Tag: Children and Families

Referrals to local authorities about children being left home alone have DOUBLED since last year

  • Last year, the NSPCC’s Helpline made over 230 referrals to a local agency or service in Scotland where concerns about a child being left home alone or unsupervised was mentioned. 
  • This summer holiday, the NSPCC is signposting parents and carers to advice on the charity’s website around leaving children home alone.

The NSPCC Helpline has made twice as many referrals in the last year to local authorities in Scotland about children being left home alone or unsupervised.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, the service, which provides help and advice for adults with concerns about the wellbeing of a child, sent 238 referrals to local authorities in Scotland following contacts about the issue. This is compared to 110 referrals during the previous 12 months.

Last year, the Helpline received 7,802 contacts about the subject from adults from across the UK, compared to 4,717 contacts between 2022 to 2023.

The increase in the number of contacts on this issue to the Helpline and the referrals made could be due to a number of factors, including a recent NSPCC Helpline marketing campaign, increased service capacity and greater public awareness about the risks of leaving children home alone.

More than half of these contacts (51%) on children being left home alone were deemed serious enough for the NSPCC Helpline to make a referral to a local agency or service with a view to further action being taken. 

With schools in Scotland currently closed for the summer holiday, many adults might feel unsure about whether their child is ready to be left unsupervised or have concerns about another child being left alone.

For many parents, July and August can be particularly difficult as they are forced to balance the competing pressures of work and childcare. These challenges are likely to be even more acute this year as the cost-of-living crisis continues, forcing some parents and carers to work increased hours or take part-time jobs.

One adult contacted the Helpline with a concern about their neighbour, saying: “It’s two little girls I’m worried about, they must be about four and six; they’re left home alone quite a lot and that means they’re unsupervised with the family’s dogs.

“I’ve knocked a few times to see if they’re ok and they always say, ‘daddy will be back soon’ but it’s usually hours later when one of the parents comes back.”

There is no legal age limit for leaving children home alone, but the NSPCC would not recommend leaving any child under the age of 12 at home unsupervised, especially for extended periods of time.

A child who expresses concern about being left alone should never be without a parent or carer and for those young people who do feel comfortable, it is vital they are left with contact numbers for a parent, carer or trusted adult. Long periods of being unsupervised can lead to children feeling afraid or neglected.

One young person aged 14 told Childline: “I’m sick of being left on my own, mum expects me to just look after myself.

“There isn’t always food I can cook, I can’t go and see my friends or do anything fun, but she can.”

Should leaving a child alone be the only option for an adult, then the NSPCC’s website has tips for parents to help ensure the young person feels safe, as well as a quiz to assess if a child is ready to be left unsupervised.

Kam Thandi, Head of the NSPCC’s Helpline said: “It can be hard for parents and carers to know the right age to leave their child home alone as every child is different, and the first time being left unsupervised will differ for every family.

“It is vital that both the child and adult feel comfortable with any decision that is taken, and that if a young person is to be left home alone, they know how to contact a trusted adult and what to do in an emergency.

“For anyone who may need advice or is concerned about a child who might be at risk, our Helpline service can support you and the NSPCC website has a range of tips.”

Adults with concerns about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000, emailing help@NSPCC.org.uk or completing our report abuse online form.

Childline is available for young people via the phone on 0800 1111 and online where there is a 121 chat on the Childline website.

You can find more information and advice on leaving children home alone on the NSPCC website.

Go For Gold mini games challenge

EDINBURGH LEISURE – GO FOR GOLD

Tennis fever may be over but as the world hots up for the next big sporting occasion, Paris 2024, Edinburgh Leisure is encouraging kids to go for gold this summer with their own mini-games challenge.

Featuring a variety of kids and family summer activities including AquaDash, Clip n’ Climb, soft play, Come & Try Coaching sessions, Holiday Camp & Coaching programme, racquet sports and more, kids are being encouraged to try as many activities as possible to complete a Game Card, which will be entered into a prize draw for some amazing prizes.

Go for Gold Game cards can be picked up from any participating Edinburgh Leisure venue.  Each game card has a 5 x 5 grid of activities.  Once an activity is completed, children will receive a bespoke gold sticker to fill their card. After completing at least one activity from each column, the finished card can be submitted at any participating venue to enter a prize draw. 

The prize draw will take place during the week commencing 19 August.

*There will be three winners who can choose from a choice of:

  • Soft play membership for one month for up to 2 children
  • Clip ‘n Climb for 2 children or 1 adult and 1 child
  • Aquadash for 2 
  • 1-1 35-minute dive lesson with European Junior Athlete

Angela McGowan, Edinburgh Leisure’s Coaching Programme Manager said: “Few of us will ever be Olympians, but we know that keeping active is good for everyone and our Go For Gold summer mini games is Edinburgh Leisure’s way of encouraging kids to get the active habit in a fun and sociable way during the summer holidays, while encouraging kids to achieve their own medal.”

The Go For Gold promotion will run at most Edinburgh Leisure venues from 15 July – 11 August 2024.

*Terms and conditions apply – check Edinburgh Leisure website for more information. www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/go-for-gold*

Summer Drawing Competition at Drumbrae Library Hub

Do you remember we had an Easter Drawing competition? Well we were so impressed by ALL your eye-catching, creative and imaginative entries that we decided to have a SUMMER DRAWING COMPETITION!

We want to know what summer means to you? Ice cream? Football at the park? Swimming? Movies? Daydreaming in the garden? Trips to the seaside? Sunny sandpits? Waterfights? Fun times with your family and friends? Long walks with the dog?

Looking forward to seeing all your entries pouring in from Monday onwards!

PLEASE ASK FOR YOUR ENTRY SHEET AT THE DESK or bring in your drawing from home but remember to add your name, phone number and age on the back! :0)

Things will only get worse: Why the two-child limit must go

A REPORT BY THE CHILD POVERTY ACTION GROUP

Seven years after the introduction of the two-child limit, there are almost 1.6 million children in 440,000 families affected by the policy. These families are missing out on up to £3,455 a year per child. 

The two-child limit restricts support through universal credit (UC) or child tax credit to the first two children in a family, for children born after 6 April 2017.

Parents having a third or subsequent child after that date are not eligible for support for that child.  

The majority of families affected by the policy are living in poverty, despite 59 per cent of these families having one or both parents in paid work.

Affected families report not being able to provide for children’s basic needs, including food, clothing and heating. The policy also means families struggle to pay for housing and childcare. 

The policy affects every area of children’s lives. Parents report that children’s education, mental health, and learning and development are all negatively affected by the two-child limit.

Children are also missing out on the ‘everyday’ experiences of childhood such as days out with their family, being able to go on holiday, or having the occasional treat such as an ice cream.  

Abolishing the two-child limit is the most cost-effective way to reduce child poverty, and the most urgent action the government must take to reduce child poverty.

It would lift 300,000 children out of poverty and mean 700,000 children are in less deep poverty, making a significant difference to the lives of over a million children at a cost of £1.7 billion.

The two-child limit will continue to drive up poverty as more children are born. Child poverty is already at a record high, with 4.3 million children in poverty in the UK today.

This means in an average classroom of 30, nine children are living in poverty. 

Things_will_only_get_worseDownload

Party Time at PY!

THE GREENHOUSE HOSTS A DAY TO REMEMBER

Over 300 children, parents, and fun-loving family members joined us for an unforgettable Open Day last week (Thursday 4 July). It was a day filled with laughter, joy, and a whole lot of fun!

In collaboration with our fantastic partners at Places for People Scotland, we transformed PY into a wonderland of activities:

From face painting that turned kids into their favourite superheroes, to glitter tattoos that sparkled brighter than the stars, we had it all!

And who could forget the bouncy castles and sumo wrestling? Not to mention the mouth-watering hot dogs, delicious cakes, and sweet treats that had everyone coming back for seconds (and thirds)!

But the fun didn’t stop there! We took creativity to a whole new level with our outdoor painting activity.

The children left their colourful handprints on our newly painted wall, turning it into a vibrant mural that will remind us of this special day for years to come.

A big shout-out to Police Scotland for joining in on the fun! And a massive thank you to everyone who donated prizes for the raffle.

Our event was made even more special with the presence of Fat Brestovci, the charismatic Capital Breakfast Show presenter who supports PYCP. He was there to hand out prizes and his energy was simply contagious!

We couldn’t have pulled off such a successful event without the unwavering support of our funders who have stood by us year after year.

A heartfelt thank you to all our dedicated staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event a hit.

And of course, a huge round of applause for all the families who joined us. You are the reason we host events like this and your participation means the world to us.

From all the PY Team xx

LIFTFEST

17 JULY FROM 12 – 4pm at AT MUIRHOUSE MILLENNIUM CENTRE

Liftfest was the idea of our fab volunteers Tyler, Stacey and Wendy – they organised everything from asking for donations, organising the band, wee singer, DJ, and food donations.

Everything will be priced cheaply and affordable.

There will be table sales in the hall and lots going on outside

We would like to be able to supply the kids with either free cartons of juice or free diluting juice so if any nice person wants to donate cartons of juice or diluting juice and cups we would really appreciate it.

This has al been organised on a very low budget as everyone knows money is tight but the volunteers wanted to have something in Muirhouse for the families, the kids and their community.

Well done everyone involved in planning this day

I’m dreading to see what they have planned for me but whatever it is I’m sure they will all enjoy taking the mick out off the CEO!

Look forward to seeing you all on the 17th July.

Pauline N Bowie MBE

Fettes opens doors to five-year-olds

For the first time in its 154-year history, children aged five will be able to join Fettes College in Edinburgh.

From September 2025, it will be opening a ‘pre-prep’ within its existing prep school, allowing children to join straight from nursery rather than waiting until they are seven.

Parents are being invited to register their interest ahead of an announcement on the full details at the school’s next open day in October.

Charlie Minogue, Headmaster of Fettes Prep, said: “From speaking with families we’re confident that this change is going to be popular. As well as their younger children being able to benefit from a Fettes education, they will also be able to take advantage of flexible wraparound care.

“At present this is available to all day pupils in the Prep School, who are aged 7-13. We know that working parents in particular value the option to drop-off as early as 7.45am and pick up as late as 7pm on some days, while pupils have access to an extraordinary range of activities and can go home, having already had lots of fun with their friends, enjoyed tea, and completed their homework.

“This is part of our bold new ‘Prep for Life’ vision, heralding an exciting step that will enable us to have children with us for longer and prepare them to the fullest possible extent for the next phase of their education.”

With an increasing number of parents and carers returning to the office as working patterns revert to pre-pandemic norms, the school is introducing a morning minibus service from next term. This will initially run from West Edinburgh with additional routes in the pipeline.

Get free soft play membership when you sign up your under 5s for coaching

Encourage your pre-school child to get active from an early age by signing them up for the under 5s coaching at Edinburgh Leisure and you will get one-month’s free soft play membership in August.  The offer also applies to existing soft play members.

The offer is valid for those signing up for under 5s coaching before 30th July 2024 and gives unlimited access to all three of Edinburgh Leisure’s soft play venues across the city at Tumbles at Portobello, Clambers at the Royal Commonwealth Pool or Scrambles at Edinburgh’s International Climbing Arena.

With designated baby, toddler, and junior zones, each soft play ensures fun and adventure for kids and a café for tasty treats and snacks for the adults and children.

Wherever you’re at on the map or in life, Edinburgh Leisure is here to help the people of Edinburgh enjoy a healthier, happier, and more active life. And it’s never too early to start.

And as the largest provider of sport and leisure facilities across the city, Edinburgh Leisure is well-placed to encourage your child to reach their full potential, help them build confidence, learn skills, and meet friends.

From football, tennis, gymnastics, or swimming, you can even mix it up with their Jump into Sport, Gym and Jump or Athletics classes.

To find out more and to sign up for this offer, visit: 

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

Vue venues to celebrate school summer holidays with fantastic family favourites

Family favourites and animated adventures are heading to the big screen this summer holidays in Scotland at Vue in Edinburgh – offering ample opportunity to spend quality time with the family now that the school year has finished.

Almost nine years since its enormously emotional debut warmed hearts and mini minds across the world, Inside Out 2 is now out on the big screen, inviting us back to the wonderful world of Riley’s mind and Emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. Now, as Riley reaches her teenage years, our gang meets a whole new cast of unfamiliar emotions which set them off on another marvellous adventure across the teenager’s mind.

Joining Joy and friends, this summer welcomes Gru and the Minion crew back with Despicable Me 4, which sees our former villain turned family man face off against new nemesis Maxime Le Mal and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina. Expect more Minion mayhem, criminal capers and plenty of laughs when Despicable Me 4arrives at Vue on 12 July

Some recent family favourites are returning to the big screen this summer as part of Vue’s new Mighty Morning screenings which sees Garfield, IF, Kung Fu Panda 4 and Little Monsters back this summer holiday from just £2.49 when tickets are booked online.

As part of Vue’s recently announced family offering, Vue’s Big Shorts will be bringing some favourite children’s characters from television shows and web series back to the big screen, including The Gruffalo’s Child & Zog and the Flying Doctors.

These short and sweets screenings offer a relaxed big screen environment with dimmed lights and reduced sound, tailor-made for younger film fans aged one to four.

Ian Chester, General Manager at Vue Edinburgh Ocean Terminal, said: “We’ve got a great selection of new films and big screen entertainment on show, offering a perfect way to enjoy quality family time while school is out for the summer. 

‘Even better, our Vue Mighty Mornings at 10am, will continue to show the latest kids’ films from just £2.49 a ticket if purchased online and £3.49 in venue. Parents and children can come along, immerse themselves in great stories and switch off.’

Tickets are available, along with more information on Big Shorts and Mighty Mornings, at www.myvue.com/family

PYCP Open Day tomorrow

THURSDAY 4th JULY from 12 – 2.30pm at THE GREENHOUSE

Hi All,

Join us on our Community Open Day tomorrow – Thursday 4th July – with Places for People.

12 Midday to 2.30pm

We are inviting our local community to come along with your children for some fun, treats and special activities!

We won’t have PY Dinners on the day but we will have hot dogs and sweet treats instead.

If your child is under 8 you will need to accompany them.

PY Team.

#BecauseCommunityMatters