Tag: Children and Families

Dare you do the DARED Challenge?

A unique fundraising challenge event designed by school staff to support vulnerable children across Edinburgh and the Lothians is back for 2020.

A fundraising event that inspires school staff and individuals from across Edinburgh and the Lothians to lace up their running shoes in support of a leading children’s charity is back for 2020.

The DARED Challenge – Do A Run Every Day – encourages participants to complete either a 1 mile or 5km run every day throughout the month of June in support of West Pilton-based charity, Circle.

Devised in 2018 by Broughton High maths teacher, and keen runner, Mark Fletcher, the DARED Challenge has continued to grow and last year saw more than 150 school staff from across Edinburgh and further afield raise more than £14,000 for the charity.

This year, as well as again looking to school staff from across the region to support the event, Mark and his organising team are appealing for members of the public to get involved. Circle’s patrons, David Tennant and Arabella Weir, will be joining the campaign to recruit participants in the coming months.

David Tennant’s previous video statement can be seen here.

Alongside the fundraising element, the aim of the challenge is to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy the physical and mental benefits of daily exercise, as well as spending time with colleagues away from the desk and work. The choice of different distances enables both experienced and beginner runners to feel included and challenged.

Although the premise of the event was built on getting school staff and teachers exercising regularly, organiser Mark hopes that the health benefits that arise as a result of this type of challenge will inspire anyone – not just teachers – to get involved.

He said: “Incorporating exercise into our daily lives has countless benefits to our physical and mental health. If we can do this while raising money for an extremely deserving cause, everyone’s a winner.”

Funds raised through the DARED Challenge will go directly to supporting Circle in its aim of improving the lives of children by strengthening families. The charity works at the heart of deprived communities across central Scotland, supporting the most disadvantaged children and families to improve their lives, promote their healthy development and reach their potential.

Participation in the DARED Challenge will help strengthen the charity’s family outreach work, help children and their families communicate, repair relationships and develop skills that enable them to lead more fulfilling lives.

Social inequality and poverty lead to some of the many reasons that a family may need the support of Circle including alcohol and substance misuse, imprisonment and young or lone parenting.

Many of the pupils in participating schools from previous DARED Challenges are supported by Circle.

Mark Kennedy, Chief Executive of Circle, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who is taking part in The DARED Challenge as their dedication, passion and enthusiasm will directly enable Circle to continue our vital work supporting vulnerable children and families in Edinburgh and beyond.”

Early bird entry for the DARED Challenge is now open with participants able to choose to run one mile or 5km a day in June. Participation costs £10 per person. Participants are asked to fundraise a minimum of £50. Participants who do not wish to fundraise can pay an additional £20 to secure their position on the challenge.

Full details can be found here. 

Coronavirus: keep kids informed

The British Psychological Society says it is vital to talk openly to children and reassure them about the changes they are seeing around them due to Coronavirus.

Some of the changes, like people wearing face masks or empty supermarket shelves, can be scary for children and they are likely to need to talk to someone they trust about some of the imaginative misinformation they might have heard from friends at school.

The advice stresses that it is important to be truthful, but remember your child’s age. An honest and accurate approach is best, giving them factual information, but adjusting the amount and detail to fit their age.

For example, you might say ‘we don’t yet have a vaccination for Coronavirus, but doctors are working very hard on it’  or ‘a lot of people might get sick, but for most people it is like a cold or flu and they get better’.

Other advice from the BPS’s Division of Educational and Child Psychology includes:

  • Younger children might understand a cartoon or picture better than an explanation. We also recommend that adults watch news programmes and then filter this information to their child in a way that’s right for their development.
  • Allow children to ask questions: It is natural that children will have questions and worries about Coronavirus. Giving them the space to ask these questions and have answers is a good way to alleviate anxiety. It is ok to say you don’t know – at the moment, there are questions we don’t have answers to about Coronavirus. You can explain this to your child and add in information about what people are doing to try to answer these questions. Maybe your child has an idea too – let them tell you or draw them.
  • Try to manage your own worries: Uncertainty can make all of us feel anxious or worried. Identify other adults you can talk to about your own worries and questions. What things usually help to make you feel a bit calmer? If you are at home, music, breathing and relaxation techniques, distraction (such as watching something funny), and time with family members or pets can all help. Talk to your children when you feel calm to reassure them.
  • Give practical guidance: Remind your child of the most important things they can do to stay healthy – washing their hands and the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ advice for coughs and sneezes. Help your child practise and increase their motivation for keeping going (maybe thinking of a song they want to sing while washing their hands).

The BPS will continue to post advice on its website on ways to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic in the coming days and weeks.

New guidance for households with possible COVID-19 infection

New guidance to stay at home for 14 days if someone in your household has symptoms of COVID-19 is the focus of the next stage of a public awareness campaign launched by Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock today.

The new guidance will set out that individuals will still be asked to self-isolate for 7 days from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms but any individuals in the household will now be asked to self-isolate for 14 days from that moment as well.

If other members of your household develop symptoms, however mild, at any time during the 14 days, they must not leave the home for 7 days from when symptoms started.

The new phase of the campaign will build on the existing TV, radio, online, digital and billboard adverts currently visible all over the country. These reinforce the importance of washing your hands more often and for 20 seconds, and ask people to self-isolate for 7 days if they develop a high temperature or a new continuous cough, however mild.

The UK Government has taken the further measure of asking whole households to isolate because it is likely that people living with others will infect each other or be infected already. Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.

The Prime Minister also today set out a number of social distancing measures to reduce the risk of infection from the spread of coronavirus. For those who remain well, are under 70 or do not have an underlying health condition, they are advised to limit their social contact where possible, including using less public transport, working at home and considering not going to pubs, restaurants, theatres and bars.

For those who are over 70, have an underlying health condition or are pregnant, they are strongly advised against these activities and to significantly limit face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible.

The government’s public awareness campaign offers clear, practical advice so people can play their part in preventing and slowing the spread of the virus.

The most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves remains washing their hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Make sure you cough or sneeze into a tissue, put it in a bin and wash your hands.

The awareness campaign also reiterates the importance of seeking help online by visiting NHS.UK/coronavirus to check your symptoms and follow the medical advice, rather than visiting your GP. It also urges people with any symptoms to avoid contact with older and more vulnerable people.

Only if symptoms become worse should people use the NHS 111 service. To ensure the phone service is readily available to those who need it, where possible people should use the 111 website rather than calling.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister published a ‘battle plan’ for tackling the disease in the UK, which sets out plans for a range of scenarios. Last week, the Prime Minister confirmed the UK has moved into the second stage of this plan, the ‘delay’ phase.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock (above,left) said: “Coronavirus is the biggest public health crisis we have faced in a generation, and we will do whatever is necessary to protect our elderly and most vulnerable people and keep the public safe.

“This is an unprecedented situation and it’s so important for each of us to rally together and do our bit to protect ourselves and each other, as well as our NHS, from this disease.

“Washing hands regularly for 20 seconds or more remains the single most important thing each of us can do, but we now also need to ask everyone in a household to stay at home if anyone in their home shows symptoms.

“Combating this virus will require a huge national effort. We must do all we can to save lives, protect the NHS and keep the most vulnerable people in our society safe.”

Alpaca parties headline new range of services at LOVE Gorgie Farm 

Edinburgh’s urban farm is marking the beginning of a new era as it announces a new range of services only two weeks after opening the site back to the public. 

LOVE Gorgie Farm, on the former Gorgie City Farm site, will offer a wide variety of activities, including birthday parties and pet boarding. On offer will be alpaca treks and birthday parties, and the farm can act as a venue for corporate gatherings and training events. 

The farm can also be rented as a venue for community events and fundraiser parties. 

Operated by education and social care charity LOVE Learning, most activities on the farm will nurture the organisation’s mission and consequently relate to education and social care. 

As such, the farm will offer animal volunteer sessions for people with additional support needs, hold animal care and animal handling activities, provide “farm to fork” workshops and use its education centre to impart its accredited training programmes. 

LOVE Gorgie Farm will also have a cuddle corner on the site, which can outreach to the community, including care homes and schools. 

Moreover, the urban farm is committed to providing services that align with LOVE Learning’s environmental portfolio and will build a climate change garden, host green conferences and provide innovative social prescribing therapies in partnership with the NHS. 

The urban farm is organising sponsorship packages to help fund the animals and the farm. Interested sponsors will be able to choose from a wide range of options like animal sponsorship, birthday packages and corporate bundles. 

Lynn Bell, CEO of LOVE Learning said: “Now that the farm is back and running, we want to make sure we provide a wide range of activities that the community enjoys and ensure that we are financially sustainable, delivering enough funds to successfully run the farm.

 “By offering animal, environmental and education services, we will make sure that LOVE Gorgie Farm becomes more than an urban farm but rather an education and social hub with strong environmental credentials that welcomes all members of the community. 

“Aside from these new services, we are looking to launch sponsorship deals for people and businesses who want to be more involved and support the farm through their generous donations.” 

To the general public, the farm remains open seven days a week and it is free to visit, though donations are encouraged. 

Those interested in any of the services should contact LOVE Gorgie Farm at gorgie@l-o-v-e.org.uk or visit www.gorgiecityfarm.org.uk

Coats for Kids in Drylaw

● We all know how expensive winter coats can be 💷 and we all know how fast kids grow! 👶🧒

● The Tots and Tea Toddler Group within Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre are very proud to announce that we will be offering a winter swap shop for 2020. ❄🧥

● In order to make this a success, we are looking for donations of winter coats and jackets that no longer fit.

● We will collect and launder donations with an aim to open our swap shop late this year, just in time for the cold! ☃️🥶🧥❄

Any donations would be gratefully received and can be handed in to Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre.

Thanks! 😃

No use crying … funding support for Spilt Milk

Fourteen social entrepreneurs have secured a share of £67,000 from social enterprise start-up agency Firstport. One of them is Leith-based Spilt Milk.

Start It awards are part of the Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund, supporting individuals who are focussed on piloting new ideas that are yet to get off the ground.  This latest round of funding sees individuals from across Scotland receiving funding, with the Borders, Dumfries, and Moray all represented.

Lauren McLaughlin is one of the fourteen social entrepreneurs to secure funding for her enterprise, Spilt Milk which is based in Edinburgh. A health and well-being social enterprise, Spilt Milk offers childcare-supported creative workshops, events and exhibitions to empower mothers.

With isolation and loneliness becoming a growing issue amongst young mothers under 30, Lauren set up Spilt Milk as a way of providing mothers a place to be social and creative. Having personal experience of social isolation, Lauren is passionate about the social benefit Spilt Milk has to offer and draws on her professional skills to provide the empowerment services.

Having already started work in several communities running workshops and hosting community exhibitions, Lauren is now ready to take the social enterprise to the next level and secure a workshop space to deliver her services.

Spilt Milk plans to rent a space in Leith through which they’ll deliver their empowerment programme. Their future goals include securing a permanent property with studio, workshop and gallery spaces as well as a crèche. 

Lauren McLaughlin, founder of Spilt Milk, said: “We are delighted to have received a Start It Award from Firstport. At Spilt Milk we are passionate about the power of the arts to shape communities and inspire change and we believe art should be accessible to all.

“The funding will allow us to build upon our childcare-supported creative workshop programme and reach more mothers throughout Edinburgh and beyond.” 

Josiah Lockhart, Chief Exec of Firstport said: “Spilt Milk is an exciting enterprise that people should keep an eye on, by combining creative arts with mothers’ wellbeing, it offers a novel way of challenging isolation in communities.

“It’s great to see such a large number of social entrepreneurs being awarded our Start It funding. This round shows how the social enterprise model continues to grow in popularity across the country, and how social and environmental missions are at the core of start-ups in Scotland.”

600 adoption matches made

Milestone reached as adoption support website launched.

Six hundred matches have been made between children in care and prospective adoptive parents since 2011 – the equivalent of more than one a week.

The milestone comes after the 600th young person was matched with adopters via Scotland’s Adoption Register.

The Register is an online database which facilitates matching between looked after children and prospective adopters. Established in 2011, the Register acts a central point for local authorities ensuring prospective adoptive parents go through a robust and supportive matching process in order to best meet the needs of both the child and their potential families.

A new website from Adoption UK Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government, has also been launched which offers key advice and guidance for current and prospective adoptive parents.

Minister for Children and Young People Maree Todd said: “We know that adoption has the potential to completely change the direction of a child or young person’s life by providing them with a loving, supportive and permanent home and family.

“Reaching this milestone means that there are 600 fewer children in care, having been placed with families who offer the most supportive and stable home they possibly can.

“We now know more than ever before about what it takes to ensure adoption matches are successful and our new website will act as a vital portal for current and prospective adoptive parents.

“The website is the first online resource in Scotland to provide a single point of information for prospective adopters, adoptive families and professionals working within the adoption sector – ensuring that the guidance and support they need pre and post adoption is available to them. I would encourage anyone with an interest in adoption to visit the site and find out more.”

Robin Duncan, Manager of Scotland’s Adoption Register, said: “The Register is all about helping find families for children when it has been decided that adoption gives them the best chance of growing up in a safe, secure and loving home.

“The statistics are less important than the stories of the children and families involved, but the milestone of 600 matches is a really heartening sign of how well the Register is working and how it continues to create good solutions for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children.”

Parents Stevan and Denis, who have been through the adoption process, said: “We started our adoption journey 5 years ago. We went through the numerous stages of the process: preparation group, home study and then onto our approval panel.

After approval, the family finding started. Using a portal such as Scotland’s Adoption Register was at times tough due to the huge amount of children that are profiled but it did lead to us finding our two little boys and we fell in love at the first glance of their profile!

“The next step was meeting our sons, which was a huge bag of mixed emotions. The first day of introductions with the boys went amazingly well, we only got to spend a few hours with them but being called Dad and Daddy for the first time brought tears to our eyes! The remaining days of introductions flew by and before we knew it we had our boys home and family life began.

“After a while parenthood started to become more natural to us and routines were put in place which quickly helped the boys thrive and we haven’t looked back since. Every day we count our blessings to have two gorgeous, happy boys. Adoption was everything we could have of hoped for and more! Even through the tears, tantrums and sibling squabbles, we wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Last year the Scottish Government continued its efforts to improve the adoption process for everyone, by provided more than £500,000 directly to adoption stakeholders:

  • £240,000 to St Andrews Children’s Society to maintain and expand Scotland’s Adoption Register
  • £98,000 to AFAS to maintain services to professionals and practitioners in the adoption sector
  • £75,000 to Adoption UK (Scotland) to provide a national helpline and support for adoptive families in Scotland
  • £55,000 per annum to Birthlink in order to provide and maintain the Adoption Contact Register for Scotland£40,000 to St Andrews Children’s Society to support adoptive families, both during and after the adoption process

Scotland’s Adoption Register is funded by the Scottish Government and currently hosted by St Andrew’s Children’s Society.

The Register has a remit to facilitate family finding across Scotland with the aim of increasing the numbers of children that are placed for adoption and to make the linking and matching process work as well as possible for children and prospective adopters.

See Adoption UK Scotland’s new website.

Childcare expansion plans on track, says Government

The expansion of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) in Scotland is on course to be delivered from August 2020, says Children’s Minister Maree Todd – but public watchdogs have concerns over the tight timescale. 

Backed by an unprecedented £2 billion investment, by the end of the expansion more than 900 nurseries will have been built, extended or refurbished since 2018. Meanwhile, 4,310 additional full-time equivalent staff have also been recruited, resulting in a record 40,000-strong workforce.

From August, all three and four-year-olds and around a quarter of two-year-olds, will be entitled to 1,140 hours a year – almost double the current entitlement of 600 hours.

In response to Audit Scotland report on early learning expansion, Children’s Minister Maree Todd said: “We are on course to deliver the most generous, high quality early learning and childcare offer in the UK, which can transform the lives of children.

“I’ve seen and heard of the way children’s confidence and communication skills have been boosted by the care and learning they’ve received, while they’re also getting access to opportunities such as outdoor learning.

“Through our strong partnership working with local government, so much has already been achieved. There are already thousands of additional staff in post, and councils will continue to grow their teams over the coming months.

“We have also been delivering a large-scale infrastructure programme to provide high quality settings. Hundreds of nurseries have been built or refurbished, with work continuing across the country.

“We are committed to delivering the roll-out from August and councils have contingency plans in place for all critical projects due to complete this summer, so we can be confident that the places will be there to deliver the expansion for Scotland’s children. The expansion also opens up more opportunities for playgroups, private and third sector nurseries, and childminders to be involved in delivering funded hours.

“The quality of ELC provided is absolutely key. That is why we are investing in the workforce and developing improved learning opportunities for them to increase their skills and share best practice.

“With a passionate and dedicated workforce across all parts of the sector, and fantastic places for children to learn and play in a nurturing environment, there has never been a more exciting time for our childcare sector.”

However while plans to boost early learning and childcare (ELC) hours have made steady progress, risks around buildings and staffing remain, say public sector watchdogs.

The watchdog says the Scottish Government and councils are working well together to increase ELC hours from 600 to 1,140 a year from August and the pace of the expansion is broadly in line with plans.

But around half of the building work required is due to be completed over the summer, and about half of the additional ELC staff still need to be recruited. Private and third sector providers – which are expected to deliver over a quarter of the hours – also continue to report significant workforce challenges that threaten their sustainability.

The Scottish Government’s evaluation plans for the expansion are well advanced but challenges remain. For example, it is not clear how the longer-term economic benefits of the policy, or its impact on family wellbeing, will be measured.

Caroline Gardner, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government and councils have worked well together to increase early learning and childcare hours, and we’ve also seen improvements in how the project will be evaluated.

“But the timeline remains tight and there are big risks around infrastructure and workforce.”

Graham Sharp, Chair of the Accounts Commission said: “Given the amount of work due to be completed over summer 2020, it’s important that councils continue to work closely with the Scottish Government to manage the risks of any delays, including how best to keep parents informed.”

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