Tag: Children and Families

NHS Lothian launches six-year plan for children’s services

handsHealth and wellbeing services for children and young people in Lothian are set to be strengthened with the launch of a pioneering new strategy.

NHS Lothian’s Children and Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which sets out a clear vision, principles and approach to services over the next six years, was unveiled by Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People at a conference organised by NHS Lothian last week.

The document sets out NHS Lothian’s vision and is the road map for reducing inequalities and improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people in Lothian.

Tim Davison, Chief Executive, NHS Lothian, said: “This strategy is crucial to children’s and young people’s services. It will underpin all the work we do over the next six years and will help to transform services to ensure that the interests and health of children are at the forefront of everything we do.”

The document outlines how the health board will work with children, young people, their families, public, the voluntary sector and local authorities, to improve the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people.

New Sick Kids hospitalSally Egan, Associate Director and Child Health Commissioner, NHS Lothian said: “Every child should have the best start in life and grow up being healthy, safe, confident and resilient. This new strategy puts children and young people at the centre of their care and makes it clear who is responsible for their welfare.

“It comes at a time when we are forming closer working relationships with local authorities to fully integrate health and social care and are also looking ahead to the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children (pictured above).”

Created with the help and input of children and young people and supported by the Children’s Parliament, the ambitious strategy is based around the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and underpins the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

It aims to tackle three key issues; how NHS Lothian engages with children and young people in their care and treatment, ensuring the health board recognises how children and young people feel, and improving access to health information and health services, which were all highlighted by children and young people during the extensive consultation period.

The strategy sets out plans to:

¡ Involve children, young people and their families in decisions that affect their health and wellbeing

¡ Improve the range and quality of healthcare services for children and young people

¡ Reduce the impact of social circumstances on health

¡ Ensure disabled children and young people will have their additional needs met

¡ Increase staff understanding of the needs of the younger population.

toys (2)Minister for Children and Young People,​ Aileen Campbell said: “I’m delighted to help launch this ambitious new strategy. This successfully builds on the NHS services already in place, with a renewed focus on children’s rights and wellbeing to help ensure they and their families can get access to the right help at the right time.

“The Scottish Government’s aspiration is for Scotland to be the best place to grow up and this type of pioneering work will make a real difference to the lives of our children and young people, and ensure they have the best possible start in life.”

nhs_lothian_logo

NHS Lothian launches six-year plan for children's services

handsHealth and wellbeing services for children and young people in Lothian are set to be strengthened with the launch of a pioneering new strategy.

NHS Lothian’s Children and Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which sets out a clear vision, principles and approach to services over the next six years, was unveiled by Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People at a conference organised by NHS Lothian last week.

The document sets out NHS Lothian’s vision and is the road map for reducing inequalities and improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people in Lothian.

Tim Davison, Chief Executive, NHS Lothian, said: “This strategy is crucial to children’s and young people’s services. It will underpin all the work we do over the next six years and will help to transform services to ensure that the interests and health of children are at the forefront of everything we do.”

The document outlines how the health board will work with children, young people, their families, public, the voluntary sector and local authorities, to improve the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people.

New Sick Kids hospitalSally Egan, Associate Director and Child Health Commissioner, NHS Lothian said: “Every child should have the best start in life and grow up being healthy, safe, confident and resilient. This new strategy puts children and young people at the centre of their care and makes it clear who is responsible for their welfare.

“It comes at a time when we are forming closer working relationships with local authorities to fully integrate health and social care and are also looking ahead to the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children (pictured above).”

Created with the help and input of children and young people and supported by the Children’s Parliament, the ambitious strategy is based around the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and underpins the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

It aims to tackle three key issues; how NHS Lothian engages with children and young people in their care and treatment, ensuring the health board recognises how children and young people feel, and improving access to health information and health services, which were all highlighted by children and young people during the extensive consultation period.

The strategy sets out plans to:

¡ Involve children, young people and their families in decisions that affect their health and wellbeing

¡ Improve the range and quality of healthcare services for children and young people

¡ Reduce the impact of social circumstances on health

¡ Ensure disabled children and young people will have their additional needs met

¡ Increase staff understanding of the needs of the younger population.

toys (2)Minister for Children and Young People,​ Aileen Campbell said: “I’m delighted to help launch this ambitious new strategy. This successfully builds on the NHS services already in place, with a renewed focus on children’s rights and wellbeing to help ensure they and their families can get access to the right help at the right time.

“The Scottish Government’s aspiration is for Scotland to be the best place to grow up and this type of pioneering work will make a real difference to the lives of our children and young people, and ensure they have the best possible start in life.”

nhs_lothian_logo

Play in the Park this weekend

Broughton High School Community Learning & Development (CLD) Team is launching a fun new activity this weekend.

Drylaw and Inverleith Parks will be the venues for young people to get out to enjoy games, sports, trips, arts, challenges – and more!

Weekly ‘Play in the Park’ sessions start this Sunday (9 November) in Drylaw Park from 1 – 3pm and will also be taking place in Inverleith Park on Sturdays from 2.30 – 4.30pm – starting date details will be announced later.

For further information contact Callum McLeod at Broughton High School CLD, telephone 332 6316.

Weekends will never be the same again!

Poster Nov2014

Drop In: new fun activities start this weekend

DROP IN to Royston Wardieburn for fun on Saturday morning!

RWCC (2)The Drop In is a new citywide fun-packed activity for families with a child or young person (0 – 18 y o) with a disability and their siblings. It’s taking place in four community centres across the city every Saturday for two hours – and the local venue is Royston Wardieburn on Pilton Drive North.

Parents and carers will have the opportunity to meet other parents/carers and sit and chat over a cup of coffee while their children take part in activities run by experienced youth workers from FABB Scotland and the city council.

Activities will include sports, art, computer games, soft play, bouncy castles and much more.

Royston Wardieburn’s Drop In starts this Saturday from 10am – midday. There’s no need to book, just come along with the family and DROP IN!

Call the Centre on 552 5700 for more information.

 

Suffer the little children: one in five Edinburgh children lives in poverty

‘We can and must do better for our children’

ChildPovertyEdinburgh is one of the UK’s most prosperous cities – but more than ONE IN FIVE children in the capital (21%) are living in poverty, according to the latest research.

Report_on_child_poverty_map_2014 

The Campaign to End Child Poverty (CECP) has today published new figures that provide a child poverty map of the whole of the UK. The figures are broken down by parliamentary constituency, local authority and ward (see report, above). The research was conducted for CECP by the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) at Loughborough University.

The figures reveal the wide disparity in poverty rates across the UK, between regions and striking variations even within regions. London scores badly – containing ten of the top 20 constituencies with the highest child poverty rates in the UK and 14 of the 20 highest-rate local authorities. However there is variation even within regions: in London, Bethnal Green and Bow has a child poverty rate of 49% compared to just 15% in Richmond upon Thames.

In Scotland, Glasgow has the highest rate of child poverty, with the problem affecting a third of all youngsters in the city. Across Scotland some 220,000 children are living in poverty — a fifth of all youngsters — and campaigners are convinced this total will rise.

CECP is demanding urgent political action at all levels and urges the Westminster government to rethink its tax and benefit policies, claiming these could leave as many as 100,000 more children in poverty by 2020.

They also want local and national housing policies to focus on keeping rent bills down in both the social housing sector and the private rental market.

Chair of End Child Poverty David Holmes said: “These figures reveal just how widely and deeply child poverty reaches into our communities, even those areas generally regarded as well off. Far too many children whose parents are struggling to make a living are suffering as a result and missing out on the essentials of a decent childhood that all young people should be entitled to. We can and must do better for our children.

“Poverty ruins childhoods and reduces life chances. Failing to invest properly in children is a false economy: already child poverty costs the country £29bn each year and in the long run taxpayers will foot an even higher bill for correcting the damage.

“We are calling on politicians of all parties to urgently set out a clear roadmap towards ending child poverty which includes the additional actions needed and the measures by which progress will be tracked.”

CECP Scotland spokesman Neil Mathers said: “It’s important we look behind these figures at what is driving this level of poverty in our country.

“Politicians of all parties, at Westminster and Holyrood, need to act to tackle the root causes of poverty, including low pay and soaring housing and childcare costs. There is nothing inevitable about this poverty. We must build on the good work that is happening in Scotland to support families.”

He went on: “We know there is ambition in Scotland to do more. We now need to act so that all our children have a fair start. We can and must do better for our children.”

anti-social 

POVERTY AND INEQUALITY IN EDINBURGH

The city’s strategic community planning body The Edinburgh Partnership has created poverty and inequality profiles of each of the city’s twelve Neighbourhood Partnerships.

To see the profiles for Forth and Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnerships click on the link(s) below:

Forth NP

Inverleith NP

 

‘Mum, I’m bored …’

The October school holidays, it’s raining again – but the kids needn’t be bored. The city council is offering some ideas on how to keep the little dears happy during the holidays: 

???????????????????????????????With the October holidays in full swing, families from Edinburgh and further afield will be looking for fun and inexpensive ways to entertain and spook the kids this Halloween.

From ghoulish arts and crafts workshops at Lauriston Castle and Edinburgh’s Libraries, to spooky storytelling on the Royal Mile, there is something to thrill all members of the family.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “Falling just 10 weeks before Christmas – and not long after the summer break – the need to keep the kids amused during the October holidays can be hard to budget for. But in Edinburgh, families really are spoilt for choice.

“Whether you are looking for a low cost scare factor this Halloween, or visiting one of the city’s attractions for the first time; make sure you check what’s on at Edinburgh’s public libraries, museums, parks and sports facilities to find something to suit.”

Top five things to do at Edinburgh’s public attractions and parks

1) In the city’s haunting Old Town, take a visit to the Museum of Edinburgh which is housed in beautifully restored 16th Century buildings on the Canongate.

This October, the museum will be home to a host of storytelling events, as the 2014 Storytelling Festival kicks off once more. The museum programme features war tales and songs based on Sir Walter Scott, and older children and young adults will also enjoy hearing about gruesome moments from Auld Reekie’s past from Scotland’s Storyteller, Calum Lykan on Sunday 31 October.

2) For even more tall tales, the City’s community libraries will be open for a number of spooky events including a 1950s classic horror double bill of  ‘The Fly’ and ‘Invaders from Mars’ at the Drumbrae Library Hub which will also be hosting a 1950s-themed fancy dress competition.

For younger movie fans, pay a visit to the Museum of Childhood, which will be hosting a drop-in craft event on Wednesday 15 October to tie in with Making Movies, the museum’s new exhibition all around movie making. Children can make their own spinning card animations (thaumatropes), and Scottish Screen Archive curator Emily Munro will be on hand to talk about the history of movie-making.

3) But what if the crisp Autumn weather makes you want to get outdoors? After winning a prestigious Entente Florale Gold Award for beautiful green spaces, where better to enjoy time off than by visiting one of Edinburgh’s 140 parks.

Children who aren’t afraid of creepy crawlies will love helping to build B&Bs for beasties at the Hermitage of Braid Local Nature Reserve as it prepares to home insects for the winter on Sunday 19 October. Or why not join in the Great Saughton Park Bear Hunt on Thursday 16 October in the Winter Gardens, where 30 bears will be hidden in the gardens.

4) Take a visit to East Princes Street Gardens and brave breathtaking views of Edinburgh from atop the tallest tribute to a writer in the world, the Scott Monument.

There’s no better time to conquer the 287 steps to the top than this October, which marks 100 years since Sir Walter’s publication of ‘Waverley’. Equally impressive is the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill.

5) The beautiful grounds of Lauriston Castle, laid out by William Henry Playfair in the 1840s, are also well worth a wander – especially if the family wants to get in the mood for Halloween. The Castle will be offering spooky woodland trails, craft classes to create ghoulish globes and window decorations, which can be booked at the Museums and Galleries website.

If you are looking for something crafty to do in the centre of town, an alternative spot is the City Art Centre‘s new ‘ArtSpace’, which allows children to have fun experimenting with different art materials during normal gallery opening times.

There must be something in that little lot to keep the kids amused? Enjoy the holidays!

Top chef inspires city’s school cooks

greenawayTop Edinburgh chef and restaurateur Mark Greenaway took time away from cooking award-winning food to encourage the city’s school cooks to use and experiment more with fresh, seasonal and Scottish produce last week.
He was speaking at a Food for Life seminar in the City Chambers, organised by the City of Edinburgh Council and Food for Life Scotland, to launch the latest school menu – developed to meet the Soil Association’s Bronze Food for Life Catering Mark standards.

With the help of Food for Life Scotland, all Edinburgh schools are working towards the bronze standard, ensuring that more meals are freshly prepared using seasonal produce.

Achieving the prestigious award will make Edinburgh the first Scottish Local Authority to serve Catering Mark awarded meals in all school levels.

Mark was joined by Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds to commend all those involved in the Council’s bid, and to celebrate the important work that school cooks do in helping to nurture and nourish the capital’s school pupils.

Cllr Lesley Hinds said: “I’m sure Mark’s input, together with implementation of the Food for Life Catering Mark will help our school caterers build on the great work they already do in our schools using fresh, seasonal and Scottish produce. As a Council we have a strong commitment to sustainability and to providing fresh nourishing and locally sourced food across our facilities.

“Currie Community High School and Buckstone Primary School already have the bronze award and we need to keep up the momentum to achieve our goal of Edinburgh being the first local authority in Scotland to achieve this across the whole school sector.”

Mark said: “It was fantastic to see so many of the city’s school cooks in one place, sharing their experience of cooking and hearing about the changes being made to the menus which will allow them to serve more fresh and seasonal produce in Edinburgh’s schools. I think Food for Life Scotland has the potential to make a significant difference to food culture in schools and beyond, which will benefit all of us over time.”

Food for Life Scotland is working closely with City of Edinburgh Council as part of the Edinburgh Food for Life Partnership, a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council, the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian which aims to embed a culture of real food change across the capital.

Three City of Edinburgh Council care homes already have the Bronze award – Clovenstone House, Marionville Court and Ferrylee.

Picture: Chef Mark Greenaway is joined by school cooks (left to right): Michelle Johnston (Ferryhill Primary), Julie Young (Currie Community High School), Jackie Montgomery (Dean Park Primary) and Lorna McKenna (Liberton High School).

Edinburgh’s Christmas programme launched – and it’s a cracker!

It’s October, so we can start using the ‘C’ word now, right?

Edinburgh_s_Christmas_2014

Edinburgh’s Christmas programme has been revealed and it promises to be bigger, better and more affordable than ever – especially for families and Edinburgh residents.

The Council has worked with event organisers, Underbelly, to ensure city residents get the best value for money this winter.

If you have an EH postcode, you will receive a 20 per cent discount on all shows, rides and events. There will also be special family prices available for most attractions – which Edinburgh residents can get on top of their 20% discount -plus new family attractions in East Princes Street Gardens for between ÂŁ1 and ÂŁ4.

The desire to offer value has been achieved without any compromise on quality – with the Starflyer, Big Wheel and Paradiso Spiegeltent all returning along with an expanded Santa Land and, the community opening event, Light Night on George Street.

You can find out more about the programme and tickets at Underbelly’s Edinburgh’s Christmas website, through Facebook (facebook/edinburghschristmas) and Twitter (@EdXmas).

Programme highlights include:

  • Light Night on George Street returning on 23 November with 60 school and community groups confirmed to perform on a series of stages up and down George Street to the theme of ‘Christmas Songs and Carols’. Last year, over 26,000 people took to the streets to enjoy this community event
  • A truly unique ice rink in St Andrew Square around the Melville Monument
  • The Paradiso Speigletent returns with a programme of world class entertainment including Scotch and Soda, the internationally acclaimed circus show direct from sell out runs at the Sydney and Brisbane Festivals, Stickman, comedy superstar Al Murray for 3 nights only and Edinburgh’s favourite all male burlesque troupe, Briefs
  • Santa Land in East Princes Street Gardens with the very successful Christmas Tree Maze, Santa Train and Santa’s Grotto, all seen in 2013, joined by a series of affordable family attractions priced between ÂŁ1 and ÂŁ4
  • Other attractions in East Princes Street Gardens include the Big Wheel, the Star Flyer, the Ice Rink on the East Princes Street Gardens terrace and the double decker Carousel

Last year (Christomas 2013/14), over 387,000 tickets were sold for Edinburgh’s Christmas and 73 per cent of people from Edinburgh said that Edinburgh’s Christmas was the sole or an important reason to come to Edinburgh that day.

Edinburgh’s Festivals and Events Champion, Councillor Steve Cardownie, said: “Edinburgh is always a special city during winter and this year, the Capital is certainly the place to be to celebrate Christmas.

“Our festive programmes are the envy of the world. The line up this winter with Underbelly will be bring back some of the city’s classic attractions such as Santa Land – which will be bigger than ever before – and the spectacular Light Night on George Street which returns for its second year. Not only will the East Princes Street Gardens ice rink make a return, after receiving well over 30,000 visitors last Christmas, but a new bespoke ice rink in St Andrew Square will be opened for the very first time.

“I am especially pleased that after feedback from Edinburgh residents and a concerted decision to tailor the programme to suit even more local people, this year’s programme offers a big range of free events and a selection of great value attractions from as little as ÂŁ1.

“Our Christmas events provide a great boost to the Edinburgh economy, and this year’s offering is set draw residents and visitors of all ages into the city centre.”

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam of Underbelly said: ”We’re delighted to be presenting Edinburgh’s Christmas for the second year. Last year we re-imagined the event and brought record breaking numbers of people to Edinburgh.

“We’re very excited about this year’s innovations, including the new ice rink in St Andrew Square around the Melville Monument; the expanded Santa Land in Princes Street Gardens with more affordable attractions; and the new family prices and the 20% EH residents’ discount across the board.

“We want this to be a Christmas for all of Edinburgh and we think there’s something for everyone – from Scotch & Soda in the Spiegeltent to our Stained Glass project where 24 Edinburgh primary schools will show off their creations in Princes Street Gardens. Our ambition is to make Edinburgh the best place to spend Christmas, whether you’re a resident or a visitor. It maybe early to say this, but we are wishing Edinburgh a “Happy Christmas”.