2023). Details are available on the DEC website for how to donate to the Appeal.

UK sends life saving support to earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria

The UK will provide vital items such as tents and blankets to help survivors cope with the freezing conditions, as part of its immediate response to the crisis

  • immediate extra support will help save lives and prevent suffering
  • package to include thousands of tents, blankets and hygiene kits
  • world-class UK surgical team and equipment will help address urgent medical needs
  • 77 strong UK search and rescue team already on the ground helping to find survivors

The UK government yesterday (Wednesday 8 February) announced further support to Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquakes.

The UK will provide vital items such as tents and blankets to help survivors cope with the freezing conditions, as part of its immediate response to the crisis. The equipment being urgently deployed from the UK’s stockpile will meet the needs of up to 15,000 people.

The UK is also providing a world-class team of UK medics with surgical capabilities and equipment to provide vital emergency treatment.

The announcement comes in the critical 72 hours following the first earthquake. The support will be used to urgently provide life saving interventions to those who need it most in the region as temperatures plummet.

The UK is coordinating closely with the Turkish government and United Nations (UN) in Syria to ensure our support meets the needs on the ground and that we can stay responsive to emerging needs in the coming days.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “The UK is sending life saving kit to Turkey and Syria. This will include vital medical expertise and hygiene kits and also tents and blankets to help people keep warm and sheltered in the terrible freezing conditions they are having to endure on top of the devastation of the earthquakes.

Our priority is to ensure life saving assistance is given to those most in need, coordinated with the Turkish government, UN and international partners.

The UK is prioritising what the Turkish government and UN are asking for. The additional support will save lives by bringing world-class UK expertise and equipment to the region.

This £8 million of additional support comes after a team of 77 UK search and rescue specialists, equipment and four search dogs arrived in Gaziantep yesterday to begin their life saving operations.

Their specialist skills and state-of-the-art heavy duty equipment will allow the UK team to cut their way into buildings and locate survivors in the rubble during this vital time.

The government remains in contact with British humanitarian workers in the affected areas, and we stand ready to assist any British nationals affected.

Come Wassailing at Granton Castle Walled Garden on Sunday 19 February

Come join us for wassailing at Granton Castle Walled Garden on the 19th February from 2 – 4pm. There will be activities, songs and refreshments all inspired by the wonderful apple trees.

Wassailing is an anglo-saxon tradition where the fruit trees are blessed with offerings of song, food and drink to encourage them to provide a bountiful harvest.

We will gather together and give the trees of our orchard a much needed cheer and scare away all of the bad spirits! Bring along some friends and family, and perhaps make yourself a lovely apple themed crown to wear.

Cash donations are appreciated but not required, if you have any questions please ask!

For details on how to find us visit our website:

https://www.grantoncastlewalledgarden.org.uk

Lights out for Lantern Led Tours at The Real Mary King’s Close

Calling all brave and curious explorers, this February The Real Mary King’s Close is shining a light (or lack of) onto Edinburgh’s history, illuminating the lives of former residents and unravelling truths about their deaths with Lantern Led Tours.

The new Lantern Led Tours are available for a limited time only during Half Term, where guests will descend into complete darkness with the only light source being the flicker of their lanterns, as they explore Edinburgh’s history.

Hidden beneath the Capital’s iconic Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s best underground experience is ready to send those daring to on a time-traveling adventure. The one hour guided tour will transport customers to another era, with eerie interactions from two insidious characters that used to strike terror into people’s hearts at their very sight.

Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “The Real Mary King’s Close is a place filled with excitement and mystery, where strange revelations of Edinburgh’s ominous past come to life. 

“We are so excited to launch our Lantern Led Tours and elevate the experience to a whole new level. This is a great activity to do with family and friends over the February holidays, so come along and find out who is the bravest of the bunch.”

The Real Mary King’s Close stands as an important part of Edinburgh’s history. It teaches following generations about the incredible struggles people faced during the plague, the extreme living conditions, and the punishing impact of social hierarchy.

The tours will be running Friday 10th to Sunday 12th February and Friday 17th to Sunday 19th February from 7pm-9pm every 15 minutes. Prices are £25 per adult / £19 per child (5 to 15yo – no under 5 allowed). 

For more information and bookings please visit: 

https://bookings.realmarykingsclose.com/book/lantern-led-tours/123

Green funding, recyclable kitchens and keeping homes draught-free are among the hot topics planned for CICV’s Green Home Festival 2023

Building greener kitchens, accessing renewable funding and preventing heat loss through windows and doors are among the main events being planned for this year’s Green Home Festival, organisers have revealed.

Air source heat pumps, effective insulation and electric vehicles (EVs) will also be high on the agenda at the second five-day event, which is being organised by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV).

Running from 14-18 August as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe and delivered via a mix of in-person and virtual presentations, the festival will once again deliver practical assistance and advice to help Scotland become a net zero nation.

With a focus very much on consumer issues, CICV organisers have followed up on the success of last year’s inaugural event with another line-up of topical talking points, including:

  • Garden rooms and garden offices
  • Practical consumer guidance on heat pumps
  • Efficient use of gas central heating
  • Hybrid heating and boiler types
  • Converting disused buildings into smart homes
  • Insulation and fabric of buildings in domestic retrofitting
  • The future of low-carbon heating technologies, such as microwave
  • Webinars on retrofit skills and heat programmes
  • Solar panels, including battery storage options.

The festival is again likely to attract Ministerial attendance from the Scottish Government, with other special guests also being pencilled in to appear to extol the virtues of green energy and low-carbon living.

One of the CICV organisers, John McKinney, Secretary of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, said: “Last year’s inaugural Green Home Festival delivered a wealth of demonstrations and hands-on guidance about efficient use of energy and smart interaction with the built environment.

“As we all try to minimise carbon emissions and do our best to mitigate the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, it is likely that interest this year will be even greater, and the proposed programme is designed to have a greater focus on consumers and practical domestic advice.

“The construction industry has demonstrated unprecedented levels of co-operation in the common interest in recent years and this festival will once again illustrate that it can work together with the public to help build a greener Scotland for everyone.”

Presenters at the show will include experts from the CICV and other organisations including the Architects Climate Action Network, Edinburgh University, BE-ST, and the Energy Savings Trust, with venues, dates and booking details to be revealed later this year.

Co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders, added: “Representatives from across the construction industry in Scotland have once again been working hard to put together a programme for the festival which is relevant to a wide audience and of real practical value to consumers.

“There is a tangible feeling that the will to act is now there in the broad mass of companies, organisations and individuals who want to reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient.

“As the agenda firms up and the festival begins to take shape over the coming months, we expect that its professional perspective and focus on a more sustainable and healthier environment will attract a wide audience from Scotland and beyond.”

The second Green Home Festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation as the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum in March 2020.

Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.

UK economy risks collapse without urgent investment in nature

  • “There is no economy without nature” warns Dr Jeremy Leggett, ex Greenpeace Chief Scientific Advisor
  • Insurance companies, pension and investment funds are still financing fossil fuels – but urgently need to back nature recovery

The Green Finance Institute estimates that the UK is facing a finance gap of up to £97 billion to meet the UK’s nature-related targets by 2032. Without investment in climate mitigation, biodiversity restoration, flood prevention and other nature-related outcomes as outlined in public policy like the 25 Year Environment Plan, both our natural environment and economy face collapse.

Highlighting the urgent need for investment in nature, in the week that climate action group One Home reported that £600 million worth of homes are at risk of falling into the sea, Jeremy Leggett called on the UK’s financial sector to “step up or get washed away”.

Leggett, a former Chief Scientific Advisor to Greenpeace and founder of Solarcentury, one of the world’s most respected solar energy companies, is an experienced entrepreneur, who backed solar technology long before the government and financial institutions. Decades later, having proved his point with solar providing the cheapest energy available, he is now urging the financial sector to wake up to the facts and invest in the protection of nature.

“By continuing to invest in fossil fuels and related industries which destroy nature, institutional investors and many large funds are financing their own demise. There will be no business in a broken world. If big business does not invest in biodiversity and natural capital now, there will be no business.

He continued: “While the recent donation from Aviva of £38 million to the Wildlife Trust is a welcome development, donations are not a sustainable model for financing nature recover. Highlands Rewilding, and related projects, offer a new model for investment in nature-based solutions, with multiple revenue streams providing an economic and ecological return on investment.”

Having grown Solarcentury from a small South-London roofing company to a major international business deploying gigawatts of solar PV around the world, Leggett sold Solarcentury to Statkraft, which is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade. But, rather than retire, Leggett invested his share of the proceeds – and raised more than £7 million – to start Highlands Rewilding, which currently owns two estates in Scotland.

“What we are doing here is opening up a pathway for businesses to finance nature recovery,” explains Leggett. “Humanity is at a tipping point which can go either way. Either we invest in the restoration of the natural environment, or we risk the complete collapse of civilization as we know it – including the economy.”

For the last few months Highlands Rewilding has been running a crowdfunding campaign, which has exceeded its initial target and raised over £700,000 from more than 400 individuals.

“Hundreds of citizens are helping to finance the vital nature recovery we so desperately need. But so far it is almost exclusively individuals who have stepped up to invest”, says Leggett.

“Government announcements, like the UK’s Ambitious roadmap for a cleaner, greener country, have pledged public money but the effort to halt biodiversity loss will need the backing of major investment funds, who are still sitting on the fence. The evidence is clear; Nature needs our help. But the major financial institutions are ignoring the warnings – and the opportunities.

“We saw it happen with renewables. Major finance was too slow to see the scale of the opportunity and too slow to come on board. Thankfully that situation changed but it took too long and we are living with the consequences. The situation is now even more urgent. Big business needs to back natural capital or the erosion of the economy will follow the same fate as the Norfolk coastline.”

Leggett is not alone in his assertions. Andy Howard, Global Head of Sustainable Investment points out that over half of global GDP, $44 trillion, is dependent on nature and its services, commenting: “The reality is stark: nature risk is fast becoming an integral factor to investment risk and returns”.

Dame Glenys Stacey, the chair of the government’s own Office for Environmental Protection commented that wildlife in particular was suffering “eye-watering” declines. “Species decline stands out – the rate of decline is inexorable,” she said. “This needs a lot of intervention, that is absolutely required.”

With the Treasury already stretched to its limits and further tax rises not compatible with the cost-of-living crisis it seems hard to imagine the government will be able to address the urgent funding gap at the required speed, or scale, to halt and reverse species decline. The only hope therefore is private sector finance and commercial capital.

In Scotland, Highlands Rewilding is performing a litmus test, entering the final quarter of its race to raise the required funds to scale nature recovery in Scotland. Their investment round is one of the first efforts after COP 15’s landmark biodiversity agreement, to break through the barrier of institutional finance.

Scotland Emergency Department performance drops to reach new record low

Responding to the latest Emergency Department performance figures for Scotland for December 2022 Dr John-Paul Loughrey, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “December was the most challenging month the NHS in Scotland has ever faced.

“Staff faced increasingly difficult conditions, with huge numbers of patients facing long and dangerous waits throughout the system. We know these long waits are associated with patient harm and even patient deaths, it is increasingly distressing for staff and patients.

“Exit block – where patients are unable to be admitted to a bed because other patients are unable to be discharged – was the worst it has ever been, meaning the entire Emergency Care system has been gridlocked – like a traffic jam.

Patients spending far longer in Emergency Departments than they should be, often in inappropriate or inadequate areas, on trolleys in corridors, in small, cramped spaces with a lack of privacy and lack of dignity.

“We welcome the gravity with which the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary are taking the current crisis in Emergency Care. We have had constructive meetings with the Cabinet Secretary and do feel that there is recognition of the root of the issues and a political will to tackle it.

“We especially welcome the focus on social care and the whole system capacity. It is critical that we sort out discharges, ensuring patients who are medically fit to leave are able to return home or to the community in a timely way. We must continue to focus on this to free up beds so we can increase flow throughout hospitals and admit patients from Emergency Departments into a bed on wards.

“While these are the right initiatives, the green shoots of hope are not translating to big enough or fast enough improvements. Without significantly increasing capacity across Scotland, we will continue to borrow from tomorrow to cover today.

“This means cancelling elective surgery so we can admit Emergency Care patients to a bed, but at the cost of further delaying what may be serious surgery for patients who have already waited for a long time. We should not be in a position where decisions like these need to be made.

“It is wrong for specialties to compete for beds for their patients. What is better is to increase the number of staffed beds throughout the system, where safely possible, so we do not need to compromise on which patients are able to be treated.”

Crimestoppers Scotland Impact Campaign: Five people arrested and charged with murder

Scotland’s trust in Crimestoppers sees anonymous information play vital role in catching murderers, fugitives & drug dealers

Over the past year (1st April 2021-31st March 2022,) independent charity Crimestoppers Scotland and their youth programme Fearless received over 16,000 contacts from the Scottish public.

As a result of anonymous information from communities across Scotland, over 350 (357) people were arrested and charged, including five with murder. Contacts about drug supply, manufacture and dealing continue to rise and the charity passed on information to the police which helped recover a ‘street value’ of drugs worth over half a million.

Fearless, the youth programme of Crimestoppers, saw over 58,000 young people from all across Scotland visit the charity’s youth website Fearless.org and reported crime – 100% anonymously – more than ever before. 

Information from the public has achieved the following:

  • 16,328 pieces of anonymous information were sent to Police Scotland & Law Enforcement. Whilst the headline figure is slightly below last years (a small decrease of 1%), this followed a record high year. 2020-21 saw the most disseminations (16,515) from the charity to Police Scotland in 34 years of Crimestoppers.
  • Dangerous criminals and wanted offenders were thwarted. Over 350 (357) criminals were arrested and charged by police due to Crimestoppers information in Scotland. This was a fall of 35% on previous year.
  • Five people were arrested and charged with murder/unlawful killings
  • Three people, who were on the wanted list, were caught and charged
  • Nearly 50 (48) disqualified and uninsured drivers were arrested and charged
  • 54 drink/drug drivers were arrested and charged
  • Over a dozen (13) charged with hate crime
  • Firearms: Two were arrested for firearms offences, with one firearm and three hauls of ammunition were recovered
  • ‘Street’ value of drugs recovered over half a million: £541,901
  • Value of property and cash recovered: £192,856

Over the past year, 12,709 pieces of information were recorded as `actionable intelligence’ by law enforcement. This means that 78% of all Crimestoppers anonymous information sent to Police Scotland was high-quality information.

In 2022, four new £20,000 rewards were offered to support investigations that needed our support. We also issued another combined reward of £20,000.

Thanks to police action after receiving Crimestoppers reports, nearly a thousand positive outcomes followed (935). This was a 20% increase on the previous year and included 163 vulnerable and safeguarding issues.

Angela Parker, National Manager for Crimestoppers Scotland, said: ‘We are continually grateful for people across Scotland who come forward and trust us with their information.

“From drug dealing to child harm and neglect, we heard from thousands of people concerned about crime in their communities. We are so encouraged and grateful to those who contacted our charity – thanks to you, life is better for many and communities across Scotland are safer.” 

Police Scotland’s Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie said: “The annual report makes it clear that our communities remain confident in using the service provided by Crimestoppers. The information provided anonymously helps Police Scotland’s officers tackle crimes that affect our citizens. 

“We also want to acknowledge the support that Fearless provides to our young people, in schools and our communities which undoubtedly helped their resilience during the past few difficult years and understand that we can also play a part in keeping everyone safe.”

“We continue to work in partnership with Crimestoppers to encourage those who may be concerned about getting in touch with us directly to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit its website to make a report anonymously.”

Minister for Community Safety Elena Whitham said: “The clear, significant impact that the information provided to Crimestoppers has had on tackling crime shows the power we all have to help keep our communities safe.

“It is extremely encouraging to see so many young people through the Fearless campaign play their part to help tackle crime. The information they have provided along with many thousands of others who have come forward has resulted in more than 300 less criminals on our streets last year.

“I would like to thank Crimestoppers, Police Scotland and members of the public for their support and efforts. The Scottish Government is backing this with £3.4 billion for justice system in the next financial year to fund vital front-line services, provide continued support for victims and witnesses, and to tackle the causes of offending.” 

Carer Support Payment to be piloted by the end of this year

Timetable for introduction of future benefits confirmed 

Plans for the introduction of further Scottish Government benefits have been published as part of an updated Social Security Programme Business Case.

This confirms that Carer Support Payment will be the next payment to be introduced. Social Security Scotland will begin a pilot by the end of this year followed by national launch in spring 2024.

A consultation on this new payment ran between February and May 2022 and the response to this is due to be published in the coming weeks.

Carer Support Payment will replace the Carer’s Allowance for new applications.

The Scottish Government is continuing to work with the Department for Work and Pensions to develop processes that will ensure those already in receipt of Carer’s Allowance will have their award transferred automatically to Social Security Scotland – so that people will not need to reapply.

Carer Support Payment will be the 14th benefit to be introduced since the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 was unanimously approved by the Scottish Parliament.

Ben Macpherson, Minister for Social Security said: ““Introducing 14 new payments in just over five years is no mean feat. We have built this social security system from scratch, working with the people who will use it to make sure that we provide an improved experience and one that treats people with dignity, fairness and respect.

“Our delivery progressed despite a global pandemic. This was recognised by Audit Scotland who commended us for continuing to ‘successfully deliver new and complex social security benefits in challenging circumstances’.

“We are already providing money that is making a real difference for families on low incomes, people who need help paying for a funeral, disabled people, carers, young people entering the workplace and to help people heat their homes. The people accessing this service are happy with it too – with 89% telling us their experience has been ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

“Our success to date has not made us complacent. Establishing new payments and transferring awards in a safe and secure way continues to be our priority. We have gained a significant amount of experience and knowledge through our delivery to date. This is all reflected in the timetable we have announced.

“I look forward to these payments being up and running and seeing the reach of our new social security system going even further – investing £7.3 billion by 2027-28 supporting 2 million people each year.”

Holyrood report: Employers should invest in mental wellbeing services and flexible working policies

Mental health and chronic pain are having the most significant impact on economic inactivity rates in Scotland, according to a new report from the Scottish Parliament’s COVID-19 Recovery Committee.

The report considers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Scotland’s labour market, looking specifically at long-term illness and early retirement as drivers of economic inactivity.

The Committee found that although the pandemic has not significantly impacted economic inactivity in Scotland, it has clearly highlighted the extent to which a healthy working-age population is required to sustain a healthy economy.

The Committee heard that implementing remote and/or flexible working practices may improve employees’ wellbeing, bring more people into the labour market, including disabled people and people with chronic or mental illness, and support older workers to remain in the labour market for longer.

However, evidence from employers highlighted that many employers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, require additional support to implement flexible working and improve reasonable adjustment policies.

The report expresses disappointment that due to budgetary pressures, the Scottish Government’s plans for a ‘Centre for Workplace Transformation’, which would seek to embed some of the learning gained from the pandemic, was not delivered on target in 2022.

Additionally, the Committee noted that best practice from wrap-around employability services, like the Fair Start Scotland programme, which provides tailored support to get working-aged people who are disengaged from the labour market back into employment, should be shared across all of Scotland’s local authorities.

Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s COVID-19 Recovery Committee, Siobhian Brown MSP, said: “Whilst our report found the pandemic has not had a significant impact on economic inactivity levels, issues such as poor mental health and chronic illnesses, are part of the complex challenges to Scotland’s economic and social recovery from COVID-19.

“Increased partnership working between the Scottish Government and employers to support investment in employees’ wellbeing and embedding post-pandemic opportunities for flexible working is crucial to supporting more people into the labour market.

“Remote and flexible working practices could also support more disabled people and those living with chronic health or mental health conditions into the workforce, whilst also enabling older people to stay in the labour market for longer.

“It’s important that as a priority, the Scottish Government sets out what additional support it is providing for employers to develop practical resources to support the adoption of flexible working policies and share best practice, which are vital to improving Scotland’s economic activity levels.”

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