Tag: Children and Families

New campaign aims to increase understanding of child sexual and criminal exploitation

A new campaign to help tackle child sexual and criminal exploitation has been launched in Renfrewshire. 

‘Ready to Talk’, which is being delivered by NSPCC Scotland in partnership with community charity I Am Me Scotland and Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee, aims to support children, young people, professionals, parents and carers to have conversations about child sexual exploitation. 

It will also help to increase people’s understanding of the issue, including knowing the signs and where to get support and advice. 

The campaign, designed for young people aged 11 and over, was officially launched at an event on Thursday (2nd October) which was hosted by St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation at St Mirren Park, Paisley. 

The campaign will be touring around schools this month to perform a play ‘It’s Not OK’ which has been written by York St John University with a Renfrewshire focus and contributions from local young people.

It highlights online safety issues including grooming, gaming and sexting, and explores healthy and unhealthy relationships and coping with strong emotions.  

Dr. Matthew McVarish*, a multi-award-winning human rights activist and survivor of childhood sexual abuse, delivered the keynote speech on awareness of child sexual exploitation in the current Scottish and global context. 

Aoife, 21, from South Lanarkshire, an NSPCC Lived Experience Advocate, shared her experience of sexual exploitation at the campaign’s launch yesterday.  

When she was 15, she was exploited by a man who pretended to be a teenager. He asked her to send him images of herself then he blackmailed her with these, threatening to share them with all her friends and family on Facebook, to control her behaviour. 

When his demands became increasingly frightening, Aoife recalled being told at school about the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) and reported the images. Through this, her school and parents supported her to report what happened to the police. The perpetrator was sentenced in 2022 following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). 

Aoife said: “I’d say to young people if this happens to you – it’s not your fault. You are the victim, and you have been taken advantage of. They are to blame, not you. 

“It’s important that you don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed if you’ve shared images of yourself. Support is available, you can even get help to delete images of you that have been posted online.” 

Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns manager, said: “We hope this campaign will help to increase everyone’s understanding of what child sexual exploitation looks like and where they can get support and advice if they experience any of the issues raised. 

“The resources that accompany the ‘It’s Not OK’ play can also be used by parents, carers and professionals to increase their awareness of this issue and to recognise when a young person may be at risk because they are in an unhealthy or exploitative relationship.” 

Mhairi O’Rourke, I Am Me Development Co-ordinator, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the young people who have helped shape the Ready to Talk campaign and the powerful resources that accompany it. Their creativity and insight have been vital in making sure the materials speak directly to their peers. 

“By working closely with parents, carers and professionals, we’ve been able to understand what support they need to have open, honest conversations with young people about exploitation and online safety. Together, we’re helping to build a community that’s informed, empowered and ready to talk.” 

Tam Baillie, chair of Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee, said: “We are proud of our young people and teams being part of this national campaign to increase people’s awareness of child sexual and criminal exploitation.  

“The Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee working with NSPCC and I Am Me Scotland strengthens the partnership approach required to keep our children free from harm.   

“Knowing the signs of abuse and how to report it helps keep children and young people safe and we as a community all have a part to play in being aware and reporting any concerns, no matter how big or small.”  

Schools and professionals will be able to use accompanying resources, which include films, lesson plans and activities. 

Young people looking for support on any of the issues mentioned, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk. Childline is available to all young people until their 19th birthday.  

Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000, or email: help@NSPCC.org.uk 

Domestic Abuse: Tenth anniversary of Disclosure Scheme launch

POLICE Scotland: Today marks ten years the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS) launched.

The scheme provides a formal way of sharing information about a partner’s abusive past, with a potential victim.

The Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS) is a way to find information about whether a person has an abusive past. This information can be used to prevent someone from experiencing domestic abuse in the future.

You can make a DSDAS application if you:

  • think you might be at risk of domestic abuse
  • are worried someone you know might be at risk of domestic abuse

We’ll only make a disclosure after we’ve considered all factors. We’ll assess the threat carefully, and we’ll decide if we need to share information to prevent a person from experiencing domestic abuse.

We may also speak to other agencies to help us make sure a disclosure is the right option.

If you’re making the application on behalf of someone else, we cannot make the disclosure to you. We can only make a disclosure to the person who is at risk to support and help protect them.

The police will act immediately if they think you or someone else needs to be protected from harm.

How to apply:

There are a few ways to apply for a domestic abuse disclosure. You can:

https://orlo.uk/wwe2C DSDAS form

https://orlo.uk/CPBus

NHSGGC partners with ICON to support parents through infant crying

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) has teamed up with national charity ICON to support new and expectant parents with managing the emotional challenges that can arise when their baby cries.

The ICON programme aims to promote mental wellbeing and provide practical strategies to help parents stay calm and cope during difficult moments. Crying is a normal part of infant development, but it can be overwhelming, especially when parents are tired or stressed. It provides resources for both parents and healthcare professionals.

More than 500 NHSGGC staff have been trained on the ICON programme so far, with a plan in place for this to be rolled out further through various healthcare teams, including midwifery teams, family nurses, health visitors and GPs.

The ICON programme is built around a simple, evidence-based message:

  • Infant crying is normal and will stop
  • Comfort methods can sometimes soothe the baby
  • It’s OK to walk away for a few minutes if the baby is safe and the crying feels overwhelming
  • Never shake or hurt a baby

Shaking a baby can cause Abusive Head Trauma (AHT), which may lead to serious brain injury, disability, or even death.

NHSGGC’s Health Visiting and Midwifery Teams are encouraging all parents and carers to visit the ICON website, which offers a range of resources to help identify reasons for crying and manage stress in the moment.

Laura Gordon, NHSGGC Health Visiting Team Leader, said: ““Parents need to be kind to themselves. Having a new baby can be exhausting and it is fully understandable that tiredness mixed in with a crying baby can be overwhelming.

“What is important, is recognising why your baby might be crying, if it is normal, and how you can remain calm while they’re doing so.

‘What is important is accessing the support from your health professional to recognise why your baby may be crying, discussing a realistic plan, which can support you to remain calm and soothe them while they are doing so.

“ICON is an excellent resource for this. The visual of the ‘normal crying curve’ alone can alleviate some of the parents’ concerns. It shows how babies start to cry more often at about two weeks of age. The crying may get more often and last longer during the next few weeks. It will reach a peak at about six to eight weeks, sometimes a little later.

“Every baby is different but after about two to three months, babies start to cry less and less each week. Knowing that provides parents with reassurance.

“Parents can also download resources for later through the NHSGGC Happy Healthy tots app meaning that they can easily refer to information offline and easily find them in the middle of the night!”

ICON is also highlighting that coping with crying is an issue for both men and women. For some men, finding someone to talk to and calming down before handling a baby can be an even bigger challenge. ICON encourages all parents to recognise the importance of asking for help and planning ahead for those difficult moments.

One simple coping strategy is to cut down on stimulation such as turning off screens, dimming lights, and creating a calm environment for both parent and baby. Families are also being urged to use the ICON Crying Plan: a practical tool to remind parents of what helps them personally to stay calm when stress levels rise.

Dr Suzanne Smith, Nurse, Health Visitor and Founder of ICON, said: “Persistent crying can be extremely stressful for any parent. People often say, ‘just calm down’, but in the moment that’s not easy.

“The ICON Crying Plan helps parents think ahead about what works for them – whether that’s stepping outside for fresh air, calling a friend, or taking a few deep breaths – so that when the crying gets overwhelming, they have a strategy ready.

“No parent is alone in this. Support is available through midwives, health visitors, GPs and online resources. Reaching out for help is a positive step for both parents and babies.”

www.iconcope.org/iconweek2025
https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/happy-healthy-tots/

Tesco extends national Fruit & Veg for Schools programme in Edinburgh

More than 500 schools across the UK set to receive free fruit & veg

  • Scheme will give thousands of young people fruit and vegetables every day at school
  • Last academic year (24/25), around 140,000 children were supported with over 10 million portions of fruit & veg

Tesco has announced that its Fruit & Veg for Schools programme, developed in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation, is to be expanded for another year to reach even more schools across the UK.

For the whole of the next academic year (2025/2026), free fruit and veg from local Tesco stores will give children in more than 500 schools a nutritious boost that they might not ordinarily get.

The Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools programme launched in September 2024 as part of the supermarket’s Stronger Starts funding and community support for children. 

The second year of funding will continue to be specifically targeted in areas where the proportion of pupils receiving free school meals is above 50%. The focus on areas with higher free school meal participation is particularly important because data shows that families on lower incomes struggle to afford a healthy diet.  

Only 12% of children aged between 11 and 18 are meeting the five-a-day recommendation and for children taking part in the scheme, Tesco expects to see their overall fruit and veg intake increase by 23%, based on the average five-a-day intakes in school-aged children. 

The schools taking part in the scheme will be able to shop for the fruit and veg the school needs in stores local to their school. 

Most popular fruits in year one, were:

1.  Apples (225,585kg)

2. Bananas (108,602kg)

3. Oranges (92,597kg)

4. Grapes (39,771kg)

5. Strawberries (37,735kg)

Ashwin Prasad, Tesco UK CEO, commented: “Schools have told us what a positive impact the Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools programme has made on their children, so we are delighted we are able to support even more schools in year two.

“The first year of our programme has been a huge success and by expanding it we can ensure that even more young people in some of the most challenged communities in the UK get access to more fruit and veg.”

Astral Blanchard, Head Teacher at Twerton Infant School in Bath, said: “The Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools programme has given our children the opportunity to try so many new fruit and vegetables, while also helping us build healthy eating into a valuable part of our daily routine.

“Snack time is now a calm and enjoyable moment where we read stories, talk about flavours and explore new tastes together in ways we hadn’t before.

“Children are helping to prepare the fruit, trying things they’ve never eaten, and even asking for fruit and vegetables at home. It has been a joy to see their curiosity grow and their enthusiasm for healthy eating thrive.”

Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive of the British Nutrition Foundation, said: “Tesco’s Fruit & Veg for Schools programme has helped to improve the diets of our young people by helping them get more of their five a day, try new varieties and develop healthy habits that we hope will stay with them through life.

“We’re delighted to see the programme expanded to provide daily fruit and vegetables to even more children who might not normally be able to access them.”

Strange Town presents HER – a play all parents should see

Leith-based charity Strange Town returns this October with their acclaimed play ‘HER’ a bold and urgent performance about consent, gender inequality, and the pressures young people face today.

Established in 2008 by Steve Small and Ruth Hollyman, Strange Town has spent 17 years creating life-changing arts experiences for young people across Edinburgh.

Long before the groundbreaking series Adolescence hit screens, Strange Town was already producing daring, original theatre in schools, giving pupils their first-ever experience of live performance while opening conversations about difficult topics such as knife crime, mental health, and social pressures.

HER, written by Jennifer Adam and directed by Steve Small, follows HIM and HER, childhood friends who have grown apart by the age of 17.

Loosely reconnecting at high school, they confront the challenges of teenage life, gender inequality, and the truth about consent. Through bold, honest storytelling, the play asks: how can you be the change you want to see in the world when it feels like the world is working against you?

‘This is such an important play — all parents, grandparents, and really anyone who wants to understand the challenges young people face today needs to see it, urgently. Our young people are navigating a world that many older people are completely unaware of and unprepared for.

‘Watching this performance helped me start conversations at home that I wouldn’t have known how to begin, and I am incredibly grateful for that.” — Audience Member

Open to audiences aged 14+, HER runs for two nights: Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd October at 7pm at the Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh EH1 2ED

Times: 7pm (approx. 50 minutes)

Tickets: £15/£12/£10 https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/her-autumn-25

Strange Town has been hit by the well publicised funding cuts imposed by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB), leaving the future of its Touring Company — which brings bold, original theatre into schools across the city — under threat.

The charity depends on fundraising to sustain accessible arts opportunities for young people who might otherwise miss out.

Local people and businesses who want to help protect this vital work are encouraged to donate online or get in touch to explore other ways of support.   

https://strangetown.org.uk/about-us/donations-info-page/.

Children First call for national roll out of life-saving family support alternative to CAMHS

Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity, is calling for investment in a national rollout of a ‘life-saving’ approach to improve children’s mental health. The call comes following the publication of an independent evaluation showing that the charity’s family wellbeing model has reduced repeat child mental health visits to GPs by more than 86%.

The evaluation of the Children First family wellbeing service, by Iconic Consulting, found that it has made a “significant difference for children, families and the overall support system” and strongly supports its replication across Scotland.
The call has been backed by young people, their families and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).

Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First, said: “Despite good intentions and a continued spotlight on children’s mental health, many children and young people in Scotland are still suffering for far too long before help is available.

“Not every child referred to CAMHS has a clinical condition, many are overwhelmed by the pressures of growing up today. The challenges they face have never been higher and the expectations on them are greater than ever.

“The evaluation of the Children First family wellbeing service shows that supporting children and their families to understand and tackle what’s causing their distress rather than just treating their symptoms can save lives.”

Between June 2019 and September 2024, 723 families were referred to the family wellbeing service in East Renfrewshire. It was developed with funding from the Robertson Trust, which aimed to support charities and the public sector to innovate and put more resources towards prevention.

Key findings from the independent evaluation of the service include:

  • Improved mental health for children, young people and their parents.
  • Strengthened family relationships and communication.
  • Better support for neurodivergent children and young people.
  • Increased engagement by children with education.
  • Reduced pressure on GP services and CAMHS.

While CAMHS waiting times remain lengthy, 90% of children referred to the family wellbeing service began getting support within two weeks over a three-year funding period.

Eighteen-year-old Lily started getting support from the Children First family wellbeing service three years ago. She said: “When I met Children First I couldn’t go to school. My anxiety was constant. I saw danger everywhere and reason to fear to everything. I couldn’t cross the road because I thought I’d be hit by a car. I couldn’t even answer the door.

“Now I’ve started my dream course at my dream university – I couldn’t have done it without Children First.

“Children First’s family wellbeing service has given me a second chance and set me up for the future. Every child who needs it should be able to get support from the family wellbeing service. It is absolutely, genuinely life changing.”

Helen, a parent, interviewed for the evaluation said: “If it wasn’t for Children First I don’t think me or my son would be here. He was feeling suicidal. It is a lot better now.”

Despite its success and the best efforts of partners, funding for the Children First family wellbeing service in East Renfrewshire is precarious.

The Scotland-wide pressure on public finances has resulted in a reduction in funding from £670,000 annually to just £320,000 in 2024/25.

Staff have had to be reduced, resulting in a drop in referrals from between 12 and 14 to less than three per month.

Mary Glasgow said: ““Children urgently need this model to be rolled out, with long-term, sustainable funding across Scotland direct to the third sector. The family wellbeing service is a clear example of how Scotland can deliver on its promise to prevent problems before they escalate.

“With public finances contracting, we need to make sure that CAMHS is available quickly for children with acute mental health needs and that other children who would benefit from an alternative, such as the Children First family wellbeing service, get rapid support to avoid more serious and costly interventions later.

“It eases pressure on the NHS and most importantly, it helps children recover and thrive.”

The call has been backed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). Dr Mairi Stark, RCPCH officer for Scotland said: “Every child deserves the highest standard of physical and mental health. That means ensuring they receive the right support, at the right time.

“Scotland is facing a mental health crisis, with childhood mental health problems becoming increasingly common. There is a real need for greater investment in community services to tackle the unmet need and prioritise the wellbeing of our children and young people.

“RCPCH Scotland has long called for the expansion and sustained investment in community-based mental health services, and I welcome this pilot service developed by Children First.

“The Scottish Government must not only act on the evidence of the independent evaluation, but it must also listen to the voices of children and families who have benefited from Children First’s Family Wellbeing Service.

“Their experiences are compelling evidence of what works and should help shape the future of mental health support for children and young people in Scotland.”

Children First unveiled its manifesto for the 2026 Holyrood elections earlier this week, urging the next Scottish Government to take action to tackle the national childhood emergency, protect children and safeguard childhood.

Find out more here:

https://www.childrenfirst.org.uk/media/4r3p44uh/manifesto-2025.pdf

Aldi invites children in Edinburgh to get creative for Recycle Week

To mark Recycle Week (22nd – 28th September), Aldi is calling on children in Edinburgh & The Lothians to get creative by designing a poster to inspire people to recycle.

Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket is inviting children aged 5–14 to submit their designs for the chance to see them showcased on Aldi’s digital screens in stores nationwide.

Three winning designs – one from England, one from Scotland and one from Wales – will be chosen by a panel of Aldi’s sustainability experts and displayed in their local store.

The competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing drive to support sustainable shopping behaviours, including reducing single-use plastic and increasing recycled content in packaging.

Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi, said: “At Aldi, we are always looking for ways to reduce waste and make recycling easier for customers. This competition is a fun way to spark children’s imagination and show that small actions can have a big impact.

“Recycling is something we can all do, but sometimes it takes a spark of creativity to bring the message to life. By asking children to share their own ideas and artwork, we hope to inspire families and communities to think differently about the choices they make every day.”

Entries open Monday 22nd September 2025 and close Friday 31st October 2025. Parents and teachers can submit a copy of children’s designs on A4 paper, alongside the name and age of the entrant, via email to recycleweek@aldi.co.uk.For more information and T&Cs, visit: LINK.