Our new programme for the term ahead starting 21st August 2023
Swimming sessions start on the 31st August & 1st September, there are no swimming sessions until then!
Our summer programme is still happening until Tuesday 15th August.
We will be asking for new consent forms for the new term.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
MYDG team
Do you have a little one(s) aged 6 months – 3 years? Would you like to learn more about encouraging positive behaviours around food in a safe and supportive environment?
Why not join Sally and Jules this Wednesday from 10am-11am Pilton Community Health Project , we’d love to welcome you and your wee one(s).
Booking is essential and these sessions run each week for a total of 4 weeks. Please register using the link below or by contacting us via email (details on poster).
Link: https://forms.office.com/e/PnCrjDLJLA
Hope to see you soon!
Stepping Stones North Edinburgh
Support for parents who have had children taken into care will continue through a £435,000 award, delivered through the Corra Foundation,
Many of the parents have dealt with multiple traumatic life events, such as childhood trauma, substance misuse, mental health issues, or experience of domestic abuse.
The group helps those who see their mental health decline following the loss of their children, helping empower parents to take control of their lives, develop new skills and build their self-confidence.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto met Corra Foundation staff to hear how the funding awards to councils and charities is improving the lives of birth parents.
Ms Minto said: “Taking a child into care should only be done in the best interests of the wellbeing of that child. It is a hugely traumatic experience that impacts on the whole family, and doesn’t just stop.
“Sadly birth parents have been left with little support leaving them isolated having to deal with the situation alone often when they are at their lowest point. However, much evidence and positive outcomes have been gathered by those working with birth parents in this project.
“Our previous funding supported services that users called life changing and I am pleased we can continue this and show our appreciation for NHS Grampian, the Corra Foundation and all the groups they work with and the parents they support.”
Carolyn Sawers, CEO of the Corra Foundation said: “Corra Foundation are delighted to be able to continue to support this vital work.
These projects are a wonderful example of the importance of relational ways of working.”
Online4Baby.com and Silver Cross have beaten bigger high street names to be voted the best baby retailers by shoppers, according to new Which? research.
The consumer champion surveyed more than 3,000 people about their experiences using shops that sell a range of baby products. The retailers were rated for customer score as well as product quality, value for money and staff helpfulness and knowledge.
According to Which?’s research, three-quarters (74%) of shoppers made their most recent baby-equipment purchase online. Buying the big items for a new baby used to mean being shown the ropes by a knowledgeable salesperson at a bricks and mortar shop, but these retailers have been disappearing from the high street and the Covid pandemic appears to have cemented the shift to online shopping.
Oldham-based Online4Baby and Silver Cross each received a customer score of 81 per cent, higher than popular high-street retailers including John Lewis and Boots.
Online4Baby received four stars for product quality, value for money and staff knowledge and has been awarded Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) status.
Being awarded a WRP means that not only did a company perform outstandingly in Which?’s survey, but also passed Which?’s stringent behind-the-scenes checks on its terms and conditions and returns policies.
Eight in 10 of Online4Baby’s customers in the survey said they would recommend it to a friend. Shoppers praised its easy-to navigate website, great product range and the cost savings to be had. They also praised its customer services team, saying they were helpful and knowledgeable, offering support seven days a week.
Silver Cross also earned a customer score of 81 per cent, receiving four stars for product quality. However, respondents also said it offered less value for money than some of the other retailers, scoring it three stars.
With a customer score of 80 per cent, Maxi-Cosi was praised for its high-quality products and impressive value for money. The helpfulness and knowledge of staff was, however, rated slightly lower than other top performers.
Towards the top of the table, John Lewis received a customer score of 79 per cent. The retailer was awarded a WRP and given four stars for product quality and staff knowledge, but three stars for value for money. A customer praised the retailer for its “fantastic customer service, good loyalty program and great warranty periods”.
Mamas and Papas was another strong performer which was given WRP status, receiving a customer score of 78 per cent. It scored four stars for its product quality and staff knowledge and three stars for value for money. One person said: “’Easy to order, excellent quality.”
Another high scorer and WRP was Joie Baby. The retailer received a customer score of 76 per cent, scoring four stars across all categories. One customer said the retailer had a straightforward returns policy and that its products were good value for money.
At the bottom of the table was Baby Monitors Direct, which scored two stars for product quality and value for money. With a customer score of 65 per cent, the retailer received three stars for staff helpfulness and knowledge.
One customer described the customer service as “awful”, however another said they were satisfied by product quality and speed of delivery and would recommend the site to others.
The Range received a slightly higher customer score of 67 per cent, being awarded two stars for product quality and staff helpfulness and three stars for value for money.
One person reported: “’We had an issue with the toy and wanted to return it to the store as it was faulty. The company wasn’t very helpful and we had to speak to HQ to resolve the issue.” Despite this, another customer praised The Range for its excellent selection of products and great value items.
Ele Clark, Which? Retail Editor, said: “Most people now buy baby products online rather than going into a physical shop, but our research suggests that mums and dads-to-be still value excellent customer service in addition to good-value and high-quality products.
“It’s great to see several retailers ticking the boxes for their customers, proving to be reliable retailers for a range of must-have baby products.
“However, we would always recommend getting your car seat professionally installed or checked by an expert if you buy it online. If that’s not possible, most brands have detailed installation guides on Youtube which you can follow and pause while you fit yours.”
The UK Government has ordered an independent inquiry into the circumstances behind the horrific murders and attempted murders of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital, following the guilty verdict in the trial of former neonatal nurse, Lucy Letby.
Launched to ensure vital lessons are learned and to provide answers to the parents and families impacted, the inquiry will investigate the wider circumstances around what happened at the Countess of Chester Hospital, including the handling of concerns and governance. It will also look at what actions were taken by regulators and the wider NHS.
It will ensure the families impacted in this tragic case have the opportunity to engage with the inquiry.
The government is committed to making the NHS one of the safest places in the world to give birth, and every single parent across the country deserves to feel confident that their babies are receiving safe and world-class treatment.
Work continues across England to ensure the highest possible standard of maternity and neonatal care.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “I would like to send my deepest sympathy to all the parents and families impacted by this horrendous case.
“This inquiry will seek to ensure the parents and families impacted get the answers they need. I am determined their voices are heard, and they are involved in shaping the scope of the inquiry should they wish to do so.
“Following on from the work already underway by NHS England, it will help us identify where and how patient safety standards failed to be met and ensure mothers and their partners rightly have faith in our healthcare system.”
After careful consideration, a non-statutory independent inquiry was found to be the most appropriate option, building on the approach taken in other cases. It will focus on lessons that can be learned quickly.
The police have arrangements in place to appropriately support families who have been directly impacted by this awful case, including psychological support and family liaison officers.
The trust is offering as much support as necessary to any current or anticipated users of its neonatal and transitional care services. Senior clinical and nursing staff are also on standby to help and offer advice so families rightly feel supported.
A chair will be appointed, and we will publish the inquiry’s proposed terms of reference – setting out the scope of the work – in due course.
Dr Nigel Scawn, Medical Director, gave a statement to the media in response to the outcome of the trial of Lucy Letby:
‘I speak for the whole Trust when I say how deeply saddened and appalled we are at Lucy Letby’s crimes. We are extremely sorry that these crimes were committed at our hospital and our thoughts continue to be with all the families and loved ones of the babies who came to harm or died. We cannot begin to understand what they have been through.
‘This case has had a profound impact on our patients and our local community and also our staff – who come to work every day determined to provide safe and high-quality care for our patients.
‘Our staff are devastated by what happened and we are committed to ensuring lessons continue to be learnt. We are grateful for the cooperation of our staff, especially those who have maintained the utmost professionalism whilst giving evidence in the trial, sometimes on multiple occasions.
‘We will continue to support them and other staff to ensure they receive the care and support they need.
‘We would like to extend our thanks to Cheshire Police for their extensive investigation and the work they did to bring this case to trial. We’d also like to thank them for the comprehensive support they have provided to all of the families.
‘Since Lucy Letby worked at our hospital, we have made significant changes to our services. I want to provide reassurance that every patient who accesses our services can have confidence in the care they will receive.
‘And, most importantly, our thoughts are with all the families and loved ones at this very difficult time.’
Former Home Secretary Priti Patel says ‘serious questions’ have to be asked of the NHS after nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies.
Speaking to GB News, Ms Patel said: “This is a deeply, deeply, horrible, appalling, abhorrent and traumatic case for those families that have lost their babies. It is a horrible case.
“The one thing I would add though, is that the government has in recent years changed our laws for individuals that are effectively deemed to have been involved in murdering children and harming children. And it’s important that we see those laws put into practice by the courts when it comes to sentencing. So we can’t prejudge anything right now.
“My sympathies are so much with those families. I mean, there are no words really, for what they have endured, the trauma and the heartbreak and I really think we need now to let this follow the full judicial process.
“I’m a member of parliament in mid-Essex. And you know, all MPs represent their constituents when it comes to the NHS, but sadly – and I say this with a very heavy heart – a lot of the complaints that come to us are literally complaints about either access or services, and their own personal experiences.
“It’s heartbreaking, it is absolutely heartbreaking because they want to know the truth. What happened, why did things go wrong? I have no doubt my colleague, the Secretary of State for Health will be following this with a great deal of interest.
“There’ll be all sorts of questions regarding the NHS Trust itself, the governance, what procedures did they follow? And effectively, what lessons will be learned because lessons will have to be learned out of this?
“And personally, I think there has to be greater calls for transparency within large organisations and institutions such as the NHS.”
Tiny Plates will be back on Wednesday mornings from 10am to 11am at Pilton Community Health Project
Suitable for mums (or grans) who live in the area with their little ones, aged 6 months up to 3 years.
We will cover topics such as weaning, introducing first foods or new foods, introducing allergens, and advice on fussy eaters. Little ones will also get the chance to try all sorts of delicious and nutritious foods.
This will be a four-week closed group so booking is essential. We also ask that you can come to all 4 sessions.
• 23rd and 30th August, 6th and 13th September
You can sign up using this link https://forms.office.com/e/HhQBBChNYf
Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor Joan Griffiths, extends a warm welcome to all our young people, families, carers and teaching staff with the start of the new school year today:
Cllr Griffiths said: “It’s that exciting time of the school year as the first day of the new term starts after the summer holidays. For many of our young people this will be their first experience of being in one of our early years settings, Primary One or S1.
“It can be quite daunting having to settle in new surroundings but I know all our amazing staff will do everything they can to make their first day as welcoming as possible.
“I hope everyone had a fantastic summer break and was able to relax and enjoy the holidays. I want to wish everyone a lovely first day back at school and a successful and enjoyable year ahead.”
The back-to-school period can be a stressful time for parents and carers, and the current cost-of-living crisis is only set to add to this stress.
Looking to understand the situation parents face this month, UK affordable footwear retailer, Wynsors, has used the rate of inflation to estimate that families face paying 20% more for school uniform than they did back in 2018.
With that in mind, Wynsors has carried out a new survey of more than 1,000 UK parents to understand exactly how much this increased cost of school uniform is affecting their finances.
The results do not paint a positive picture for households across Edinburgh:
With parents spending an estimated £230.40 on average to buy a full set of new school uniform in 2023, households across Edinburgh are having to make cutbacks elsewhere to afford the cost.
More than 3 in 4 parents in Edinburgh (87%) are spending less on new things for themselves (such as clothing) so they can stretch their household budget to cover the cost of buying new school uniform, the highest when compared with other cities in the UK, and 1 in 4 (26%) only buy school supplies and uniform when discounted to do so.
Adam Foster, Retail Director from Wynsors, comments: “As highlighted by this research, the back-to-school period is often a stressful time, but as the UK’s most affordable family footwear retailer, we want to take the stress out of the shopping experience by making school uniform accessible to all.
“From our low prices to our friendly in-store staff, we pride ourselves on helping parents over the last 50 years to get their kids equipped and ready for school.”
The full study, including more information on parents’ attitudes to school uniform and tips for saving money on the back-to-school shop, can be found on-site here:
More than 3,500 online grooming crimes have been recorded by Police Scotland while children have been waiting for online safety laws, new figures published by the NSPCC reveal today.
Data from Police Scotland shows 593 Communicating Indecently with a Child offences were recorded last year (2022/23).
The new research shows that in Scotland, 1,873 offences took place against primary school children, with under-13s making up more than half of victims.
The new analysis of the scale of child sexual abuse taking place on social media comes ahead of MPs and Lords making final decisions on the Online Safety Bill next month.
The NSPCC first called for social media regulation to protect children from sexual abuse in 2017 and has been campaigning for robust legislation ever since.
The charity said the number of offences is likely to be far higher than those known to police. In response, they are urging politicians on all sides to support the Bill in its final stages and pass this vital legislation.
Aoife (19) from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, was exploited online when she was 15 by an adult male who pretended to be a teenager.
The man convinced her to send him images of herself and blackmailed her with these to control her behaviour. When his demands became increasingly intense and frightening, Aoife plucked up the courage to tell her mum and teachers, who helped them to report it to the police.
Aoife said: “When I found out I’d been talking to an older man I was petrified. I remember it was 3am and I was sitting in my room, just shaking. I felt like I was the only person in the world and started crying.
“I wanted my mum, and while she was just in the room next door I thought I couldn’t tell her because it’s so embarrassing, but all I wanted was a hug from her.”
A draft Online Safety Bill was published over two years ago but regulation was first promised by Government in 2018 following the NSPCC’s call for action and the launch of its Wild West Web campaign.
The charity has been campaigning for strong legislation ever since, working closely with survivors, Government, Parliamentarians, and other civil society groups to ensure it effectively tackles the way social media and gaming sites contribute to child sexual abuse.
The legislation will mean tech companies have a legal duty of care for young users and must assess their products for child abuse risks and put mitigations in place to protect children.
It will give the regulator Ofcom powers to address significant abuse taking place in private messaging and require companies to put safeguards in place to identify and disrupt abuse in end-to-end encrypted environments.
The NSPCC said these measures are vital to effectively protect children from the most insidious abuse and recent polling shows they are backed by more than seven in ten voters.
Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive said: “Today’s research highlights the sheer scale of child abuse happening on social media and the human cost of fundamentally unsafe products.
“The number of offences must serve as a reminder of why the Online Safety Bill is so important and why the ground-breaking protections it will give children are desperately needed.
“We’re pleased the Government has listened and strengthened the legislation so companies must tackle how their sites contribute to child sexual abuse in a tough but proportionate way, including in private messaging.
“It’s now up to tech firms, including those highlighted by these stark figures today, to make sure their current sites and future services do not put children at unacceptable risk of abuse.”
As well as winning the commitment to legislate, the NSPCC has helped shape significant gains for children in the Online Safety Bill as it has passed through Parliament, including:
The NSPCC is still seeking assurances that the legislation will effectively regulate AI and immersive technology and wants an online child safety advocacy body specifically to speak with and for children as part of the day-to-day regulatory regime. They argue that this will help spot emerging risks and fight for the interests and safety of children before tragedies arise.
The charity are asking campaigners to reach out to MPs with personal messages about why they should act to make the online world safer for children and pass a robust Online Safety Bill in the coming weeks.
Now that the schools are starting back, it’s almost time for out Autumn programme to start