Children and Families – Page 239 – The NEN

Expecting? Congratulations – new leave rights for parents

285,000 working couples eligible for shared parental leave

Couples finding out now that they are expecting a child will be among the first parents eligible to take advantage of new shared parental leave rights.

The new rules, which apply to couples whose babies are due from next April, will allow parents to choose whether they want to share the mother’s maternity leave. Shared parental leave can be taken at the same time so a couple would be able to be at home together for up to half a year following the birth of their child.

There are expected to be around 285,000 working couples that will be eligible to share the leave from April 2015. The changes in how maternity leave can be used will kick start a culture change in workplaces where fathers feel more confident to talk to their employers about taking time off for childcare.

Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson said: “Any couples receiving the happy news that they are due to have a baby from 5 April onwards can now start planning ahead safe in the knowledge that they have the option to choose to share the care of their child and time off work in the way that suits them best.

“Introducing shared parental leave is a significant step towards changing workplace culture, making it just as normal for fathers to take on childcare responsibilities as mothers.

“From April next year mums and adopters will have real choice about when they return to work, dads will have more time to bond with their children and employers will benefit from lower staff turnover and having a workforce that is more flexible and motivated.”

Acas Chair Brendan Barber said: “Many employers recognise that they can retain talented staff by offering a flexible approach to work and a healthy work life balance can help business success and growth.

“Shared parental leave will enable working parents to share maternity or adoption leave to allow both parents greater involvement with their child’s first year whilst employers have the potential to remain productive by agreeing new arrangements that works for their organisations.

“As workplace experts, we have published a new free online guide on shared parental leave to help employers understand how the new changes will affect them. We are also working on detailed guidance to help employees and employers manage SPL requests fairly.”

The government is introducing shared parental leave and pay for employed parents which will make the current system for maternity and paternity leave much more flexible. Families currently have very limited choices about how they can share leave and pay and often struggle to balance competing demands at work and at home.

Under the new system a pregnant woman will continue to have access to 52 weeks of maternity leave and 39 weeks of pay as she does currently. From April 5 2015, for the first time ever, working families will have the opportunity to share the leave much more equally and flexibly.

Eligible couples can take shared parental leave when the mother opts to end her maternity leave and pay (or maternity allowance) early. The remainder of her statutory leave and pay may be shared between the mother and her partner as shared parental leave and pay.

Case study:

Hannah is a Senior Project Manager in the e-learning industry and her husband Chris works for the Civil Service. When their son Euan was born they decided to split their leave entitlement. Hannah returned to work on a 4.5 day week when Euan was 8 months old at which point Chris took 7 weeks of additional maternity support leave to look after Euan. Both Hannah and Chris feel that sharing leave has been a very positive experience for themselves and their son.

Hannah said that knowing Euan was at home with Chris was very reassuring when she returned to work: “Chris and I felt that this would be one of the few opportunities we would get to spend an extended period of time with Euan before he started school. Going back to work it was nice for me to know that Euan was with Chris rather than going straight into childcare and when I returned to work we were able to meet up for lunches as a family which was great. Sharing leave is something we’ll definitely do again.”

Chris said that having father and baby time together during the period of leave he took was very special: “During the 7 weeks I had with Euan we were able to take part in a range of activities like swimming, music and baby sensory sessions. It was brilliant to have that father and baby time together. It’s something very special and I felt that both Euan and I gained a lot from it. I’d really recommend it to any other dads-to-be.”

Vote for FetLor – North Edinburgh’s Real Heroes!

FetLor Youth Club has been shortlisted for the ‘Best Community Project’ award as part of STV’s Scotland’s Real Heroes series.

If you missed the show last Friday you can see the 3 minute clip feature FetLor Youth Club here:

http://shows.stv.tv/real-heroes/nominees/285317-fet-lor/

A public vote will decide the winner of each category – you can vote for FetLor Youth Club by texting HERO 9 to 87654 or by entering on the STV website http://shows.stv.tv/real-heroes/voting/

FeLor’s Lindsay Coulton said: “We are so thrilled to be nominated for this national award and to win would recognition of all the hard work put in by staff and volunteers – and of course the fantastic kids who come to FetLor!”

The vote closes at 12 noon this Friday (29 August).

Every vote counts – help a North Edinburgh charity become a national winner!

Dare you enter … The Twilight Zone?

I’m writing to tell you about a programme at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery for after-school clubs and family groups called The Twilight Zone.

Get the gallery to yourselves after-hours or come at the weekends and enjoy fun, interactive tours or creative workshops. Visits are free of charge to community groups.

Read all about it here:

www.nationalgalleries.org/TwilightZone

Meg Faragher

Families and Communities Learning Co-ordinator

National Galleries of Scotland

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

1 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JD

Tel: 0131 624 6428

M: 07814751087

mfaragher@nationalgalleries.org

Soon be time for Septemberfest …

Septemberfest 2014 Community Festival

at Broughton High School

Saturday 27 September 2014

11am – 4pm

Free Entry and lots of free activities for all ages

Fun for all the family! This years Septemberfest has a Commonwealth flavour with lots of sports to try out: Indian Dance, Commonwealth food and all the usual bouncy castles, inflatable assault course, gladiators, sumo suits and climbing tower.

The craft fair has loads of fantastic handcrafted goods. Have a go at drumming and listen to the samba band.

There will be magic shows from Gary and Stone the Crow, Mr Puffins fantastic balloons, face painting, dance workshops and displays, music, unicycles, circus skills, bikes, hula hoops, judo, fencing, crazy science, massage and henna tattoos.

Come and ring the siren on a heritage and a real fire engine.

There will be a special Commonwealth themed treasure hunt and craft activities plus leather working and jewellery making.

Get your bike fixed for free with Edinburgh Cycles.

Tea and cakes, BBQ, La Favorita pizza, curry, paella, crepes and ice cream.

Septemberfest 2014 is partly funded by Activcity and the Big Lottery Celebrate Fund.

http://broughtonhighpc.org

Facebook: Septemberfest Broughton High School

Naomi Crowley

North Edinburgh Arts launches Autumn programme

Summer’s almost over, but cheer up – North Edinburgh Arts have just launched their exciting Autumn programme!

The holidays are over but the fun doesn’t have to be!

North Edinburgh Arts can’t wait to see you all back again to enjoy our packed Autumn programme.

Activities for Children

Join Alice in Zoo Arts every Wednesday from 4.00 – 5.30pm. These visual art sessions are for local young artists (9-14 years) who would like to be inspired, improve their creative skills and get involved with exciting visual art projects that run on a 2-4 week basis. Sessions are 50p per child which includes a healthy snack. Follow them onFacebook here.

Thursday and Saturday mornings see the return of Create, our very popular creative, messy play project for 0-5 year olds and their parents/carers. The sessions demonstrate resourceful and inspiring ways to actively learn with your wee ones. These drop-in sessions run from 10am -12noon and are are 50p per child per session. ‘Like’ them on Facebook here.

Eco Kidz is back with more ideas to turn recylcing into crafty, sellable items. Learn a variety of skills in these fun sessions including art, design, craft, marketing and retailing. The group will eventually go on to sell items made in these weekly sessions. Eco-Kidz is on Friday, 1.45 – 3.15pm and all sessions are free. ‘Like’ them on Facebook here.

If you’re looking for a way to burn off some energy and get creative on a Saturday morning, NEA has everything you need . Along with our Create sessions, we also runart and danceworkshops for children aged 5-12 years. Between 10am – 12noon, the two age groups (5-8 and 9-12years) alternate between high energy dance sessions and colourful art and craft workshops. A healthy snack is provided half way through and it only costs 50p. Arrive in plenty of time as these popular drop in sessions are always busy!

Programme for Adults

The North Edinburgh Theatre Project is working on a very exciting project, 1d Tenement Opera project for production in January 2015 and you are very welcome to join.

Join in if you are interested in singing, dancing, making costumes, lighting & sound, making sets, drawing and designing, writing for the blog and doing stories, photography, social history, making sure the people of North Edinbrugh tell the stories… and spreading more whispers and rumours about the project.

If you are interested in some of the activities and you would like to find out more, please contact box office on 0131 315 2151.

United We Stand, 17^th October, 7.30pm
Townsend Productions presents a powerful new play by Neil Gore based on the true story of one of the most turbulent industrial battles – the 1972 Builders’ Strike.
Tickets: £8, £5 concession, £3.00 good neighbours.
townsendproductions.org.uk

The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival
24^th October, 7.00 – 8.00pm
The SMHAFF is one of Scotland’s most diverse cultural events. North Edinburgh Timebank Temptation singers showcase the transforming power of communal singing in their performance of various rock, folk, pop and world music titled ‘Lean on Me’.
Tickets are free. Booking is advised.
www.mhfestival.com

Lockerbie: Lost Voices, 31^st October, 7.30pm
Lee Geshuny’s new play follows six passengers onto Pam Am Flight 103 destroyed over Lockerbie by a bomb in 1988. Tribute to those who tried to uncover the truth about the tragedy.
Tickets: £8, £5 concession, £3.50 good neighbours.
www.sacc.org.uk/articles/2013/lockerbie-lost-voices

Luminate Festival 1^st – 31^st october
If Luminate has one message, it’s that creativity has no age. Luminate includes new work, collaborations and international projects specially planned and programmed for the festival, as well as independently-run projects led by a wide range of cultural and community organisations.
www.luminatescotland.org

To book tickets for any of the above events, call box office on 0131 315 2151 or emailadmin@northedinburgharts.co.uk.

Pop-In Cafe

Our Pop-In Cafe is open Monday – Friday, 10am – 2pm and Saturday 10am – 12noon. We use ingredients grown in our very own garden and Michele cooks up delicious specials every day to make lunch time a real treat. We also serve delicous freshly ground coffee and home made cakes everyday. See full menu here.

NEA Garden

The NEA garden run Tuesday afternoon drop-in sessions, 1-5pm for families and 16+ years (children must be accompanied). Learn how to grow your own vegetables, herbs and other useful gardening skills in these free sessions run by Valla, outr community gardener. If you would like to be involved in the garden outside of these sessons, please contact Valla directly at northedinburghgrows@gmail.com. Keep up to date on their blog here.

Full Autumn Programme here

Childrens’ health advice from NHS24

As children return to school this week, NHS24 – Scotland’s national telehealth and telecare organisation – is reminding parents of the wealth of health advice and information available to help their families stay fit and healthy throughout the year …

NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “With children returning to school this week, what better time than for parents to think about their children’s health and preparing for the year ahead.

“NHS inform includes a section on common health questions associated with children’s health, with information on a wide variety of matters from diet and exercise to pain relief and blood types.
“There is also a section dedicated to answering those common questions you may have about vaccinations and you can also find out what to have in your first aid kit at home.

“It is a busy time of year for parents as they get ready for the new school year but I would advise them to take some time now to think about their children’s health. By taking simple steps, you can help prevent minor illnesses affecting your family.”

For further health advice and information go to www.nhsinform.co.uk

The popular health resource provides a wealth of advice and information on health issues relevant to young people as they embark on or continue their higher education years.

The Health A-Z is packed with information about common illness, treatments and health services, covering topics from acne to yellow fever. Users can also find out about local health services and information on how to register with a GP.

Lottery boost for Haven project

West Pilton-based charity Circle has been awarded £10000 from the Communities and Families fund, an initiative supported by the Scottish Government and Big Lottery Fund. The grant will support activities at Circle’s Haven Project based at Craigroyston Primary School.

Announcing the awards earlier this week, Maureen McGinn, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee, said: “I’m delighted to announce today’s grants for projects that encourage healthy lifestyles, outdoor activities, and support with parenting skills. The aim of the Communities and Families Fund is to help give children the best start in life and we’re keen to hear from groups across the country that could benefit from this funding. Details of our simple application process can be found on our website or by calling 0300 123 7110.”

The £10,000 grant to The Family Service Unit Scotland (Circle) will help families in the Craigroyston area to improve their health and wellbeing by learning key parenting skills. As well as providing a series of outdoor trips and family events, the project will also encourage fathers to be more actively involved in their child’s development.

Anna Flaherty, Manager of Circle, said: “Circle Haven is a community based project providing support to children and families living in the area to improve the general wellbeing of the whole family. The project comes into daily contact with families experiencing hardship, as well as ill health, unemployment, family break up, drug and alcohol addiction.

“The funding will enable us to provide quality experiences that families otherwise would not have. We do this by delivering group work programmes for parents and children that ultimately encourages educational experiences for parents, children and babies, increases social networks, offers peer support and improves the participants’ general health and wellbeing.”

Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Families, said: “I am delighted to see the wide range of projects the Communities and Families Fund supports and the latest projects to receive funding. I want Scotland to be the best place to grow up and our joint venture with the Big Lottery Fund aims to help families and communities flourish by supporting local projects that can make a big impact on improving the lives of children and families.”

The Communities and Families Fund has a budget of £4.5 million from The Scottish Government and £1.5 million from the Big Lottery Fund. Groups can apply for funding from £250 to £10,000.

To find out more about the scheme and how to apply, visit:

www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_communities_and_families_fund

or telephone 0300 123 7110.

Fun in the park, by George!

Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership’s BIG Search finished with a flourish at King George V Park on Monday, with an afternoon of family fun and games.

Thanks to the Friends of KGV and Scotland Yard Parks for the photographs, and Mark Sydenham of Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust for sending them on to us.

POP at PY

PYCP’s Preventative Opportunities Programme (POP) are now looking to receive referrals for young people aged 14-18 years to start now and continue until February next year.

It is a six month intensive support package for young people and their families. We will offer the young person 1:1 support, group work based sessions on a range of different issues and interests and possibly some outings.

We will also provide the parent/carers and siblings with support on what issues are affecting the family and opportunities to get involved in new experiences and activities together as a family.

If you have any young person or family who would benefit from this type of support or have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly on 332 9815 or send a referral to Katie@pycp.co.uk.

I have attached a referral form and a poster for families (see below) to look at as we do require the family to agree to the support before a referral is received.

POP Leaflet pdf version

POP referral-form

Katie Grover
Senior Preventative Worker, Pilton Youth and Children’s Project