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The Travelling Gallery is back on the road

An exhibition of contemporary art responding to the themes evoked by Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21

Travelling Gallery has announced the relaunch of its Spring 2020 exhibition, Shapes of Water, which was paused due to the pandemic. The new autumn tour will take place from 2 September to November across Scotland.

The Travelling Gallery will be stopping off at North Edinburgh Arts in Muirhouse on 15th September.

Travelling Gallery, an exciting event supported by EventScotland through Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 and Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund, has invited three thought-provoking and exciting young artists to produce new work reflecting their individual perspectives on our relationship with coasts and waters.

The mobile art gallery – which drives contemporary art to all corners of the country – will feature an exhibition of drawings, riso prints, audio and film work from the three artists when it takes to the road later this week. 

Its Autumn tour will begins outside Edinburgh’s City Art Centre today (Thursday 2 September) before visiting venues across the country.

The three exhibiting artists are:

Suzie Eggins works across drawing, printmaking and sculpture and uses her imagination as a microscope to examine the cells and structures of our natural environment to create beautiful geometric drawings and installations. For Shapes of Water, Eggins turns her attention to Scotland’s water and explores the idea that our thoughts and emotions can affect our environment.

Amy Gear is a mixed media artist based in Shetland and characteristically uses her Shetland dialect to outline her artistic practice, using local words to describe the coast and landscape.

Her drawings and paintings go beyond the traditional ideals of a beautiful landscape and instead explore the connections between body and land. For Shapes of Water, Amy departs from a piece of writing inspired by her Shetland Grandparents describing the comfort in witnessing steely storms and angry waves; knowing that the unrest will benefit the buoyant sea life. The resulting artwork is a playful and cherished tribute to family and the sea.

Rhona Mühlebach is a Swiss filmmaker based in Glasgow and her films capture the atmospheric Scottish landscape placing intriguing narratives into the natural environment. For Shapes of Water, Mühlebach is making a stylish crime thriller set in Galloway Forest Park and investigating Sudden Oak Death which can be transmitted by rainwater and carried via rivers and streams.

Speaking of the exhibition, David Patterson, Curatorial and Conservation Manager, said: “We’re thrilled to be back on tour again, and to be able to showcase new work by three exciting young artists, all based in Scotland.

“We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of EventScotland through the Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 and Scotland’s Event Recovery Fund.”

Convener of Culture and Communities at the City of Edinburgh Council, Councillor Donald Wilson, said: I’m delighted that the Travelling Gallery will be hitting the road, picking up where it left off last year and taking this fantastic exhibition to audiences around Scotland.

“Once again, the Travelling Gallery has devised a fascinating and varied exhibition which I’m sure will appeal to visitors across the country.”

Vice Convener of Culture and Communities at the City of Edinburgh Council, Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, added: “As a Council we are committed to making art and culture as accessible as possible to as many people as possible.

“This is the ethos of the gallery itself and through supporting this mobile gallery, art is brought straight into the hearts of town centres. I hope everyone takes the opportunity to pay the exhibition a visit.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland, said: “We are pleased to be supporting Travelling Gallery’s Shapes of Water exhibition as part of Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21.

“Scotland offers the perfect stage to celebrate our coasts and waterways and this unique exhibition will give audiences an opportunity to experience these inspirational artworks as the mobile art gallery tours Scotland.”

The current Scottish Government Covid 19 guidance will be adhered to throughout the tour. In order to keep staff and visitors safe currently 2 visitors or 1 household can visit the gallery at a time, and all visitors will need to leave contact details.

The gallery door will be open and the fan running to increase ventilation, and staff will clean touchpoints regularly between visitors.

Tour dates 
Exhibition Launch – Thursday 2 September – City Art Centre Edinburgh
Saturday 4 September – Portobello High Street ( Porty Art Walk) 
Monday 6 September – The Ripple Project, Restalrig Road South, Edinburgh
Saturday 11 September – Portobello High Street ( Porty Art Walk) 
Tuesday 15 September – North Edinburgh Arts
Friday 17 September – WHALE, Wester Hailes, Edinburgh
Thursday 14 – Mon 18 October – Summerlee Museum, Coatbridge
Friday 22nd October – Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh
Monday 1/2 November – East Renfrewshire 

More dates will be added to the tour.

‘Council staff are worth more’ says UNISON as members are balloted on strike action

UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, has started to issue formal industrial action ballot papers in a dispute over pay.

COSLA, the umbrella body representing council employers, had previously offered staff earning less than £25,000 a flat rate rise of £800. Last week COSLA came back with a revised offer of £850 – working out at approximately 97p per week for the lowest paid staff.

The union says council staff who have kept services and schools running throughout the pandemic deserve a proper pay rise. They say the latest pay offer falls far short of their pay claim and does little to address low pay which has become endemic following a decade of austerity.

The trade union says that councils have suffered a decade of cuts and jobs losses, and that staff have received year-on-year pay cuts. It has meant delivering services has become increasingly stressful for the workforce.

Pressure is mounting on both COSLA leaders and the Scottish Government to find an urgent resolution to this issue.

UNISON intends to take targeted strike action, which means select groups of workers will be balloted. These include members working in school cleaning, school catering, school janitorial as well as those working in waste and recycling services.  

Tom Connolly, Branch secretary said: “The last 18 months have taken an enormous toll on council staff who have been working flat out for no reward. Their courage and sacrifices need to be rewarded, yet the employers are failing to recognise their efforts.

“These workers, mostly women, are amongst the lowest paid in the country and have seen their pay drop substantially in recent years. The pay offer falls far short of their colleagues in the NHS and local government workers are left feeling exhausted and undervalued. Scotland’s council workers deserve fair pay.”

Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government, said: “We’ve all relied on council staff to keep our communities clean and safe, protect the most vulnerable and to work in our schools throughout successive lockdowns to allow others to work.

“Without these workers going above and beyond to keep services running over the past year their colleagues in the NHS would have been left without childcare, our mortuaries would have been overwhelmed, our children would have been left without an education and our elderly would have been left without care.

“Yet to date they have received no reward or recognition of their efforts at all. It’s simply not good enough – our council staff are worth more.”

The ballot will run from 1 – 22 September 2021.

• Useful reading: https://unison-scotland.org/local-government-pay-ballot/

• One year of Covid Survey, a survey of UNISON members working in local government in Scotland. https:// www.unison-scotland.org/wp-content/uploads/LG-One-Yr-of-Covid-Survey-Report-April21-1.pdf

Thorntons Solicitors launch charity Will campaign this month

Cash for Kids is expected to receive a five figure sum again this year from Thorntons Solicitors as the beneficiary of the firm’s Charity Wills Campaign.

Taking place across its offices in Fife, Dundee, Perth, Angus, Edinburgh and (for the first time in the campaign’s history) Glasgow, Thorntons won’t charge a fee for Wills written throughout September. Instead, the firm asks clients to make a fee equivalent donation to Cash for Kids.

Murray Etherington, Partner and Head of Wills, Trusts and Succession at Thorntons, said: “If you take part in our Charity Wills Campaign this September, you’ll not only be looking after your own future, but helping the most disadvantaged children in your area receive access to essential and life-changing funds.

“People may assume that they don’t need a Will. But if you own property, have savings, are responsible for children or other dependents, then you should put one in place. It’s also important keep any existing Wills up to date, and we have created an easy, eight step guide to lead customers throughout the process. 

“During the campaign clients can make their Will from the comfort and safety of their homes with consultations taking place virtually.”

Now in its 25th year, Thorntons’ Charity Wills Month has raised more than half a million pounds for Cash for Kids since it launched, supporting local children and organisations within the communities Thorntons operates. In 2020, Thorntons’ first virtual campaign raised £60,000 for the charity.

The suggested donation is £200 for a single Will and £250 for a couple making Wills together. Donations will go to the Cash for Kids fund closest to where the client lives, meaning children in their local area will directly benefit from any money raised.

Victoria Hendry, Cash For Kids Radio Forth Charity Manager, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Thorntons again on their Charity Wills initiative. To say this campaign has been a success over the years would be an understatement.

“Through Thorntons’ innovation, commitment and hard work – along with the generosity of their clients-  this campaign goes from strength to strength and supports more local children every year.

“When the pandemic hit, we wondered if Thorntons would be able to run this campaign. However, moving Charity Wills to virtual appointments worked brilliantly and we are so glad to be involved in this way again in 2021. We really are so delighted to be the beneficiary of this wonderful campaign and we cannot thank the team at Thorntons and their clients enough for their support.

“We have managed to help thousands of local children live a happier and fuller life thanks to Charity Wills month. We can’t wait to see it grow even more this year.”

‘Operation Warm Welcome’ underway to support Afghan arrivals in the UK

Arrivals under Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy will be given immediate indefinite leave to remain, alongside funding for school places and healthcare

A significant cross-government effort, dubbed ‘Operation Warm Welcome’, is underway to ensure Afghans arriving in the UK receive the vital support they need to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education and integrate into their local communities.

As part of the New Plan for Immigration, the government announced that those coming to the UK through resettlement routes would receive immediate indefinite leave to remain, and today (September 1) the Home Secretary has announced that this will apply to Afghans who worked closely with the British military and UK Government in Afghanistan, and risked their lives in doing so, meaning they can now stay in the UK without any time restrictions.

People already relocated to the UK under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) will be able to apply free of charge to convert their temporary leave into indefinite leave. This will give Afghans the certainty and stability to rebuild their lives with unrestricted rights to work and the option to apply for British citizenship in the future.

To give children and young adults the best start in life the government is making at least £12 million available to prioritise additional school places so children can be enrolled as soon as possible, and to provide school transport, specialist teachers and English language support to assist with learning.

Further funding will be provided for up to 300 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for Afghans at UK universities and adults will also be able to access English language courses free of charge. While many will speak English through their work with the UK Government and British Forces, and as translators, language classes will ensure all their family members can fully integrate into their local communities.

Families who need support navigating the system will also have access to liaison officers who can work with local authorities to help them get set up with a GP, National Insurance number, school place, accommodation and more tailored support, as required.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We owe an immense debt to those who worked with the Armed Forces in Afghanistan and I am determined that we give them and their families the support they need to rebuild their lives here in the UK.

“I know this will be an incredibly daunting time, but I hope they will take heart from the wave of support and generosity already expressed by the British public.”

The support for Afghan arrivals follows the largest and most complex evacuation in living memory. It includes:

  • £3 million of additional NHS funding so that Afghans arriving under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme can access healthcare and register with a GP once they leave quarantine;
  • all are being offered the COVID-19 vaccine and so far more than 700 arrivals under the ARAP scheme have left quarantine and received their first vaccination, with more leaving and receiving a jab each day;
  • £5 million funding for councils in England, Wales and Scotland to support Afghans coming to the UK via the ARAP scheme and provide a top up to help meet the costs of renting properties;
  • the government is already working with more than 100 councils across the UK to meet the demand for housing, with over 2,000 places already confirmed;
  • the Communities Secretary will convene a roundtable with council leaders from across the country in the coming days;
  • to harness the generosity of the British public and make sure those who want to help know where to turn we will launch an online portal to allow people to submit offers of support for people arriving from Afghanistan;
  • this portal is already available to submit offers of housing and work is now underway to expand this to further offers, such as job opportunities, professional skills training or donations of items like clothes or toys; and
  • £200 million has been committed to meet the cost of the first year of the Afghanistan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme, which aims to welcome up to 20,000 Afghans.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “We owe a great deal to the brave Afghans who worked alongside us and we want to make sure they have certainty and stability to be able to thrive in the UK.

“As part of the New Plan for Immigration, I committed to providing refugees who make their home here the ability to rebuild their lives in the UK with essential support to integrate into the community, learn English, and become self-sufficient.

“By providing immediate indefinite leave to remain we are ensuring that those who have fled their homes have every opportunity to look to the future with stability and security and make a success of their new life in the UK.

Afghan Resettlement Minister Victoria Atkins said: Operation Warm Welcome is a huge effort across government to make sure that those fleeing Afghanistan are able to make a success of a new life in the UK.

“The stability of indefinite leave, the security of access to healthcare and the opportunity of education are the foundation upon which those resettled to the UK can build.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This support package will help Afghan evacuees start a new life in the UK and I’m proud we are providing £3 million to ensure they receive the healthcare they need.

“This includes access to prescriptions, wound care and dressings, maternity care, mental health support and screening for infectious diseases. We will also offer the protection of a COVID-19 vaccination as they settle and rebuild.”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will face Westminister’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee today to answer questions over the evacuation programme.

Cooperation deal: Scottish Green pair to become junior ministers

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced her intention to appoint two new Ministers following the approval of the historic Bute House agreement.

For the first time anywhere in the UK members of the Green Party will enter government and for the first time since devolution a formal cooperation agreement will be in place in Scotland.

Patrick Harvie will be Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights, working with the Housing Secretary and Net Zero Secretary.

Mr Harvie’s responsibilities will include driving policy changes that shift Scotland away from reliance on high carbon modes of transport and heating and towards greener alternatives – essential as part of the push towards a net zero economy by 2045.

Ensuring fairness during that transformation will also be key, and Mr Harvie will lead on delivering a new deal for tenants, and ensuring building standards are fit for purpose.

Lorna Slater will take on the role of Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, working with the Finance and Economy Secretary and Net Zero Secretary.

Ms Slater will drive a Green Industrial Strategy, helping people access training and opportunities as part of a net zero Scotland, and ensuring our economy is supported through a just transition to net zero.

Supporting biodiversity and protecting our national parks and natural heritage will also form part of Ms Slater’s role, working closely with NatureScot and Zero Waste Scotland and supporting the development of a circular economy that minimises the impact on our natural environment.

The First Minister said: “This historic cooperation agreement is founded in a shared drive to work together in the Scottish Government to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland.

“We have massive challenges to overcome: a global pandemic and its lasting effects, the climate emergency and the assault by the UK government on the powers of our Parliament. Patrick and Lorna’s roles in Government are rightly at the heart of facing up to them, and the expertise and passion they bring with them will contribute greatly to defining Scotland’s path forward in doing so.

“Although our parties do not agree on everything we have been able to compromise on both sides, find common ground and agree on areas where we can work together to build a better country.

“The world has had to adapt quickly to respond to the fast-paced and changing nature of the pandemic but what it has shown us is that we can put politics aside to tackle the challenges in front of us decisively and in a way that delivers. I look forward to working with my new Green Party colleagues in this new and ambitious way.”

Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights Patrick Harvie said: “We are at a crucial tipping point in terms of our relationship with the planet.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to drive forward policies that enhance peoples’ lives while supporting the urgent goal of tackling the climate emergency as we emerge from the pandemic.”

Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater said: “Any transition to net zero must be just, and my focus will be on delivering policies that support our workforce and wider economy through that change as well as ensuring our greener future is also a prosperous and fair one that benefits our natural environment.”

Witness appeal following ‘deliberate’ hit and run

Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a man was struck by a car which then failed to stop. The incident happened on Restalrig Avenue near the junction with Craigentinny Avenue around 4.30pm on Friday (27 August).

A 34-year-old man was struck by a black Vauxhall Corsa car which had mounted the pavement before driving off.

The man was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh later that evening for treatment to non-life threatening injuries.

Detective Inspector Jonny Wright of Gayfield CID said: “Our enquiries so far suggest the car was deliberately driven at the man and we are seeking further information in relation to the matter.

“I would urge anyone who was in the area around 4.30pm on Friday afternoon and may have witnessed the incident or hold any information in relation to the incident to contact us.

“I would also ask anyone who may have seen a black Vauxhall Corsa car with collision damage since then to get in touch.

“Anyone with information can call 101, quoting incident 4357 of 27 August, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Bank up some heart health this Bank Holiday

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

With the August bank holiday coming up tomorrow, what will you do with your extra day off? Why not follow our tips to bank some heart health and still have a good time.

Hearty BBQ

If the sun is shining this bank holiday weekend, it could be the perfect time to fire up the BBQ and try some healthy alternatives to traditional burgers and sausages. Tuna steaks can be sliced and flavoured with lime, ginger and coriander for a healthy zesty burger alternative. Why not roast some veggies on the BBQ, such as corn on the cob or vegetable skewers.

Raise your game

Games like basketball and swing ball can be a fun way of entertaining the kids or catching up with friends in the garden or park. Don’t let the threat of rain stop the fun, there are plenty of indoor activities, such as trampolining, indoor skating and swimming.

Take to the streets

With carnivals, markets and food events back on the calendar, make sure you know how to spot some heart healthy street food. Simple swaps can go a long way towards a healthier heart and still tingle the taste buds; try out some delicious vegetarian options for a meat free alternative that’s packed with goodness; go for a side of corn on the cob or baked sweet potato wedges instead of fries.

Laugh and dance

For a healthy heart it’s important to keep the oxygen and blood flowing.  What better way to do this than to have a good laugh and a boogie with your family and friends.

However you choose to spend your extra day, try to make your bank holiday count towards a healthier, happier and longer life with those you love.

University of Edinburgh graduates in celebration to remember

Recent University of Edinburgh graduates celebrated their achievements at a unique event last night with the help of two city icons – Edinburgh Castle and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo! 

This was the first in a series of celebrations across four days with nearly five thousand graduates from summer/winter 2020 and summer 2021, plus their guests, taking part in these processions in the magnificent setting of the Castle. 

Combining two of Edinburgh’s most famous institutions, the Tattoo and the University of Edinburgh, provided graduates and their guests with a night to remember.

Attendees were piped over the Castle drawbridge, then led in a procession by senior University academics, walking up through the Portcullis Gate and past the cannons, through Foogs Gate then into Castle Square accompanied by Tattoo dancers, pipers, drummers and fiddlers who provided entertainment along the way.

Graduates and their guests then entered the magnificent Great Hall, where they were capped by the University of Edinburgh’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Mathieson. 

The first group were joined in their procession by First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who walked with them and passed on her congratulations to graduates. 

Professor Peter Mathieson said: “Over the last 18 months, our students have faced challenges like no others before them, so it’s fantastic to offer them such a special event to celebrate not only their achievements, but their resilience and commitment shown throughout the pandemic. 

“It was a truly memorable moment to see our former students complete their University journey at such a spectacular and iconic setting and we are very grateful to the teams at the Tattoo and Castle for working with us to make it possible.”

Buster Howes, CEO of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “We’re committed to supporting the people and organisations of Edinburgh as the City starts to open up again.

“It’s been a privilege to collaborate with the University of Edinburgh and Historic Environment Scotland to give Edinburgh’s graduates a chance to celebrate with their families, their achievements over four years, which latterly have entailed significant challenges.

“We wish Edinburgh University’s graduates every success in the future – this is just the beginning for them!”

For more information about this year’s University of Edinburgh graduation, please visit: www.ed.ac.uk 

YPI students secure £60,000 for charities in Edinburgh

Secondary school students in Edinburgh have been responsible for a vital funding boost of £60,000 to local charities through their involvement in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI).

The 20 schools committed to The Wood Foundation programme which sees young people work in teams to identify social issues impacting their communities and the charities addressing them. They then develop creative presentations in a bid to secure their school’s £3000 grant.

The top three social issues securing YPI funding this year were support for those facing health and ability conditions, services to address mental health and wellbeing, and action to tackle poverty in Scotland’s communities.

Ali MacLachlan, UK Director at The Wood Foundation, said: “Young people raising awareness of social issues and ensuring this vital funding reached communities at a time of acute need is so important.

“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and commitment shown by schools and students to ensure this important learning and funding opportunity continued with such vigour despite all the challenges of the school year from Covid-19.

“Giving young people a platform and a voice to lead their learning and make a difference to the issues they saw first-hand locally took on additional significance in a year when so much autonomy was taken away.

“We have been blown away by many of the presentations and have great hope that our young people are an exciting force for change.”

Nationally, 220 schools took part in the programme this year channelling £660,000 to charities. Since it was launched in Scotland in 2008, the active citizenship programme YPI has been responsible for more than £5m being granted to local charities championed by young people.

It is Scotland’s largest independent initiative being delivered in education, having empowered more than 230,000 young people to advocate for causes they care passionately about while developing vital skills.

Barbara Johnstone MBE is Organiser and Trustee of Ravelrig RDA which secured two grants this year. She said: “The successful groups were impressive from the start and had really interesting questions.

“They clearly took on board all I had shared with them in their presentations. YPI is so beneficial for the personal growth of the youngsters and the reward for us is massive.”

Hannah Treagus was one of the students in the successful team. Hannah has volunteered at Ravelrig RDA for more than two years. She knew the incredible role the horses and centre had to play in supporting families dealing with a host of issues.

Hannah said: “Fundraising has been really hard hit by Covid-19 and I really wanted to share the passion I have for Ravelrig RDA through YPI. We worked really hard on our presentation and were really determined to do well. I am so pleased we secured this funding which will go towards a new horse when the centre can reopen properly.”

As an education programme, teachers believe that YPI is improving young people’s skills for learning, life, and work in areas such as teamwork, decision making, research, creativity, communication, problem solving and resilience. They also believe students are becoming more empathetic and engaged in their communities, better able to discuss social issues and committing to be active citizens.

YPI is managed and majority funded by The Wood Foundation and is supported by a network of likeminded funding partners. In Edinburgh it is supported by abrdn. Its Head of External Affairs Jeff Newton said:

“YPI enables young people to make a real difference to their local communities whilst showcasing their commitment, creativity, and innovation. We are proud to be a lead funder of the programme which enables young people to have their voices heard in the Edinburgh community.

“For the past three years colleagues have been involved with mentoring students and judging YPI Showcases, and we have always been incredibly impressed by the maturity and conviction of the presentations.”

The Wood Foundation is a venture philanthropic organisation committed to addressing social inequity and investing in developing young people in Scotland, as well as economic investment in the UK and East Africa. It was established by its Chairman Sir Ian Wood and his family in 2007.

 City of Edinburgh 

Balerno High School Kirknewton Community Development Trust 
Boroughmuir High School Stepping Stones 
Castlebrae High School Thistle Foundation Health & Wellbeing 
Craigmount High School Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity 
Craigroyston Community High School Ferrywell Youth Projects 
Currie Community High School Kids Love Clothes 
Fettes College TalkTime Scotland 
Firrhill High School Lothian Veteran’s Centre 
Forrester High School Conscious Edinburgh 
George Watson’s College Cyrenians 
Gracemount High School St Columbas Hospice 
Holy Rood RC High School Steps to Hope 
James Gillespie’s High School Ravelrig Riding for the Disabled 
Leith Academy Joshua Nolan Foundation 
Liberton High School Edinburgh Women’s Aid 
St Augustine’s High School The Welcoming 
St George’s School  Ravelrig Riding for the Disabled 
Stewart’s Melville College Children 1st 
The Edinburgh Academy U-Evolve 
The Mary Erskine School Alzheimers Scotland 

Record number of recorded grooming crimes in Scotland

Calls for UK Government to bolster online safety legislation

  • Offences of Communicating Indecently with a Child recorded by Police Scotland increase by 80% in last five years
  • True scale of grooming likely to be higher as Facebook tech failures saw drop in removal of abuse material during pandemic
  • UK Government Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden urged to strengthen draft Online Safety Bill to ensure it responds to the rising threat

Crimes of communicating a sexual message to a child have risen by 80 per cent in the last five years to an all-time high, Police Scotland figures obtained by the NSPCC reveal.

Offenders are exploiting risky design features on apps popular with children, the child protection charity has warned.

The NSPCC is calling on the UK Government to respond by ensuring the ambition of the Online Safety Bill matches the scale of the biggest ever online child abuse threat.

The data provided by Police Scotland reveals:

  • there were 685 offences of Communicating Indecently with a Child recorded between April 2020 and March 2021
  • that’s an increase of 80 per cent from 381 in 2015/16
  • there was also an increase of 5 per cent from 2019/20 – making the number of crimes recorded in the last year a record high
  • for offences against children under the age of 13, the number of recorded crimes rose by 11 per cent, from 334 to 370, between 2019/20 and 2020/21

A 15-year-old girl told one of our Childline counsellors: “I’ve been chatting with this guy who’s like twice my age. This all started on Instagram but lately our chats have been on WhatsApp.

“He seemed really nice to begin with, but then he started making me do these things to ‘prove my trust to him’, like doing video chats with my chest exposed.”*

The NSPCC believes last year’s figures do not give a full understanding of the impact of the pandemic on children’s safety online.

The charity cites that in the last six months of 2020 Facebook removed less than half of the child abuse content it had previously, due to two technology failures.

The charity says tech firms failed to adequately respond to the increased risk children faced during lockdowns because of historic inaction to design their sites safely for young users.

The NSPCC welcomes the recent flurry of safety announcements from companies such as Instagram, Apple and TikTok, but says tech firms are playing catch up in responding to the threat after years of poorly designed sites.

The charity is calling on the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to step up the ambition of the UK Government’s Online Safety Bill to ensure proposals comprehensively tackle an online abuse threat that is greater than ever.

The NSPCC says the Draft Online Safety Bill published in May needs to go much further to keep children safe and ensure it creates a practical response that corresponds to the scale and nature of the child abuse problem.

The Bill is due to be scrutinised by a Joint Committee of MPs and Lords from September, which experts say is a crucial opportunity to ensure legislation provides solutions that comprehensively fix the way platforms are exploited by abusers.

The NSPCC wants to see the Bill strengthened to address how abuse rapidly spreads across platforms and ensure it responds effectively to content that facilitates abuse.

Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland policy and public affairs manager, said: “The failings of tech firms are resulting in record numbers of children being groomed and sexually abused online.

“To respond to the size and complexity of the threat, the UK Government must make child protection a priority in legislation and ensure the Online Safety Bill does everything necessary to prevent online abuse.

“Legislation will only be successful if it achieves robust measures to keep children truly safe now and in the future.”

The NSPCC is also urging Facebook to invest in technology to ensure plans for end-to-end encryption will not prevent the tech firm from identifying and disrupting abuse.

The charity says Facebook should proceed only when it can prove child protection tools will not be compromised and wants tougher measures in the Online Safety Bill to hold named-managers personally liable for design choices that put children at risk.

The NSPCC has been calling for Duty of Care regulation of social media since 2017 and has been at the forefront of campaigning for the Online Safety Bill.