Throughout 2020 and 2021, Public Health Scotland (PHS) ran three national surveys to hear directly from the parents and carers of younger children about how the COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated restrictions, had affected their families.
PHS heard how the pandemic had impacted on relationships, behaviour, mood and parental wellbeing, with negative outcomes reported more frequently in low-income households compared to high-income households.
Now, three years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, PHS is checking in again to see how young children and their families are doing. Parents and carers of a child aged between 0–11 years old are being asked to complete a new national survey, even if they have taken part in previous surveys or are caring for a child born out with the time of the pandemic restrictions. The survey is running for a fourth time from 8–30 June 2023, and PHS is keen to gauge any ripple effect, as well as any impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Dr Grant Aitken, Public Health Intelligence Adviser at PHS, said:
“It’s important that we find out if the challenges we heard about previously are reducing, or if there are still some families who are struggling to cope with lasting impacts of the pandemic.
“Equally, it could be that some impacts are only becoming apparent now, and it’s important we capture these if so. This includes understanding people’s financial needs, with many families struggling to afford basics like food, housing costs or household bills.”
As with previous surveys, findings will be used by PHS to support practitioners, service providers and policy makers to respond to children and families in need, in areas covering childcare, education and health. Doing so is vital to help create a Scotland where all children and their families are given the chance to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, and to thrive.
Please complete the survey, or help us to promote it by emailing phs.comms@phs.scot for social media assets and a flyer for distribution or display.
New TUC survey finds low level of statutory paternity pay leaves families struggling financially – and stops 1 in 5 dads/partners from taking paternity leave at all
Low-income households and self-employed workers most likely to miss out on paternity leave
1 in 5 dads/partners who manage to take time off end up working during leave
Union body calls on ministers to increase statutory paternity pay and overhaul parental leave system
More than half (53%) of families struggle financially when dads/partners take paternity leave, according to a new TUC poll published today (Friday).
The survey also reveals that half (50%) of parents don’t feel they were able to take enough time off work as paternity leave to support their families.
And one in five (21%) parents told the TUC they didn’t take any paternity leave at all. The biggest reason for this – for more than one in four (27%) parents – is that they can’t afford to reduce their income.
Statutory paternity pay is currently £172.48 a week, or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower), and paternity leave is one or two weeks.
Missing out
The TUC poll found:
Low earners: Household income has a big impact on take up of paternity leave. Nearly nine in 10 (86%) of parents where the household income is over £60,000 take statutory paternity leave provided by their employer, but this falls to two-thirds (65%) of dads/partners with a household income under £25k. And only one in seven (14%) dads/partners with household income under £25k take a more generous form of paternity leave than just the statutory – compared to more than one in three (35%) where the household income is over £80k.
Self-employed: Only one in three (31%) self-employed dads/partners took time off when their partner had a baby. Self-employed workers currently aren’t eligible for any statutory paternity pay. The TUC warns this reduces their ability to take time off work for the arrival of a new baby.
The poll also revealed that nearly one in five (18%) dads/partners are still doing some work whilst on paternity leave – rising to almost one in three (30%) part-time workers.
More than one in five (22%) do this because of the demands of their workload, and a similar percentage (19%) feel pressured to do this by their employers.
Government action needed
The TUC is calling on government to completely overhaul the current parental leave system.
The union body wants ministers to:
Increase statutory paternity pay: Statutory paternity pay needs to increase to at least the level of the real living wage, to make it feasible for dads/partners to take time out to care for their new-borns.
Extend parental leave: Both parents need a stand-alone right to their own individual period of well-paid parental leave – which is not dependent on the other partner sacrificing some of their leave (as it is in the current shared parental leave system).
Give parental leave and pay rights to all from day one: Parental leave and pay rights should be accessible to all, regardless of employment status – including those who are self-employed, agency workers or on zero-hours contracts. Qualifying periods for parental leave and pay rights should be scrapped and they should be available from day one in a job.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “It’s not right that so many dads can’t afford to take time off work when their babies are born.
“The arrival of a new-born is one of the most special moments in life. No parent should miss out on these precious first days.
“The UK’s parental leave and pay system needs an overhaul.
“Without better rights to well-paid leave, too many new parents will still miss out on spending time with their babies. And mums will continue to take on the bulk of caring.
“Ministers should give all dads better-paid paternity leave – and create a new right to well-paid parental leave just for dads, that doesn’t rely on mums giving up some of their maternity leave.”
Childline delivered 8,599 counselling sessions to children living in Scotland in 2022/23
Aberdeen and Glasgow Childline bases delivered 29,741 counselling sessions to children across the UK in 2022/23
195,542 counselling sessions were delivered by Childline across the UK in 2022/23
These figures are being released by the NSPCC as people across the nation come together to Celebrate Childhood Day on Friday, June 9
Schools and nurseries in Scotland are taking part in the Childhood Day Mile
The Scottish public have already generously donated at Childhood Day collections and events
The NSPCC has released new figures today showing its Childline service delivered over 8,000 counselling sessions to children in Scotland last year, as people across the nation come together to play their part in the charity’s fundraising day – Childhood Day (June 9).
Last year at least 8,599 of the counselling sessions delivered by Childline were with children and young people who were living in Scotland.
While almost 30,000 (29,741) sessions were delivered to children across the UK by a counsellor based at the NSPCC’s Glasgow and Aberdeen Childline call centres.
In total, over 195,000 Childline counselling sessions were held with young people from across the UK over the past year (2022/23), and the charity is determined to continue to be there for any child who wishes to speak to them about their worries and concerns.
The top five main concerns for children were mental and emotional health and wellbeing; family relationships; friendship issues; bullying and school/education problems.
The NSPCC launched its flagship fundraising and awareness day, Childhood Day, three years ago, to bring communities together and highlight the vital role everyone can play in helping to keep children safe from abuse and neglect.
This year, the charity has already seen displays of support in Scotland including collections at Morrisons in Inverurie and outside the Bruce Springsteen concert in Edinburgh, which brought in donations of £1,288.
Staff and volunteers from Glasgow Childline also raised £1,472 by doing a sponsored ‘Silly Hat Walk’ along the River Clyde in Glasgow on Sunday, June 4. This will enable Childline counsellors to deliver 368 counselling sessions to children and young people.
While staff and volunteers from Childline also raised £3,084 by taking part in the Aberdeen and Glasgow Kiltwalks.
Schools and nurseries in Scotland are also getting involved in the Childhood Day Mile including the Apple Tree Nursery in Rothesay, they are walking from the beach to the tearoom and back again, while Small Isles Primary School on the Isle of Jura and Keills Primary School on Islay, have children taking part in fun obstacle courses to complete the mile as well as football dribbling and scoring challenges. The children have also planned a whole school conga dance around the playground!
All funds raised will go to the NSPCC to help support the vital work in helping to protect children and young people. Individuals are also getting involved with the Mile in fun and creative ways, as well as taking part in volunteering to help raise donations and spread the word about Childhood Day.
Childhood Day Mile
Even if you don’t have responsibility for a child in your life, the NSPCC believes that strong communities are a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to safeguarding children.
This year the charity encouraged schools and the wider public to do their bit to support Childhood Day by taking on the Childhood Day Mile and has seen huge amounts of support across the UK.
How to Support
Whilst Childhood Day is an opportunity for everyone to get involved and raise money whilst having fun, it is also important to recognise the need for Childhood Day and the work done by the NSPCC. Half a million children across the UK suffer from abuse and neglect, which is equal to roughly seven children in a classroom experiencing abuse before they turn 18.
The NSPCC fights tirelessly to change this, and the charity’s work helps shape a better future for children in which they are safe from harm.
Jo Swinhoe, Director of Fundraising at NSPCC said:“We’re thrilled to be celebrating Childhood Day today and to see the huge amount of support across the UK.
“It’s been wonderful to have so many participants getting involved in the Childhood Mile and other fundraising efforts, and the NSPCC would like to thank every single person who has donated or volunteered.
“This special day helps us to continue to support children and protect them from abuse as we work to ensure as many children as possible have a safe and joyful childhood.”
It’s never too late to show your support for Childhood Day and the amazing work being done up and down the UK by the NSPCC. You can find out more about how to get involved with Childhood Day here.
The NSPCC is urging anyone with concerns about a child, even if they’re unsure, to contact the NSPCC Helpline to speak to one of the charity’s professionals. People can call 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk.
Children and young people can contact Childline about anything that may be worrying them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 0800 1111 or a 1-2-1 chat is available online, visit: www.childline.org.uk.
Sponsors
Lidl GB and Sky Cares, Sky’s community outreach programme, are sponsoring the NSPCC’s Childhood Day for a second year as retail and media sponsors. Lidl GB has been partnered with the NSPCC for 6 years and are currently supporting young people with their mental health by raising money for Childline. Sky Cares has been partnered with the NSPCC for three years and are committed to supporting the communities where their customers and employees live and work. Both partners will be helping to raise awareness of Childhood Day, as well as holding their own activities with their colleagues and customers across Great Britain to help raise vital funds.
The Balancing Act: Nearly half of Scottish parents (42%) admit their job prevents them maintaining a healthy work-life balance when it comes to their children, with 78% further admitting they feel trapped in their current career due to external factors
The Need for Change: Self-employment ranked as most attractive (27%) amongst Scottish parents looking for a new career to allow them a better work-parenting balance
New Career Aspirations: AA Driving School research reveals under pressure parents seek working-life changes
New research from AA Driving School shows that nearly half (42% and 51% across the UK) of Scottish parents find their job prevents them from finding a healthy work-life balance, due to childcare and cost of living pressures.
Increases to the cost of childcare have driven Scottish parents to work either additional hours in their current job (19%) or even take another job (12%) to financially support their family.
The Balancing Act
Data found that 22% of Glaswegians experience parent guilt every day (compared to 18% nationally), the top cause being the need to work additional hours which in Scotland was 50% to support their family financially.
More than half (52%) of UK parents agree that childcare costs influence their career decisions, with the age-old dilemma of ‘having it all’ truly impacting parents as nearly 3 in 5 (59%) feel guilty for working long hours instead of spending time with their children.
Nearly a quarter (24%) of Scottish parents admit they have missed their child’s sports day, parents evening (19%) and even their first steps (10%) due to work commitments.
The Need for Change
Against this backdrop, half of UK parents (49%) are ready to take the plunge and will look to explore a new career path this year to improve their work-life balance. With 60% of people in Edinburgh valuing flexible hours the most when seeking new career benefits, compared to the national average of 50%.
Among UK parents considering a change of employment, nearly third (34% and 27% across Scotland) would prefer self-employment if they were to change careers – ahead of retail (14%), healthcare (13%), education (19%) or other office work such as HR, IT and customer services (16%).
AA Driving School is encouraging Brits who are unhappy with their work-life balance to consider more flexible employment by becoming their own boss as an AA driving instructor.
Camilla Benitz, Managing Director at AA Driving School comments: “Inflexible 9-5 working models make it difficult for many parents to balance work and family life.
“Our research shows there is a greater need for workplace flexibility to assist UK parents balance financial, career and parenting needs. Many AA Driving School instructors have chosen this career to allow them flexibility around their families as well as having a long-term, rewarding career.”
Darren Churchill, an AA Driving School instructor since 2021 shares how being able to work flexibly and choose his own hours has improved his work-life balance: “It was being put on furlough during the first lockdown that first got me thinking about a career change.
“I really valued the extra time I had with my children and I realised I didn’t want to give that up by going back to a 9 to 5 job. Having worked as a front of house manager for Ford previously, I was keen to stay within the motoring industry and becoming a driving instructor really appealed.
“It’s the best decision I’ve made as the flexibility it gives me with my children and family life is invaluable.”
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, is calling on all Scotland’s political parties to come together and make mental health a key focus.
The call comes as new waiting time figures out yesterday (6th June), highlight that 469 children and young people had been languishing on waiting lists for more than a year for treatment from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) at the quarter ending March 2023.1
Indeed, just 74.2 per cent of patients with mental health problems were seen within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS, with more than a quarter waiting longer than this time. This is short of the Scottish Government’s waiting time target of 90 per cent being seen within 18 weeks. 1
The new figures indicate that it has failed to deliver a key pledge to clear waiting lists by March 2023, as outlined in the NHS Recovery Plan.2
Figures also show that as many as 7,701 children and young people were still stuck on waiting lists to start treatment at the end of the quarter ending March 2023, an increase of 138 on the previous quarter ending December 2022.
The new figures are set against the backdrop of a mental health emergency, which is set to worsen given the cost-of-living crisis and services already at breaking point.
The SCSC is calling on a cross party approach to prioritise spending on mental health, avoiding a potential lost generation of children and young people with mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression and self-harm.
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, cases of poor mental health in children and young people were at unprecedented levels, with under-resourced services struggling to keep pace with growing demand, leaving an increasing number of vulnerable individuals unable to access support. Children and young people are still battling with the long shadow of lockdown, and the rising cost of living is adding to the pressure.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “The latest figures highlighting that more than 460 of our children and young people have been languishing on waiting lists for treatment more than a year is extremely alarming.
“Disturbingly, this means that the Scottish Government has totally failed to achieve its pledge to clear waiting lists by March 2023, leaving many thousands of children and young people waiting for treatment.
“Even before the Covid-19 pandemic demand for already overstretched and under-resourced mental health services was increasing. The mental health of our children and young people has deteriorated markedly over the past decade, and both the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis are making matters even worse, creating a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people.
“We are facing a mental health emergency and many of our children and young people are at breaking point, with stress and anxiety reaching alarming levels as they battle with the long shadow of lockdown and the rising cost of living.
“We must make the delivery of adequately resourced mental health services for our children and young people an absolute priority and would urge all of Scotland’s political parties to come together and make this a reality.”
The National Deaf Children’s Society has backed calls in the Scottish Parliament for more support for deaf children affected by the NHS Lothian audiology scandal.
A motion proposed by Jeremy Balfour, Conservative MSP for Lothians, on the current lack of support, has received cross party backing and will be debated in Parliament tomorrow (Thursday 8th June).
The debate follows a roundtable which Mr Balfour organised with families whose children were affected by the scandal earlier in the year.
The motion highlights that the failure of NHS Lothian to identify children’s deafness early will mean some children permanently miss out on opportunities to develop language and communication.
An independent report published in 2021, found that NHS Lothian was identifying children’s deafness when they were on average 4.5 years old, while the average age of identification as deaf in England was three months. The report was commissioned after the National Deaf Children’s Society raised concerns about the quality of children’s audiology at NHS Lothian.
Mark Ballard, Head of Policy for Scotland for the National Deaf Children’s Society, welcomed the debate saying: “It’s vital that NHS Lothian and local authorities work together to ensure every child affected by the failings of NHS Lothian’s paediatric audiology service get the support that they need to thrive.
“We must not fail these children twice – first by failing to identify their deafness and then by failing to give them the support they need, especially as their needs may be more complex due to late identification.”
The National Deaf Children’s Society is calling for a specialist resource provision to be set up within a school in Lothian and the Borders, similar to those in Glasgow, Falkirk and Dundee.
The charity wants NHS Lothian and local authorities to work together on an individual plan for support for every deaf child involved.
The National Deaf Children’s Society also calls for the recruitment of additional specialist staff to address the more complex language and communications needs of children whose deafness was missed in the early years, who may struggle to catch up with their hearing classmates.
The National Deaf Children’s Society has launched a new five-year strategy, Every Moment Counts, which aims to ensure all deaf children across Scotland receive the support they need during their early years (0-5), or as soon as their deafness is identified.
The charity is shifting the focus of its campaigning to early years as it strongly believes that families need first class support during this crucial period, so they feel empowered to make informed decisions and champion their deaf child.
For all children the early years is a crucial time, but the National Deaf Children’s Society says this is even more so for deaf children, given the impact deafness can have on language development, communication, and social skills.
Missed opportunities to spot deafness and provide the support deaf children need can lead to lifelong impacts, according to the charity.
It says a deaf child without good language and communication development in the early years, be it spoken, sign, or a mixture of both, can experience ongoing challenges. They may struggle to listen and follow instructions in the classroom, or miss conversations with their peers, leading to feelings of isolation and a sense of ‘missing out’.
Kirsten Abioye’s son was not diagnosed as deaf until he was almost three due to failures at their local heath board’s paediatric audiology service.
Kirsten said: “Our experience of early years was really hard. The audiology department was unhelpful and dismissed me as an anxious mum. We experienced delays and a general lack of communication which left us in a difficult position. We knew something was going on with our son but did not know how to support him. His diagnosis brought overwhelming relief.”
Teachers of the Deaf can help bridge this gap, by providing specialist support to deaf children of all ages once their deafness is identified. They play a vital role in deaf children’s lives, particularly during the critical early years – helping to reduce their chances of them falling behind developmentally, socially and educationally.
But a report published by the Consortium for Research into Deaf Education (CRIDE), shows Teachers of the Deaf numbers across Scotland have fallen by 40% in a decade and almost half (45%) are due to retire in the next 10 years. The fall in numbers is twice that of other parts of the UK.
This means thousands of deaf children across Scotland are not getting the support they need in school. Deaf young people in Scotland are already twice as likely as their hearing classmates to leave school with no qualifications and half as likely to go on to university.
Against this backdrop it comes as no surprise that some parents of deaf children in Scotland are concerned that their deaf child does not have enough support from health and education services. Having access to information and advice is crucial in helping families make tricky decisions about how their child will communicate, which technology they’ll use and what type of school they’ll attend.
Kirsten describes her family’s Teacher of the Deaf as an “advocate, support system, teacher, encourager, source of information – all in one woman!”
She said: “Her support has been a lifeline, and she works closely with our son’s nursery who also provide excellent support.”
But even with a great Teacher of the Deaf and nursery, Kirsten’s family still struggled, as the specialist support their family urgently required was simply not available to them.
Kirsten continued: “It was a very isolating, stressful time because we just wanted to be able to support our child. I contacted the National Deaf Children’s Society and had a chat with a member of staff, who was really understanding. She listened and understood my panic that we had missed the opportunity for language learning and were really behind.
“She helped me fill in an application for a family learning course, funded and run by the charity, which kick started our British Sign Language (BSL) learning. She’s been with us through various different parts of life since, most recently our difficulty finding accessible swimming lessons.”
The National Deaf Children’s Society warns that unless action is taken urgently things will only get worse. It is calling on local authorities across Scotland to commit to returning qualified Teacher of the Deaf numbers to 2011 levels over the next decade.
At their annual congress in May, The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA), Scotland’s second largest teaching union, unanimously agreed a motion backing the charity’s call on the Scottish Government to address the dramatic drop in the number of qualified Teachers of the Deaf, as “matter of urgency”.
The charity also calls on the Scottish Government to develop and deliver a Scotland-wide workforce strategy for Teachers of the Deaf, and to ensure they are properly paid for the extra responsibilities they take on, in recognition that their specialist expertise is valued.
Mark Ballard, Head of Policy and Influencing for Scotland with the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Deaf children are just as capable as their peers when they have right support in place, ideally from the very beginning. But many families in Scotland are struggling to access this support.
“It means that deaf children just aren’t being given the opportunity to thrive in those crucial formative years. Once they fall behind, it can be incredibly hard to catch up and this can have a lasting impact that affects them throughout their lives.
“Every moment counts, from the time a child’s deafness is identified, to their first day at school and beyond. We owe it to deaf children to give them the best start in life.”
For more information about Every Moment counts, visit:
This week the doors reopened to Holyrood’s crèche facility.
The crèche offers pre-school childcare provision for MSPs and staff who work in the building. It is also available to people with childcare responsibilities who are engaging with parliamentary business or with their MSPs, or who are visiting Holyrood, giving them the opportunity to have their children looked after in a safe and fun environment.
The Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, visited the crèche to meet staff and children.
The Presiding Officer said: “The Scottish Parliament was one of the first parliaments in Europe to offer childcare facilities of this kind for young children and I’m delighted that we’re once again able to offer this.
“The crèche is there to provide childcare to MSPs carrying out their duties, to all staff working in the Parliament, and to visitors giving evidence to our committees, touring the building or meeting their MSP.
“It’s important that the Parliament challenges itself to do all that we can to enable those with childcare responsibilities to work in, engage with and visit the Parliament.”
With Child Safety Week just around the corner, NICEIC – the UK’s leading body for certified electrical businesses – is reminding parents about the importance of having sufficient measures in place to ensure electrical safety in the home for the whole family.
Child Safety Week takes place from Monday 5 to Sunday 11 June 2023, with this year’s theme being, ‘Safety Made Simple’. ‘Safety Made Simple’ provides parents with the simple changes they can make to stop the scariest of accidents happening within the home. Offering easy solutions that can fit into busy routines, the theme acknowledges the dangers that youngsters face both inside and outside of the home.
In support, NICEIC says that there will be a proportion of the nation’s families who are unaware of the electrical dangers that can exist around the home; whilst for others, they may be aware but too busy to keep up with simple maintenance and vital periodic checks.
Ahead of Child Safety Week, Paul Collins, Technical Director at NICEIC, has provided some simple advice for families to stay safe within the home.
Paul says: “It’s no secret that electrical devices such as tablets and video games are becoming the chosen choice of entertainment for many children. As a result, many tech-savvy kids are unknowingly leaving themselves open to serious electrical dangers.
“Should devices such as these be handled incorrectly, especially by children, the consequences are frightening. That’s why we want to encourage parents to take on some simple checks and measures in order to safeguard their family in and around the home.
“All of these devices need to be plugged in at some point in the home and parents should not overlook the potential risks surrounding these. It’s vital that the socket-outlet is not overloaded, as this can increase the risk of a fire in the home.
“Other simple precautions that parents can take include keeping electrical cords out of reach, checking cables for damage, keeping appliances off when not in use and never leaving younger children unattended when using a device still connected to the mains.
“The charity Electrical Safety First has also done some fantastic work around highlighting the sale of dangerous goods via online marketplaces. We support in their message and urge parents to shop safely online and only buy goods from reputable retailers.”
With summer just around the corner, parents must not overlook the potential hazards playing in the garden may bring. The garden poses particular electrical safety risks due to the added potential for water and electricity to mix – especially with children dipping in and out of paddling pools.
Paul continues: “When using electrical equipment outside, it’s important to make sure all electrical appliances are using a residual current device (RCD). An RCD is a safety device that automatically turns off electricity if a fault has been discovered.
“Another important tip that may be surprising to parents is to not rely on plastic plug in socket covers. Regular sockets, that comply with British safety standards, have a built-in protection mechanism already and socket covers will not prevent electric shock if the installation is not safe.”
Crucially, NICEIC recommends that any electrical work in the home should be conducted by a certified business, such as those listed with the NICEIC, as even the seemingly simplest of jobs can be incredibly dangerous if not installed properly.
Discussing the importance of child safety at home, Rory Carroll from the UK’s leading charity Electrical Safety First comments: “In the UK, online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Wish are not obliged to obey by the same laws as traditional retailers. So large numbers of dangerous electrical products are being sold to unknowing customers.
“As these possibly contain sub-standard or non-compliant parts, they can pose a serious risk of fire or electric shock. We want to ensure everyone stays safe within the home and urge you to only purchase from reputable retailers.
“If you are unsure about any areas of electrical safety inside or outside, we have various resources available on our Safety Around the Home hub and more information is available at www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk.”
For further information or to search for your nearest NICEIC Certified business visit www.niceic.com.
The weather forecast is looking good for the Summer Festival tomorrow at Granton Parish Church from 10am – 4pm.
Food all day from breakfast rolls in the morning, soup at lunchtime and finishing off with a burger BBQ at 3pm. Music from Granton Youth and Ukranian folk singers
Food available all day breakfast rolls in the morning, soup at lunchtime and finishing off with a burger BBQ at 3pm.
• LIVE MUSIC FROM GRANTON YOUTH MUSIC & UKRANIAN MUSIC GROUP
