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Pregnancies and Parenthood in Young People

Link between deprivation and teenage pregnancies – Scottish government consultation launched

The Scottish Government has launched a public consultation on its draft National Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People Strategy.

Teenage pregnancy rates in Scotland have continued to fall in 2013, to the lowest levels on record. Overall, the rates have declined since 2007 across under 16, under 18 and under 20 age groups.

The teenage pregnancy rate for under 20s has dropped from 57.7 per 1,000 population in 2007 to 37.7 per 1,000 population in 2013 – a decrease of around 35 per cent.

In mainland NHS Boards, NHS Grampian recorded the lowest rate in the under 20 age group while NHS Fife recorded the highest.

Despite this decrease in rates, there continues to be a strong link between deprivation and teenage pregnancy. In the under 20 age group, females living in the most deprived areas are nearly five times more likely to experience a pregnancy, and the rate of delivery is nearly 12 times higher than someone living in one of the least deprived areas.

The latest statistics are published as the Scottish Government launches a public consultation on its draft National Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People Strategy. The draft strategy – the first of its kind in Scotland – aims to tackle the cycle of deprivation associated with many cases of pregnancy in young people, and provide extra support for young parents. It will look at the wider issues that lead to pregnancy in young people, as well as sexual health and relationships and therefore aim to give more choices and opportunities to young people and further support to young parents.

The draft Strategy looks to ensure that all agencies, not just the NHS, recognise the need to provide support to young people and young families. One of the proposed commitments is for a National Lead to provide strategic leadership in this area. The National Lead will engage with local and national organisations; ensure the consideration of up to date evidence and policy; monitor and react to progress; and enable sharing of experience and best practice across Scotland.

Public Health Minister Maureen Watt said: “I am pleased to see the rate of teenage pregnancy has continued to reduce for the sixth year, which is very encouraging alongside recent reductions in terminations of pregnancy.

“Reducing levels of pregnancy in young people will help to increase the choices, opportunities and wellbeing available to them throughout their lives. We must look not just at sexual health and relationships but also wider issues. Teenage pregnancy rates have been decreasing under this government, but we are determined to further decrease those rates and to close the inequality gap.

“I am disappointed that significant differences remain between those from deprived populations compared to more affluent populations.

“Our new draft strategy seeks to build on the reductions that we have seen over the last few years. We have engaged with key stakeholders and young people throughout its development and we will continue to engage with them throughout this consultation process to ensure we give young people in Scotland get the best start into adulthood.”

“The draft strategy emphasises the need for a holistic approach to tackling pregnancy in young people by considering wider factors that are key for supporting young people more widely, such as education, attainment and training and employment.

“It is essential that we continue to put the young person at the centre to help them achieve their potential both as individuals and where appropriate, as parents.”

The consultation on the Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People Strategy can be found here: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/07/3144

Hacked off!

Hackers target City Council

The city of Edinburgh Council’s website has been hacked. Cyber-criminals have stolen over 13,000 email addresses after penetrating the city council’s security firewall.

Individuals who have had their details stolen were contacted by the city’s Director of Corporate Governance, Alastair Maclean, this morning, asking them to change any passwords used to access the council’s website.

In an email to clients who have registered with the council, entitled ‘The City of Edinburgh Council – Important information about your email address’, Mr Maclean said:

Dear Website User

We are emailing to let you know that the Council’s website was subject to a cyber attack which got through our website service provider’s security. The attacker copied some email addresses, including yours, but we would like to reassure you that no other personal data was taken.

If you had a password for the website, as a precaution, we have reset your account and you will have to change your password the next time you log in. This change does not apply to your “MyGovScot” account.

It is possible that your email address might experience an increase in spam or phishing emails. Information and guidance on spam and phishing is available from Citizens Advice

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/protection-for-the-consumer/scams/common-scams/computer-and-online-scams/phishing-spam-emails-and-fake-websites/

We are taking this incident very seriously. We have made sure that our service providers have reinforced the security of our website and we will continue to monitor security regularly.

If you do have any concerns, please contact the Council on 0131 200 2000

A council spokesman added: “This was a malicious cyber attack on the Council’s website which is hosted in a UK data centre. It was dealt with swiftly and at no point were any Council services affected.

“We are contacting everyone who has been affected to inform them of the incident and offer them advice and support. We have reassured individuals that the only details that have been accessed are their e-mail addresses.

“The Information Commissioner’s Office has been informed and preventative measures have been taken by the web service providers.

“We want to reassure the public the ongoing security of our website is critically important, and we continue to work with our service providers to ensure that the risks associated with attacks are dealt with.”

The Germans in Britain

(now there’s a headline to get Daily Mail readers spluttering over their corn flakes!)

An exhibition that highlights the immense contribution by Germans to British life is being shown in Scotland for the first time at National Records of Scotland.

Among the documents from the national archives chosen to tell the story of Germans in Scotland is a register recording the baptism in 1598 of the son of the German doctor who attended Anne of Denmark, James VI’s queen.

The free exhibition explores the many facets of the long and productive relationship between Germans living and working in Britain and their hosts. It has been created by the Migration Museum Project in order to celebrate the history of co-operation and friendly relations between Britain and Germany.

The pop-up exhibition looks at how German connections have shaped everything from sport, business, the monarchy, science, music and the creative arts, and is complemented by specially selected original documents from the huge holdings of National Records of Scotland.

The exhibition at General Register House, 2 Princes Street, runs from 6 July until 7 August, Monday – Friday, 9am – 4.30.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “This exhibition celebrates the strong historic links between Germany and Britain and highlights bonds between the people of our two nations stemming back hundreds of years. Our archive provides a fascinating insight into some of the close ties that have connected the people of Scotland and Germany over the centuries.”

Tim Ellis, Keeper of the Records of Scotland and Registrar General, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting this fascinating exploration of the long contacts between Britain and Germany, and to be able to complement it with gems from our own archives that record the presence of Germans in Scotland for more than 400 years. The exhibition has been made possible by our partnership with the German Consulate General in Scotland and the Migration Museum Project.”

Verena Gräfin von Roedern, German Consul General in Scotland, said: “We are delighted that this important exhibition has found its way to Scotland. A huge number of Germans have become an active part of British society. According to the 2011 census, more than twenty thousand Germans are currently resident in Scotland. As Consul General it has been my pleasure to get to know Germans from all walks of life, who contribute amongst others to Scotland’s higher education institutes, national health services, cultural and even culinary landscape.”

Sophie Henderson, Project Director, Migration Museum Project, said: “It is very exciting for us at the Migration Museum Project to see German–Scottish histories drawn out and spotlighted in this way, using our exhibition as a backdrop. The long history of German migrants in Scotland, beautifully demonstrated with material from National Records of Scotland, goes to show that immigration is not just some awkward, new phenomenon, but a rich, old story and one that is, in many cases, still waiting to be told.”

Sturgeon: UK Budget will hit Scotland’s poorest children

Scottish Government figures give ‘frightening indication’ of potential impact of expected tax credit cuts

Expected cuts to the value of tax credits by the Westminster Government in tomorrow’s budget will impact most on the poorest children in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said this morning.

Figures due to be published tomorrow (Wednesday) by Scottish Government analysts show that, if the Chancellor cuts child tax credits back to 2003 levels in real terms as has been reported, the poorest 20 per cent of Scottish families with children will lose on average nearly 8 per cent of their income – a total impact of £425 million lost across the country – with 60% of Scottish children affected by the changes.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the research as “a frightening indication” of the impact of the expected cuts and warned that the UK Government’s approach will “hit Scotland’s poorest children and families hard”.

The First Minister said: “The UK Government has already warned that tomorrow’s budget will continue their austerity approach, which we are clear is not just unfair but damaging to the economy – undermining attempts to stimulate growth.

“Tax credits form an important part of the tax and welfare system, designed particularly to support working families on low incomes.

“More than 500,000 children in Scotland benefit from tax credits. Two-thirds of the £2 billion expenditure on tax credits in 2013-14 went to low-income working families with children and only 5 per cent to households without children.

“If, as we expect, the UK Government targets tax credits for cuts in tomorrow’s budget, it will hit Scotland’s poorest children and families hard. It is a frightening indication of the potential impact of the expected cuts in tomorrow’s UK budget.”

The First Minister went on to describe the austerity approach as ‘economically counter-productive’:

“We want to support people to get into work and to stay in work and the tax credit system provides important practical help to families on low pay.

“These are people who are in jobs and often working very hard for relatively little pay. It is unfair that their children are the people made to pay for the mistakes of the austerity approach – not to mention economically counter-productive.

“When people are in work, they spend their wages in the local economy, leading to a virtuous circle. Cutting child tax credits back to 2003 levels, as we expect the UK Government to do tomorrow, will risk threatening Scotland’s economic recovery.

“The deficit needs to be reduced but this should be done in a more gradual manner with more resources allocated to a programme of additional investment in our economy, rather than risking a financial body-blow to hard-working parents and their children.”

7/7 tenth anniversary: Prime Minister’s statement

‘We will keep on doing all that we can to keep the British public safe’ – Prime Minister David Cameron

Prime Minister David Cameron has made a statement on the tenth anniversary of the 7 July 2005 London bombings.

He said: “Today the country comes together to remember the victims of one of the deadliest terrorist atrocities on mainland Britain.

“Ten years on from the 7/7 London attacks, the threat from terrorism continues to be as real as it is deadly – the murder of 30 innocent Britons whilst holidaying in Tunisia is a brutal reminder of that fact. But we will never be cowed by terrorism.

“We will keep on doing all that we can to keep the British public safe, protecting vulnerable young minds from others’ extremist beliefs and promoting the shared values of tolerance, love and respect that make Britain so great.”

Three people rescued from Cramond Island

It happens every summer, as predictable as rain stopping play at Wimbledon. Yes, it’s the peak season for people getting stranded on Cramond Island …

Three people were rescued by lifeboat after being cut off by rising tides in the Firth of Forth yesterday.

Coastguards received a call shortly after 2pm from a man on Cramond Island who thought he had broken his leg.

Two members of the Queensferry lifeboat were dropped off to search for him, and when the causeway linking the island to the mainland then became flooded by tidal waters two other people also had to be brought to safety.

HM Coastguard’s Jonathan Mustard said: “This was a well co-ordinated response to this incident. All those involved regularly carry out training for this sort of incident and the way this was handled today shows why that training matters.”

7/7 ten years on: a nation remembers

On 7 July 2005, four suicide bombers launched an attack on London’s transport system that killed 52 and injured over 750 in the worst ever terrorist attack on British soil.

Many Londoners woke up that day delighted with the news that they had won the bid to stage the Olympic Games – but that joy soon turned to horror when 52 people died and hundreds more injured in a series of coordinated attacks on the Tube and a double-decker bus at the height of the rush hour.

Three bombs went off on the Underground within minutes of each other just after 8.50am, two of them near Liverpool Street and Edgware Road stations, and a third between King’s Cross and Russell Square. An hour later a number 30 bus was hit on Tavistock Square, near King’s Cross.

Tomorrow, the tenth anniversary of the atrocity will be marked across the country:

A Service of Remembrance at St Paul’s Cathedral

The service will be broadcast from 10.30am , as families of those affected attend a commemoration service. Representatives of the emergency services will also attend the service alongside politicians, including Lord Mayor of London Boris Johnson. Prince Andrew will represent the Royal Family.

A minute’s silence

People across the UK will fall quiet for a minute at 11.30am to reflect on the anniversary of the attacks. In London, bus drivers will pull over if they can do so safely and although tube trains will continue running, announcements will stop and passengers will be reminded of the silence.

Taking SHAPE: city strategy is reducing homelessness

‘it is clear that Edinburgh’s homelessness strategy is helping us to move in the right direction and delivering real results’ – Councillor Cammy Day

New statistics released by the Scottish Government (see below) show that Edinburgh’s homelessness strategy is working. The overall number of people presenting as homeless has reduced by 15% over the last five years, with less than 3% of people classed as rough sleepers.

Edinburgh’s success is the result of effective partnership working with third sector organisations and a renewed focus on prevention, and the latest figures have been welcomed by Housing Leader, Councillor Cammy Day.

He said: “These statistics are extremely encouraging and a tremendous achievement, not just for the Council but for our partners in the third sector who work tirelessly to support homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless.

“While there is still much to be done, it is clear that Edinburgh’s homelessness strategy is helping us to move in the right direction and delivering real results. All of this has been achieved despite a challenging economic climate and significant budget pressures.

“We have invested over £14 million this financial year to fund third sector support services and around another £11 million on our own prevention services. Protecting vulnerable people will continue to be our key priority and we are committed to reducing homelessness further across Edinburgh.”

The City of Edinburgh Council offers an extensive range of services to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, from support and advice on housing options, to assessment services and accommodation.

An early intervention approach also plays a vital role in the Council’s homelessness strategy. Each year commissioned services help over 7,500 people to find new homes as quickly as possible and provide support to help them keep their homes.

Iain Gordon, Chief Executive of Bethany Christian Trust and Chair of the Strategic Homeless Action Partnership in Edinburgh (SHAPE) said: “It is encouraging to see indications that the number of people presenting as homeless in the city is reducing. A great deal of work has been done by third sector organisations and the Council in recent years to address some of the root causes of homelessness as well as the distress that homelessness brings to the lives of some of the city’s most vulnerable people.

“SHAPE remains keen to work with the Council to address increases in the level of support required by those who find themselves homeless and in the prevalence of repeat homelessness.”

Homeless Persons Report

Police pooh-pooh Porty party plans!

Officers pour cold water over beach party plan

Police are urging organisers of a beach party to get in touch:

UNLICENSED GATHERING -PORTOBELLO

Local officers in Portobello are aware of social media messages which suggest a beach party will take place on Portobello Beach on Wednesday evening (8 July).

Events such as these require a public entertainment licence and involve lots of planning and consultation to make sure all of those in attendance are kept safe.
So far, our colleagues at the City of Edinburgh Council have received no application for a Portobello Beach Party.

We are committed to keeping our communities safe and local policing teams will monitor the area on Wednesday to engage with members of the public and address any issues which may arise.

If anyone is planning a party on Portobello Beach, we would ask that they contact us and the City of Edinburgh Council so we can discuss all the relevant safety matter and ensure appropriate resources are utilised.

Mum, I’m bored …

We’re just one week into the school holidays – only SIX weeks to go! See below for a list of what’s available locally to keep your little darlings amused …

Summer Programme 2015 All in One