Tag: Children and Families

Edinburgh children urged to sign up for free online STEM resources

Amazon’s development centre in Edinburgh is encouraging children in Edinburgh to get involved in free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) resources the company has launched to help students improve their maths skills, learn how to code, and develop their career aspirations over the winter school holidays.  

In many circumstances, children’s education has been impacted by COVID-19, with schools and families trying to catch up following lockdown and related closures and absences. One report from Ofsted highlighted the worst-case scenarios, reporting that some school children had lost basic skills and learning as a result of school closures caused by the pandemic. 

Speaking on the donation, Graeme Smith, Managing Director at Amazon Development Centre Scotland, said: “At Amazon, we are passionate about education and learning, so we have brought charities and educational institutions together with our Maths4All and Amazon Future Engineer programmes to provide a fun way for children to learn and get a head start with maths, computer science and coding.

“On behalf of the team at Edinburgh, we want to encourage the young learners and families in Edinburgh to make the most of these free and easily-accessible resources to keep learning while having fun over the school holidays” 

What is Amazon offering?

·       Amazon has expanded Amazon Maths4All beyond the free resources for primary school children and now also offers secondary school students free educational materials. Amazon Maths4All offers hundreds of worksheets on Kindle and Fire Tablets, new maths challenges on Alexa, apps and games for school pupils, and given the restrictions in place and uncertainty around the holidays, these resources aim to supplement student’s learning and development. The initiative is run in partnership with several organisations including Open University, Conquer Maths, White Rose Maths, Dr Frost and Cazoom Maths.

·      Amazon has also launched the Cyber Robotics Challenge to provide students with a free, three-hour virtual challenge to learn the basics of programming as part of Amazon Future Engineer. Recommended for anyone aged eight and above, young learners are asked to code an Amazon Hercules robot to deliver a friend’s birthday present on time. This challenge is the first of its kind and teaches students coding and computer science in a real-world setting.

·       With Alexa, you can also open the skill ‘Maths Coach’, which helps your mathematical brain stay active with five levels of difficulty. To get started, use a phrase like “Alexa, ask the Maths Coach to start a test” or “Alexa, ask the Maths Coach for a hard addition test”. For some light-hearted learning you can also ask “Alexa, tell me a fact about maths?”, “Alexa, tell me a joke about maths” or “Alexa, rap about pi”.

·       Amazon has also just launched The Amazon Longitude Explorer Prize, delivered by Nesta Challenges, which calls on young bright minds to put their passion for STEM subjects to the test by creating and developing technological innovations to help solve some of the world’s biggest issues from climate change to aging populations.

The programme aims to reach students aged 11-16 across the UK and hopes to provide young people from all backgrounds with an introduction to the possibilities of entrepreneurship in STEM and children can form team and enter the virtual competition until 12 February. 

Special Drop-in Children’s Flu Clinic for Missed Appointments

Parents of children aged 2-5 living in Edinburgh, who missed a child flu vaccine appointment, are being invited to attend a new drop-in vaccination clinic this weekend (Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th December).

NHS Lothian is organising the session at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People to offer parents another opportunity to make sure their child is protected against flu this winter.

The clinic is specifically for children who are registered with an Edinburgh GP but were unable to attend a previously scheduled appointment time.

Pat Wynne, Nurse Director, Primary and Community Care, said: “Flu is very infectious and can be serious. Even healthy children can become ill, which can be very unpleasant for them, and they can spread it to family.

“This winter it’s more important than ever to prevent people getting the flu, particularly because of coronavirus.  The best way to protect your child and others who are vulnerable is to get vaccinated.”

“We understand that parents are really busy and might not have been able to make an appointment. To help make sure they don’t miss out we’re putting on this extra flu vaccination clinic.”

The children’s flu vaccine is safe and effective. It is offered free every year as a simple, painless, nasal spray to children to help protect them from getting and spreading the flu.

In Edinburgh, parents of children aged between and 2 and 5 years old, who are not yet in school, will have received a letter to attend a scheduled appointment at a children’s flu clinic in the city.

Anyone who has received a letter to attend a child flu vaccine appointment at a clinic after 6th December should continue to attend that as normal.  Children who require a flu vaccine by injection for medical or religious reasons, should approach their GP practice.

Pat Wynne, Nurse Director, Primary and Community Care, added: “As this is a drop-in clinic there might be short wait for parents, but we strongly encourage anyone who has missed their appointment to take up this opportunity and to attend over the weekend.”

The drop-in children’s flu vaccination clinic is being held between 9am and 4pm at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, 51 Little France Crescent, Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA.  

The drop-in is only for children aged 2-5yrs (and not yet at school) registered with an Edinburgh GP Practice who have missed a flu vaccination appointment.

Hundreds of child cruelty and neglect offences recorded by Police Scotland every year

672 concerns of adults neglecting, mistreating or assaulting children in Scotland in 2019/20

The NSPCC has launched its Here for Children Christmas Appeal and a new TV ad to raise awareness of abuse and neglect this Christmas

More than 600 concerns of child cruelty and neglect offences were recorded by Police Scotland last year, the NSPCC reports as it warns that some children may be at risk of abuse this Christmas.

The charity is today releasing a new analysis of police data for the whole of the UK, which reveals that there were 23,529 offences recorded by forces in 2019/20.

Although there are significant variations in numbers between different regions and nations, the analysis finds that overall in the UK there has been 53% rise since 2016/17. However, in Scotland the annual number of offences has varied considerably over these four years, between 640 and 818, with last year’s figure totalling 672.

While not every police-recorded offence leads to a prosecution or child protection outcome, each represents a significant concern raised to the police about a child.

The NSPCC has issued the findings as part of a warning that children may be at risk of abuse this Christmas and that everyone needs to play their part in keeping young people safe.

To raise awareness of child neglect and abuse this Christmas, the NSPCC has launched its Here for Children Christmas Appeal. The charity has also produced a new TV appeal which depicts some of the heart-breaking abuse contacts the NSPCC-run service Childline expects to take in the Christmas holidays.  

Over the last six months the NSPCC has been looking closely at the impact of lockdown – and its frontline teams are concerned that increased vulnerability, the challenges of safeguarding remotely and wider pressures on families may have increased the risks of abuse and neglect.

During the spring lockdown, an average of 50 children a day, across the UK, turned to Childline after suffering abuse, with counselling sessions about this issue increasing by 22% compared with pre-lockdown levels.

*A 14-year-old girl from Scotland told a Childline counsellor: “I’m feeling so stressed and upset at home right now. My dad abuses me a lot by making me starve. I literally have to beg for things to eat, and if I do get food it’s the tiniest bits. I feel hungry a lot but then it just turns into me feeling sick. I just wanted someone to talk to so I came here.”

*A 15-year-old girl from Scotland who contacted Childline said: “My parents don’t look after me and my siblings properly. The house is very dirty and my bedroom is damp and mouldy. The house is constantly cold as there is no heating and no hot water. Since lockdown, I’ve been finding it really hard to cope at home, I miss being at school.”

As part of its new appeal, the charity is calling on the public to donate £20 to the NSPCC so that services like Childline can be here for children this Christmas.

Everyone has a role to play in keeping children safe. The charity is reminding adults that if they have concerns about a child’s welfare they can call the NSPCC helpline.

NSPCC Scotland is also urging the Scottish Government to ensure that a comprehensive recovery plan is put in place and to deliver the long-term investment needed to provide high quality preventative and therapeutic services for children and support for families in every part of the country.

Matt Forde, head of service at NSPCC Scotland, said: “Every year there are children in Scotland experiencing pain and suffering at the hands of those who are supposed to care for them.

“For those children whose homes are not always a safe place, this year will have been extremely difficult. Their usual support networks and services will have been greatly reduced and many will have felt trapped and isolated.

“So, this year it is even more essential that children have a place where they can seek help and support. Our Childline service will be running every day over the Christmas holidays, but we need the public’s support so we can ensure vulnerable children are heard.”

Spotting the signs of abuse

The NSPCC is encouraging the public to look out for signs of abuse and speak up if they are concerned about a child. Signs of abuse and neglect to look out for can include:

  • Untreated injuries, medical and dental issues
  • Repeated accidental injuries caused by lack of supervision
  • Recurring illnesses or infections
  • Faltering weight or growth, and not reaching developmental milestones
  • Poor language, communication or social skills
  • Have unwashed clothes
  • Have inadequate clothing, like not having a winter coat
  • Living in an unsuitable home environment – for example without adequate heating, or dog mess being left
  • Left alone for a long time
  • Taking on the role of carer for other family members

Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email help@nspcc.org.uk

Mental health emergency warning

More than 1,000 children have been waiting more than a year for treatment

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, has warned of a “mental health emergency” as new figures indicate that more than 1,000 children and young people have been waiting more than a year for mental health treatment.

The figures from Public Health Scotland also indicate that only one Scottish health board is meeting the Scottish Government’s waiting time target of 18 weeks from referral to treatment over the quarter to September 2020 and two out of five are not being seen within this 18 week target.1

The SCSC has called on the Scottish Government to redouble its efforts and for a “national crusade” to tackle this emergency as the number of referrals return to pre-lockdown levels.

It has also backed calls by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland that £145 million from additional £1.1 billion COVID-19 funding granted in the autumn be applied to mental health services.

While 4,032 children and young people were treated over the period July to September 2020 by child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), only 60.6 per cent were seen within the 18-week waiting target and only one health board, NHS Ayrshire and Arran met this target. 

The report also highlights that in September 2020, 1,060 children and young people had been waiting more than a year for treatment, up from 632 on the same point last year.3 In addition, 365 had been waiting over a year prior to treatment compared with 220 in the same quarter the previous year.

The SCSC has warned that mental health services will face an overwhelming and unprecedented pressure due to pent-up demand created by the COVID-19 lockdown, coupled with a cut in youth support services. This could potentially lead to a “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.

It has called reiterated its call for a “national crusade”, with the Scottish Government working closely with authorities, including the third and independent sectors, and investing significantly in mental health services. The coalition has also urged that greater awareness is made of the services on offer, especially those at a community level.

The SCSC has warned that self-isolation and social distancing have had an impact on young people struggling with issues such as anxiety and depression. It has noted that even the most resilient children are going to need additional support as they navigate this transition back into whatever is the new normal, and some will need a lot of extra support.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “These latest figures are deeply troubling and point to a highly challenging environment for both our young people and our mental health services.

“While referrals are beginning to return to pre-lockdown levels, it is vital that children and families are provided with the support they so desperately need, especially given the impact of the pandemic on mental health. The fact that more than 1,000 of our most vulnerable children have been waiting more than a year for treatment in this respect is deeply troubling.

“We would urge the Scottish Government to look to not just the NHS, but the third sector and other independent organisations to play a key role in this. Our mental health services must receive the funding they vitally need or we face a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable children and young people.” 

Waiting times (with adjustments) for people who started their treatment from July to September 2020, by NHS Board of treatment:

Health boardTotal number seen% seen within 18 weeks
NHS Island boards6283.9%
NHS Dumfries & Galloway9588.4%
NHS Ayrshire & Arran23391.9%
NHS Lanarkshire24862.1%
NHS Lothian51859.5%
NHS Grampian34385.7%
NHS Fife27463.9%
NHS Forth Valley18240.1%
NHS Borders3271.9%
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley1,45147.6%
NHS Highland19874.2%
NHS Tayside39657.8%
NHS Scotland4,03260.6%

The number of young people waiting for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Lothian has dramatically increased since March this year.

The number of young people waiting 0-18 weeks for mental health support has dropped from 1,223 in March to 963 in September this year.  The number of young people waiting over a year to be seen for mental health support has risen from 381 in March earlier this year, to 581 in September, an increase from 14.8% to 21% of young people having to wait over a year.

Waits for young peoples mental health support have been growing over the last two years, but have significantly increased over the last 6 months since Covid-19.  

At the start of this year NHS Lothian invested £3 million to hire 40 extra staff including, clinical psychologists, registered nurses and occupational therapists

In September this year Edinburgh Council and Midlothian Council, in partnership with MYPAS,  announced pilot schemes for counsellors to be place in schools for this academic year.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “In Edinburgh and the Lothians we were already facing a mental health crisis for young people, which has only got worse since Covid-19.

“Young people having to wait over a year to be seen for mental health support is very distressing for the person who is note getting the support they need and their family.

“CAMHS staff work tirelessly to provide invaluable mental health support, but they must be further supported by SNP Ministers and NHS Lothian to meet the high demand for their services.

“Remote mental health support is not the right solution for everybody, but where appropriate this must be fully utilised to reach and support as many young people as possible.

“SNP Ministers have been in charge of our health service for over 13 years, during which time mental health service waiting times for young people have got significantly longer.”

1 Public Health Scotland, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Waiting Times in Scotland, Quarter Ending 30th September 2020 – Full Report (PDF link), 1st December 2020, p.5. Available at: https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/conditions-and-diseases/mental-health/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs-waiting-times/

(accessed 1st December 2020).

Help extended to parents of children self-isolating

The £500 Self-Isolation Support Grant is being extended to include parents on low incomes whose children are asked to self-isolate, Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced yesterday.

The grant will also become available to those who may be eligible for Universal Credit, but have not yet applied.

Both changes will be introduced from 7 December.

Ms Somerville said: “We introduced this grant at unprecedented speed, and I am grateful for the work of COSLA and councils to ensure it is up and running.

“While self-isolation can be difficult for everyone, we know there are particular financial barriers to complying faced by some people. 

“We always said we would review this grant to make sure it worked for people who face hardship as a result of self-isolation. That is why we are making changes for some people who are not currently eligible. 

“We are extending it to parents of children aged under 16 who need to take time off work because their child is told to self-isolate, and also to people who are eligible for Universal Credit, but have not claimed it – providing they fulfil all of the other criteria for the grant.

“Supporting people to self-isolate is critical to controlling the spread of the virus.  These are important changes, and I am grateful to councils for their continued work to support those who can claim this grant.”

COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson Councillor Kelly Parry said: “COSLA welcomes the Self-Isolation Support Grant being extended to parents and carers of children who have been asked to stay home from school because of the virus and that it will also include those with an underlying eligibility for benefits. 

“Council staff across the country have been working really hard to ensure the grant is accessible to people who have experienced a loss in income after being asked to self-isolate.

“By extending the eligibility for the grants, more people will be helped to stop the spread of the virus over the winter period.”

The Self-Isolation Support Grant provides £500 for low income workers who are in receipt of Universal Credit or other benefits and will lose earnings as a result of having to self-isolate.

Parents or carers of children under 16 who are asked to self-isolate, but who are not required to self-isolate themselves, are not currently eligible for the grant.

This is why the grant will be extended to those parents and carers, where they fulfil the other eligibility criteria:

  • employed or self-employed and unable to work from home
  • in receipt of Universal Credit or one of those which will be replaced by UC (legacy benefits)
  • facing a loss of income from looking after the child during the period of self-isolation

Only one claim per household can be made, where a parent or primary carer is required to look after a child who must isolate.

Eligibility will also be extended to people with a low level of income which means they would be entitled to Universal Credit.

Connecting Scotland: More funding to help families get online

Thousands of disadvantaged young people are being helped to develop valuable digital skills through the Scottish Government’s Connecting Scotland programme.

More than 23,000 iPads and Chromebooks are being distributed among digitally excluded low-income families and care leavers, as part of the latest phase of the £43 million programme.

As well as a new device, recipients also receive mobile data and help to use the internet confidently and safely for up to two years.

Connecting Scotland works with local authorities, public bodies and third sector organisations to reach people across the country.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Access to the internet brings huge benefits, especially during these challenging times. It provides a way to keep in touch and keep us informed, and is also an important way for people of all ages to further their education, find work and training opportunities.

“That’s why in this year’s Programme for Government we further committed to our world-leading Connecting Scotland programme by pledging to reach a total of 50,000 digitally excluded or marginalized people by the end of 2021. The combination of a device plus ongoing support means that everyone can get the most out of their laptop or tablet, and develop their skills.

“So far more than 8,700 people have  received this package, and the stories fed back to us from local organisations show the real difference it’s making to households across the country.”

The full-time carer of a child who received a laptop through the programme said: “Thank you so much, the laptop is amazing. We downloaded Google Classroom and Ruby* did all her schoolwork.

“It was so fantastic to see her enjoy looking at a decent sized screen – it’s been a struggle to have Ruby do homework on an old mobile phone which is past its best. To be able to help her home school on a proper laptop is wonderful.”

Connecting Scotland is a Scottish Government programme set up in response to COVID-19. It provides iPads, Chromebooks and support to develop skills for people who are digitally excluded and on low incomes and is delivered in partnership with SCVO, all 32 local authorities and hundreds of third sector organisations across Scotland.

Phase 1 (April – July 2020) focused on those who were at high risk of contracting coronavirus because they were in the extremely high vulnerability group (‘shielding’) or the higher risk of severe illness group.

Phase 2, round 1 launched on 18 August and is focused on households with children, or where a child is normally resident (this includes pregnant women with no child in the household) and care leavers up to the age of 26 (in line with eligibility for aftercare support).

The next round of phase 2 opens tday (24 November)and will close on 18 January at 11am.

Applications can be made by organisations who support eligible groups via the Connecting Scotland website.

Managers are much more positive about flexible working and staff working from home, says new study

Managers are much more positive about their staff working from home and working flexibly since lockdown says a new study undertaken jointly by the Equal Parenting Project at the University of Birmingham and the Work Autonomy, Flexibility and Work-Life Balance at the University of Kent.

The report titled ‘Managing Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Flexible working and the future of work’ is based on a UK wide survey with managers which aimed to understand the organisational perspective on managing homeworking since the UK COVID-19 lockdown.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, many organisations have been forced to move the majority of their workforce to remote working, often at very short notice. In many cases these businesses had previously discouraged flexible working and had very little infrastructure in place to support these new ways of working. The question arises, what impact did this shift to homeworking have and what does this mean for the future of work?

To answer this question, the research team undertook a survey of managers between the 24th July to 11th August 2020. The sample consisted of managers from across the UK, an array of industries and all levels of management.

In total, 742 managers completed the survey which involved questions around norms for working from home, attitudes toward working from home, trust, key learning experience what tools the organisation supplied to employees to enable them to work from home and what support was made available to the employees.

As the first academic piece of research exploring managerial experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, this research discovered that 54.7% of managers reported over 80% of their employees have been working from home since lockdown.

As a result of their management experiences during lockdown, fewer managers now believe that presenteeism and long working hours are essential to career progression within organisations.

Many managers also reported that working from home increases productivity, concentration, and motivation due to their experiences in lockdown. 58.6% of managers surveyed said that working from home increases productivity whereas only 44.1% agreed with this statement before lockdown.

However, managers also saw some draw backs, with 58.7% of all those surveyed saying that working from home lead to isolation, and other citing issues around blurring of boundaries as key negative outcomes.

Regardless, most managers now believe working from home will become much more commonplace in the future, with more jobs, including senior roles, being advertised as being available for flexible working and more support being made available for home working.

Commenting on the report Dr Holly Birkett, Co-Director of the Equal Parenting Project at the University of Birmingham said: “The report shows managers are much more positive about working from home and flexible working, than they were before the pandemic. 

“Managers say their organisations are going to be more supportive of homeworking and flexible working in the future, including more likely to support working from home, job shares and part time working even for Senior roles. 

“This change along with the breakdown of the presenteeism culture and the removal of a flexibility stigma, which existed before COVID -19, could help improve employee wellbeing, help to support people to take on caring roles and break down many of the barriers women face to balancing career and family, with the potential to improve female representation on Boards and close the gender pay gap.”

Overall, the data included in the report has shown that working from home has been commonplace since the initial lockdown and managers have faced a steep learning curve regarding how to manage remote teams often with very little support or guidance.

Despite this, managers have been pleasantly surprised about the results with their teams generally performing really well during this time. While there have been some performance issues these were generally where this was already an issue prior to lockdown.

Dr Sarah Forbes, Co-Director of the Equal Parenting Project said: “Due to positive experiences of working from home and with flexible working patterns amongst their staff, managers are keen to support more working from home and flexible working in the future.

“This could take the form of better flexible working policies and tools to facilitate this as well as training being readily available for managers to learn how to better support remote workers in their team. However, we also need to understand working remotely over long periods of time can also be very isolating and that some people much prefer working in an office environment.”

Dr Heejung Chung, Principal Investigator of the Work Autonomy, Flexibility and Work-Life Balance Project at the University of Kent said: “As we have also seen in our previous employee survey, the flexible working genie is out of the bottle – more workers want to work flexibly in the future, and as this report has shown, managers now see how flexible working can benefit companies.

“However, that shift will not be the same for all companies and for all workers. Government policies to help make that cultural shift, by introducing stronger rights to flexible working and better protection against discrimination for flexible workers may help this transition go smoothly after the COVID-19 lockdown measures end.”

The full findings and wider recommendation of the report will be announced by Dr Sarah Forbes, Dr Holly Birkett and Dr Heejung Chung at a webinar on 26th November 2020 which has been organised by the Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business at the University of Birmingham.

The webinar will also have presentations by Lauren Adams, HR Director at CBI , Daisy Hooper, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at CMI, and Anthony Fitzpatrick, Employee Relations and Global Employment Policy Lead at Aviva will deliver organisational and managers’ perspectives on experiences of remote working during the pandemic and how these experiences are likely to change the future of work.

UK-wide study shows antibodies persist for at least two months in children who have had COVID-19

One thousand children from Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, known as ‘COVID Warriors’ have had their levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies measured during the first wave of the pandemic and repeated again two months after initial recruitment. 

The findings have now been published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 

The study is led by Dr Tom Waterfield from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, in partnership with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Northern Ireland. 

The aim of the study, which began in May and is ongoing, is to assess the number of children who have had COVID-19, the symptomatology of infection and the kinetics of the antibody response in children. 

The researchers have found that antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 persisted beyond two months in all children. Unlike other studies, this is one of the first to report on follow up blood results in children and provides an early insight into how the antibody response evolves over time. 

Dr Tom Waterfield, lead on the study, said: “These results show that the antibody response to COVID-19 infection in children seems to be holding firm at two months and that antibodies are likely to persist for some time. This provides renewed hope that children may develop a lasting immunity to infection.” 

Health and Social Care Research & Development Division (HSC R&D Division) of the Public Health Agency plays an ongoing role in supporting the conduct of high-quality health and social care research and has provided funding to support the delivery of this important study. 

Dr Janice Bailie, Assistant Director of HSC Research and Development said: “Research studies continue to play an ongoing, vital role in the pandemic response; as the COVID Warriors study tests children at multiple timepoints, we now know more about the SARS-CoV-2 antibody response and its behaviour over time. 

“Such findings will be of great value to help inform our decision-making, and planning of appropriate measures to protect our population.”

The study is supported by funding from HSC R&D Division, Public Health Agency, The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and is also subsidised by a donation from the Queen’s Foundation thanks to a past graduate of the University through a charitable gift in their will. 

It is being delivered in partnership with The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, the Ulster Independent Clinic, NHS Glasgow and Greater Clyde, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. 

Scottish carer shares their first glimmer of hope after Mum’s stroke

Glimmer of Hope after Stroke this Christmas

Stacey Miller from Paisley is supporting the Stroke Association’s ‘Hope After Stroke’ Christmas appeal, after her Mum, Andrea, had a stroke at the age of 45. 

Thanks to the Stroke Association in Scotland, both Andrea and Stacey have been attending a Stroke Café that has been a life saver for both.  It’s given them the opportunity to meet others who have been through a similar experience.   The social interaction and peer support has given both them a belief that lives can be rebuilt again– that there is a glimmer of hope after stroke.

Andrea spent hours, days, and months undergoing intensive rehabilitation in hospital uncertain as to what the future may hold.  But when Andrea left hospital six months later, Stacey was amazed with how far she’d come.

Although Andrea still relies on care, she is in her own home and that means the world to her. Having her two daughters and sister come in and look after her care needs is so much easier than being in hospital.   And although Andrea’s communication difficulties have been challenging, she and her family have found new ways to communicate.

And now Christmas is upon us, Stacey is making preparations with her Mum.

Stacey says: “Mum loved Christmas, it was always a big thing for her.  The stroke took away her freedom to make plans for Christmas and go out and about purchasing all the things that gave her and everyone else joy.

“We knew after the stroke Christmas would be a very different affair, but as Mum’s confidence has grown, she is now more involved.  She participates in decisions over plans, presents etc., even if she can’t physically carry them out.  Christmas is always more magical with kids around and Mum is loving the idea of being involved with  my two year-old  putting up the Christmas tree and looking at all the baubles and decorations together.

“It brings a tear to my eye, watching her with Noah John.  It’s as if nothing has changed and her love of life is still there.

“But I’m aware of her ongoing needs.  The Stroke Association in Scotland has been invaluable in offering a sense of purpose both to Mum and me, that life can be normal again.”

Stacey is asking people to make a donation to the Stroke Association’s work supporting people affected by stroke, as they rebuild their lives this Christmas.

Andrea Cail, Director Scotland of the Stroke Association said: “When someone’s life has been shattered by stroke, they may feel all hope is gone. But we also know that people cling onto even the smallest glimmer of hope. This is what powers them on to achieve what many thought would be impossible.”

The charity estimates that there are over 120,000 people living with the effects of stroke in Scotland, while around 15,000 people have a stroke every year.

“This pandemic has had a serious impact on our ability to raise funds through our usual community events and activities. Many people have praised the support they received from the Stroke Association, to help with that first glimmer of hope to rebuild their lives again.

“That support may be found in a call to our Helpline; through the friendship and support of our online community; or the ongoing support of a phone call from one of our lived experience volunteers. It takes time and money and people to provide this help. And that’s why we’re asking everyone across Scotland to donate to the Stroke Association and help give someone the gift of hope this Christmas.”

To donate or for more information about stroke and the vital role that hope plays in stroke recovery and rebuilding lives, please visit www.stroke.org.uk/hope 

WHAT MADE IT BETTER? Edinburgh urged to get on board with anti-bullying drive

People in Edinburgh are being encouraged to support a campaign to address bullying behaviour among Scotland’s young people which has launched during Anti Bullying Week 2020 (16-20 November).

Led by Scotland’s anti-bullying service respectme, #WhatMadeItBetter? launches amid a changing landscape of bullying as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 47% of young people in Scotland reporting that they saw or experienced online bullying during lockdown and 59% witnessing an increase in prejudice-based posts, comments and/or attitudes*.

The campaign seeks to empower young people with advice and approaches from those who have experienced bullying, after a consultation with young people and professionals highlighted that the management of bullying related incidents was a key area of concern.

With this in mind, respectme has created a suite of resources for primary and secondary aged children to help approach and guide conversations at a time when learning supervision is has been reduced, while also supporting young people with advice from those who have been there themselves.

Anyone involved in influencing the life of a young person is invited to download the free resources available at www.whatmadeitbetter.com.

Supporting the call is the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney, who said: “Anti-Bullying Week is an ideal opportunity to send a clear message that bullying of any kind is completely unacceptable and when it occurs we all have a responsibility to address it.

“Children and young people need to be educated about all faiths and beliefs and learn about tolerance, respect, kindness and good citizenship. We want all children and young people to be able to speak to someone they trust when bullying happens and that is why campaigns like this are so important.

“I look forward to taking part in Anti-Bullying week to highlight to those being bullied, that things will get better, and how we can be that person that did make things better.”

Wendy Harrington, Director of respectme, said: “Young people are heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, with every aspect of their lives – from school to home to social activities – affected in some way.

“There’s a wealth of evidence highlighting a rise in bullying behaviour since lockdown, particularly in an online setting, which has no time boundary and is difficult to monitor and supervise. This makes Anti-Bullying Week and the campaign all the more poignant as we seek to start the conversation and share valuable advice.

“The #WhatMadeItBetter? resources are free for anyone to explore, and we’d urge adults who have experienced bulling to get involved and help us shape future resources by taking our online survey which looks at what more can be done to support young people.”

Take part in the #WhatMadeItBetter? survey at: www.whatmadeitbetter.com/resources

Speaking out to young people is James Allan, frontman of award-winning Scottish indie band Glasvegas, who shared his personal advice: “As humans, we carry so many experiences with us, and in some way can blame ourselves or believe what other people say.

“If anybody does experience these things, try and challenge that insecurity or doubt in yourself and to know it’s the way we’re wired up. Things will get better and, in the meantime, be yourself, stay true to yourself and believe in yourself.” 

While the campaign launches during Anti-Bullying Week, it will run across the school year until July 2021 to continuously highlight the options available to young people and remind them that things can and will get better.

Stay up to date with the campaign and Anti-Bullying Week activities by following respectme on Facebook and Twitter.