Tag: Children and Families

Get ready for school!

EXTRA STAFF AS SCHOOLS PREPARE TO RE-OPEN

Funding of £50 million will be ring-fenced for the recruitment of approximately 850 extra teachers and around 200 additional support staff as local authorities plan for the re-opening of schools.

Addressing Parliament, Education Secretary John Swinney also pledged that £20 million will be allocated to help councils with additional costs associated with new health protection measures, school transport, enhanced cleaning and other essential logistical issues.

A further £3 million will be invested in youth work to support education recovery. The funding breakdown is part of a £100 million package of support announced by Mr Swinney in June.

Clear guidance for schools and councils is being developed by the Education Recovery Group (ERG) to help them prepare for the start of the new term in August.

The Scottish Government will announce a final decision on the re-opening of schools on 30 July.

Mr Swinney said: “I want to express my appreciation to parents and carers for their support to young people, to the teaching and wider workforce across Scotland for their efforts to sustain education and to children and young people for their resilience during this difficult period. 

“All of the school workforce have a crucial role to play in our education recovery mission, and it is vital that they are supported to do so.

“The ring-fenced £50 million funding to recruit more teachers and support staff will enable schools to intensify support for children and young people as they return to full time face-to-face education and help to mitigate for learning loss. The final numbers will be dependent on the precise mix of staff recruited and the needs of children and young people.

“The £20 million funding recognises the extremely valuable work of our school cleaners, facilities management and school transport staff, who are essential to the successful delivery of education in Scotland and to whom I want to pay tribute today.

“I also mentioned in my statement on the 23 June that we would be seeking the assistance of the youth work sector in supporting those families and communities who need it most.

“The sector will receive £3 million of investment because it has continued to support and engage children and young people throughout the pandemic, including using digital technology and outreach work to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people’s mental health, learning and development.

“While this funding should provide local authorities with the assurance they require to progress plans immediately, we will continue to work with COSLA to understand the additional costs associated with the school re-opening guidance that each local authority is facing, and how these can be addressed alongside any loss of learning.

“We are currently developing guidance, with our partners in the ERG, on health mitigations and precautions that will be in place to allow schools to fully re-open in August and a final decision on school re-opening will be announced on 30 July.”

Responding to the Scottish Government’s funding of more teachers, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition said: “We welcome the recruitment of new teachers and additional support staff to help cope with the new demands of Coronavirus when children return to school next month.

“For those with additional support needs, the impact of returning to school will prove particularly disruptive but we need to go beyond the recruitment of additional support staff alone, which of course helps greatly. What is required is a tailored transition plan so those with ASN get the smoothest possible return to school.

“This requires every teacher or member of staff looking at the individual child, their circumstances and needs and making sure their return to school is as seamless as possible

“That individualised approach might mean going back to school early, having a little more time to figure out what classroom spaces look like or might be about teaching strategies and thinking about how to engage the children.”

The EIS has welcomed the Scottish Government’s confirmation of ring-fenced funding to support the recruitment of an additional 850 teachers across Scotland – but warned that more will be needed to support young people in education recovery following the COVID-19 shutdown.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The confirmation of ring-fenced funding to support the recruitment of an additional 850 teachers is a welcome step in the support required for educational recovery in schools across Scotland.

“It is essential that local authorities make use of this funding to recruit more teachers from all those currently available and seeking work – including newly qualified teachers, recently qualified teachers, and teachers on supply and temporary contracts. The EIS would urge the Scottish Government to clarify that this additional funding is open to employ qualified teachers from all of these categories.”

Mr Flanagan added: “The  EIS  is clear that more will be needed to ensure that all young people receive the support they require to recover from the impact of the school shutdown and, as well as urging the Scottish Government to consider additional funding, we would encourage local authorities to use some of the flexibility open to them around attainment challenge funding and the pre-allocated monies for the now suspended expansion of pre-5 entitlement to further boost school staffing.

“Being away from the school environment for such a prolonged period will have had a detrimental impact on many young people’s education. Supporting recovery from this traumatic experience must be the top priority for all in Scottish education.”

Mr Flanagan concluded: “Clearly, with less than 3 weeks until schools are set to re-open, it is vital that local authorities act quickly to ensure that the promised additional teachers and support staff are recruited prior to the start of term.

“It also remains essential that the process of re-opening schools is managed safely, with updated risk assessments to be carried out and all necessary mitigations – such as enhanced cleaning regimens, adequate ventilation and facilities for regular hand-washing – to be in place in all schools prior to them re-opening.”

Local government umbrella body COSLA’S reaction to the Deputy First Minister’s Statement was one of disappointment, saying it is a ‘roadblock to progress’.

Councillor Stephen McCabe and Councillor Gail Macgregor said: “Local Government’s number one priority is the safe return to education next month. We have sought to work closely with the Scottish Government, Trade Unions and parental organisations through the COVID-19 Education Recovery Group to agree an approach which meets the needs of all involved in supporting children and young people during the pandemic.

“Even with the welcome additional financial support from the Scottish Government we have received to date, councils are facing a budget gap of over £500m for 2020/21 before the additional costs of a safe return to school are taken into account.

“That is why the Deputy First Minister’s commitment of just £20m to support the return of schools this afternoon is a disappointment.  

“We are currently awaiting updated guidance as such it is not clear at this time what the additional costs for classroom cleaning, supporting vulnerable pupils, providing school meals, school transport and PPE are, or if vital resources can be found before schools return.  T

“Today’s announcement throws up a considerable roadblock on the progress towards schools re-opening safely, and presents significant additional financial risks for councils.

“Whilst we are pleased we are close to agreement with the Scottish Government on an additional £50m to be invested in teachers and classroom support, priority must also be given to  ensuring a safe, clean environment for all staff and pupils to work in.

“However, we remain willing to work with the Scottish Government on this issue to make sure that we protect and support the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s children and young people and our staff when they return to school.”

Fort Kinnaird gifts hundreds of children’s books to local families

Fort Kinnaird has gifted bundles of popular children’s books and engaging activity booklets to the Venchie Children & Young People’s Project in Edinburgh to support families in need during the coronavirus pandemic.  

300 children’s books have been shared with local families, including Gargantis by Thomas Taylor and Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, along with free activity booklets filled with fun and educational worksheets based on familiar fictional characters such as Alex Rider, Judy Moody and Maisy Mouse. 

Susan Heron from Venchie Children & Young People’s Project said: “It’s been great to watch so many of our local families get excited about the activity booklets and choosing brand new books to take home.

“This has really meant a lot to us and we know just how much of a difference they will make to children in our local area.” 

This new initiative is led by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and the National Literacy Trust. It follows a long-running partnership to help encourage children to enjoy reading outside of the classroom and to provide them with the resources to do so.  

Recent research from the National Literacy Trust reveals that children who own their own books are happier. Yet, 1 in 11 children and young people in the UK don’t have a book of their own at home.

With many children not attending school due to Covid-19, this project aims to help tackle the problem and give local families brand-new books and educational materials.  

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Encouraging children to love to read and giving them access to their own books is so important, especially at this particularly difficult time.  

“We’re really pleased to be able to continue to work with the National Literacy Trust to support amazing local organisations such the Venchie Children & Young People’s Project.” 

As part of British Land’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust, families in Edinburgh also have free access to virtual storytelling sessions which support children’s listening and creative skills and help to spark a love of stories.  

The ‘Young Readers Story Club’ videos feature professional storytellers sharing different stories each week, including award-winning children’s poet Dominic Berry and the storyteller Amanda Edmiston. 

St Francis’ RC Primary School, Castleview Primary School and Niddrie Mill Primary School have be given exclusive ‘first look’ access to the videos before they are made available for local families to view on the National Literacy Trust’s Family Zone website.  

Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “Books have the power to enrich children’s lives – they fuel imaginations, help children learn new things and support mental wellbeing – yet hundreds of thousands of children across the UK are missing out on these benefits at a time when they need them most, simply because they don’t have a book of their own. 

“By bringing the magical world of stories into children’s homes through brand new books, activity booklets and incredible storytelling videos, this initiative will provide much needed inspiration and comfort during a time of uncertainty.” 

National Autistic Society Scotland calls for transition plans to help autistic children return to school

The National Autistic Society Scotland is calling on schools to provide all autistic children with a personalised transition plan to help with their return to school in August.

The lock down has been extremely challenging for many families with autistic children. The huge change to routine and daily life together with strict restrictions resulting from the lockdown has led to distress for many autistic children putting families under huge pressure, often with very limited support.

According to the Scottish Government there are 6500 autistic children across Scotland. A third of autistic children also have a learning disability and, in many cases, also mental health difficulties.

Families have been under huge pressure juggling home schooling and working from home as well as supporting their autistic children. Some schools have provided specialist educational support throughout the lockdown while many others have not.

Families have reported that some home education packages received from schools have been either poor quality or generic and not differentiated for their child’s needs, so they have struggled to home school effectively and are worried that their children have fallen behind.

Similarly, many autistic children have now settled into a different routine, with limited social interaction outside of the family. They may well have been affected by the virus itself whether through illness of a parent or relative or even bereavement which can be all the more traumatic if that person also had a role in providing care and support.

All of these things combined mean that many autistic children will find returning to school in August difficult and in some cases even distressing, particularly as there are likely to be fundamental changes to daily school life.

NAS Scotland are therefore calling on schools to make sure that every autistic child has a personalised transition plan to aid their return to school in August.

This might include visits prior to school starting, more autism awareness among staff, safe spaces, accessible information and videos showing any changes to layouts or school rules as well as a principle contact for parents.

Nick Ward, Director of National Autistic Society Scotland said: “Many autistic children will have been out of school for over 4 months by the time the new term begins. Some have coped very well. Others however, have struggled under the strict restrictions and huge change to routine and we’ve heard from families under severe pressure with profound impacts on mental health and wellbeing.

“We know that change can be incredibly challenging for autistic people. It is important that transition back into school is handled sensitively and in a personalised way.

“Transitions are already hard for autistic children, often because of a lack of support or understanding about autism, and that’s why we’re calling on schools to make sure that each and every autistic child has a personalised plan with input from parents to make the transition as smooth as possible. We don’t feel that this is too much to ask in a system which should be focused on getting it right for every child.”

Suzanne who lives in Dunfermline said: “The lock down has been hugely challenging for us as a family. I’ve had to stop my Open University course together with my volunteering in order to care for and educate by two autistic children.

“Callum has quite significant needs and doesn’t understand the restrictions so it has been difficult to follow social distancing and I’m worried it will be very hard when he goes back to school as he has a compulsion to run up and touch or hug people.

“Emma is very different and is quite quiet. She has enjoyed lockdown to some extent, particularly with us being together as a family. She is however, very anxious about returning to school and has really struggled with sleep because she is so worried.

“Both my children have very different needs and so their transition back into school will need to be done with lots of understanding and support. The school have been quite helpful in my case and have offered to talk things through but I worry not everyone out there will get the same level of help.”

Children’s Outpatients’ services prepare for move to their new home

NHS Lothian staff working across a number of Children’s Outpatient services at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children have been busy packing, ahead of the move of the first children’s clinical services to the new facilities at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.

This move is being delivered in a phased approach, and already a number of administration teams have migrated and settled into their new environment.

Alongside the provision of outpatient face to face appointments, NHS Lothian will continue to make use of video call technology ‘Near Me’ for a number of appointments, offering greater flexibility as well as reducing the need for families to travel to attend in person.

The move plan, which was agreed with the full involvement of clinical teams, is not only helping to free up space at the existing Royal Hospital for Sick Children site, but is enabling NHS Lothian to continue to deliver paediatric clinics in a way which fully adheres to and supports social distancing.

Susan Goldsmith, Finance Director and Executive Lead for the project, said: “It is exciting to see the first of our Children’s services move to their new home at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People. We have reached a significant milestone in this project’s journey, which is important to acknowledge and celebrate. 

“While delays to the opening of the new facility have been well publicised, I hope that as each service moves and appointments commence; patients, visitors and staff will be able to see just how impressive the facilities really are.

“Reaching this stage in the project has required a tremendous amount of work from the contractors on site, as well as our own project and clinical teams and for that I would like to say a huge thank you.”

While the first outpatient services settle into their new home, work on the final stages of the remedial and enhancement work in other areas of the building continues. Once this has been completed, and following final commissioning, the second phase in the move of NHS Lothian’s Children’s services will take place.

At this point, those services still situated at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children site will also move to the new building.

 Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “It is terrific that staff are finally able to move across to the new facilities at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, based at little France.

“This move has been a long time coming and I wish all NHS Lothian staff the best at their new home.”

FAQs

How do I know where my child’s appointment will be?

Your appointment letter will tell you where your child’s appointment is being held. If it is to be held at the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, you will also receive a phone call to make sure you know where you are going. 

Is there parking available?

Parking is available on site. Parking stewards will direct you to the most appropriate car park. A small number of spaces are also bookable in advance, but these are reserved for patients with the greatest need, based on clinical priority.

My child has an appointment at the RHCYP, how do I find out the latest travel information?

For the latest travel information, including up to date details on parking facilities, we encourage you to visit the following website – https://www.nhslothian.scot/GoingToHospital/Locations/RIE/Pages/default.aspx

With COVID ongoing, is it safe to bring my child to hospital?

Yes. We have separate areas for patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and for those who have not. There are also a range of enhanced infection control measures in place, such as staggered appointment times to limit the number of people in any one area of the building, physical distancing within waiting areas and enhanced cleaning in consulting rooms between each patient.

My child has an appointment in August, does this automatically mean it will be in the new building?

No. Although most outpatient services are moving over the coming weeks, some will remain at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children site at Sciennes, until the new building is ready to be opened to all services, including inpatients. This is because some services need access to other clinical support, which will not be moving until the whole building is open. Departments that will not be moving at this stage include, but are not limited to: Pain, Respiratory (asthma, allergy, CF), Cardiology, Haematology Oncology, Plastics and Plastics dressings clinic.

Does the move mean that the reported problems in the building have been fixed?

Our project team, as well as the contractors on site, are continuing to work on the final stages of the remedial and enhancement work. Once this has been completed, and following final commissioning, the second phase of the move will take place.

Why has everything not moved across to the new building?

Remedial and enhancement work is still taking place at the new building, which means that some services cannot move at this time.

If my child has an emergency, where do I go?

Children’s Emergency Services remain at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Sciennes. If you need to access this service, you should continue to do so at the old site. There are no Emergency Services at the new building within the Little France site at this time.

It has been reported that the RHCYP building will be opening in Autumn 2020, are things on track for then?

Our project team, as well as the contractors on site, are continuing to work on the final stages of required remedial and enhancement work. As part of this, we are due to imminently receive the final works programme. Once this has been received and discussed with the services involved, an opening date for the full building will be announced, alongside more detailed plans for the migration of the remaining Children’s services. 

Childline sees increase in children reaching out with mental health concerns

  • Childline data reveals there have been 1,250 counselling sessions about mental health and wellbeing with children in Scotland since lockdown
  • NSPCC Scotland urges Scottish Government to prioritise children in Coronavirus recovery plan including support for mental health

Childline has seen an increase of almost 20 per cent in young children in Scotland getting in touch about their mental health and emotional wellbeing during lockdown.

The NSPCC-run service is publishing its latest data which reveals that since the beginning of lockdown there have been more than 1,250 counselling sessions carried out with children in Scotland about mental health concerns. This is a monthly average of 419 sessions compared with 351 prior to lockdown.

NSPCC Scotland is growing increasingly concerned that children are the hidden victims of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, with Childline providing a vital lifeline to children whose counselling sessions have shown that mental health is their top concern.

Throughout the pandemic young people have told counsellors they are feeling low, unhappy, overwhelmed and more recently talked about the anxiety they feel as we look to come out of lockdown.

Some children talked to Childline about family relationships, sharing that arguments, increased parental stress levels and abusive home environments are impacting their mental health. Worryingly, the average number of counselling sessions with children across the UK about abuse has increased by around a quarter since lockdown began.

Also, UK-wide, the number of counselling sessions with 11-year-olds and younger has increased by 37% compared to before the lockdown.

One eight year-old-girl told Childline:

“I am feeling sad and worried. I am scared of Covid-19 and feel like my family don’t care about me. I don’t get any attention and am always fighting with my mum. I live with just my mum and don’t see dad much. We live in a tiny flat and sometimes we get so angry with each other we end up fighting. After we have had a fight I hurt myself because I feel like I am not good enough.”

The number of counselling sessions where children mentioned worries about the world have more than doubled compared to before lockdown and the easing of lockdown has increased anxiety levels for some young people. They have shared concerns about returning to school, catching the virus, classwork, exams and how school life will be now.

NSPCC Scotland is urging the Scottish Government to ensure its Coronavirus recovery plan prioritises children’s needs. This should include additional investment in support for children’s mental health and wellbeing in schools, as well as in early preventative work for the long term.

It is also vital that the Scottish Government has a coordinated plan that demonstrates how services will respond to the likely increase in referrals as a result of lockdown.

Matt Forde, NSPCC Scotland head of service, said: “There is no doubt that the Coronavirus pandemic has had a direct impact on the mental health of many of our children and young people in Scotland.

“It is vital that Childline can continue to be there to help support young people to cope and recover from the aftermath of this crisis. We also need to see this backed up by an ambitious recovery plan in Scotland that ensures children can access the vital services they need to begin to move forwards.”

Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline said: “The Coronavirus pandemic has turned children’s lives upside down, cutting them off from the places they have relied upon in the past for comfort and support. During lockdown, the virus has imprisoned them in homes which may not be safe, with emotional and physical abuse, violence, or neglect.

“This has meant many young people have turned to Childline as their only lifeline, and have shared with us that they are unable to cope, and are desperate for help. We know that by providing children with a safe, confidential way to share their anxiety, as well as timely support so they can describe their feelings, we can help to prevent their problems totally overwhelming them. 

“At Childline we have always provided a vital listening ear for our young people who know we are there for them, and our website offers practical help to calm and reassure them. But as lockdown eases, and as life continues to feel uncertain and challenging, it is essential that in addition to Childline our children have access to the mental health resources they will need to help them cope.”

Despite Childline having to close the night service for the first time and having a 30% drop in volunteer hours, due to counsellors having to self-isolate, it continues to still be there for children across the UK.

And as children continue to struggle with the uncertainty that surrounds them and with many in homes that are unsafe, funding for the NSPCC’s Still Here for Children appeal has never been more important. The charity is asking the public to donate £10 so it can continue to run services like Childline that are providing vital support to children during the pandemic.

The NSPCC has praised NHS staff for their work with young people remotely during the lockdown and urged children and families to reach out to the GPs for support.

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

Children can call Childline on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk 365 days of the year.

Time’s running out to Change The Story

Last month, children’s book company Little Box of Books launched a crowdfunder with the support of presenter, author and musician Rochelle Humes hoping to diversify the bookshelves of schools across the UK – and today is the last chance to donate.

The crowdfunder,  ‘Change the Story’ is raising £55,000 to diversify the bookshelves in some of the most disadvantaged schools in the UK and the charity is still £10,000 short of it’s target.

In a report released last year it was revealed that only 4% of children’s books published in 2018 had a black, Asian or minority ethnic main character, meaning 96% of main characters were either white, animals or inanimate objects.

Rochelle said: “I am a big advocate of driving representation of the BAME community through literature, which is one of the reasons why I started writing children’s books.

“The best way to stamp out racism is through awareness and by educating children at grassroots level. Stories are the window into the wider world, and the more that children are exposed to different people from different backgrounds, the more accepting they will be as they grow.”

Owner and founder of Little Box of Books Lynsey Pollard believes it’s crucial that every primary school should have a full and diverse collection of books, fully accessible to all pupils.

“We want our children to grow up to be anti-racist, to accept difference with understanding and respect. Whether that’s differences in skin colour, family set up, socioeconomic background, disabilities.

“But this is at odds with the books we give them; we can’t keep giving children lessons on the importance of accepting and celebrating diversity, telling them everybody is different and everybody is normal, then sending them back to bookshelves which don’t back that message up.”

Amanda Matsangou, the Assistant Headteacher of Newton Leys Primary School, Milton Keynes recently diversified her school library. She said: “Our school is incredibly diverse, but it has been an exceptionally hard and time-consuming process to even begin to find story books that feature characters that our pupils identify with.

“Little Box of Books has curated book collections that are much more reflective of the UK population. They remind our children that anything is possible” 

The crowdfunder closes today at 4pm.

If you would like to support the initiative, the crowdfunder can be found here:

 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/changethestory

Restrictions eased as families welcome new arrivals

New and expectant mums in Lothian can now enjoy some family support as some of the national restrictions around maternity services begin to ease.

Pregnant women and women who have just welcomed a new baby into the world will be able to share the precious moments with some of their friends or family.

Until now, national guidance to keep mums and babies safe and to minimise the risk of COVID-19 has meant restrictions on the number of people attending maternity services.

However as from yesterday, expectant mums can now have one additional visitor as well as one birth partner, if requested, to support them whilst in labour.

Women will also be able to have a designated visitor, as well as their birth partner, to visit them whilst in the maternity ward.

Birth partners have also been advised that they can now attend with pregnant partners for ante-natal ultrasound scanning appointments.

Frances McGuire, Chief Midwife, NHS Lothian said:  “We know how hard the restrictions have been for women and their partners during these most important life events and our team have tried to ensure that the experience has been as positive as possible during this pandemic.

“Our priority remains the safety of mothers and their babies, and we are very much looking forward to safely welcoming more Lothian visitors to meet our new mothers and babies.”

Ultrasound scanning departments in Lothian will do their utmost to allow one birth partner to be present at the appointment.

Waiting area capacity is still severely restricted due to the requirement for physical spacing of seating to comply with social distancing guidance. Only the one person will be able to accompany the patient into the waiting area and for the scan.

Radiology Services are planning to adjust ultrasound scanning appointment times and are assessing waiting area capacity to improve access.

Birth partners and visitors must wear a face covering at all times and maintain physical distancing where possible.

Everyone must also adhere to strict hand hygiene measures and use the alcohol gel provided.

Visiting can be arranged with ward staff on a daily basis as numbers will have to be managed due to the ward capacity and social distancing guidelines.

BBC launches Tiny Happy People initiative

The BBC has launched Tiny Happy People, a five-year initiative backed by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, to support parents and carers in developing the language and communication skills of 0-4 year old children.

  • Initiative backed by HRH Duchess of Cambridge who says Tiny Happy People resources are ‘gold dust’ for parents
  • Range of free online tools including fun activities, videos, articles and quizzes launched to support development of under-fives language and communications skills
  • Celebrities on board include Jenny McAlpine, Kieron Richardson, JB Gill, Jess and Dom Lever, Annie Price and Louise Pentland

At the heart of the initiative is a simple message – talk to children from as early an age as possible.

Tiny Happy People offers a wide range of free films, articles, quizzes and parenting tips that have been specially designed with experts to help to nurture children’s language right from pregnancy.

To help launch the initiative, Her Royal Highness recently met with families involved to hear about their experiences of parenting, their contribution to the campaign and how the Tiny Happy People resources and activities have been helping them.

One of the parents she spoke with, Ryan, and his 8 month old daughter Mia, explained how Tiny Happy People had helped him to identify that Mia has five different cries.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast’s Louise Minchin, The Duchess said: “He’s learnt a huge amount from Tiny Happy People… It’s information like that I wish I had had as a first time mum, it’s gold dust really for families to be given those tips and tools to be able to use, particularly in those first five years.”

The Duchess also spoke of the help that parents receive following their baby’s birth from midwives and health visitors, but that there is a then a gap before they start school which is where they really need the support from initiatives such as Tiny Happy People.

The full film of The Duchess meeting with the families can be seen on BBC Breakfast from 6am this morning.

Her Royal Highness has been involved with Tiny Happy People for a number of months, having visited the Tiny Happy People team last November to take part in development sessions and to learn more about the production process.

The Duchess helped in the character and background development for two animations on parenting, which are now available on the Tiny Happy People website about making eye contact with babies and singing to babies.

Recognising the significance of the project to supporting parents as they guide their children through the earliest years of life, The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will collaborate with the BBC as they develop and roll out Tiny Happy People.

Also supporting the initiative are a number of celebrities who are using the activities to build their own infants’ communication skills. The celebrity parents involved are soap stars Jennie McAlpine and Kieron Richardson; singer and farmer JB Gill; former Love Islanders, Jess and Dom Lever; BBC Three presenter Annie Price; and Louise Pentland, who was voted the UK’s favourite mum influencer last year.

The free digital resources being offered by Tiny Happy People are easy to use and incorporate into everyday routines.

The short films, articles and quizzes cover, in a bitesize way, the science behind baby brain development. There are lots of fun activities to do with both babies and toddlers to support language development and parent well-being along with great tips for new and soon-to-be parents.

Tony Hall, BBC Director-General, says: “We couldn’t be more proud of the part we’re playing in this amazing partnership. Growing up happy and healthy is the greatest gift we can give to any child.

“This campaign embodies our mission to inform, educate and entertain. The BBC has created hundreds of videos and written content that we hope will make a real difference.”

James Purnell, BBC Director, Radio & Education, says: “Early years language provides the foundation for all aspects of a child’s life – right into adulthood.

“Tiny Happy People is a major, long term education commitment from the BBC to help close the under-fives language and communication gap and help give kids the best chance in life. We’re all so proud of it and look forward to seeing parents and carers from across the UK using the materials.”

Evidence shows that more than 1 in 4 children (27%) in England do not reach the necessary level of literacy development (language, communication and literacy skills) by the time they start primary school, rising to more than 1 in 3 (42%) in deprived areas. The picture is similar across all nations of the UK.**

Research also shows that once children start behind, they stay behind, affecting performance in school, job prospects and even life expectancy.

However, evidence also shows that parents and carers can make a big difference if they’re supported in the crucial early years – and if children develop language and communication skills before they start school, they have every opportunity to thrive.

Working with a coalition of partners, BBC Education through Tiny Happy People has the ambition to make a significant contribution to halving the number of children in the UK who do not reach the required developmental outcomes in literacy by the end of their reception year.

Those partners include academics, healthcare professional bodies, The Royal Foundation, Public Health England, The National Literacy Trust, The Education Endowment Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund and KPMG.

All of Tiny Happy People’s resources are rooted in evidence and have been developed with the help of leading experts in the fields of child and language development to ensure parents and carers are being offered the best advice.

They include The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, The Institute of Health Visiting, The Royal College of Midwives, I CAN, early years practitioners through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and speech and language academics at The University of Liverpool, University of Sheffield, and LuCiD.

For more information about Tiny Happy People, please visit the website and follow on Instagram.

As part of Tiny Happy People’s launch, CBeebies Bedtime Stories will be broadcast Bedtime Stories read by celebrity supporters, Jennie McAlpine (July 14), Annie Price (July 15) and JB Gill (July 16).

In October 2019, Tiny Happy People was rolled out across Greater Manchester in partnership with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Together we created hubs across the authority where we introduced Tiny Happy People champions to work with frontline professionals and parents to embed Tiny Happy People activities into communities. This has provided a blueprint for a total of five new hubs that will be created in communities across the UK every year for the lifetime of the initiative.

Children are ‘hidden victims of coronavirus crisis’

  • More than 480 referrals made by the NSPCC helpline to Scottish agencies in three months following lockdown
  • Parental behaviour, neglect and physical and emotional abuse were the top concerns of adults contacting the helpline
  • Charity calls on Scottish Government to explain in detail how it will aid children’s physical and mental recovery from abuse and trauma suffered during the lockdown

A 40% increase in referrals made to police and local authorities in Scotland by the NSPCC helpline during lockdown highlights how children have been the hidden victims of the coronavirus crisis.

NSPCC Scotland reveals that in April, May and June the helpline made a monthly average of 161 referrals compared to an average of 114 in the three months prior to lockdown.

Last month, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced plans for young people to return to school fulltime in August, and the NSPCC is today urging the Scottish Government to ensure the recovery plan addresses the full range of children’s needs. This includes ensuring schools are ready to help all children who need it – particularly those who may have suffered abuse, neglect or other traumatic experiences during the lockdown – and investing in children’s social care.

During the past three months, the helpline has heard from more than 22,000 adults across the UK concerned about the wellbeing of a child. 

This is an increase of almost a third (32%) on the monthly average for the three months prior to lockdown, with May seeing 8,287 contacts – the highest number ever made to the adult helpline in a single month on record.

During lockdown, the main issues confronting NSPCC child safety experts were parental behaviour, physical and emotional abuse and neglect.

Around 40% of the total contacts received were referred on to local authorities or the police for further action.

One adult who spoke to the NSPCC helpline during the lockdown said: “I’ve become increasingly disturbed by the noises coming from one of one my neighbours – it’s been getting worse since the lockdown. I can hear the mother shouting and swearing at her two little ones, it sounds vengeful and aggressive.

“Sometimes the mother locks her kids out in the front garden as punishment – last time this happened the youngest was crying hysterically for half an hour, it was awful. Is there anything you can do?”

These figures released by the charity today back up the findings of a research report it recently published – ‘Social Isolation and the risk of child maltreatment in the lockdown and beyond’ –  which underlines how increasing parental and family stress, reductions in protective services and the intensification of pressures on children’s emotional wellbeing caused by lockdown can increase the risk of abuse and neglect.

These traumatic experiences can have a devastating impact on children’s health and wellbeing and can stop children from learning, with the long-term effects following them into adulthood.

However, with the right support young people can recover and be helped to move on with their lives.

Now the charity is calling on the Scottish Government to urgently commit to a children’s recovery plan which sets out how it will:

  • Deliver the long-term investment in children’s services that is needed to provide high quality preventative and therapeutic services for children in every part of the country;
  • Invest in rebuilding support for families with babies and young children who have missed out on the normal support from health visitors during the lockdown;
  • Support multi-agency partnerships of the local authority, NHS and police to work with schools to review support for children known to the designated child protection lead, and identify those who continue to miss class with a plan to understand and address any barriers to a child’s school attendance;
  • Ensure schools are ready to help all children who need it – particularly those who may have suffered abuse, neglect or other traumatic experiences during the lockdown. Schools must be equipped to recognise and respond sensitively to children who have experienced physical or mental harm, trauma or adverse experiences when they return to the classroom. This includes putting in place support for teachers to enable them to support children confidently, including training on child development science and how trauma can manifest in behavioural problems or poor emotional regulation.
  • Support recovery services across health, education and social care, including through the provision of additional investment, to develop a coordinated plan to respond to what is likely to be an increase in need for therapeutic services.

Matt Forde, NSPCC Scotland head of service, said: “The increase in referrals from our helpline during the lockdown highlights how some families have been driven to crisis point and the home has become an increasingly unsafe place for some children.

“It is vital that children are now supported to help them recover from any mental and physical harm that many will have suffered these past few months.

“Government’s role is crucial, and it must put in place a detailed recovery plan that makes sure children and young people can receive the expert help they need if they have had difficult or damaging experiences.

“Putting children at the heart of recovery planning and taking this action quickly will mean the crisis of the last three months does not scar the childhoods of a whole generation.”