Skills Investment Plan to boost childcare opportunities

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has highlighted a need for the nation’s Early Learning and Childcare sector to attract a more diverse workforce to create an additional 11,000 jobs by 2020 to meet expected demand. The organisation has worked with partners to create new national Early Learning and Childcare Skills Investment Plan (SIP) for the sector. Continue reading Skills Investment Plan to boost childcare opportunities

3834 Lothian newborns have received Baby Boxes

Latest figures from the Scottish Government have revealed that the transformative Baby Box policy has already benefitted 3834 newborns across NHS Lothian since they were introduced last summer – and over 22,000 have so far been delivered across Scotland. Continue reading 3834 Lothian newborns have received Baby Boxes

£14 million for young people and communities

More than £14 million of funding will support the work of 117 charities helping children and young people throughout Scotland. The money, from the 2018/19 Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention and Adult Learning and Empowering Communities Fund, will enable a wide range of projects aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people and supporting adult learning to be delivered. Continue reading £14 million for young people and communities

Premature babies: £1.5 million Family Fund to help meet costs

Parents of premature babies in NHS care will now be able to get extra support with the financial cost. Through the Scottish Government’s 2018/19 draft budget the new £1.5 million Family Fund will be available from the 1st of April for parents of premature babies to help with the additional costs they face, such as for travel to and from hospital or food and drink. Continue reading Premature babies: £1.5 million Family Fund to help meet costs

Record breaking Mission Christmas helps thousands of local children

More than 20,500 children across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife will wake up to a Christmas present, thanks to the generosity of thousands of people throughout the region. This year’s Mission Christmas campaign, organised by Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids, has broken new records, with £1.1 million raised in gift and cash donations over the last six weeks. Continue reading Record breaking Mission Christmas helps thousands of local children

Children’s services at St John’s hit again over festive period

To ensure patient safety, the children’s short stay assessment unit at St John’s Hospital in Livingston will not open on the weekends before Christmas and New Year. The decision was taken as a result of ongoing staffing and recruitment issues which mean there are not enough doctors available to cover overnight and weekends, coupled with late notification of clinician unavailability.

Parents are not being asked to do anything differently. If they require health care or advice over the weekends, they should take the normal steps of calling NHS 24 on 111. They will either be directed to an out-of-hours GP or referred on to the most appropriate place.

Children will still be assessed and treated in the Emergency Department and a paediatric consultant will be available on call 24/7. If a child needs to be admitted to hospital, a transfer to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh will be arranged.

Maternity and neonatal services at the hospital are unaffected.

The short stay assessment unit will not open on December 23rd and 24th, however normal service will resume on December 25th, Christmas Day.

The same arrangements will apply the following weekend, with the unit not open on January 30th and 31st, before returning to normal on January 1st, New Year’s Day.

Jacquie Campbell, Chief Officer of Acute Services, NHS Lothian, said: “Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to reliably secure the levels of staffing required on the festive weekends to guarantee a safe service. The safety of our patients must be our top priority and for that reason the unit will not open. This is the safest option for the children of West Lothian and normal service will resume at the start of each week.”

NHS Lothian says it is working closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24 and local GPs to ensure the provision of a safe and reliable service.

National award proves Cheeky Chompers pair are no dummies!

Julie Wilson and Amy Livingstone of Edinburgh’s Cheeky Chompers have won a prestigious national award for their ‘inspirational’ business. The women designed and developed an idea for teething babies – and with their product now being sold in major retailers they’re clearly no dummies! Continue reading National award proves Cheeky Chompers pair are no dummies!

Job opportunity with Stepping Stones North Edinburgh

Early Years Practitioner- Temporary post

Part-time (24 hours p/w) Please note this post works 42 weeks out of 52 with the fixed holidays predominately following the school holidays.

This post is initially a 6 months contract with a possible extension
The salary below is pro-rated across the year.
Salary – £10,616 (hourly rate £9.02) – Qualified at HNC/SVQ 3 level
Salary – £9436.44 (hourly rate £8.02) – Qualified at NC/SVQ 2 level

The Early Years Practitioner is responsible for providing safe and stimulating care and play provision for children aged 0-5 years.

Application pack: available to download from the ‘News’ section of www.steppingstonesnorthedinburgh.co.uk or call 0131 551 1632.

Closing date: Monday 8th January 2018 with interviews W/B 15th January 2018

EYP job advert December 2017