Tag: Children and Families

Festive restaurant experiences at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store

Garden Centre unveils festive dining for the whole family

This Christmas, Dobbies Garden Centres is serving up a series of festive restaurant experiences at its Edinburgh store. From enjoying a jolly time at Santa’s Breakfast to indulging in a delicious Festive Afternoon Tea or enjoying some seasonal drinks and cakes, customers are in for a treat.

Santa’s Breakfast at the Edinburgh store is packed with plenty of festive fun. Children over three years old can build and name their own festive soft toy stuffed with a little help from Santa and his elves, and those under three will receive a special pre-made teddy to cherish for years to come. With storytelling, festive games, and a chance to meet Santa, it’s the perfect way to kick off the festive season with the little ones.

The whole family will sit down and tuck into a delicious breakfast, with children choosing from either the regular or vegetarian menu, or continental option.

The regular options feature pork sausage, scrambled eggs, hash browns and baked beans, accompanied by apple juice, orange juice, or water, while the vegetarian option includes Quorn sausages alongside scrambled eggs, hash browns and baked beans, with the same drink choices available.

The continental option includes a children’s croissant, jam, yoghurt and banana, with the same drink choices available.

Dobbies’ Festive Afternoon Tea, priced at £16 per person or 2 for £25, is the perfect way for couples, friends, and families to spend some quality time together, sharing the joys of the season while treating themselves to three tiers of seasonal delights that’ll make the taste buds go ho ho ho.

Enjoy all the classic elements of a traditional afternoon tea with a festive twist, including freshly prepared finger sandwiches filled with seasonal flavours like turkey and cranberry, brie and grape; and ham and mustard. 

Indulge in Dobbies’ famous festive scones served with a thick and creamy Cornish clotted cream and jam, followed by a tempting array of sweet treats, including Christmas pudding loaf, mince pie, tiramisu layer cake and mini macarons, all complemented by unlimited tea or coffee refills.

For the kids, Dobbies offers a Children’s Festive Afternoon Tea for £10 per child, complete with turkey and ham sandwich flowers, a signature scone, carrot and cucumber sticks with dipping cream cheese, a Christmas pudding brownie, elf doughnuts, mini gingerbread men with dipping chocolate, and orange or blackcurrant squash, making it a delightful experience for the entire family.

For just £20 per person or 2 for £32, you can upgrade to a Luxury Afternoon Tea for a special treat over the festive period. This upgrade includes all the classic afternoon tea favourites, with an added touch of indulgence. Enjoy savoury delights such as cheese and tomato quiche and sausage roll, alongside a selection of elevated finger sandwiches, with smoked salmon, lemon mayonnaise and dill; cheddar cheese with green tomato chutney; and ham with rocket and wholegrain mustard.

Customers can also celebrate the most magical time of the year by taking advantage of Dobbies’ Festive lunch offer, with two courses for just £17 per person.

Available from 7 November through to 24 December, you can choose from a Christmas dinner or vegetarian Christmas dinner, followed by a traditional Christmas pudding served with custard, or reindeer cheesecake, baked vanilla flavour cheesecake served with a chocolate pretzel and a smartie nose.

With festive sweet treats including mince pie tart and a festive scone, as well as luxury hot and cold drinks such as gingerbread latte, gingerbread hot chocolate and raspberry lemonade, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Adam Veysey, Head of Food Development at Dobbies, is excited to see families spend the festivities at the Edinburgh store. He said: “Christmas is just around the corner and what better way to spend the festive season than together with your family, friends and loved ones over some good food and wholesome activities.

“Our festive restaurant experiences are always popular with customers looking to relax and catch up and we’re excited to showcase this year’s offering. The reindeer cheesecake is a brand-new option this year and the tiramisu layer cake is a must-try. We’ve also extended the Santa’s Breakfast menu with a continental option for children.

“We can’t wait to welcome everyone along to the restaurant to try out the new dishes and much-loved Santa’s Breakfast experience.”

Santa’s Breakfast in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store runs from 30 November through to 24 December and is priced from £8.60 per adult, £16.99 for children between 3 to 10 years old, £13.99 for under 3s.

Festive Afternoon Tea is bookable now at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store and is priced at £10 per child and £16 per adult, or 2 for £25. Luxury Afternoon Tea is priced at £20 per person, or 2 for £32.

The Festive Lunch Offer runs from 7 November to 24 December, priced at two courses for £17pp, with a deposit of £5pp to secure your booking.

For more information about Dobbies’ festive restaurant experiences at the Edinburgh store and to make a booking, visit dobbies.com/events

St Andrew’s Children’s Society: Virtual Adoption Information Event

WEDNESDAY 27 NOVEMBER from 6 – 7.30pm

St Andrew’s Children’s Society is an independent adoption and fostering agency with offices in Leith and Aberdeen.

We are are proud to be taking part Adoption Week Scotland again this year and will be holding a Virtual Adoption Information Event on Wednesday, 27 Nov 2024 from 6pm to 7.30pm.

We’ll be joined by one of our adopters, who will tell you about their experiences of adopting and answer your questions.

At the Virtual Adoption Information Event our social workers will explain:

• What it’s like to adopt a child

• The different stages of the adoption process

We’ll also be happy to answer any questions you have about adopting a child.

Please sign up for the event on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/adoption-week-scotland…

Why adopt through St Andrew’s Children’s Society?

Here’s what some of our adopters have said about adopting through St Andrew’s Children’s Society:

“When we contacted St Andrew’s Children’s Society, they were very engaging, they reached out and were very welcoming right from the start. They were very clear about the full process and what’s required at both ends. As soon as that happened, we knew that St Andrew’s Children’s Society was going to be the agency that we were going to go for.”

“St Andrew’s Children’s Society make miracles happen every day, for the kids that need families, and the grown-ups that want to become parents.”

“The best thing about the agency definitely is the personal touch and knowing that they’re always going to be there to help with any queries or problems or questions and that’s been the case from day one.”

“The selfless support from this organisation is priceless, as is the dedication of its highly trained and intuitive staff.”

“I knocked on the door of the adoption and fostering agency St Andrew’s Children’s Society and they welcomed me with open arms and that was it. That was the start of my adoption journey.”

We welcome enquiries from all members of the community including single people, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people who follow a faith and those who don’t. We help people to adopt who live within a 60-mile radius of Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Elgin.

If you would like to speak to someone about adopting, please call 0131 454 3370.

’tis the season for a Conifox Christmas

Conifox Adventure Park Unveils Its Ultimate Family Christmas Experience

It’s the most wonderful time of the year as Conifox Adventure Park announces the highly anticipated return of its magical Family Christmas Experience for 2024. Back for the sixth year running, this year’s lineup promises more magic than ever before, with exciting activities that will spread Christmas cheer for all ages – Yule not want to miss it!

Ticket holders can step into Santa’s Living Room to meet Father Christmas himself and pose for a family photo that will hang on mantle pieces for years to come. All children who visit the Living Room will receive a Golden Christmas Coin to exchange for a gift or a teddy in the Toy Workshop or the Make-a-Teddy Factory.

Returning by popular demand is the Christmas Cookie Decorating Workshop with Mrs. Claus, where little bakers can get creative with festive treats.

The magic doesn’t stop there – families can check their Naughty or Nice status before journeying through the enchanting Magic Forest with beloved characters like Frosty the Snowman and The Nutcracker.

New for 2024, children can attend Elf School to learn the tricks of the trade. For those who haven’t done so yet – or who want to make their list and check it twice – can write letters to Santa with the help of Buddy the Elf in the North Pole Post Room or even take a flight at Reindeer Flying School – but watch out for the mischievous Mr Grinch who will be roaming around Conifox for the duration of the Christmas Experience! And when the adventures are done, visitors can indulge in festive food and drinks while enjoying the fun at Taylor’s of Edinburgh Christmas Funfair.

With ticket prices starting at £5 for babies (0-12 months) and £22.70 for children (1-17 years), the Ultimate Family Christmas Experience will run on selected dates throughout December. Tickets are available now via the Conifox Adventure Park website.

Conifox Managing Director James Gammell said: “We’re so excited to bring back our Family Christmas Experience for the sixth year, it really is the most wonderful time of the year.

“Each season we aim to create a truly magical experience that brings families together and fills hearts with festive joy. From meeting Santa in his cozy living room to embarking on new adventures like Elf School, we’ve packed this year’s event with even more excitement to make Christmas 2024 unforgettable for every visitor.

“We’re proud to offer something for everyone, young and old, and we can’t wait to welcome families to unwrap the magic with us at Conifox.”

Spread the joy this year. For a full list of prices and to purchase your tickets, visit:

https://www.conifox.co.uk/events

Delivering on pledges to children with additional support needs

Report highlights progress made since 2020

A new report sets out the progress made to improve the educational experiences of children and young people with additional support needs (ASN) in schools across Scotland, with more than 40 actions completed thus far.  

Measures adopted since publication of the independent Morgan Review in 2020 include directly involving children, young people and their families in decisions around additional support for learning (ASL), increasing professional learning opportunities for teaching and support staff and setting up parent groups to provide extra support to those who have children with ASN.

The progress report is supported by an updated action plan that includes work now underway such as the development of a National Measurement Framework to capture the range of success and achievements of children and young people with ASN and a refresh of the Code of Practice – the legal guidance used by education authorities and others supporting children’s learning.

The report comes as spending on additional support for learning reached a record high of £926 million in 2022-23 despite on-going difficult financial funding challenges.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “We are determined to improve the educational experiences of children and young people with additional support needs and make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.

“The Morgan Review set out a clear direction to build on progress in this area and we are working closely with COSLA to ensure the remaining actions are completed for children with support needs in schools across Scotland.

“The number of pupils identified with additional support needs has increased markedly since 2010, with year on year increases. This progress report and updated action plan shows what has been accomplished thus far, what further work is on-going, and what plans are in place for the next 18 months.

“While we have made good progress, there is a lot more to do and we will continue working with COSLA, schools, parents and carers to ensure that we are delivering fully on our pledges to children with additional support needs and that they each get the educational experience they deserve.”

COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People Tony Buchanan said: ““This is the third Progress Report on the joint Action plan from COSLA and Scottish Government.

“The Report provides an update on activity from November 2022 through to June this year. It highlights a number of actions which have been developed to improve communication between schools and parents and carers, and also highlights resources and training which have been developed to support teachers and support staff in schools.

 “Angela Morgan’s 2020 Report called for the profile of additional support for learning to be raised.  The publication of the Progress Report is one of the ways we are doing this, and COSLA will share the Report and updated Action Plan with our members and networks to continue to raise awareness of steps being taken to better support schools, families and most importantly children and young people.”

Additional Support for Learning Action Plan 3rd Progress Report 

additional-support-learning-action-plan-3rd-progress-reportDownload

Thousands of online grooming crimes in Scotland during past five years

  • More than 3,000 Communicating Indecently with a Child offences have been recorded by Police Scotland during the past five years
  • NSPCC urges Ofcom to significantly strengthen its approach to child sexual abuse and for the UK Government to ensure the regulator can tackle grooming in private messaging

Over 3,000 online grooming crimes across Scotland have been recorded by Police Scotland during the past five years, new data compiled by the NSPCC has revealed.   

The figures provided by Police Scotland show 3,234 Communicating Indecently with a Child offences were recorded since 2019, with 672 offences recorded last year (2023/24) – an increase of 13% from the previous year.  

The NSPCC has issued these findings a year on from the Online Safety Act being passed.

The charity is urging Ofcom to significantly strengthen the rules social media platforms must follow to tackle child sexual abuse on their products.

They say the regulator currently puts too much focus on acting after harm has taken place rather than being proactive to ensure the design features of social media apps are not contributing to abuse.

The NSPCC is also calling on the Government to strengthen legislation to ensure child sexual abuse is disrupted in private messages such as on Snapchat and WhatsApp.

The charity’s Voice of Online Youth young people’s group were not surprised at the prevalence of Snapchat in offences.

Liidia, 13 from Glasgow, said: “Snapchat has disappearing messages, and that makes it easier for people to hide things they shouldn’t be doing.

“Another problem is that Snapchat has this feature where you can show your location to everyone. If you’re not careful, you might end up showing where you are to people you don’t know, which is super risky.

“And honestly, not all the rules in Snapchat are strict, so some people take advantage of that to do bad things. Apps should have better ways for us to report bad things, and they should always get updated to protect us better with the latest security tech.”

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: “One year since the Online Safety Act became law and we are still waiting for tech companies to make their platforms safe for children.

“We need ambitious regulation by Ofcom who must significantly strengthen their current approach to make companies address how their products are being exploited by offenders.

“It is clear that much of this abuse is taking place in private messaging which is why we also need the UK Government to strengthen the Online Safety Act to give Ofcom more legal certainty to tackle child sexual abuse on the likes of Snapchat and WhatsApp.”

National Police Chief’s Council Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigations (CPAI) Becky Riggs said: “The numbers in this NSPCC data are shocking and policing joins partners in urging tech companies and Ofcom to fulfil their legal and moral obligations to keep children safe from harm within the online communities they have created.

“A year on from the Online Safety Act being passed, it is imperative that the responsibility of safeguarding children online is placed with the companies who create spaces for them, and the regulator strengthens rules that social media platforms must follow.

“Policing will not stop in its fight against those who commit these horrific crimes. We cannot do this alone, so while we continue to pursue and prosecute those who abuse and exploit children, we repeat our call for more to be done by companies in this space.”

Kids Operating Room and Smile Train roll out solar surgery system to improve care of children in Nigerian hospitals

  • Kids Operating Room and Smile Train successfully install solar surgery systems in 23 hospitals across Nigeria
  • The Solar Surgery system ensures reliable power for medical equipment during surgeries, addressing frequent power cuts
  • Initiative boosts patient safety and surgical outcomes, and reduces carbon emissions
  • Partnership aims to upgrade more than 30 paediatric theatres across Africa by 2025

Kids Operating Room (KidsOR), the Scottish charity dedicated to ensuring every child has access to safe surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused charity, announce the successful implementation of the Solar Surgery system in 23 hospitals across Nigeria.

In their groundbreaking partnership, the two organisations are taking significant strides to enhance surgical care in Nigeria through the creation of new surgical facilities, training of local surgical teams, and now the deployment of solar powered operating theatres to ensure every child has access to a safe operation, free from the risks of power outages.

Solar panels have been installed on the roofs of the operating facilities in Nigeria, charging smart battery units that power vital medical equipment in an operating room. This innovative approach combats the frequent power cuts experienced in many African hospitals, ensuring uninterrupted care and better outcomes for patients.

The system monitors what power is needed by the surgical team and provides that directly from the panels, meaning children across Nigeria are now having operations powered entirely by the sun. However, the system can seamlessly switch to a blend of solar and battery power on cloudy days and can go on to provide 8-hours of continuous use into the night. Only when there is no sunlight, and the reserve is being depleted will the system start to pull power from the local grid. 

The partnership between KidsOR and Smile Train promises to deliver reliable power to Nigerian hospitals, improving patient safety and improving surgical results while also reducing the carbon emissions of the facilities – setting a sustainable standard for medical treatment across Africa.

Globally, one in 700 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate. Sadly, many of these children miss out on the vital reconstructive surgery they need, which can lead to challenges in eating, breathing, and speaking. Smile Train is the world’s leading charity focused on transforming the lives of these children and recently announced supporting their 2 millionth cleft surgery.

Nkeiruka OBI, Vice-President and Regional Director, Africa of Smile Train, commented: “Erratic power supply is a norm in Nigeria, like most developing countries. Interruption of power during a surgical procedure could jeopardise the life of the patient. It is not a desirable experience.  

“By harnessing clean and renewable solar energy, which by the way we have in abundance in this part of the world, surgical teams can confidently operate critical medical equipment and ensure that children with clefts can receive safe, timely surgeries regardless of power outages.  

“The solar-powered theatre is a game changer, in transforming healthcare delivery across Africa, especially in areas where unreliable power limits access to safe surgical care. 

“With each solar-powered theatre, we take a step closer to universal access to safe surgery, amplifying the impact on children, families, and entire communities. Smile Train and KidsOR’s partnership truly serves as a model on how meaningful collaboration and innovation can overcome healthcare challenges and drive sustainable change across the continent.”

David Cunningham, CEO of KidsOR, commented: “Our partnership with Smile Train is making a life changing difference to children in developing countries across the globe. In Nigeria, and across Africa, we are working with Smile Train to pave the way for a future where no child has to fear a power outage as a significant risk to their life during an operation.

“In Nigeria, we will shortly have moved 30 operating rooms onto the exciting Solar Surgery system, which means surgical facilities across the country will be able to operate at full capacity and are no longer restricted by frequent power outages.”

RHCYP Memorial Service

GREYFRIARS CHARTERIS CENTRE. THE PLEASANCE on 24th NOVEMBER

The RHCYP’s Memorial Service in Greyfriars Charteris Centre, 138/140 Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9RR, offers space for personal or shared reflection for those who’ve experienced the death of a child.

People of all ages, all beliefs or none, are most welcome:

https://ow.ly/f1o750TJzT5

Poverty and Equality Commission produces Workshop Report

As part of its approach to the Commission’s 2023-24 scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s progress in reducing child poverty, the Poverty and Inequality Commission wanted to hear from parents and carers who were a member of the Scottish Government’s ‘priority family types’. These are households types who are at greater risk of poverty.

The Commission worked with eight organisations to organise workshop discussions (and in one case a survey) to gather parent and carer participant views on:

  • What policies to reduce child poverty they were aware of
  • How well they felt policies were working
  • What else they felt was needed to reduce child poverty

This report summarises the views of participants on the three topics above, expanding on the material the Commission published earlier in 2024 as part of its 2023-24 child poverty scrutiny.

The Commission is very grateful to all the participants in our workshops who took time to discuss these issues, and the organisations who we worked with to arrange them.

Download: Report of workshops with priority families in Scotland and their ideas to reduce child poverty (pdf, 422kb)

Report-of-workshops-with-priority-families-in-Scotland-and-their-ideas-to-reduce-poverty-October-2024Download

Reeves to protect English education priorities ‘in face of inherited £22 billion blackhole’

  • Chancellor confirms steps to protect education and early years priorities as part of her first Budget. 
  • £1.4bn allocated for school rebuilding, reaffirming the government’s commitment to improve the school estate.
  • Funding will form a packet of measures to break down barriers to opportunity, so every child has the chance to succeed in life.     

Improving opportunities for our children and young people will be a key feature of the Chancellor’s first Budget, including £1.4bn to rebuild crumbling schools.  

The investment to rebuild school buildings, alongside funding for children’s social care, breakfast clubs and early years childcare reflect the government’s commitment to putting education back at the forefront of national life, breaking down the barriers to opportunity for all children. 

The decision to protect education priorities at the Budget comes at a crucial time for the sector with the government inheriting a £22 billion blackhole in the public finances and having to take tough decisions. 

The Chancellor has committed £1.4bn to ensure the delivery of the existing School Rebuilding Programme, with 50 rebuilds a year delivering on promises made to parents, teachers and local communities that crumbling school buildings will be rebuilt.  

The confirmation of the funding for education follows a 5.5% pay increase for school teachers agreed earlier in the year as the government sets out to reset relationships with the sector.  

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “This Government’s first Budget will set out how we will fix the foundations of the country. It will mean tough decisions, but also the start of a new chapter for Britain, by growing our economy through investing in our future to rebuild our schools, hospitals and broken roads.

“Protecting funding for education was one of the things I wanted to do first because our children are the future of this country. We might have inherited a mess, but they should not suffer for it.” 

Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, said: “This is a Budget about fixing the foundations of the country, so there can be no better place to start than the life chances of our children and young people.  

“Our inheritance may be dire, but I will never accept that any child should learn in a crumbling classroom. 

“We are determined to break down those barriers to opportunity, whether it’s brilliant early years, free breakfast clubs or high and rising standards in our schools, this government is putting education back at the forefront of national life.”  

£1.8 billion has also been confirmed to support the expansion of government-funded childcare, helping deliver the roll-out through local authorities – with a further £15m of capital funding allocated to expand school-based nurseries.

Primary schools can now apply for up to £150,000 of the £15m, with the first stage of the plan set to support up to 300 new or expanded nurseries across England creating much-needed places in areas most in demand.  

To support parents, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the government today also confirmed it will triple its investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million to help ensure children are ready to learn at the start of the school day, and helping drive improvements to behaviour, attendance and attainment. 

Meanwhile to keep more children in stable and loving homes, the new government has also announced £44 million to support kinship and foster carers.  

This will include trialling a new kinship allowance in up to 10 local authorities to test whether paying an allowance to cover certain costs – like supporting a child to settle into a new home with relatives – can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. 

It will also help recruit more foster parents by ensuring that every local authority has access to a regional recruitment hub. These hubs help raise awareness about fostering and offer prospective carers a centralised platform to find information, ask questions and get support from the start of their fostering journey. 

This is expected to generate hundreds of new foster placements, reduce local authorities’ reliance on the expensive residential care market and offer children a stable environment to grow up in. The government has also confirmed its commitment to further reforms to children’s social care in future spending reviews to make sure every child, irrespective of background, has the best start in life. 

Chief Executive at Kinship, Dr Lucy Peake, said: “We are pleased that the Government has made a commitment to trialling a new Kinship Allowance so that more children can be raised in well-supported kinship care with family and friends who love them, delivering better outcomes for children and for the public purse than the care system.

“We look forward to further reforms to children’s social care which should ensure that all kinship families get the financial, practical and emotional support they need and deserve.”

New government report on Halloween costumes spells concern, say RoSPA

Tests on children’s Halloween costumes revealed that over 80% of costumes for under-sevens failed basic safety tests, including those for flammability and strangulation risks. RoSPA advises parents to take one simple but crucial step this Halloween: choose costumes from trusted sources that meet UK safety standards.

As Halloween approaches, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is urging families to take action following alarming news from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).

New Findings on Costume Safety

Tests conducted by  OPSS on 128 costumes purchased from various online marketplaces found that more than 80% failed safety tests. Among these, 28 costumes did not meet flammability standards, and 59 were found to have dangerous cords or drawstrings that posed a strangulation hazard. Many costumes also lacked appropriate labelling, with 98 out of 128 failing to provide essential safety information.

Adrian Simpson, Head of Policy and Press for RoSPA said: “These results are deeply concerning. Parents and those responsible for children need to be extra cautious this Halloween. Always purchase costumes from reputable retailers and check for the UKCA or CE mark to ensure they comply with UK safety regulations.

“This is important as it shows that the product has been tested to meet UK safety standards, and indicates that the costume has passed essential safety tests, including those for flammability.

“With the recent findings from the OPSS, it’s clearer than ever that safety needs to come first. If you’re buying a Halloween costume for your child, checking for that the product meets labelling requirements should be a top priority. This simple check can prevent accidents and ensure a safer Halloween for everyone.”

ADDITIONAL SAFETY TIPS FOR HALLOWEEN

In addition to choosing costumes that meet flammability and safety standards, RoSPA advises families to follow these important guidelines:

  • Avoid open flames: Keep children away from lit candles, fireplaces, and any other open flames.
  • Supervise children: An adult should always be present to supervise children, especially near fire hazards.
  • Make costumes visible: Add reflective strips to costumes or provide children with torches to ensure they can be seen in the dark while trick-or-treating.
  • Stay cautious with homemade costumes: RoSPA advises against homemade costumes, as they are unlikely to meet the same fire safety standards as store-bought ones that comply with UK regulations.
  • Check for product recalls: The OPSS regularly updates its website with information on recalled products, including Halloween costumes. If you’re unsure about a costume’s safety, check online before using it.