Since its launch in 2006, the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards have been Scotland’s only national awards evening for the young people of Scotland. They have celebrated the inspirational contributions and achievements of thousands of young Scots who have made a real difference to communities across Scotland.
Fatima, who attends Morgan Academy, is a member of the Young Women’s Advisory Group, who are developing the Young Women Know: Dundee campaign. It launched last year, and is a joint project between NSPCC Scotland, YWCA Scotland – the Young Women’s Movement, and Dundee City Council.
The group are creating tailored resources to address peer sexual abuse and help ensure that every young woman and girl in Dundee knows what a healthy relationship looks like and where to go if they need advice or support.
Fatima, finalist in the Young Scot Awards volunteering category, said: “When I found out I was a finalist in the awards I was a bit shocked, but in a good way. I knew I had been nominated, but I wasn’t expecting to make it to the final.
“The Young Women Know campaign is so important because it will teach young people about healthy relationships, what they look like and how to spot red flags. It’s important for girls to know they can speak up and access support if they are in a toxic relationship. We’re still working on the materials and toolkit, but hopefully they will be ready to go out early this summer.
“I enjoy volunteering and there’s been lots of opportunities through school. I’m part of a mental health group and we do work in our school around young people’s mental and emotional health.
“I’m a chairperson on our school’s charity fundraising group, Interact, and we raise funds for various projects such as the shoebox appeal where we sent around 40 boxes to young people in countries in Eastern Europe filled with presents, clothing and sanitary products. And at Christmas we raised money towards a defibrillator to be fitted outside our school.
“I think it’s so important that young people’s voices are heard. At the end of the day, we’re the next generation and we should all have a say on our future and the world we want to create.”
Rachel has been involved since the early stages of an anti-bullying campaign, Think b4 You Type, alongside NSPCC Scotland, RespectMe and Angus Council.
The toolkit was initially launched just in Angus, but now the materials have been made available to secondary schools across Scotland.
Rachel, finalist in the enhancing education category, said: “I was really happy when I found out I was a finalist in the Young Scot Awards, and it’s great to think I could be receiving an award for the work I’ve been doing over the last while.”
Rachel also recently became a member of the NSPCC’s Young People’s Board for Change, which was launched last month to give young people the chance to shape and influence the work of the children’s charity.
Rachel added: “I’m really passionate about the anti-bullying campaign, and I’d love to see a drop in cyber bullying around the country. It’s hard enough being bullied in person in school, but there’s also the problem of being bullied online, and it can feel like there’s no escape sometimes
“I feel like young people have a lot to say, and if people listen to us then a lot of things could be changed for the better.”
Carla Malseed, local campaigns manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “Both Fatima and Rachel are amazing young women who are certainly going places and deserve their nominations in the Young Scot Awards.
“Working with them both is a delight, and their commitment to their respective causes really shines through when they passionately speak about what is important to them.
“It is crucial that children and young people are at the heart of what we do here at NSPCC Scotland. The last year has been so hard on all of us, and the younger generation should not be defined by the pandemic. There is so much that can be learned from their experiences and our new Young People’s Board for Change, which Rachel is on, will provide us with great opportunities for us to learn and have young people shape our work.”
The Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards will take place on 22 April.
The Outward Bound Trust’s mission is “to inspire young people to defy their limitations so they become strong, resilient and curious, ready for the challenges of life”
The pandemic forced the charity to adapt away from their residential courses
Rathbones stepped in to double donations after loss of government support
Rathbones has doubled its donations to The Outward Bound Trust to help the charity continue to support young people during the pandemic.
Founded 80 years ago, Outward Bound’s mission is “to inspire young people to defy their limitations so they become strong, resilient and curious, ready for the challenges of life”.
Prior to the pandemic, this was done chiefly by hosting over 5,500 young people from all across Scotland per year at the charity’s Loch Eil centre. By bringing children to the wildest places in the UK the aim is for them to learn and develop vital life skills such as communication, self-motivation and resilience.
However, when the pandemic hit the UK in March 2020, it was no longer possible to offer the residential courses at the Loch Eil centre.
To continue to help young people when they needed it most, Outward Bound decided to adapt. During the last year the charity also saw its Scottish government funding decrease, meaning it required additional financial support in order to make these changes.
The Outward Bound Trust was already the chosen charity for Rathbones’ Edinburgh office, but Rathbones stepped up to double its original donations to assist the charity with its vital work. The focus on supporting the UK’s young people and aiding their long-term development fits well with Rathbones’ own purpose to Look Forward.
With more support from Rathbones and other donors, Outward Bound can now provide two new propositions to help young people readjust, reconnect and thrive post pandemic. These are:
1. In School Adventures – taking Outward Bound to schools until students can come to their residential centres.
2. Opening residential centres for activity days in the holidays.
Euan MacDonald, Investment director at Rathbone Investment Management comments: “We are proud to continue our support of the fantastic work carried out by The Outward Bound Trust.
“The mental health impact of the pandemic on young people is hugely concerning. We have been encouraged by The Trust’s ability to innovate in times of deep uncertainty and to continue offering access to the vital life skills that will be required in an uncertain future.
“Realising the requirement for financial support during this period we were happy to double our previous years donation.”
Martin Davidson, director of Scotland and Innovation at The Outward Bound Trust comments: “COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on the charitable sector, with the majority of non-NHS charities experiencing a drop-in funding in the last year- at the exact time when our help is most needed.
“We are grateful to Rathbones and our other donors – Swagelok Scotland, Mowi Scotland and Northwood Charitable Trust- for their incredible support during this time.
“We know that the pandemic has had put a severe toll on young people’s mental health, and it is our hope through our work that we can help today’s younger generation to recover from the events of the past twelve months. And it is thanks to our donors that we can undertake this vital work.”
Supporting children during the pandemic and beyond, is the focus of a free online event being held for people working with families in Edinburgh.
The virtual event has been organised by Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland to mark the end of a year-long campaign launched to encourage families in the city to access support and advice.
Anyone who works with children or families in Edinburgh can sign up to the event, which is being hosted on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, April 13th, between 2pm and 5pm.
Speakers will look at how the pandemic has impacted children, the ways in which organisations have adapted to help struggling families and what has been learned during the last year.
Attendees will hear about the All of Us campaign, which was launched to prevent child neglect by encouraging families to get help at an early stage and giving advice on how to support those who were struggling. There will also be an opportunity for people to discuss how to better support children and families in Edinburgh in the future.
Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “The pandemic has presented many hardships for families, including financial pressures, school closures, relationship strains, isolation and ill-health, and it has been more important than ever that people feel they can reach out for support and advice and get help.
“Organisations in Edinburgh have worked hard to find ways to adapt and support families while social distancing measures have been in place. This event will give us the opportunity to look at what we have learned over the last year and how we can best support families in Edinburgh in the future.”
“Protecting young people and supporting families remains a priority for us and we want everyone across the city to be aware of where to turn for help if they or someone they know is struggling.
“It is crucial that we work together to find the best ways of supporting families across the city during this difficult time and beyond.”
Early last year, as part of the campaign, a number of community events were held across the city but further ones were cancelled because of Covid-19 and all activities were moved online, including workshops, seminars and a family fun-day.
In April, the partnership brought together information on its web page about organisations and contacts where families could go for help and support during lockdown.
This included information on support offered by public services, voluntary agencies and charities. Some examples were food banks, financial advice, crisis loans, mental health support, activities for children and support and advice on home learning.
The information was sent in food boxes to more than 300 families across the city and via email to parents through schools, and it was highlighted through social media campaigns. This resource has continued to be regularly updated throughout the pandemic.
The campaign raised awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who were struggling through lunchtime learning sessions and webinars.
For parenting advice and support visit NSPCC helpline or call 0808 800 5000, weekdays 8am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 6pm. People can also contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324.
Yesterday saw the launch of Plan 21-24, the first of three plans that will together set out how Scotland will, by 2030, #KeepThePromise made by the Independent Care Review (writes FIONA DUNCAN).
Plan 21-24 focuses what must be done during the period from 1 April 2021 until 31 March 2024. It provides key priorities and areas of focus for organisations to work to achieve the required change over the next three years.
It is ambitious. It is bold. It will deliver transformational change.
And it only exists because of the care experienced babies, infants, children, young people and families who campaigned for the Independent Care Review and then selflessly shared intimate and often painful experiences of the ‘care system’ in the hope of change.
Change that would mean that children, young people and families were listened to, respected, involved and heard in every decision that affects them. Change that would support families to stay together and prioritise the safe loving relationships that are important to children and young people. Change that would make love the value that drives everything and that everything operates around.
That change is here. And this is Scotland’s plan to deliver it.
Plan 21-24 is truly ground-breaking.
Hundreds of organisations committed to keep a single promise made to children and families in the knowledge that to do so would require them to change, to work together and in sequence – something that hasn’t been attempted to realise a collective vision anywhere else.
But I have seen the level of commitment and enthusiasm from all those required to change, those who need change and those with the power to influence change and I am confident that Scotland will #KeepThePromise.
Those 100+ organisations, including local and national government, national bodies and agencies, local and national organisations across public, third and private sectors and those with statutory responsibility for children and families directly engaged with The Promise Scotland team.
They submitted plans, reports and survey responses to outline what they would do to #KeepThePromise, the support they needed and what help they could offer. Scotland is primed and ready to do the hard work required.
The ordering of the Care Review’s conclusions have been translated into five priority areas of change:
A good childhood
Whole family support
Supporting the workforce
Planning
Building capacity
Each priority area contains actions that will be achieved by 2024.
These actions cover a wide range of important areas such as; family therapy, support for children of young children, schools and exclusion, the importance of safe, loving relationships, youth justice, advocacy, independent living, values and the workforce, investment, information-sharing, data, legislation, children’s hearing system and inspection and regulation.
But do not be mistaken – Plan 21-24 isn’t about building a new ‘system’. Rather, it is about building a country that cares, made up of services that work to meet the needs of children and families where and when they are needed.
The system, the scaffolding around services, policy, budgets and legislation are secondary, and must shift to facilitate what children and families need and reflect what they have said matters at every level.
The Promise Scotland is working towards a promise kept by 2030, and its own obsolescence. It will drive the change needed and provide support, honesty and accountability. But it is Scotland that will deliver change.
It is Scotland that will #KeepThePromise.
Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive, Children 1st, Scotland’s national children’s charity said: “Scotland must be a country where all children are loved, cared for and respected.
“They should be able to live safely at home with their own families – where this isn’t possible the state must ensure they still get that care and respect in a safe and loving home. I am therefore delighted to welcome ‘The Plan’, the exciting next phase of the Independent Care Review that has been published today.
“The Plan outlines how over the next three years we will keep the Promise made to children and young people. Support for families to help them stay together must be simple to access and joined-up – we must end the siloed approach. Help must be offered much earlier, to prevent families falling into crisis.
“The impact of childhood trauma, and what works to aid recovery, must be understood by every professional. Most of all, children, young people and their families have a right to be heard and have a say in all the decisions that affect their lives.
“At Children 1st, we are committed to doing what is required of us to deliver The Plan. We will continue to work with government and local authority partners to deliver the transformation needed. We must make sure we have a system that always helps families stay together where possible, protects children’s rights and offers early practical and emotional help to all who need it.”
Supporting children during the pandemic and beyond, is the focus of a free online conference being held for people working with families in Edinburgh.
The virtual conference has been organised by Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland to mark the end of a year-long campaign launched to encourage families in the city to access support and advice.
Anyone who works with children or families in Edinburgh can sign up to the conference, which is being hosted on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, April 13th, between 2pm and 5pm.
Speakers will look at how the pandemic has impacted children, the ways in which organisations have adapted to help struggling families and what has been learned during the last year.
Attendees will hear about the All of Us campaign, which was launched to prevent child neglect by encouraging families to get help at an early stage and giving advice on how to support those who were struggling.
There will also be an opportunity for people to discuss how to better support children and families in Edinburgh in the future.
Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “The pandemic has presented many hardships for families, including financial pressures, school closures, relationship strains, isolation and ill-health, and it has been more important than ever that people feel they can reach out for support and advice and get help.
“Organisations in Edinburgh have worked hard to find ways to adapt and support families while social distancing measures have been in place. This conference will give us the opportunity to look at what we have learned over the last year and how we can best support families in Edinburgh in the future.”
“Protecting young people and supporting families remains a priority for us and we want everyone across the city to be aware of where to turn for help if they or someone they know is struggling.
“It is crucial that we work together to find the best ways of supporting families across the city during this difficult time and beyond.”
Early last year, as part of the campaign, a number of community events were held across the city but further ones were cancelled because of Covid-19 and all activities were moved online, including workshops, seminars and a family fun-day.
In April, the partnership brought together information on its web page about organisations and contacts where families could go for help and support during lockdown.
This included information on support offered by public services, voluntary agencies and charities. Some examples were food banks, financial advice, crisis loans, mental health support, activities for children and support and advice on home learning.
The information was sent in food boxes to more than 300 families across the city and via email to parents through schools, and it was highlighted through social media campaigns. This resource has continued to be regularly updated throughout the pandemic.
The campaign raised awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who were struggling through lunchtime learning sessions and webinars.
North Edinburgh Arts and Art Buds Collective will shortly be offering outdoor art sessions for children aged 3-5 years and 6-9 years old, living in the Muirhouse area.
The classes will focus on creative processes inspired by nature, and will be led by Art Buds artists and educators. Classes are free of charge and children attend without parents or carers.
You can visit Art Bud Collective’s website to learn more about what they do:
To help Art Buds and North Edinburgh Arts plan the sessions, we would like to ask you five quick questions. It will take 1-2 minutes to complete this survey.
All responses will be held confidentially and your personal information will be kept safely in line with the current Data Protection regulations. We will not share your information with any third parties.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We read every response and we really appreciate your time and feedback!
As you may or may not be aware our minibus was stolen on 24/03/2021, although the police are currently looking for it, we are under no illusion that it is highly unlikely that we will have it recovered.
As such we have started a fundraising page so that we can attempt to attain a new minibus for the children who attend our care.
We also had a people carrier for many years and it was only in February that the insurance had to write that off due to vandalism so we have lost both of our vehicles within two months and we now have no transport for the children at all.
As a charity this is totally devastating and would ask that if you can help in these terribly hard times then please do. We really appreciate any amount, small or large.
Any donations big or small would be very much appreciated
Covering the period just before the current pandemic, the statistics suggest a gradual increase in child poverty levels since the early 2010s.
Two out of the four child poverty measures in the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act show a gradual increase, and two show little change. While the poverty risk is much lower for children where someone in the household is in paid work compared to those in workless households, not all work pays enough to lift the household above the poverty line.
Over two thirds of children in poverty live in a household with someone in paid work.
There is little change in poverty levels for working-age adults and pensioners. Pensioners are less likely to be in poverty compared to working-age adults and children: 14% of pensioners are in relative poverty after housing costs, compared to 19% of working-age adults and 24% of children.
New food security analysis suggests that while most people (84%) live in households with high food security, this falls to only 60% for people in poverty. A household has high food security if people never need to worry about running out of food before they can afford to buy more, and never struggle to afford balanced meals.
Household incomes continue to rise. A typical two-adult household has £27,800 per year after tax and including benefits. Income inequality has fluctuated since the beginning of this data collection in the mid-nineties and continues to do so.
Adults under 25 are more likely to be in poverty than older adults. Non-white ethnic minorities are more likely to be in poverty compared to white ethnic groups. Muslim adults are more likely to be in poverty compared to adults of Christian and other faiths and those with no religion.
Some, but not all, of the higher poverty risk for ethnic minorities and Muslims can be explained by their lower average age. Single adults, especially single parents, and those who are divorced or separated are more likely to be in poverty compared to married, cohabiting and widowed adults.
People living in households with disabled household members are also more likely to be in poverty than those with no disabled household members.
These figures are produced in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
Stemming the rising tide of poverty across Scotland must be the defining issue of the Holyrood election, the Poverty Alliance said as they launched their manifesto earlier this month. They call for all political parties to commit to a range of ambitious and bold action to boost incomes and reduce costs.
A Scotland for All of Us, puts forward a package of measures that all of Scotland’s political parties are being urged to back in order to loosen the grip of poverty on the lives of people across Scotland. These include:
Committing to a Minimum Income Guarantee, which would ensure that nobody in Scotland had an income below an agreed minimum level;
At least doubling the new Scottish Child Payment, and increasing financial support for unpaid carers and disabled people;
Extending free bus travel to more young people and to people on low incomes;
Ending digital exclusion, by providing low cost or free broadband to low income households;
Attaching conditions to all public sector grants, funding and contracts that require payment of the real Living Wage and Fair Work;
Adjusting our income tax levels and thresholds to fund greater investment in tackling poverty and exploring the use of wealth taxes;
Giving communities a greater say over how money is spent in their local area.
The manifesto is launched at a time of growing hardship across Scotland. Even before the pandemic, over one million people – including almost one in four children – were living in poverty in Scotland. Now with many more people being swept into poverty, Scotland’s child poverty reduction targets remain unlikely to be met without more urgent action in the coming years.
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “In Scotland we believe in protecting one another from harm, and in the principle that every child should have every chance. Yet Scotland is also a country with unacceptably high levels of poverty and inequality.
“Addressing the rising tide of poverty that is affecting so many communities should be at the heart of every party manifesto, and with the pandemic still having an impact this is not a time for timidity. All parties must pledge to take the bold and ambitious action to boost incomes and reduce costs that we have set out, including committing to a Minimum Income Guarantee and to taking action to create a more just economy and labour market.
The next Scottish Parliament must be remembered as one that reshaped Scotland for the better, that prioritised the needs of those facing poverty and inequality, and that built a Scotland not just for some of us, but for all of us.”
Scottish Government Poverty Statistics background
The two full statistical publications are available here:
Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland contains statistics on poverty, child poverty, poverty risks for various equality characteristics, household income and income inequality for Scotland. This report also includes new statistics on household food security. The data comes from the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Family Resources Survey, Households Below Average Income dataset. Comparable UK income and poverty figures are published on the same day by DWP.
Figures are presented as three-year averages of each estimate. Three-year estimates best identify trends over time. Single-year estimates are also available in the reference tables. The latest poverty and household income data in this report covers the period from April 2017 to March 2020, just before the first lockdown due to COVID-19.
Persistent Poverty in Scotland presents estimates of the proportion of people in Scotland who live in persistent poverty. The data comes from the Understanding Society Survey, and the latest statistics cover the period from 2015 to 2019.
These poverty statistics are used by the Scottish Government and other organisations to monitor progress in tackling poverty and child poverty, and to analyse what drives poverty and what works for tackling poverty and income inequality.
Key poverty measures:
Relative poverty: A household is in relative poverty if its income is below 60 percent of the middle household income in the UK (the poverty threshold). Relative poverty is a measure of whether the income of the poorest households are keeping pace with middle income households across the UK.
Absolute poverty: A household is in absolute poverty if its income is below the relative poverty threshold from 2010/11. This way, it measures whether the incomes of the poorest households are keeping pace with rising prices.
Combined low income and material deprivation identifies the number of children in families that cannot afford basic essential goods and services because of a low income (below 70 percent of the middle household income).
Persistent poverty identifies the number of people in relative poverty for three or more out of four years. People who live in poverty for several years are affected by it through their lifetime.
Household income is adjusted for household size.
The poverty publications present poverty figures before and after housing costs. Before housing costs figures are a basic measure of household income from earnings and benefits. After housing costs figures subtract spending on rents, mortgage interest payments and other unavoidable housing costs from this basic income. In Scotland, poverty statistics focus mainly on poverty after housing costs. The poverty estimates in this summary refer to relative poverty after housing costs.
Household food security: Household food security questions were newly added to the Family Resources Survey in 2019/20. They ask about whether people were worried about running out of food, had to reduce meal sizes or skip meals. Food security levels can be “high”, “marginal”, “low”, “very low”.
Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland is available. About our statistics – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Funding of £20 million will deliver a range of activities for children and young people and their families over the summer, ensuring they are provided with opportunities to socialise, play and reconnect within their local communities and environments.
In particular this will provide support for those children and young people who may otherwise struggle to access such experiences during the holidays.
Working with local authorities and partner organisations including sportscotland, Creative Scotland, Play Scotland, Education Scotland and others, the funding will support existing provision of community-based services while also widening access to other local facilities, such as school estates and local sports facilities.
Speaking before Holyrood broke up for May’s elections, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We do not underestimate the physical and mental health impacts which children and young people have experienced throughout the pandemic, and that the impacts have fallen unequally across society.
“This enhanced range of summer experiences for children and young people will help address the impacts associated with extended periods of isolation and reduced participation in normal activities. This offer will have children’s rights and needs at its heart, and will provide opportunities to socialise across a range of activities, combined with broader support where needed.
“This will build on local summer offers, recognising the need for flexibility to deliver using local assets and connecting with wider offers from partners.
“Over the next few months we will continue to develop further all aspects of our education recovery strategy with our partners and stakeholders. Following periods of disruption to in-school learning, this will include how we can intensify and deepen support for children and young people’s progress in learning, including in key areas such as literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.”
Near doubling in the number of pupils with additional support needs since 2012
Decline in the number of specialist ASN teachers by 578 since 2012
500 per cent increase in those with mental health problems
An alliance of leading providers of children’s services, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), has called for greater resourcing to support children and young people with additional support needs (ASN), both during and after the Covid-19 crisis.
The call comes as new figures out today (23rd March 2021) from the annual Scottish Government pupil census, reveal that while the number of specialist ASN teachers has slumped to a record low, the number of those pupils with ASN has escalated dramatically.
Between 2012 and 2020 the number of full-time equivalent ASN teachers (publicly funded primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) has fallen from 3,389 to 2,811, a decrease of 578 teachers (17%).
This fall is against the background of an overall increase by 92.2 per cent since 2012 in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 118,034 to 226,838 in 2020,representing just under a third of all pupils (32.3 per cent).
The number of those with autism spectrum disorder has increased by over 150 per cent (from 8,650 to 21,820) between 2012 and 2020, those with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties by over 125 per cent (from 23,485 to 52,921) and those with mental health problems by 500 per cent (from 1,254 to 7,524).
Against a background of a per pupil cut in spending and in specialist support, the SCSC has called for greater resourcing from both the Scottish Government and local authorities to ensure that those with ASN in Scotland’s schools, who disproportionately come from lower income families and areas of deprivation, are getting the care and support that they need.
The coalition has also raised concerns about the effectiveness of a presumption of mainstreaming, meaning that all pupils are educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is vital that those with ASN get the care and support they need, especially during and as we come out of the current Covid-19 crisis.
“This is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap as we know that those with ASN disproportionately come from lower income families and areas of deprivation. Such a situation is clearly challenging in an environment of austerity and evidence of cuts in spending per pupil with ASN and in the number of specialist teachers supporting this group.
“While we also support the presumption of mainstreaming, which means that all children and young people are educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply, it is clearly difficult to see how this is functioning properly for all those with ASN given this fall in specialist support and increase in the number of those identified with conditions such as autism and mental health problems.
“The Scottish Government and local authorities need to work together to provide the necessary resourcing to address the needs of those children and young people with ASN, who represent some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. “
