Outlined in the Scottish Government’s recent Programme for Government is the Children and Young People (Care) Bill.
This legislation aims to further support The Promise, produced by the Independent Care Review in 2020, and which is Scotland’s pledge to care-experienced children and young people that they will grow up loved, safe, and respected.
As a coalition, along with others, we have been advocating for care-experienced individuals, who often face complex situations alone, to have the right to lifelong, independent advocacy. This will ensure that care-experienced individuals are aware of their rights and can make informed decisions about their lives.
With the Promise Bill now part of the legislative landscape, it is time for this fundamental right, as committed to in The Promise itself five years ago, to be enshrined in law. Too many individuals are currently missing out on the advice and support they desperately need, often when they need it most.
Scotland has an opportunity to lead the way, and the Bill provides the opportunity to deliver action on advocacy.
It’s Maternal Mental Health Week, a time to raise awareness of the importance of mental health during and after pregnancy.
We know that around 1 in 5 women experience mental health problems during pregnancy or within the first year after giving birth, yet nearly half of these cases go undiagnosed or untreated.
These figures highlight the need for greater awareness and access to support for all mothers.
The theme this year is ‘Your voice, your strength’. It’s a reminder of the importance of listening to, and learning from, the experiences of mothers.
Through our programmes, we work with mothers to create safe, inclusive spaces where they can talk openly about what they’re going through and access the support they need.
We’re working to make sure every mother has the opportunity to thrive during this important time in their lives.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) is issuing urgent water safety advice to parents after a survey revealed a misconception that could be playing a role in an increasing number of children drowning.
More than half of parents surveyed (55%) believe they would hear if their child was struggling in water as they think they would thrash about and make a lot of noise.
The water safety charity is warning that child drownings happen quickly and silently. Leaving a child’s side for a moment can be enough time to miss a child quietly slipping under the water.
RLSS UK has launched its spring campaign, ‘Splash Safety at your Pad’, which was created in response to the charity’s Child Drowning Update. The report, which was written in collaboration with the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD), found that across a four-year period, 51 children drowned at home in England – amounting to over one child a month, on average.
The campaign will be running throughout May and is focusing on water safety in outdoor spaces at home, such as paddling pools, ponds, hot tubs and more.
Matt Croxall, Interim Charity Director at RLSS UK, said: “The importance of our campaign was highlighted when we discovered such worrying statistics surrounding parents’ understanding of water safety risks.
“We want to take these misconceptions and educate more families to be aware of the risks, so they can keep their children safe around water at home, particularly as the weather warms up and more people are out enjoying their gardens.
“Our latest campaign, focusing on water safety advice across outdoor spaces, will ensure parents have a greater understanding around the importance of supervising their children when in and around water at home.”
In the last four years, 86% of child drownings occurred when the child was left unsupervised.
As the experts in water safety education, RLSS UK has issued the following advice to ensure that families can enjoy water safely in their outdoor spaces:
Stay together
Young children should always be kept within arm’s reach. Never leave your child unattended or under the supervision of child siblings.
Secure
Almost 90% of parents of under 5s have at least one potential water hazard in their outdoor space at home1. Lock doors and gates to outdoor spaces to prevent unsupervised access.
Prepare
Get any towels, toys, nappies and dry clothing ready to go before children start their water play. This will ensure you won’t need to leave their side.
Avoid distractions…
…such as using a mobile phone when children are playing in or around water. In a group of adults, appoint a ‘water watcher’ to ensure children are supervised at all times.
Empty it out, cover it up
After your children have enjoyed splashing about in their paddling pool, empty the water out straight away to avoid accidents.
In the case of larger pools and hot tubs, ensure that the cover is securely replaced immediately after use to prevent children from accidentally falling in.
Tidy
When you’ve finished playing, it’s best to totally clear up your space – turn off the hosepipe at the tap to block access.
Clear away or turn over paddling pools and any other water containers, like buckets, as these can unexpectedly fill up with water if it rains.
For more helpful advice and tips for staying splash safe at home, including bath time visit the campaign pages on the RLSS UK website: www.rlss.org.uk/splash-safety
In a first-of-its-kind event for the city, over 150 children and young people from Special Schools and mainstream primary and secondary schools took part in The Big Sports Day.
The event was held at the Saughton Athletics Track and invoilved children and young people with with a physical disability learn,ing difficulty or autism.
Organised by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Active Schools team and Youth Work Development Workers based at Gorgie Mills school, children and young people took part in a range of sports, facilitated by a range of trusted providers, including: football, frame running, cycling, tennis, karate, rugby, archery, cricket and lots more.
Groups of pupils rotated around three or four specific activity stations catering to their individual needs and abilities. Edinburgh College students volunteered their support on the day.
The event was partly funded through the Edinburgh 900 fund with a one -off amount secured to run The Big Sports Day event.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener, said: “It is truly fantastic to see that this community event was attended by so many learners from across the city and to hear that a great time was had by all!
“Having fun through sport and keeping active is an important part of the curriculum across all Edinburgh schools and it’s brilliant that learners had the chance to try out a range of different sports.”
Teen Triple P is a positive parenting programme suitable for parents, carers and grandparents of pre-teen and teenage children. Teen Triple P can help parents and carers to:
cope positively with some of the common issues associated with raising a teenage
build stronger relationship with their teenager
resolve conflict in the family, manage problem behaviour and help keep their teen stay safe.
We welcome applications directly from parents and carers or someone can apply on their behalf.
CLASSIC FAMILY TITLES IN 4DX: MOANA, PADDINGTON & HARRY POTTER
ONE-DAY EVENT TO BE HELD ACROSS ALL 4DX CINEMAS NATIONWIDE
Get ready for a family adventure like no other! Cineworld is excited to launch its first-ever 4DX Family Day on Sunday 18 May at all 34 Cineworld 4DX screens nationwide – with tickets available now for just £4/€4 (online, including booking fee).
Available only at Cineworld, 4DX is a thrilling multisensory experience, featuring motion-synchronised seats, gusts of wind, sprays of water, aromatic scents, bubbles, fog and strobe lighting, bringing every scene to life in the comfort of your seat. For one day only, families across the UK and Ireland can dive into some of the most beloved family classics in an entirely new way.
Film line-up for 4DX Family Day:
Moana (2016) – 10:00am
Paddington (2014) – 12:30pm
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) – 2:45pm
For the first time ever, Moana and Paddington will be brought to life in 4DX – with ocean sprays, tilting seats and sea breezes pulling you into Moana’s voyage, and bursts of air, playful splashes and sweet peach aromas capturing Paddington’s every marmalade mishap. Plus, the magic of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will sweep through the auditorium with swirling winds, rumbling seats and spellbinding effects like fog, bubbles and snow.
Adding even more magic to the day, participating cinemas will also host a range of family-friendly activities in the foyer, including bubble-blowing fun and temporary 4DX tattoo stations – perfect for young adventurers. All adults must be accompanied by a child – young explorers lead the way!
Casey Cohen, VP of International Marketing at Cineworld, said: “We are thrilled to launch our first-ever 4DX Family Day, where seats move, oceans splash, and marmalade mischief fills the air.
“4DX is hands down, the most fun you can have as a family in a cinema – like a multisensory rollercoaster ride, but with popcorn.
“On Sunday, May 18th, experience Moana, Paddington, and Harry Potter like never before, in 4DX. Get ready for the ride of your life – you’re welcome!”
Tickets for 4DX Family Day are available now via theCineworld websiteand Cineworld app.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is sharing new posters which can be downloaded and shared by stakeholders to promote button battery safety and awareness.
These posters feature top tips that have been developed through collaboration with accident prevention charities, clinicians, manufacturers, online marketplaces and trade associations. 1.
They warn parents about the risks of button batteries and provide 5 top tips to keep children safe:
Look around your home for button batteries. Think toys, lights, remote controls and more.
Check for products with loose backs and button batteries that have dropped out.
Store button batteries in a safe place, up high and out of your child’s reach.
Dispose of used button batteries as soon as you can. They are still unsafe.
Act if you think your child may have swallowed a button battery, go straight to A&E or call an ambulance.
Used button batteries should not be disposed of in the household rubbish. They should be dropped off for recycling at a collection point at a supermarket, or any other big shop that sells over 32 kg of batteries a year.
The button battery top tips were produced by a working group chaired by the Child Accident Prevention Trust with representatives from Amazon, Amdea, Alibaba, British Retail Consortium, British and Irish Portable Battery Association, British Standards Institution, Chartered Trading Standards Institute, eBay, Electrical Safety First, Energizer, Etsy, OPSS and RoSPA and representatives from local authority trading standards services.
Over 34,240 people in Edinburgh get payments for winter 2024/2025
Last winter over 34,240 children and families across the City of Edinburgh enjoyed warmer homes after receiving a total of £2,492,000 towards their heating bills from Social Security Scotland.
Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who get certain low-income benefits, including households with young children, disabled people or older people. It has replaced the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Cold Weather Payment in Scotland.
It is a guaranteed payment that everyone who is eligible receives, no matter what the weather. Cold Weather Payment is only paid if the average temperature falls – or is forecast to fall – to freezing or below for a full week.
Child Winter Heating Payment was introduced by the Scottish Government in November 2020 and is only available in Scotland. It is paid once a year to children and young people if they are under 19 years old and get certain benefits.
A total of 31,745 Winter Heating Payments, worth £1,865,000 were made for 2024/2025, along with 2,495 Child Winter Heating Payments, worth £627,000.
The figures, taken from statistics released on Tuesday 29 April, also show that 95% of Winter Heating Payments were made by December 2024 and 93% of Child Winter Heating Payments were made by October 2024.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:“We have issued over 505,100 payments to families on low incomes, and those supporting children or young people with a disability, to help with the cost of heating their homes.
“Many people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and higher energy bills. The importance of these payments was brought home to everyone this month with the Energy Price Cap rising by 6.4%. Ofgem estimates that this will add £9.25 a month to the typical household’s energy bill.
“This year we will also be providing extra support to pensioners. While the DWP’s Winter Fuel Payment will only be available to some pensioners, Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide money to every pensioner household in the country. The Scottish Government will continue to protect pensioners and people on low incomes in Scotland.”
The information for Winter Heating Payments comes from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). The last of four data files was received from the DWP in late March 2025.
Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who were getting any of these benefits during the qualifying week:
Universal Credit
Pension Credit
Income Support
Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
Support for Mortgage Interest
Some restrictions apply for some of these benefits. For example, for those qualifying through Income Support may also have to have a child under 5, a disability premium or a pensioner premium.
Children and young people in Scotland can get Child Winter Heating Payment if they are under 19 years old and get one of the following qualifying benefits:
highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children
enhanced rate of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
They must be getting this on at least one day in the week starting with the third Monday of September (called the ‘qualifying week’). In 2024, this was Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September.
The qualifying week for Winter Heating Payment was Monday 4 November 2024 to Sunday 10 November 2024.
We will introduce a universal Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in winter 2025/2026 for all pensioner households in Scotland. This universal payment will provide much needed support not available anywhere else in the UK and will support older people across Scotland as we had always intended to do before the UK Government’s decision to cut the payment.
From winter 2025/26, pensioners in Scotland in receipt of a relevant qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, and who will receive payments of £200 or £300 this winter, depending on their age, will continue to receive those payments automatically.
Additionally, we will introduce universal payments of £100 to every other pensioner household.
The team at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Dunfermline hosted an Easter-themed family fun day for employees and their families.
Amazon employees, along with their friends and families, gathered at Pittencrief Park for an Easter themed afternoon featuring an egg hunt, themed activities and chocolate giveaways.
Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, said: “We all had such a great afternoon, and it was fantastic to see so many colleagues enjoying time with their friends and families to celebrate Easter.
“I’d like to thank our team and their families for coming along and making it a brilliant day.”
Natasha Blyth, who works at Amazon in Dunfermline, added: “It was great to bring my family along to the park and have a great time hunting for Easter eggs.
“We had a fun-filled time celebrating Easter – thank you, Amazon!”
Scotland can speed up progress to keep its promise to care-experienced children by addressing the unequal provision of “family group decision making” according to authors of a new report from Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity.
Family Group Decision Making in Scotland found that while a majority of professionals who offer these services (60%) identified improving outcomes for children, including keeping children out of care, as a key strength, a third of local authorities have no family group decision making provision. Where services are in place provision is patchy, with an average of only two family group decision making coordinator posts per local authority.
Children First’s research included an online survey of children’s services professionals across Scotland, a review of how family group decision making fits with Scottish law and policy and learning from other countries about the impact of the approach. The research identifies a strong commitment from a range of professionals to family group decision making but says the impact for children is limited by an unclear legislative and policy framework and a lack of sustainable funding.
Earlier this year, the Promise Oversight Board warned that the Scottish Government’s ambition to make sure care-experienced children and young people grow up loved, safe and respected by 2030 is at risk of being missed.
At the time, the Oversight Board called for family group decision making to be consistently available across the country, saying: “there is a need to ensure it is available to everyone who would benefit from it wherever they live in Scotland, and that it is sustainably funded.”
Linda Jardine, Director of Children and Families at Children First, said: “If, for any reason, you were unable to care for your own children, you would want them to have the opportunity to be cared for safely by loving members of your wider family or a close friend. Yet too many children in Scotland are still going into care without that chance being fully explored through family group decision making.
“Our research shows there is a clear place for family group decision making within Scotland’s care and protection system and a strong commitment from a range of professionals to helping children and families benefit from it. But weaknesses in legislation, policy and funding arrangements create barriers which stop children that need family group decision making from accessing it. With the clock ticking closer to 2030 it’s time to seize this untapped opportunity to make faster progress towards keeping the Promise.
“The forthcoming Promise Bill is a key vehicle for the Scottish Government to clarify the place of family group decision making in legislation by ensuring it is consistently offered before compulsory interventions, such as children’s hearings.”
