Tag: Children and Families

Conifox Adventure Park gifts Christmas tree to ECHC to light up festive season for children and families in hospital

Edinburgh’s Conifox Adventure Park is putting the sparkle into Christmas with a magnificent 20ft tree taking pride of place at the city’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.  

The popular visitor attraction on the outskirts of Kirkliston supplies Christmas trees across Edinburgh and the Lothians and was delighted to donate the inaugural evergreen to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) for the new hospital’s first festive season. 

It is now providing a dazzling Yuletide welcome for visitors and patients, having been illuminated by little Joey Sharp, 11 months, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just 12 days old. He pressed the button, helped by big sister Carly, three, to light up the 20ft Nordmann fir and surrounding area at a special Christmas lights switch-on ceremony on Sunday, November 28. 

Victoria Buchanan, from ECHC, said: “This is our first year in our new home at Little France, so we are determined to make it the biggest and best Christmas yet. We are enormously grateful to Conifox for this amazing tree donation. 

“Although we have lit up the building, we still need help to Light Up Christmas and make sure no child or young person in hospital misses out on the joy of the festive season. We rely solely on donations to do this. Please help by making a donation to ECHC this Christmas.” 

James Gammell, Managing Director of Conifox Adventure Park, says: “As a father to two young children it’s a real honour to donate the tree as it is such a lovely symbol of light and we hope it brings a little bit of festive cheer to those facing a tough time at the hospital over Christmas.” 

Conifox Adventure Park has also supplied Edinburgh’s spectacular 60ft Christmas tree at The Mound – gifted annually by Hordaland County, Norway to thank Scotland for its help during World War II – and is a popular destination for locals and commercial businesses seeking a real Christmas spruce or fir. 

In addition to its range of trees, Conifox Adventure Park is running its Christmas Experience where visitors can enjoy a walk-about winter wonderland, meet Christmas characters and the man of the moment himself – Santa Claus – and his elves.

There are also four magical shows, the chance to write and post a letter in the North Pole Post Room or visit the Toy Workshop and Reindeer Flying School.  And outside there is an Elf Disco Village plus new this year is Conifox Christmas Market with plenty of stalls selling crafts, food and other goodies from local traders. 

To find out more and to book tickets, visit the Conifox Adventure Park Facebook page @conifoxadventurepark or www.conifox.co.uk.  

To donate now to ECHC’s Light Up Christmas appeal, visit www.echcharity.org/christmas 

More than 7555 children in Edinburgh to benefit from the doubling of Scottish Child Payment

SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald, has welcomed the First Minister’s announcement that the Scottish Child Payment will be doubled from April 2022.

The announcement will see at least 7555 eligible children across Edinburgh receiving £20 per week per child from spring next year, with more than 106,000 children across Scotland immediately benefitting from the increased payment.

Since the launch of the Scottish Government payment on 15 February 2021, £2,036,820 has been issued in payments to families in Edinburgh.

It is now expected that over 400,000 children could be eligible for the doubled payment by the end 2022, which is when the benefit, which is unique in the UK, will be extended to children under the age of 16.

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “I am delighted that at least 7555 children across Edinburgh will have their Scottish Child Payment doubled in just four months time. This will give £20 per child per week to 7555 children in Edinburgh – four times the amount originally demanded by campaigners.

“The Scottish Government’s national mission to tackle child poverty is absolute – with £2,036,820 having been provided to families across Edinburgh since February, and almost £32 million across Scotland as a whole.

“The doubling of the Scottish Child Payment to £20 is the type of bold action that makes a real difference to people’s lives and shows how focussed the Scottish Government is on meeting Scotland’s Child Poverty targets.

“Once again, the tale of two governments is striking. While the SNP are doubling the Scottish Child Payment to lift thousands of children out of poverty, the Tories at Westminster have just cut £20 per week from many of the same families – knowingly pushing thousands of families into poverty.

“The people in Edinburgh deserve the chance to escape the damaging policies we get under Westminster control and get the chance to choose a better path, one with the full powers that an independent Scotland would bring and allow us to build a fairer society.”

Dame Esther sends message of support to children in Scotland

  • December 2020 saw Childline deliver a record number of counselling sessions across the UK for a single month*
  • NSPCC launches its ‘Here for Children’ TV Christmas Appeal
  • On 21st December, NSPCC supporters will take to the streets to walk 5K so the NSPCC can be here for children this Christmas, as landmarks across the UK, including the Glasgow Science Centre and the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh, light up green in support of the charity 

Childline is here for every child struggling or feeling alone this Christmas, is Dame Esther Rantzen’s message to children in Scotland after UK counselling sessions about loneliness peaked during last year’s festive period.

The NSPCC-run service Childline, which has bases in Aberdeen and Glasgow, can today reveal the service delivered a record number of almost 600 monthly sessions about this concern to children across the UK last December.

From April 2020 to March 2021 there were 6,039 counselling sessions about loneliness with children from across the UK, marking an all-time high for a single year. This is an increase of nearly half (49%) over the past four years.

The NSPCC has long highlighted that many children and young people struggle with loneliness and isolation. The data released today suggests that these feelings were exacerbated during the pandemic, as schools were closed, and they were forced to stay at home. Children shared with Childline’s counsellors that these experiences were particularly acute over the festive period, as households were unable to mix.

Dame Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline said: “At Childline we know how painful Christmas can be for some children, particularly when the media is filled with pictures of families happily celebrating together, and they are feeling alone and unloved. A child once described it to us as like looking through a shop window where everything inside is warm and bright, and you are outside where it’s cold and dark. 

“The festive period can be especially difficult for children who are struggling with their mental health or are in homes that are unsafe. Given the impact of the pandemic, it is no surprise that this year we’ve seen record numbers of children from across the UK get in touch with us about loneliness.

“The lockdowns exacerbated these feelings for some young people, especially when schools had to close, and they couldn’t see the friends and family they loved and needed.

“Last Christmas was one of the toughest in living memory, bringing with it great sadness and challenges for many children. And we want to remind children in Scotland who are struggling or feeling alone that our Childline counsellors, working from bases across the UK including Glasgow and Aberdeen, are there for them whenever they need to talk to someone, and that they can contact us by phone or on-line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”

The charity can also reveal that loneliness is particularly affecting younger children. In 2020/21, there was a 47 percent increase in counselling sessions with children aged 11 and under when compared to the year before.

Young people who contacted Childline about loneliness also talked about being unhappy, feeling unloved and generally low. Some described it as a dark experience that was overwhelming. As well as loneliness, the top reasons children turn to the service for support with their mental health include anxiety and stress, low mood, and depression.

Childline is staffed by 1,200 Childline volunteer counsellors across the UK and last month celebrated its 35th birthday.

A 14-year-old boy from Scotland told a Childline counsellor: “I self-harmed a couple of days ago after being clean for a year and it triggered a panic attack. I think I self-harmed because I felt lonely and bored.

“I just don’t know what to do anymore and really regret what I have done. I am bored with life and am lonely because I don’t get to see anyone because of COVID. I don’t have the energy to arrange to meet up with anyone.”

In response to concerns about children this Christmas, the NSPCC has launched its ‘Here for Children’ TV Christmas Appeal. The advert sees Childline counsellors taking calls at Christmas from children struggling with loneliness and isolation, suicidal thoughts and feelings and physical abuse.

Christmas can be a very challenging time for children who suffer from abuse, neglect and are struggling with their mental health. Cut off from school and other support, it is vital they have somewhere to turn.

The NSPCC is reaching out to the public to support its Here for Children Appeal and make a donation, so Childline counsellors can answer a child’s call for help this Christmas.

Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, as well as seeking support from Childline counsellors, young people accessed Childline online resources, information, and tools to support their mental health in ways and at times that were most convenient and helpful to them.

Childline saw huge increases in the number of young people using the website to access information, advice and resources.

Landmarks light up green as people walk for children

On the 21st December, which is the longest night of the year, hundreds of people will walk 5K to support the NSPCC.

On this night, landmarks across the UK, including Glasgow Science Centre and the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh, are also supporting the charity by lighting up and turning the NSPCC’s trademark green colour. The people taking to the streets to walk and the landmarks lighting up green represent the hard-working Childline counsellors who are there for children, offering a beacon of light in their darkest times.

The Childline service is here for children every day, even on Christmas Day.

Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When a child needs help, Childline can be a lifeline. When a child feels like they have nowhere else to turn to, it’s vital that the NSPCC is here, ready to listen and support children across the UK.

Stepping Stones Christmas Fayre

Stepping Stones North Edinburgh’s young parents are making Christmas crafts to sell in the local pantry, with all proceeds going back into local charities.

We are looking to compliment our home made crafts with some other Christmas gifts.

Do you make gift baskets, wreaths, beautiful Christmas decorations? If so could you donate an item to our Christmas fayre?

Your generosity has two benefits in that the proceeds will go to charity but it also allows local people to buy something lovely that they may not normally be able to afford.

We would really appreciate your support.

It would also be great to see people pop by the fayre on the 8th of December!

Scottish Child Payment to be doubled, First Minister confirms

The Scottish Child Payment will be doubled to £20 per week per child from April 2022, the First Minister has announced. The decision has been welcomed by poverty camapigners.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that more than 105,000 children will immediately benefit from the increased payment, which supports low income families with children aged under 6.

First introduced in February 2021 as a £10 per week payment designed to tackle child poverty, it provides regular, additional financial support for eligible families.

The benefit, which is unique in the UK, will be fully rolled out to children under the age of 16 by the end of 2022, subject to data on qualifying benefits being received from the Department of Work and Pensions. It is expected over 400,000 children could be eligible for the doubled payment from that point.

From 2023/24 it will represent an annual investment in tackling child poverty of around £360 million a year. The increase to £20 per week further underlines the Scottish Government’s national mission to tackle child poverty.

The First Minister said: “The Scottish Government is determined to lift children out of poverty.

“Of the £2 billion a year that the Scottish Government invests to support people on low incomes, over £670 million is already targeted at children. Through the range of new payments delivered by Social Security Scotland, low income families receive, in the early years of each child’s life, £5,000 of additional financial support.

“At the heart of this is the Scottish Child Payment – the only payment of its kind anywhere in the UK, designed solely to lift children out of poverty and give them better lives. The £10 per week payment for eligible children under age 6 will be extended to all eligible children under 16 at the end of 2022; and we committed to doubling the payment to £20 per child per week within this Parliamentary term.

“I am proud that our budget will confirm that we will double the Scottish Child Payment from the start of the new financial year. This increase to £20 per child per week will reach over 105,000 children under age 6 in just four months’ time.  When we extend the Scottish Child Payment to all under 16s at the end of next year, over 400,000 children and their families will be eligible.

“This is the boldest and most ambitious anti-poverty measure anywhere in the UK. Delivering it isn’t easy. It will involve hard choices elsewhere in our budget. But it is a choice we are opting to make.

“Eradicating child poverty is essential if we are to build the strongest foundation for Scotland’s future. And that is what we are determined to do.”

Scottish Government Minister and Scottish Green Party Co-Leader Patrick Harvie said: “With rising inflation, energy costs and the recent UK Government cuts to Universal Credit, further action to tackle child poverty could not have been more urgent.

“I’m therefore delighted that the Scottish Government has been able to double the Scottish Child Payment from April, just months after our policy of free bus travel for children and young people goes live.

“These bold actions deliver on key commitments made in the cooperation deal between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party, and will make a real difference to families across Scotland.”

Scottish Greens MSP Lorna Slater said the decision will be pivotal to tackling child poverty in Lothian. 

Ms Slater said: “With a new Covid variant, rising energy costs, inflation and the catastrophic impact of a Tory Brexit being felt, it is more important than ever that we do everything we can to help people that are being hit by Westminster’s cuts and austerity.

“That is why I’m delighted that we will see the Scottish Child Payment doubled in the forthcoming Scottish budget. This will be pivotal to tackling child poverty and will be welcomed by families that are feeling stretched, particularly those that have been hit by Boris Johnson’s punishing Universal Credit cut.

“With Greens in government we are delivering for people and the planet and making a real difference to families in Lothian and beyond.” 

“That is why we are introducing free bus travel for everyone under 22 from January, extending free school meals to all primary school pupils and ensuring that government contracts pay the real living wage. We will continue to work towards a fairer, greener Scotland.” 

Social Security Scotland delivers a number of benefits for families. These include Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment, School Age Payment and Best Start Foods.

The newly doubled Scottish Child Payment, together with the three Best Start Grant payments and Best Start Foods, could give families up to £8,400 by the time their first child turns 6.

Campaigners have welcomed the announcement:

Chris Birt, Associate Director for Scotland at Joseph Rowntree Foundation said: “This is very welcome news that will provide vital support for families with young children following what is expected to be a challenging winter as the cost of living continues to rise. Doubling the payment for older children cannot come soon enough. 

“As we noted in our Poverty in Scotland report, this investment alone will not be enough to meet the interim child poverty targets, but it is an important step in the right direction and will make a real difference to families.”

Majority of Scots support immediate doubling of Scottish Child Payment, new poll finds

A majority of people in Scotland support next month’s Scottish Government budget being used to double the Scottish Child Payment immediately, new polling released today has found, as campaigners continue to press for Kate Forbes, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, to back the move.

The polling, conducted by Survation for the End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland, revealed that – once ‘don’t knows’ were excluded – 68% of people in Scotland support the immediate doubling of the benefit for low income families.

Among those who voted for the SNP at May’s Holyrood elections, this figure jumped to 74%. Young people aged 16-34 were even more likely to back the call, with that figure reaching 79% in favour.

It comes amid mounting pressure on the Scottish Government to respond with urgency to what campaigners are calling a “rising tide of child poverty” across Scotland. On 18th November, over 100 organisations from across Scotland wrote to Kate Forbes urging her to “do the right thing” and use December’s budget to double the payment.

While the Scottish Government have said the payment will be doubled ‘as soon as possible’ during the course of this Scottish Parliament, as of yet they have resisted calls to do so immediately. But anti-poverty campaigners have warned that, unless the Finance Secretary uses December’s budget to act immediately, Scotland’s child poverty targets risk failure.

Responding to the poll findings, Peter Kelly (Director, Poverty Alliance) said: “In Scotland, people believe in protecting one another and in doing the right thing. As this new polling makes clear, they overwhelmingly support taking action now to stem the rising tide of child poverty.

“Children and families living in the grip of poverty right now simply cannot wait. Scottish ministers must listen to people across the country who are calling on them to do the right thing, and double the Scottish Child Payment now.”

Polly Jones (Head of Scotland, Trussell Trust) said: “Families across Scotland are facing a really difficult winter. Right now, food banks in the Trussell Trust network in Scotland are giving out a food parcel every three minutes to people in crisis.

“This isn’t right, especially when we have the power to change this. Doubling the Scottish Child Payment now would be a huge boost to Scotland’s struggling families and I hope Ministers will listen to the public and act.”

Claire Telfer, head of Scotland, Save the Children, said: “This polling confirms what we know and what we’re hearing from parents and families across Scotland: the Scottish Child Payment is making a huge difference but it’s not going far enough and it needs to be doubled.

“Just last week a parent told us ‘Doubling the Scottish Child Payment would make a massive difference, any extra money a week would help.

“We know that many families with young children in Scotland are struggling to make ends meet, parents are going without food or not putting the heating on, to care for their children.

“As a society we can – and must – do better. Next month’s budget is a golden opportunity to act now and support families and drive down poverty by doubling the Scottish Child Payment.”

200,000 Baby Boxes delivered

The number of Baby Boxes delivered to expectant parents has reached 200,000. The milestone comes after independent evaluation showed overwhelming backing for the box and its contents.

Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “We are proud that the 200,000th Baby Box has been delivered to a family preparing to welcome their wee one. It means that 200,000 newborns and their parents have now benefitted from a range of essential items.

“The Baby Box is part of our commitment to making sure that every child, no matter what their circumstances, has the best start in life. Deliveries of the boxes have continued throughout the pandemic, supporting parents at a time when many may be facing additional financial worries or having to cope without as much face-to-face support from family and friends.

“Last year, a record 98% of expectant parents requested a Baby Box, a big rise on the 85% when they were first launched in 2017.

“This is a further vote of confidence for the scheme following the independent evaluation that showed how much parents value the Baby Box and its contents.”

One Parent Families Scotland CEO Satwat Rehman said: “The fact that all babies in Scotland are gifted a box full of essential items means that as a society we want every child, regardless of their circumstances, to get the best start in life.

“We fully support this positive public health initiative that has the potential, through its universal approach, to make a contribution to the reduction of inequalities at the start of a baby’s life.

“Parents have told us that receiving the box made them feel the Government ‘cares about families’.”   

A Baby Box is offered to all newborns in Scotland.

It provides families with a range of essential items for their first six months, delivered in a sturdy cardboard box, which can be used as a safe sleeping space during the early months of a baby’s life. The contents of the Baby Box are designed to inform and support positive parenting behaviours.

In an independent evaluation, 97% of parents who took part in research rated the box and its contents as good. Parents highlighted benefits of the box, including saving them money on essential items for newborns and helping with information on child health and development.

baby-box-evaluation-research-findingsDownload

Baby Box Evaluation: research findings

Baby Box Evaluation – full report

MSP welcomes rollout of Child Disability Payments

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, has welcomed the Scottish Government’s rollout of financial support for families of children with a disability.

The new payment, which provides money to help with the extra costs of caring for a child with a disability or ill-health condition, opens for applications across the country today.

For the first time anywhere in the UK, disability benefit applicants can apply for Child Disability Payment online, as well as by phone, post or face-to-face.

As the Child Disability Payment replaces the UK Government’s Disability Living Allowance for children, this is for new applications. Those already receiving Disability Living Allowance for children do not need to apply.

These approximately 52,000 current cases are being automatically transferred in phases from the Department for Work and Pensions to Social Security Scotland and will be completed by spring 2023.

This is the first of three complex disability benefits to be introduced by the Scottish Government, with Adult Disability Payment to start next year.

Commenting on the rollout Gordon MacDonald, said: “The Child Disability Payment is a significant milestone for Scotland’s new social security system.  

“I’m extremely pleased that families across Edinburgh will benefit from a simplified and much less stressful system that allows them to apply for the payment online, by phone, by post or face to face. For too long families have faced an overly complicated process that feels like it’s been designed to keep them out.

“I’m glad that people both here in Edinburgh, and right across Scotland, are benefitting from an SNP Government that is putting dignity, fairness and respect at the heart of its social security system.”

Child Disability Payment opens for applications

Financial support for families of children with a disability now available nationwide

Child Disability Payment opens for new applications across the country from today. For the first time anywhere in the UK, disability benefit applicants can apply online, as well as by phone, post or face-to-face.

This is the first of three complex disability benefits to be introduced nationwide by the Scottish Government. This new payment replaces the UK Government’s Disability Living Allowance for children.

Those already receiving Disability Living Allowance for children do not need to apply. These approximately 52,000 current cases are being automatically transferred in phases from the Department for Work and Pensions to Social Security Scotland. This will be completed by spring 2023.

Child Disability Payment, which will be administered by Social Security Scotland, provides families with support for extra costs that a disabled child might have.

The national roll out to all local authority areas follows successful pilots in Dundee City, Perth & Kinross and the Western Isles.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “I’m really pleased that Child Disability Payment is now available to eligible families all over Scotland.

“This is a significant milestone in the introduction of our new social security system. Families who find themselves in need of support will be able to access this help in a way that suits them best.

“Those who currently receive Disability Living Allowance for children from the DWP will also be transferred to Social Security Scotland. They will be told when this is happening and will find their payments transferred safely and securely within the next 18 months. Payments will be made at the same rate and there will be no break in entitlement.

“In the months and years ahead thousands of families will benefit from our simplified and much less stressful system, which will treat everyone with dignity, fairness and respect.

“Social security is a shared investment in building a fairer Scotland and we encourage those who are eligible for support to apply.”

Barnardo’s resources to help teachers talk to pupils about grief

At the start of Children’s Grief Awareness Week, Barnardo’s is releasing resources for teachers to help children cope with bereavement. 

Before Covid-19, official stats showed one in 29 five-16 year olds had been bereaved of a parent or sibling – that’s at least one child in every average class. 

With more than 165,000 deaths from Covid-19 in the UK (deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate), Barnardo’s says many more children and young people will be experiencing bereavement. 

Black people and men of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage are almost twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as White people, meaning children from these communities are more likely to experience loss. 

The free resources about grief are available on the Barnardo’s Education Community (BEC) website (https://www.educators-barnardos.org.uk/). 

They include an introductory worksheet which explores what grief is and a volcano-making activity that focuses on how grief impacts us. 

They also include some suggestions and advice about how to cope and who children can talk to when going back to school after someone special has died. 

Also in the resources are some coping techniques teachers can tell children about to use when times are difficult, exercises to help ground children and regulate their breathing. 

The resources will also be posted throughout Children’s Grief Awareness Week (November 18 to 24) on the Barnardo’s Education Community Twitter page (@BarnardosEduCom). 

Barnardo’s Interim Co-CEO Michelle Lee-Izu said: “Sadly the raw feelings of grief and loss will be familiar to thousands of children and families across the UK, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“Children have suffered a huge amount of loss in the last year. For most this has meant missing out on school and playing with their friends, but for too many children it has meant the loss of parents, grandparents and members of their family or community. 

“I hope that teachers who are discussing the issue of grief with their pupils during Children’s Grief Awareness Week will find our tips and resources useful – and that they will be used to assist schools and colleges to support children who are struggling in the future.”