Children and Families – Page 30 – The NEN

Free children’s book launched for families living with multiple sclerosis

Edinburgh parents helped develop the book, which supports adults to discuss MS with their children

A free children’s book aimed at supporting families to discuss multiple sclerosis (MS) has been launched by the UK’s leading charity for people affected by the condition.

The MS Society’s ‘What is MS to me?’ book features Tingo, a nerve cell, who helps young children understand MS with kindness, curiosity, and play.

The national charity created the book alongside a group of people living with MS and healthcare professionals including Dr Alison Thomson from Queen Mary University of London. Playful illustrations are provided by Margie Sturton.

There are around 150,000 people living with MS in the UK, more than 17,000 of whom live in Scotland, and 135 people are diagnosed each week. Many of these will have children or go on to have children in the future.

The MS Society found that outside of medical outreach programmes like Digesting Science, there’s was little available for children in the UK to help them understand and accept an MS diagnosis in their family.

Tingo guides readers through what they know about MS and encourages them to ask questions and make notes and drawings. A limited-edition Tingo toy was given away with some of the first books sold after its launch on Monday 28 July. The Tingo soft toy is a safe haven for children to return to during conversations about MS. Readers can pick Tingo up and keep them close for comfort and reassurance.

Robert Oldham, 45, from Greenbank, Edinburgh, was diagnosed with MS in 2005. He was part of the group of people who helped create ‘What is MS to me?’

Robert says: “As the father of three kids I know how important it is to explain MS to children in a simple, non-scary way so that is why I wanted to help create something that fitted this.

“I’ve had MS for 20 years and our eldest is 15, so all the children have grown up knowing that daddy has MS, but that’s just a badge. They don’t necessarily understand what that means. They know that I get tired, and can’t walk that far so being kids, they just accept that.

“The book has been great for my youngest who’s nine. We read it together and then I ask her if she has any questions she wants to ask. She loves to read and found the book engaging and helpful.”

Sian McSorley, 57, from Corstorphine, Edinburgh, was also involved in the production of the new book. She was diagnosed with MS in 2017 and her symptoms include fatigue, pain and cognition issues.

She says: “From my own experience I wasn’t sure how to explain MS to my daughter without frightening the life out of her. I couldn’t find anything that could help me with that.

“Being part of the group was a great opportunity to get Cara-Maria involved too. She was able to help with the information and designs, and it really helped to normalise MS for her a little.

“We talk about MS quite top level, that it’s something that makes me tired and she accepts that. But this book will be great to explain what else can happen in MS. It’s great that we can also share this resource with other people.”

The MS Society is the UK’s leading charity for people affected by MS. For 70 years it has been at the forefront of support, research, and campaigning to improve the lives of people with MS.

Gavin Atkins, Executive Director of Services and Support at MS Society, says: “We worked with an amazing group of people living with MS to create this book. We found that there was a need for families experiencing MS to have something tactile to help explain and explore the condition.

“Most people are diagnosed with MS in their 30s or 40s and many of those will already have children or be thinking about starting a family.

“We’re proud to have created this free resource to help adults have what can be difficult conversations with the children in their life. We hope this book and Tingo will be something families can come back to time and again to learn more about MS and make it easier to talk about.”

What is MS to Me (1)Download

You can order your free copy of ‘What is MS to me?’ at :

www.mssociety.org.uk/tingo

Sport Could Be Their New Big Thing

Edinburgh Leisure Launches Citywide Coaching Campaign to Kickstart the New School Term

With just 59% of school-aged children meeting the recommended daily levels of physical activity, the start of the new school term is the perfect time to get kids moving. Edinburgh Leisure is encouraging families to help their children discover their next big passion through sport by signing up for one of its fun and engaging coaching courses.

With a spotlight on three exciting sports – Diving, Climbing, and Tennis – the campaign encourages children aged P1 and up to try something new, build skills, and have fun in a supportive, expert-led environment.

Whether they’re scaling new heights, making a splash, or smashing their first serve, there’s something for everyone.

Angela McCowan, Sports Development Manager at Edinburgh Leisure said: “We want to encourage parents to give their children a new exciting hobby to look forward to this term and sport could be their next big thing. As the leading provider of sports and leisure facilities, we have a wide range of coaching opportunities available across our venues for all abilities.

“Sports coaching offers so much more than just learning the game or skill – it helps children build confidence, develop strong listening and communication skills, and stay active in line with recommended exercise levels. It’s about nurturing life skills through movement, teamwork, and fun – giving every child the chance to grow both on and off the court, pitch, or pool.”

It is recommended that children and young people aged 5-18 years should aim for at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity daily, with some of this activity being bone and muscle strengthening.

Preschoolers, aged 3-5 years, should be active throughout the day, with at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity.

In Scotland, it is estimated that approximately 69-71% of children aged 5-15 meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity, including school-based activities. When excluding school-based activities, this figure drops to about 59%. There’s a notable age-related decline, with younger children (5-7 years old) being more active (around 80%) than older teens (13-15 years old) (around 60%).

Why Join?

Fun and friendly coaching for all abilities
Expert instructors to guide every step
A great way to stay active, make friends, and build confidence
Flexible options across the city

Parents and guardians are encouraged to visit:

https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/coaching-activities/

to explore available sessions and sign up.

Let this term be the start of something big – because Diving, Climbing, or Tennis could be their next big thing!

HMRC: Make everyday a playday with Tax-Free Childcare

This Playday (6 August), working families are encouraged to sign up for Tax-Free Childcare to save on their childcare bills.
Working families can save up to £2,000 annually when paying for childcare in 75,000 childcare settings across the UK.
Supporting the government’s mission to grow the economy and deliver on the Plan for Change by putting more money in the pockets of working people.

To mark Playday 2025 (6 August), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is encouraging working families to save money by signing up to Tax-Free Childcare and using one of the thousands of facilities accepting it as payment.

Tax-Free Childcare means working families can save up to £2,000 annually for each child up to the age of 11, and £4,000 for a disabled child up to the age of 16, when they’re paying for their childcare.

There are now 75,000 childcare settings accepting Tax-Free Childcare as payment including nurseries, registered childminders, holiday activity clubs and, for when school starts back in September, before and after school clubs.

Playday is an annual celebration of children’s right to play, highlighting the importance of play in their health, wellbeing and development.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “Whether your child is interested in football, climbing, crafting or dance, there’s a huge variety of childcare settings accepting Tax-Free Childcare.

“Children can learn something new and have fun with their friends while their parents save on their childcare bills. Visit GOV.UK to sign up today.”

Families yet to sign up for Tax-Free Childcare can do it now to pay for their summer activities or start paying into it ready for breakfast and after-school clubs when the new term starts.

Once families have opened a Tax-Free Childcare account, they can deposit money and use it straight away or keep it in the account to use it whenever it’s needed. Any unused payments can be withdrawn at any time.

For every £8 deposited in a Tax-Free Childcare account, the government tops it up by £2, which means parents can receive up to £500 (or £1,000 if their child is disabled) every 3 months towards their childcare costs.

Families could be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare if they:  

have a child or children aged 11 or under. They stop being eligible on 1 September after their 11^th birthday. If their child has a disability, they receive up to £4,000 a year until 1 September after their 16^th birthday
the parent and their partner (if they have one) earn, or expect to earn, at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week, on average  
each earn no more than £100,000 per annum  
do not receive Universal Credit or childcare vouchers

Visit GOV.UK to check eligibility and register for Tax-Free Childcare.

Tax-Free Childcare can be used alongside the free childcare hours, subject to eligibility.

Family Fun at Easter Drylaw orchard tomorrow

Fancy a bit of family fun in the Drylaw secret orchard this Wednesday? Come along for a free outdoor activity session with Paul our gardener and Alia our youth worker.

There will be snacks, drinks, craft, gardening, and tree care going on in a relaxed and informal setting within the beautiful orchard on Easter Drylaw Avenue.

Wednesday 6th August

10.30 meet at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

OR: 10.45 meet at East Orchard, between 6 and 8 Easter Drylaw Avenue.

Nature craft and gardening activities. Relaxed and friendly staff.

FREE! Please bring sunhats, water bottles and suncream- it’s going to be warm!

Drumbrae Library Hub: Teddy Bears Picnic this Friday

It’s Monday and we’re really excited to meet all your cuddly toys.

Drop off your soft toy any time this week and come along on Friday to our special Teddy Bears’ Picnic Bookbug session at 2pm, collect your teddy bears, sing some songs and listen to a lovely story.

Storm Floris: Lauriston Castle to close Monday and Tuesday

Due to sustained strong gusts of wind Lauriston Castle, the gardens and Mimi’s will be closed on Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 August.

We will possibly re-open slightly later on Wednesday 6 August to conduct a safety check.

Letters: NSPCC Scotland supporting National Play Day on 6th August

Dear Editor,

We are proud to support National Play Day on Wednesday, August 6, which has the theme of ‘Spaces for Play’, highlighting the vital importance of spaces for children to play and explore.

It’s crucial for young people to spend time connecting with their friends, and children have the right to play, as stated in the UN Convention on Rights of a Child.

However, Play Scotland has revealed startling figures within the School Grounds in Scotland Report.

It says 15 per cent of schools have lost outdoor space in recent years and nearly half of schools consider their grounds as ‘low utility’ for supporting learning, play, and sport.

This Playday we are supporting calls for spaces for play that are welcoming, accessible and inclusive of children and young people of all ages and abilities.

And we are encouraging families, carers and communities to come together through play across the generations.

The NSPCC has a set of fun and evidence-based resources for new parents called Look, Say, Sing, Play, that provide activities to be enjoyed with babies and toddlers to help encourage higher quality interactions and build stronger bonds.

Together we can create a more playful world where all children can grow, thrive and feel a stronger sense of belonging.

Visit www.nspcc.org.uk or search online for NSPCC Look Say Sing Play.

Yours sincerely,

Kirsty Aitken

NSPCC Scotland Assistant Director

Keeping children safe online: Changes to the Online Safety Act explained

How new laws that keep children safe on the internet work

Keeping children safe

The way children experience the internet has fundamentally changed, as new laws under the Online Safety Act have come into force to protect under-18s from harmful online content they shouldn’t ever be seeing. This includes content relating to:

pornography
self-harm
suicide
eating disorder content

Ofcom figures show that children as young as 8 have accessed pornography online, while 16% of teenagers have seen material that stigmatises body types or promotes disordered eating in the last 4 weeks.   

To protect the next generation from the devastating impact of this content, people now have to prove their age to access pornography or this other harmful material on social media and other sites.    

Platforms are required to use secure methods like facial scans, photo ID and credit cards checks to verify the age of their users. This means it will be much harder for under-18s to accidentally or intentionally access harmful content. 

It’s clear in Ofcom’s codes that we expect platforms to ensure that strangers have no way of messaging children. This includes preventing children from receiving DMs from strangers and children should not be recommended any accounts to connect with.  

Data privacy

While people might see more steps to prove their age when signing up or browsing age-restricted content, they won’t be compromising their privacy.    

The measures platforms have to put in place must confirm your age without collecting or storing personal data, unless absolutely necessary. For example, facial estimation tools can estimate your age from an image without saving that image or identifying who you are. Many third-party solutions have the ability to provide platforms with an answer to the question of whether a user is over 18, without sharing any additional data relating to the user’s identity. 

 The government and the regulator, Ofcom, are clear that platforms must use safe, proportionate and secure methods, and any company that misuses personal data or doesn’t protect users could face heavy penalties.

Services must also comply with the UK’s data protection laws. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has set out the main data protection principles that services must take into account in the context of age assurance, including minimising personal data which is collected for these purposes.  

Virtual Private Networks

While Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are legal in the UK, according to this law, platforms have a clear responsibility to prevent children from bypassing safety protections. This includes blocking content that promotes VPNs or other workarounds specifically aimed at young users.   

This means that where platforms deliberately target UK children and promote VPN use, they could face enforcement action, including significant financial penalties.  

The Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA) reports that there has been an additional 5 million age checks on a daily basis as UK-based internet users seek to access sites that are age-restricted.

Legal adult content

Online Safety laws do not ban any legal adult content. Instead, the laws protect children from viewing material that causes real harm in the offline world, devastating young lives and families.   

Under the Act, platforms should not arbitrarily block or remove content and instead must take a risk-based, proportionate approach to child safety duties.

Protecting freedom of speech?

As well as legal duties to keep children safe, the very same law places clear and unequivocal duties on platforms to protect freedom of expression. Failure to meet either obligation can lead to severe penalties, including fines of up to 10% of global revenue or £18 million, whichever is greater.

The Act is not designed to censor political debate and does not require platforms to age gate any content other than those which present the most serious risks to children such as pornography or suicide and self-harm content.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: This marks the most significant step forward in child safety since the internet was created.

“The reality is that most children aren’t actively seeking out harmful, dangerous, or pornographic content – unfortunately it finds them. That’s why we’ve taken decisive action.

“Age verification keeps children safe. Rather than looking for ways around it, let’s help make the internet a safer, more positive space for children – and a better experience for everyone. That’s something we should all aspire to.”

Support for the Online Safety Act

NSPCC Chief Executive, Chris Sherwood: “We regularly hear from children who have suffered sexual and emotional abuse online, or who have been exposed to harmful and dangerous content.

“These experiences can have devastating impacts both immediately and long into the future. While the Online Safety Act can’t erase this pain and anger, it can be a vehicle for significant and lasting change.

“Thanks to this piece of ground-breaking regulation, algorithms are now being redesigned. Age checks are now in place. Harmful material that promotes eating disorders and suicide should no longer proliferate on social media platforms.

“This will – without a doubt – create safer, more age-appropriate online experiences for young users across the UK.”

Barnardo’s CEO, Lynne Perry: “These new protections are an important stepping stone towards making sure that children are safer online.

“They must be robustly enforced.”

Internet Matters: “Today marks an important milestone for children’s online safety […] towards ensuring that online services are designed with children’s safety in mind – from limiting children’s exposure to harmful content to creating age-appropriate experiences. 

“This milestone matters because the risks children face online remain high. Our latest Internet Matters Pulse shows that 3 in 4 children aged 9-17 experience harm online, from exposure to violent content to unwanted contact from strangers.

“With the Codes now enforceable, Ofcom must hold platforms accountable for meeting their obligations under the law.”

The Yard opens Glasgow Play Centre

Three-year funding commitment supports expanded play and family support

THE YARD, A charity that supports disabled children and young people and their families can provide 300 more places throughout the year after opening new premises in Glasgow for the first time.

The dedicated play centre, supported with £500,000 from the Scottish Government, joins existing premises in Edinburgh, Dundee and Fife where The Yard supports disabled children and young people, and their families.

The new facility provides children with a sensory room, play hall and outdoor space, while also providing a meeting room for parents and carers to receive family support.

The Scottish Government funding is part of a £2 million commitment over three years from 2024-25 to support The Yard to grow its services, including tailored support, and expand its spaces for disabled children and young people to play and socialise.

Children and Young People’s Minister Natalie Don-Innes officially opened the new facility and joined a family session as part of The Yard’s school holiday programme.

Photo: Julie Broadfoot Photographer

Ms Don-Innes said: “Working with charities is vital to improving outcomes for disabled children and their families. Our three-year funding will help The Yard to continue to grow and support more families across Scotland.

“This wonderful new facility, backed by £500,000 Scottish Government funding, has allowed the Yard to expand to new premises in Glasgow for the first time. The smiles on the faces of the children and families who rely on The Yard for support show what a difference this service makes to their lives.”

Celine Sinclair, CEO of The Yard said; “We are incredibly proud to launch our new Glasgow service, building on the success of our centres in Edinburgh, Dundee and Fife.

“The Yard team provide exemplary, safe, inclusive spaces where children can play, grow and connect, while families feel supported, empowered and included. We are just thrilled to be in the West of Scotland and would like to thank Scottish Government and our funders for helping us realise this ambition.

“Working alongside our partners in Glasgow, this new service builds on our legacy and expands our reach to meet the needs of families and schools. As we continue developing The Yard into a nationally recognised Centre of Excellence, the opening of our Glasgow centre marks a major step forward in our mission to inspire and to help build meaningful inclusion across the country.”