Tag: Children and Families

Two million prevented from seeing their grandchildren, survey reveals

Lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt said ‘the system is failing grandparents up and down the country’

MORE than two million people are being prevented from seeing their grandchildren, a new survey reveals.

It found a million have been completely locked out of their lives and 250,000 nans and grandads have never been allowed to see their children’s offspring.

And at least 150,000 have been warned by police to stop attempting to contact their grandkids.

Family lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt, whose firm Lloyd Platt & Co commissioned the survey by Savanta which spoke to 1,000 grandparents, said: “The survey bore out our concerns about the rights of grandchildren to have grandparents in their life.

“The system is failing grandparents up and down the country. It is a scandal.”

The survey also revealed the youngest grandparent in the UK is 32-years-old.

Savanta also found it is either the grandparents’ son’s wife or partner stopping access, with 40% responding with that reason.

And a personal disagreement was the main cause, 32%, behind being locked out.

Campaigners are now demanding a law change and say it could have avoided such tragic deaths as Arthur Labingo-Hughes and Star Hobson who were killed by their parents.

They want an amendment to the Children’s Act 1989 to enshrine in law the child’s right to have a relationship with their grandparents.

One of them, Jasvinder Sanghera, told GB News: “Grandparents are significant in the lives of children, including those at risk. It is clear grandparents raised alarm bells in both cases and I have to ask the question: would it have made a difference if grandparents were given significant status in The Children Act?

“Arthur and Star were let down by the system. And these survey results prove our worst fears.

“Desperate grandparents up and down the country and being refused access to their grandchildren.

“I have an 86-year-old law-abiding grandmother come to me who has been reported to the police for sending presents to their grandchildren. She was interviewed in a police station and told to accept a caution for her behaviour.

“People are getting police knocking at their door after being reported for harassment just for sending a birthday card.

“It is ruining lives and something needs to be done to help these good people.”

Arthur died aged six during the pandemic in 2020 at the hands of his evil father and his girlfriend.

His grandparents had reported fears of abuse to social services but were told by authorities there was no safeguarding issues.

Star was killed aged one by her mother’s girlfriend in the same year.

Suspected abuse was repeatedly reported to social services by her grandparents but cases were closed.

Campaigners calling for the law change say if adults are given “significant people” rights then they have more power to act as a guardian for their grandchildren.

They also blasted the Ministry of Justice over lack of action after then Minister Lucy Frazer QC said in 2018 she would consider a change in the law to establish a “presumption” that grandparents can see their grandchildren after parents split up.

Over one million families claiming tax credits to receive second Cost of Living Payment from 23 November

More than one million claimant families receiving tax credits, and no other means-tested benefits, will get their second Cost of Living Payment from Wednesday 23 November 2022, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed.

This £324 UK Government payment will be paid automatically into most eligible tax credit-only customers’ bank accounts between 23 and 30 November 2022 across the United Kingdom.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, said:

“This second Cost of Living Payment will provide further financial support to eligible tax credit-only claimants across the UK.

“The £324 will be paid automatically into bank accounts, so people don’t need to do anything to receive this extra help.”

The second payment will see more than 8 million households across the UK receive their £324 cost of living cash boost by 30 November and follows the first cost of living payments of £326, which eligible families received from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from July and HMRC from September.

The UK Government recently announced that households receiving DWP benefits will get their second Cost of Living Payment from 8 November continuing through to 23 November. This includes tax credit claimants who also receive other income-related benefits from DWP.

HMRC is making payments shortly after DWP in order to avoid duplicate payments.

This latest payment comes on top of wider UK Government support with the cost of living this autumn and winter, including:

·         the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, already paid to around 6 million disabled people

  • more than 8 million pensioner households who will receive an extra one-off £300 Winter Fuel Payment this year 

This is in addition to an extension to the Household Support Fund, which is providing an extra £421 million for use between October 2022 and March 2023 to help vulnerable people with the essentials. A £150 Council Tax rebate was sent earlier this year to those in Council Tax bands A to D in England, creating at least £1,200 in direct support for millions of households.

A £400 reduction on energy bills is also being given to all domestic electricity customers over the coming months, and the Energy Price Guarantee is protecting households from significant rises in their energy bills this winter.

The UK Government is offering help for households. Customers should check GOV.UK to find out what cost of living support they could be eligible for. 

Additional Information:

  • Cost of living payments were announced in May 2022. Details of the first DWP and HMRC payments were publicised in June, July and August 2022. In October 2022 the DWP announced details of their second payment.
  • The latest payment schedule information, which will be updated on 20 October to show that the second HMRC payments will be made between 23 and 30 November, is available here.
  • Tax credit-only customers, who will receive the second payment between 23 and 30 November 2022, must have received a payment or an annual award of at least £26 of tax credits for any day in the period 26 August 2022 to 25 September 2022, or later found to be entitled to tax credits for this period.
  • For joint claimants, where one claimant receives Working Tax Credit and the other claimant receives Child Tax Credit, payments will be made into the same bank account as the Child Tax Credit. 
  • To be eligible for the second DWP payment, families must have been entitled to a payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) of either:
    • Universal Credit for an assessment period that ended in the period 26 August 2022 to 25 September 2022
    • income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support or Pension Credit for any day in the period 26 August 2022 to 25 September 2022
  • Customers do not need to apply for this payment. If customers are eligible through receiving tax credits only, HMRC will make the Cost of Living Payment automatically into the bank account where claimants already receive their tax credits. Customers might find that their payment is delayed if they have recently closed the bank account their tax credits are usually paid into.
  • If customers have not let HMRC know that their bank account has changed, HMRC will pay the money into their old bank account, meaning the payment will be rejected. If this happens, HMRC will follow this up by letter to the customer, letting them know that we need updated bank details.
  • If tax credit customers believe they are eligible but have not received a payment between the published payment dates, they should wait until 7 December at the earliest to contact HMRC. This is to allow time for their bank, building society or credit union to process the payment. We won’t be able to provide customers with any further information before this date.
  • More than 8 million families on means-tested benefits will receive up to £650 this year, made in two payments. This includes all families entitled to a payment of the following benefits: Universal Credit, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Pension Credit.
  • This payment is tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.
  • These payments are being delivered in two slightly different amounts of £326 and £324. The distinct value relates to a specific qualifying period, so it is simpler to determine if a payee received the correct payments, reducing the fraud risk of people who claim not to have had one of the specific two payments, as HMRC and DWP will be able to clearly track those who have.
  • Beware of scams targeting cost of living payments. If someone contacts you about cost of living payments saying they are from HMRC, it might be a scam.
  • You don’t need to apply for this payment. HMRC will never ask for your bank details by SMS or email. Don’t let yourself be rushed. Check advice on spotting scams by visiting GOV.UK and searching ‘phishing and scams’. You can find phone numbers, and other ways to contact us, on GOV.UK – search ‘Contact HMRC’ and choose ‘tax credits’.

First-ever Elf Toddle Walk at The Centre, Livingston for children’s charity, CHAS

The Centre, Livingston is appealing for little ones to join them in its first-ever Elf Toddle Walk on Sunday, 6th November at 9am to take part in a one-mile walk around the mall and raise funds for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, CHAS, which provides the country’s only hospice services for children and young people with life-shortening conditions.

Little ones and their adults are being encouraged to dress up in their favourite festive attire and join a team of Santa’s elves on a one-mile lap of the shopping centre, which has easy access for buggies.

Go Radio Breakfast Show Presenter Crofty will be there on the day alongside Go Radio Dance’s Zoe Kelly playing all the big Christmas tunes and taking part in the countdown warm-up to help get the little ones off to a great start.

Along the way children will encounter some special Christmas surprises and treats and on completion will be awarded with a commemorative medal for taking part at the ‘Selfie Elfie’ zone.

Entry is £5 per child with admission fees at https://bit.ly/TheCentreEventbriteLink.  

Once registered, a personal walk number and elf hat can be collected from the Customer Service Desk at The Centre, Livingston between the 31st October and 5th November, with proof of ticket, to enable participants to take part on the day.

Parents can either pick up sponsor forms in advance at the Customer Service Desk, download them from the website, www.thecentrelivingston.com or bring their own. All sponsored donations will go to charity. Full details are on the website

 www.thecentrelivingston.com.

Hayley Smith, Community Fundraiser at CHAS, said: “We are so incredibly grateful to The Centre, Livingston for choosing to support CHAS through their Elf Toddle Walk.

“The funds raised will not only help us to provide care for children but also to help families make wonderful memories together.”

Ashley Bisland, Deputy Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston, said: “We’re really excited to be partnering with the charity CHAS to host our first-ever Elf Toddle Walk around the mall to help raise money for such a great cause.

“It’s a brilliant way to show kids that you can have fun getting a little bit of exercise in whilst helping other people at the same time.”

First-ever early years practitioner graduation at the Assembly Rooms

The nation’s leading nursery group, Busy Bees, started the month with a buzz as Scotland’s first graduation ceremony for early years practitioners was held at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms.

On Saturday 1October the qualification provider, Busy Bees Education and Training, invited 37 practitioners from across Scotland to don their gowns in celebration of achieving their Social Services Children and Young People SVQ 3 and SVQ 4 qualifications.

The ceremony comprised presentations of the graduates in front of their families and loved ones, as well as addresses from Yvonne Smillie, Busy Bees Scotland Managing Director; Cheryl Creaser, Group COO and Marg Randles, Busy Bees Co-Founder.

For some, the occasion was extra special, signifying the first member of their family to have achieved a higher qualification. Among those celebrating was a mother and daughter team from Dunfermline Castle View, Andrina June and Andrina Becky Francis, 58 and 21 respectively, who supported each other throughout their journeys to achieve their SVQ3.

Caroline Black, Childcare Assessor and Trainer at Busy Bees Education and Training Academy, said: “Andrina June was an amazing practitioner and her rapport with the children, staff and parents shone through. During the training programme she gained more confidence in her abilities and technology skills.

“Her daughter, Andrina Becky, was a committed learner from day one, she always used her initiative and was a super role model for other colleagues”, Caroline added.

Many graduates also conquered personal battles while studying for their qualification, with others continuing to provide the highest early years education and care for the children of key workers during the pandemic.

One graduate, 19-year-old Ailey from Edinburgh’s Newhaven centre, felt she didn’t have the confidence to undertake her SVQ3, saying “I didn’t do well at school; I was rubbish at everything!”

Ailey thought there was no chance she could complete a qualification, however, Caroline Black, saw great potential in her. She said: “Ailey was doing so well practically in the nursery, and had super knowledge of the specific needs of the children in her care.

“You wouldn’t believe her transformation! Going from a young girl who needed a boost in confidence to believing she is really good at what she does. She has gained much more experience in a variety of different areas, is now Room Manager of the Baby Room and has now started her SVQ4.”

In July 2022, Busy Bees was named one of the top 100 apprenticeship employers in the UK and since 2001 has offered additional support for those who want to earn early years qualifications. The apprenticeships help their teams across the country reach new heights and give children the best start in life.

Speaking at the event, Marg Randles, who co-founded Busy Bees nurseries nearly 40 years ago, said: “It is fantastic to recognise the achievements of all our graduates, especially in such challenging circumstances over the last two years. For many, this is their first formal qualification, and it means a lot to be able to support them on their learning journey.

“There is something special about seeing early years education as a profession with the opportunity to progress and develop. Many of us within the Busy Bees’ leadership team have followed that journey, and I’d urge anyone with a genuine passion for children to consider it as a profession.”

The graduation event celebrated 37 learners from Busy Bees’ 20 centres across Scotland, including 21 colleagues who achieved SVQ3 qualifications in Social Services (Children and Young People) SCQF Level 7.

A further 16 completed a Leadership qualification at SVQ4 (SCQF Level 9), many of whom have progressed through various roles within the nurseries to take on leadership positions, including becoming Centre Directors.

Busy Bees is currently recruiting for 30 positions for qualified educators and has openings for school and college leavers through its apprenticeship scheme who want to join and learn on the job.

To find out more about opportunities at Busy Bees in Scotland, please visit:

www.busybeeschildcare.co.uk/working-at-busy-bees.

LIFT’s Haunted House

This year we are doing something a little different, we are hosting our own Haunted House!

This even will run over the course of two nights, Thursday 27th and Friday 28th October! The event will start at 5pm but spaces will be limited!

If you would like to come along it is £2 per family, all kids must be accompanied by an adult! Feel free to get the kids all dressed up

Firework Safety: Be Safe. Be Kind. Be Smart.

Help us keep children safe this Bonfire Night. We are encouraging parents, carers and teachers to help us educate children on firework safety.

Did you know Scottish SPCA has lots of helpful advice, games and videos for children to watch.

Visit https://www.scottishspca.org/firework-safety to find out more.

#OpCrackle
#FireworkSafety