Children and Families – Page 169 – The NEN

Over £2.5 million for families of disabled children

Thousands of families of disabled children in Scotland have received an additional £200 to help heat their homes this winter.

More than 13,000 families of a disabled child, on the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance for Children, have had a Child Winter Heating Assistance payment. These payments were made automatically using information provided by the Department for Work and Pensions.

As of Friday 11 December, a total of £2.5 million has been invested in Child Winter Heating Assistance payment.

Where a child has someone managing their benefits, Social Security Scotland has written to them to enable them to process this payment.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I am delighted that we have successfully delivered our first disability benefit, the new Child Winter Heating Assistance.

“Getting this money to families as early as possible in the winter months will help them budget and balance the many financial pressures that they face at this time of year. For families of the most seriously disabled children and young people, who may need to heat their homes for longer periods, this can bring even more pressure in what is already a challenging circumstance.

“We are committed to making sure that people get everything they are entitled to. I would encourage families who think that they should have received this support and who haven’t had a letter yet to get in touch.”

Samantha Jones, from Helensburgh, who received the Child Winter Heating Assistance for her two children, Darren and Jacob, said: “I was very happy to see that Social Security Scotland were issuing these payments for children across Scotland.

“This will be a very helpful payment especially at this time of year for families like ours, this will really help and benefit our family and it’s very much appreciated.

“Having the extra money to help with heating costs is one less financial pressure that we have to think about on top of the cost of Christmas.”

Background

a client will qualify for Child Winter Heating Assistance if they live in Scotland and were in receipt of the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance for children on at least one day between 21 September 2020 to 27 September 2020
if a child has had their Disability Living Allowance highest rate care component award backdated to the Child Winter Heating Assistance qualifying week of 21 September 2020 to 27 September 2020 they need to contact Social Security Scotland to get their £200.
if a family believes that they are eligible for this payment and they haven’t had a letter or a payment, they should contact Social Security Scotland from Tuesday 15 December by calling the Freephone helpline on 0800 182 2222 or through web chat at mygov.scot/contact-social-security-scotland/
this is the first form of disability assistance to be introduced by the Scottish Government using its new social security powers.
financial support provided through the Child Winter Heating Assistance is in addition to the £100 COVID Winter Hardship Payment which will be made for each child and young person in receipt of Free School Meals on the basis of low income. These payments will be made by local authorities automatically for those eligible.
further information on this payment can be found at COVID winter hardship payment (£100 per child) – mygov.scot
further support for anyone concerned about fuel bills is available from Home Energy Scotland. Home Energy Scotland are funded by the Scottish Government to provide free and impartial advice to help people to reduce their bills and to make homes warm and cheaper to heat. They can also make referrals for further financial support, including the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Anyone concerned about their bills can contact Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 or visit their website at homeenergyscotland.org

Report shows positive impact of Best Start Grant payments

Scotland’s least well-off families have seen a marked increase in their income from three Scottish Government benefits, according to an evaluation report published yesterday.

The evaluation of the three Best Start Grant payments shows that families on the lowest incomes were able to buy essential items for their children as a result of these new benefits.

Best Start Grant is available to families on low incomes as their children reach certain key stages. They are able to access this whether in or out of work as long as they get one of eight qualifying benefits or tax credits available through the Department for Work and Pensions or HMRC.

People receiving the payments said that the money helped them stop getting into debt or having to cut down on other essential household spending, such food and bills. People were able to use the money to help buy essential items for their children like cots and prams, as well as to arrange days out for their family or to buy books and clothing.

The most common qualifying benefit among recipients was Child Tax Credit (57,055), followed by Universal Credit (44,810), Working Tax Credit (23,560), and Income Support (18,030). Other qualifying benefits include Housing Benefit, Jobseeker’s allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Pension Credit.

Parents and carers in and out of work who get benefits or tax credits are being encouraged to check if they are eligible and apply.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Our full Best Start Grant package has been in place since June 2019. I’m delighted that just a year and a half later that we are already getting feedback that this money is making a real difference to people’s lives.

“We continue to work hard to make sure that everyone accesses the support they are entitled to. I often hear families say that they don’t think that they can access this support because they are working. I’m glad to see so many families who are in work and on low incomes getting this extra boost. And I know that more families than ever are accessing benefits and this is important additional help for you too.

“I would urge anyone who gets a benefit or tax credits to check if you are eligible for these payments and to apply. And those eligible for Best Start Grant are now able to apply for the £10 per week Scottish Child Payment that will start in February 2021. Parents and carers can make sure they are getting everything they are entitled to by talking to the Money Talk team. This service and the Best Start Grant payments are there to help families maximise their income and to support efforts to tackle child poverty.”

Paula, from Forfar who received the Best Start Grant Early Years Payment for her daughter, Arwen 3 said: “I work 12 hours a week as a treasurer for our local church but because I also receive Universal Credit due to being on my own with two children, I qualified for the Best Start Grant Early Years Payment.

“It was easy and straightforward to apply online and money was paid direct into my bank account once the application was completed.

“I am very good at planning ahead and budgeting for uniforms or school shoes or normal shoes or just clothes and jackets, that kind of thing, so to receive that extra money was just a nice thing for the family and for us to spend time together.

“We received the payment during the summer holidays which was a great bonus, it let us have the opportunity to go away for a couple of family day trips to places like the safari park.”

During the course of the evaluation research, a recipient of Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment said: “I didn’t apply until after she was born because I just thought I’ll not get it.

“Because you do kind of think ‘och no I’m not going to, I’ll never get that’ and luckily when the baby was born I spoke to my friends a wee bit more and I was like ‘do you know what. I will’. What’s the harm? You pay your taxes all your life and work really hard so why shouldn’t you get something back?”

read the full interim evaluation report: Interim Evaluation of Best Start Grant
Interim Evaluation of Best Start Grant: Annex B: Qualitative Research
parents and carers aged 18/19 do not need to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit if they are dependent on someone else, i.e. they are named on their parent or carer’s benefit claim. Parents and carers under the age of 18 do not need to be on any payments or benefits to qualify for Best Start Grant
Best start Grant is three payments to help families at key stages in a child’s life

60% of Scottish parents believe lack of playdates is having a detrimental effect on their child’s happiness

Two Thirds of Scottish parents have noticed signs of regression in their children due to lack of peer play dates
36% found their child to become clingier following lockdown
84% of Scottish parents worry about finding the balance between educational and fun activities

Although Scottish parents are thankful that the second lockdown meant schools and nurseries would stay open, they are still finding that a lack of peer play dates has negatively affected their children.

According to the research conducted by Nick Jr. UK for Blue’s Clues & You!, the survey found that Scottish parents find peer play dates to be important for their child/ren’s development. Almost three fifths (59%) found that they gave their children an opportunity to interact with their peers and 43% felt it allowed their kids to learn whilst having fun.

55% of Scottish parents felt that due to continued lockdowns and tier regulations, the lack of peer play dates has affected their child’s confidence. Over a third (36%) noticed that their child/ren had become clingier and 21% said their children have become shyer. Three fifths (60%) have also seen their children’s happiness affected due to lack of time spent playing with friends, with 44% of Scottish parents noting their child/ren need more attention and under a quarter of children (23%) are crying more.

With playdates a no-go, over a third (39%) of Scottish parents are spending more time with their children now than they did during the first lockdown and 18% of respondents admitted becoming their child’s friend and developing a closer bond has been the best bit of spending lockdown with their child.

However, when it comes to friendship 27% of Scottish parents rely on playdates to allow them an opportunity to speak with other adults and 14% use the time to discuss any parenting woes they have with other parents with children of a similar age. Scottish parents have also seen a negative impact on their mental health, with 24% not being able to attend parent-baby groups and almost a third (31%) not having a break from parenting.

Comparing the first lockdown to the second lockdown, it’s no wonder that 84% of Scottish parents have struggled to find the right balance between educational and fun activities. More than 1 in 10 (14%) of Scottish parents have admitted that they have spent less time playing with their child, as they’ve run out of ideas of things to do and 31% noted that the cold and wet winter weather has made it harder to find activities to keep their children occupied.

With activities becoming repetitive and the lack of interaction with peers taking its toll, 66% of Scottish parents have noticed signs of regression. Almost half (47%) of Scottish parents said their children are having more tantrums / meltdowns, 27% had experienced sleep walking or trouble with sleeping and over a quarter (27%) had become fussy with their food.

Founder of the Good Play Guide, Dr. Amanda Gummer noted: “Parents have really struggled during lockdown when it comes to juggling childcare and their day to day lives.

“It’s understandable parents have seen regression in their children, as peer play dates are a great chance for children to learn and play with those of a similar age and help with their development in their younger years.

“Blue’s Clues & You! is a great way for children to continue learning through play whilst at home and unable to attend playgroups. Offering interactive and educational activities, puzzles and clue-led adventures for kids to participate in, children are learning as they play.

“If you are noticing signs of regression such as playing with toys you think they’ve grown out of or a change in eating habits, remember this is all natural. Times of change see children seek comfort so use this as an opportunity to spend more time together and provide them with a good role model to copy.”

Scottish parents are also concerned that the lack of interaction their kids are having with their peers during lockdown will negatively affect their development. 23% of parents are worried that they won’t know how to interact with other children, with a further 36% believing their child will be unhappy and 37% thinking they’ll lack confidence.

However, for Scottish parents, lockdown certainly hasn’t been all doom and gloom.

Over half of those surveyed (59%) enjoyed spending quality time together as a family in lockdown, 44% enjoyed seeing their child learn new things and gain a greater independence and 26% had a greater appreciation for teachers. 86% of Scottish parents have also found they are doing more Christmas arts, crafts and activities with their children to boost spirits.

For parents looking for inspiration of fun and educational exercises to help with their child’s development, as well top tips and parenting advice visit nickjr.co.uk/letsplay for useful tips and entertaining ideas to help your child continue to learn through play.

Blue’s Clues & You! airs daily at 8.30am and 4.30pm on Nick Jr. (Sky Ch. 606) Visit nickjr.co.uk/letsplay for more.

Seven top parenting tips from Dr. Amanda Gummer:

When coping with child regression, don’t pressure your child to achieve – even if you know they could do certain tasks before. Try to meet them where they are at and support them in moving onto their next milestone naturally.
In times of change and stress, children (and adults) seek comfort and reassurance. Make lots of time for familiar, comforting activities such as stories, film nights, baking etc. to minimize unnecessary change.
To ensure your children develop in to well-rounded and polite individuals, play is an important part. Playing with toys such as a play kitchen will give you an opportunity to practice please and thank you.
Look at your own manners and communication style and make sure you’re happy for your children to copy it. Use playtime as an opportunity for them to see you sharing things and taking turns. Playing games with your children lets them see you playing fairly and losing graciously at times.
There’s no such thing as the wrong weather when it comes to playing outdoors, just the wrong clothes. Make sure you’ve got a change of clothes if you’re playing outside and make it an exciting adventure rather then forcing them to go for a walk.
For siblings that bicker, remember it’s normal and actually helps them develop important skills. Leaving your children to resolve the argument themselves (as long as there is no clear victim / bully) is important with regards to social development. Children will learn skills such as negotiation, compromise and empathy.
If the bickering persists, give kids activities that require cooperation and collaboration. The reward for them working together is better than anything they’d be able to achieve on their own.

Today: Citizen Winter Warmer

As the nights draw-in and the lights begin to twinkle, join us online for a day full of free fun and creative activities for all the family, with readings, DrawAlongs, music and more!

Enjoy stories from Maggie O’Farrell, Alan Bissett and Nadine Aisha Jassat, put your pens to work with illustrator Eilidh Muldoon, hear music from Tinderbox Collective and experience tales written by our Citizen groups in North Edinburgh, Musselburgh and beyond!

Free and online on Saturday 12 December. Find out more:

https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/news/citizen-winter-warmer

£3.3 million to help children’s charities this winter

Extra support for families on low incomes

Charities working with children and families on low incomes will receive a share of £3.3 million to help meet the needs of those affected by poverty at Christmas and in the new year.

The money forms part of the £100 million winter support package announced by the First Minister last month – of which £22 million is to specifically support low income families. The £3.3 million committed will support those most in need of help, including lone parents, families with a disabled child or young person, kinship carers, care leavers and families with a loved one in prison.

Nine charities will receive funding to support their work, or to distribute to grass-roots organisations. The money will go to help with essential items such as food, warm clothing and nappies, heating, bedding and furniture and white goods, and to support a scheme giving gifts to disadvantaged children who might otherwise go without a present on Christmas Day.

The charities benefiting are the STV Appeal, Cash for Kids, Aberlour, Barnardo’s, Action for Children, Family Fund, Families Outside, Who Cares? Scotland and One Parent Families Scotland.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “The Winter Plan for Social Protection, announced by the First Minister on 30 November 2020, already includes a one-off £100 per child payment for those in receipt of Free School Meals who are on low incomes, to be paid by Christmas.

“Whilst this is an important boost to family incomes we also want to help families with children of pre-school age.

“This funding will strengthen the help available to families across Scotland – supporting people during the festive period and throughout the winter months.

“We have taken unprecedented action to support people affected by the impact of COVID, with over £500 million committed for social protection since the onset of the pandemic. This latest investment is part of wider support available to people including increased funding for the Scottish Welfare Fund, Discretionary Housing Payments, and through wider third sector and councils action.”

Margaret Ford, Chair of STV and STV Children’s Appeal, said: “Amidst the seasonal festivities, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the fact that winter is one of the most difficult times of the year for so many families across Scotland, and the economic impact of Covid-19 will be an additional issue this year.

“We work closely with dozens of charities and projects across the country to help the most vulnerable in society, and this new support package will go some way in doing that. We’re pleased to be helping to distribute these funds, so that essential food, clothing, shelter and heating can be provided to those who need it most in this particularly challenging period between now and the spring.”

The charities to be supported by this funding include:

Aberlour	£220,000
Action for Children	£300,000
Barnardo’s	£300,000
Cash for Kids	£500,000
Families Outside	£50,000
Family Fund	£162,000
One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS)	£200,000
STV Appeal	£1,200,000
Who Cares? Scotland	£360,000

War Child UK launches prize draw to support children in conflict

Win a royal tea with Emma Corrin & Josh O’Connor from ‘The Crown’ alongside items and experiences donated by Vanessa Kirby, Taylor Swift & many more

War Child UK have launched a series of exclusive prize draws with a range of unique celebrity items & experiences up for grabs to support their Torn From Home appeal, aimed at helping children affected by war in Afghanistan.

For just a £5 donation to War Child, the public will be able to enter a prize draw to win one of the many incredible items and experiences including:

The chance for you and a friend to have high tea with Emma Corrin and Josh O’Connor who play Prince Charles and Princess Diana in The Crown
Once in a lifetime chance for you and up to 3 friends to have lunch with Vanessa Kirby, as well as a private screening of her highly anticipated upcoming film, Pieces of a Woman
A signed t-shirt and vinyl copy of chart-topper Mabel’s incredible debut album ‘High Expectations’
A vinyl copy of War Child’s landmark record Help! Recently re-issued on special edition vinyl in celebration of the album’s 25th Anniversary – signed by the legendary, Paul Weller
A Tom Misch signed vinyl bundle featuring the ever popular ‘What Kinda Music’, ‘Geography’ and ‘Beat Tape 2’
A poster signed by critically acclaimed singer songwriter Celeste, from her very first headline show at Mirth, Marvel & Maud
A signed 12×12” test press by British rock band Enter Shikari of their album The Last Spark: Live At Ancienne Belgique, Brussels – one of only 20 copies made for the public
A signed ‘The Vaccines Make Me Feel Good’ T-shirt originally worn on stage by Justin Young
A signed double LP of Taylor Swift’s more recent album, Folklore.

Prize draws runs until 17th December 2020 at warchildwintershop.com, where for every three entries you will get a fourth free.

In addition to the prize draws, the War Child Winter Shop is also offering a range of bespoke creations from their friends across the arts and creative industries, meaning that the public can also get their hands on the likes of a specially designed jumper by designer Bella Freud, an Anthony Burrill shopper bag, and limited prints by renowned artists Rose Stallard, Adam Bridgland, Joe Cruz, Fee Greening and Supermundane.

Every prize draw entry, charity gift and donation made via the War Child Winter Shop website, is eligible for UK Aid match funding, meaning that for every £1 raised before 18 February 2021, the UK government will double this and help raise vital funds for the charity’s work in reuniting Children in Afghanistan with their families.

In Afghanistan, thousands of children, some as young as eight, are forced to leave home in search of work after decades of war have destroyed their family’s livelihoods.

War Child is on hand at the border working to provide emotional and psychosocial support from children before safely getting them home. The funds from this appeal will help reunite families and provide solutions to those problems that drove families and their children to embark on this perilous journey in the first place.

Vanessa Kirby, War Child UK ambassador said “I am really excited about being able to offer this prize to support this truly worthy appeal for this amazing charity.

“Until the 18^th February, all your entries and all your donations will be matched by the UK government, helping keep families in Afghanistan together, and giving children real hope for a safer and more secure future”

Rob Williams, CEO of War Child UK said: “We are truly grateful to all of our incredible supporters for their generosity – we have some remarkable prizes available and feel very fortunate to be able to share those with the public.

“We are also very fortunate to have the support of the UK government through Aid Match, which will help funds raised from our Torn From Home appeal have an even greater impact on our work in Afghanistan, and to the lives of the children and families we are supporting there”

For more information, to enter a prize draw, or purchase gifts visit warchildwintershop.com/

Prize draw T&C’s available online

Charity raises concern over U-turn on vaccination for unpaid carers

A leading charity has raised concerns over an apparent Scottish Government u-turn which sees unpaid carers now no longer included in the “first-wave” of COVID-19 vaccinations.

The concern has been raised by Kindred, an advocacy organisation supporting parents of children with complex needs, which has warned of the impact on these children if their parents contract the virus and are unable to provide care.

The charity had made the vaccine call in a letter to Health Cabinet Secretary, Jeane Freeman MSP, on 11^th November on the back of a report it published highlighting the “devastating” impact of the pandemic lockdown on families of children with exceptional health needs.

On 19^th November Ms Freeman noted that unpaid carers would be in the “first wave” of vaccinations, between December 2020 and February 2021.

However, on 3^rd December, in her statement to the Scottish Parliament she noted that, alongside those most vulnerable on an age and health basis, the “only sectoral exception [for vaccine priority] is for the health and social care workforce.”

On 4^th December, it all became clear in a “Vaccine stakeholder note” from the Scottish Government Directorate for Mental Health and Social Care that “carers and their families are not included in the prioritisation list.”

Director of the charity, Sophie Pilgrim, has written to the Cabinet Secretary on the back of this apparent u-turn on her earlier commitment (letter available on request), noting:

“At this time of national crisis, it seems we are prepared to ignore the plight of our most vulnerable children. These children, with shorter lives, have lost out on therapy, education and social opportunities. Their parents, on whom they are totally dependent, are exhausted to the point of burnout.

“In Scotland, we pride ourselves in aspiring to be the ‘best country in the world for children to grow up’. We should dare to be different and stand up for our children who are most in need. I urge you to include unpaid carers amongst the first to receive the vaccine.”

The repeated call comes on the back of a survey undertaken of the parents of children with complex health needs.¹

The results show that:

93 percent of these families experienced an impact on their ability to meet their children’s medical and care needs due to the pandemic; 63 percent said that the impact of the pandemic on their ability to provide care was ‘big’ or ‘severe’.

Two out of every three parents who took part in the survey said sleep deprivation was one of the main factors that impacted their ability to care for their children. It was the norm for these parents to get an average of five hours of broken sleep per night. Kindred has called for an urgent need to investigate the provision of overnight respite care across Scotland.

Over a third of parents received no respite care before the pandemic and this dropped to 60 per cent after the start of the pandemic. This highlights the importance of schools in supporting parents and giving them a break from caring. Almost all the children attended special school with access to therapy, and the expertise of Additional Support for Learning staff. There is no doubt that schools are preventing crisis and family breakdown where a child has high care needs.

Sophie Pilgrim, Director of Kindred, commented: “This apparent u-turn by the Scottish Government is deeply devastating news for the families of children with complex needs and life limiting conditions.

“In Scotland, we pride ourselves in aspiring to be the ‘best country in the world for children to grow up’. We should dare to be different and stand up for our children who are most in need.”

Alex Davey, from East Lothian, is fulltime carer to her six-year-old son, Benjamin, who has complex medical needs including tube-feeding, epilepsy and overnight ventilation.

She has written a blog to highlight her disappointment and said:

“My key concern as Benjamin’s mother is that my husband and myself contract Covid-19, rendering us incapable of meeting his complex care needs, potentially for a long period of time.

“Early access to the vaccine is therefore imperative to ensure that families like ours can be sure that they can continue to care for their child.

“One can therefore only imagine our joy when we heard that unpaid carers would be among the first wave to receive the vaccine. We cheered, we celebrated, we called each other up and cried tears of pure relief. We were no longer overlooked.

“In fact, we are not just overlooked, we were cruelly misled and our hopes were built up, only to be dashed.

“We cannot understand why the Scottish Government has reneged on its commitment and we would urge it to do the honourable thing and honour the original commitment made.”

EU funding threat for Scottish youth work

Scotland’s youth work sector could miss out on more than £1 million of annual European funding due to Brexit.

That’s the amount of support currently received every year by the sector from the Erasmus+ international exchange programme, Scotland’s participation in which is now in jeopardy with less than a month to go until the end of the transition period.

The Scottish Government has sought repeated assurance that the UK Government will prioritise continued association to the programme, and, if the UK Government fails in its negotiations to secure access, that any replacement scheme will provide funding on a par with the amounts historically secured under Erasmus+ and that all those who currently benefit from the programme will be supported.

Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead has highlighted the urgency of a decision between Devolved Administration counterparts and Michelle Donelan, UK Minister of State for Universities.

Mr Lochhead said: “Scotland’s vibrant youth work sector supports children and young people’s well-being and helps close the attainment gap. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen the sector rise to the challenge of providing services remotely, supporting some of our most vulnerable young people.

“If, as we expect, EU funding for youth work projects and youth exchanges are no longer available to the Scottish sector, the contribution of youth work to enhancing young people’s capacity for social and cultural connectedness and for understanding and accepting difference could be clearly impacted.

“I was fortunate enough to see the benefits of Erasmus+ first hand earlier this year, when I visited the Royston Youth Action project in the north of Glasgow.

“The impact of participating in international exchanges with young people from Estonia, Finland and Austria had been life-changing for them. Some of the young people had never had a passport, let alone the opportunity to travel abroad before. The Erasmus exchange experience has resulted in a lasting partnership between the participants which endures to this day.

“Research shows those in Scotland with fewer opportunities participating in Erasmus+ report a significantly higher effect when compared with young people who face fewer barriers. And those who study or train abroad are twice as likely to find employment quickly. Losing out to Erasmus+ would be a significant blow to many, and not just financially.”

One of Scotland’s major recipients of Erasmus+ support has been YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work.

YouthLink CEO Tim Frew said: “It is disappointing to see no money for youth work has been allocated to the UK Spending Review, in terms of any potential domestic alternative to the Erasmus+ programme. We hope this is not a signal from the UK Government that these opportunities for some of our most disadvantaged young people are to end.

“Erasmus+ has provided significant transformative and life-changing opportunities for young people, many of whom are furthest away from mainstream opportunities. Whether it’s employability programmes, work on gender-based violence or environmental sustainability, the opportunity to visit, work with and learn from our European counterparts cannot be underestimated.

“We would like to see the Prime Minister make a commitment to the continuation of Erasmus+, a programme that already involves non-EU members, including Iceland and Norway. If youth work participation in either Erasmus+ or any domestic alternative, is no longer open to us, these opportunities will be lost for young people for generations to come.”

The Erasmus+ programme facilitates the mobility of individuals across Europe, be that for learning, teaching, or working, by financing individual exchanges from higher education, adult education, vocational education and training, youth work, schools and sport.

Scotland attracts proportionally more Erasmus+ participants from across Europe – and sends more in the other direction – than any other country in the UK.

Between 2014 and 2018 Scottish institutions and organisations secured more than 90 million euros in Erasmus+ funding with more than 80 youth work projects benefitting from around £4.4 million. With the sector estimated to deliver at least £7 in value for every £1 it costs in public cash, its value to the economy has been estimated to be worth nearly £34 million since 2014.

Recently the European Commission confirmed a 60% increase to the programme’s budget, which is now sitting at over 23 billion euros.

Scottish Government funding for youth work is being increased more than 30% this year to recognise the vital role the sector will play in making up any ground lost in learning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A newly created £3 million Youth Work Education Recovery Fund – administered by YouthLink Scotland – is being targeted at those communities and young people who need the most support, bringing Government spending in the youth work sector this year to at least £12.5 million.

Recent findings show three-quarters of Scottish students who take part in Erasmus+ receive a first- or upper second-class degree, compared with 60% of those who did not study or train abroad.

Students who did an Erasmus placement are 50% less likely to experience long-term unemployment, and participants in vocational education and training have a higher employment rate (81% vs 68%) three years after the end of their stay abroad.

Commissioned by YouthLink Scotland, Hall Aitken (2016) estimated the social return on investment in youth work contributes between £656 million and £2 billion to the Scottish economy every year and shows a return of £7 for every £1 of public cash.

Give Them Time campaigners welcome start of Holyrood process

The Give Them Time Campaign has welcomed yesterday’s start of a parliamentary process which will automatically provide an additional year of nursery funding for all children legally deferring their Primary One start.

At present only January and February born children are entitled to this whereas mid-August* (*those who turn five after the school commencement date in any year) to 31^st Dec born children – who share the same legal right to defer – do not have this automatic entitlement and it’s at the discretion of their local authority to grant it or not.

Since 2018 the Campaign has been lobbying the Scottish Government to provide an automatic entitlement to a further year of nursery funding for ALL children legally deferring their school start.

Our supporters are mainly parents, early years’ and primary teachers and its research has demonstrated wide variations across council areas as to whether parents were likely to secure this funding for their child or not and the process for being considered for it. While more councils than ever have funded 100% of requests this year, the infographics below highlight the ongoing postcode lottery.

However, this is now set to change as today the Minister for Children and Young People, Maree Todd, started the parliamentary process at Holyrood to change the law to enable all children whose parents choose to take up their legal right to defer them to have automatic access to a further year of funded nursery from 2023.

Campaigners have warmly welcomed this move but they are disappointed a full national rollout will not be effective immediately. Details of a pilot scheme have not been finalised yet but campaigners are keen to see this run in as many council areas as possible and particularly in areas which have had poorer approval rates in recent years as can be seen on the Evidence page of the campaign website.

Campaign spokesperson Diane Delaney said: “Our research has evidenced that the postcode lottery of allocation of discretionary deferral funding is causing confusion, stress, distress and ultimately forcing some parents to send their child to school despite feeling concerned about their wellbeing and ability to cope.

“We are elated that the legislation will be brought in to fund all deferrals, however, we need immediate and full implementation in every local authority at the same time.

“There will be dire consequences for children and families having to wait until 2023 to guarantee full access to funding. Parents’ worries are exacerbated as a result of the multiple impacts of Covid-19 and the huge loss of nursery time for these children earlier this year.

“We welcome the offer of the Scottish Government to continue to work with parents as they move forward in progressing the implementation of this legislation. The Scottish Government has committed to embed children’s rights into Scottish Law, therefore in advance of this we require the new legislation to be implemented fairly and as soon as possible to help all parents, but especially those parents who cannot afford to defer their child if their council refuses funding.

“We want to live in a country where we can be proud that the needs of our children come first and to do this, any legislation impacting on children must not be determined by where they live or their parents income.”

Parents described some of their experiences in a survey conducted by the campaign in Oct 2020. Here are some of their comments:

QUESTION 4: What is your experience of the nursery staff’s understanding of the legal right to defer any child who has not reached the age of five by the school commencement date in Scotland?

“Nursery staff knew about it but said as he had no multi agency specialist support input I would not get funding.”

“They knew but seem to try to put you off the idea, make comments like “they’ll be fine” etc”

“I was told it was unusual for a November born to differ and had to contact the council myself.”

“The nursery staff were as much in the dark as parents.”

QUESTION 5: What is your experience of the information provided by your local authority on deferral rights? Please give as much detail as possible.

“Awful. Varying degrees of knowledge. People telling us we “weren’t allowed” etc.”

“My experience all the way through the deferral process was that I was having to ‘fight’ the system to enable my son to be deferred. It seems to be quite a hostile system where the parent’s view is secondary to that of the nursery even though my son was only at nursery for two days per week.”

“I think it is incredibly upsetting as a parent that you have to justify why you feel your child would benefit from an extra year in nursery. For many parent it is an agonising decision that they second guess all the time. You also feel a bit like you are betraying your child as in order to do what you feel will be best for them you have to list all the ‘negative’ aspects of their development and personality. It’s a very upsetting experience.”

“I felt that I was much more ‘in the know’ than nursery staff, and was ‘keeping them In the loop’ with regards to The Give Them Time Campaign and other movements aiming to uphold these rights. The 1 member of teaching staff in the nursery probably knew the child’s fundamental right to defer their school start, but they were not at all forthcoming with information, and I would never have been told this right, had I not already known it myself. There are many parents/ guardians who simply don’t know this right, and I feel that nurseries should make it their job to inform.”

QUESTION 6: What is your experience of the process of applying to your local authority for a further year of nursery funding for your child’s deferral year? Please give as much detail as possible.

“I found it very stressful. I had to attend meetings, research and write letters, get my local MSP involved. Just trying to do the right thing.”

“The process itself was one horrendously stressful and awfully frustrating bureaucratic experience!!!”

“Stressful as told from everyone that funding would not be approved. It wasn’t initially but on appeal all deferrals were funded due to covid. Very poor support for parental input-my opinion was completely disregarded and I didn’t feel listened to at all.”

“Very little support and guidance. Very much appears as if it’s bingo and based on how assessor are feeling in the day rather than robust criteria. Forcing people to appeal, which adds additional stress and pressure to an already convoluted process to then overturn the majority of appeals is inexcusable. Do the job right the first time and you will save everyone a huge amount of time, energy and resources.”

Make Christmas TV educational

Do your children want to spend the festive holiday sprawled on the sofa watching Christmas films? Don’t despair: those old familiar favourites can be educational. Yes, really!

Former primary school teacher Laura Steele of education resources experts PlanBee shows how to turn passive screen time into an active learning experience:

Father Christmas

Based on the book by Raymond Briggs, this short animated film takes a look at what Father Christmas does on the other 364 days of the year.

Ask your child to choose one of the destinations Father Christmas visits on his holidays and put themselves into his shoes (or boots!) and write a postcard home, explaining everything he saw and got up to there.
Father Christmas doesn’t enjoy all the visits he makes. Encourage your child to write him a letter, suggesting where he should go next year, and why he might like it better than his holiday this year.
Father Christmas spends time organising presents for us, but what present would like to receive? Ask your youngster to draw a picture of the gift they would get for him, and write a short explanation of their choice.
Download FREE Father Christmas activity sheets here

The Snowman

Also based on a Raymond Briggs book, in this film a young boy’s snowman magically comes to life, and takes him on an adventure to meet Father Christmas.

The boy and the Snowman never speak to each other, but if they did what would they say? Children could write an imagined conversation between them, or even act it out.
We see the boy building the Snowman step-by-step. Encourage your child to draw pictures and write instructions for each of the different stages of construction.
Ask them to design their own snowman! Ask them to label what they would use for his eyes, nose, mouth, buttons and so on.
If you watch the film carefully, you will see many different animals. Can your child spot them? As an extra challenge, they could choose an animal to research and perhaps make a poster or write a report about it.
Download FREE Snowman activity sheets here

Elf

Elf focuses on the character of Buddy, a human who has been raised by elves at the North Pole. On discovering that he is not actually an elf, Buddy travels to New York in search of his father

Buddy is given a snow globe of New York City. Children could design and draw their own snow globe, showing where they live.
Challenge them to describe and draw the film’s funniest, happiest and saddest moments.
Download FREE Elf activity sheets here

The Grinch

Based on the 1957 book by Dr Seuss, a creature named the Grinch hates Christmas and everything to do with it. He devises a wicked plan to ruin the festive season for the town of Whoville.

Children could write a character description of the Grinch, detailing his appearance, his personality, what he does, and how he changes by the end of the film.
Ask children to draw a picture of, or describe, Whoville at Christmas. Would they like to live there? Can they explain why?
Ask your child to step into Grinch’s shoes, and describe or act out their thoughts about Christmas both at the beginning of the film, and then at the end, and discuss how they differ.
Download FREE Grinch activity sheets here

The Polar Express

A young boy who is beginning to lose his belief in Father Christmas boards a to the North Pole and has amazing adventures, makes some special new friends, and regains his belief in the magic of Christmas.

Ask your child to design a ticket for the Polar Express. Who would they give it to, and why? Which two letters do they think The Conductor would cut out on it, and why? Which full word would be created on reboarding the train?
In the film, the symbol of Christmas spirit for the Boy is the bell he receives from ‘Mr C’. Ask children to draw and explain what represents the Christmas spirit for them.
At one point, the train passes the Northern Lights. Encourage children to research exactly what this phenomenon is. They could also create their own artwork depicting the scene.
Download FREE Polar Express activity sheets here

Klaus

A young postman who is not very good at his job is sent to serve an unwelcoming, frozen town in the far North. When he meets an old toy maker, Klaus, and together they begin delivering presents to the children of the town, things begin to change…

Ask children to imagine that they are one of the children living in Smeerensburg. Challenge them to write their own letter to Klaus, telling him how they have been good, what gift they would like and why.
In the film, Klaus has carved alcoves into a tree trunk for a family of figurines. Ask children to draw or make their own version of this, complete with everyone that is special to them.
Klaus says: ‘A true selfless act always sparks another’. Ask children to name the selfless acts in the film. Have they made any selfless acts themselves in the past? Are there any that they could make in the future?
Download FREE Klaus activity sheets here

Arthur Christmas (2011)

Santa’s rather accident-prone son, Arthur, sets out on a mission to deliver a present that was left at the North Pole on Christmas Eve

Encourage children to draw, and write a short description of, each member of Santa’s family: Santa himself, Mrs Santa, GrandSanta, Steve and of course, Arthur. What characteristics do they each have? How are they similar? How are they different?

Arthur is particularly fond of his slippers. Unfortunately, he loses them during his adventure. Can your child design a new pair for him?

Challenge your children to design and make their own version of ‘Christmas: the Board Game’. What will the board look like, what’s the aim of the game and how is it played? Will they need any extra items such as counters or question cards?
Download FREE Arthur Christmas activity sheets here

Fun activities for ANY Film

Set one of these fun challenges to give a new dimension to your youngster’s watching habits, whatever their chosen film:

Turn the sound off and challenge your child to describe what is happening in the film. Ask children to imagine that they are helping a blind person experience the film so they need to use as much detail as possible for each scene. You could play a few short scenes using Audio Description to get them started: as a cartoon strip, a digital book, as a written account, as a series of drawings, or as a storyboard.
Challenge your child to write a review of the film. How many stars out of five would they give it? What was the best bit? Who was their favourite character? Or what about recording a vlog review giving their opinion to share online with friends and family?