Tag: Children and Families

Children’s author shares Talk PANTS message to help keep children safe in Edinburgh

A popular children’s book author took time out of writing recently to read a book to youngsters which aims to spread crucial messages to help keep children safe from abuse.

Bruna De Luca (47), who lives in Melrose in the Scottish Borders, was delighted when the children at the Sighthill library event joined in with all the catchphrases when she read from the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS story which features a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, and her own book ‘I’m Not Cute, I’m Dangerous’.

The Pantosaurus book and animation, which features a fun song, helps children to understand the talk PANTS messages which includes that their body belongs to them, that they have a right to say no, and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried. 

Bruna, mum of two girls aged 10 and seven, said: “As a parent of young children I love how the Talk PANTS book approaches such a tricky topic without introducing fear or ideas that children might worry about.

“It helps parents and carers to talk about this subject in a positive and reassuring way that won’t make their child feel anxious.

“The children really enjoyed hearing these stories and it was lovely to see the delight on their faces when a life-sized Pantosaurus visited too!

“Many of the children already knew the words to the Talk PANTS song and they joined in. They were having so much fun that they didn’t even know they were learning some very important messages at the same time.”

Talk PANTS gives parents, carers and professionals advice on how to have simple, age-appropriate conversations with children to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.

This event was part of the NSPCC’s Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign to help protect young children from sexual abuse which has resulted in approximately 4,110 Talk PANTS conversations with people in the city since it launched last September.

Edinburgh, Talk PANTS is being delivered by NSPCC Scotland, the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and a wide range of partners across the city to spread the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS message.

During the past year, local PANTS professionals have been trained to deliver the campaign messages and resources to other professionals and families across Edinburgh through webinars and workshops.

And several awareness raising events have been held across the city for parents, carers and children, including a fun family day with Pantosaurus at Edinburgh Zoo and family sessions at Edinburgh Book Festival.

Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Manager, said: “We are very grateful to Bruna for supporting this campaign – the children absolutely loved meeting her and listening to her story as well as The Power of PANTS.

“We know that a simple conversation can make a big difference in helping to keep children safe and that’s what Talk PANTS is all about.

“With the help of our fun, loving dino – Pantosaurus – we’ve already reached thousands of people across the city, and we’re looking forward to having more conversations at upcoming events.”

Lillian Cringles, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “We’re extremely pleased that this campaign has already helped thousands of parents, carers and professionals to have such important conversations with children about their bodies and how to stay safe. 

“I’d urge families to look out for other events on our web pages to learn more about the TalkPANTS message.”

There will be a reading of Pantosaurus and the Power of PANTS and a special visit from the friendly dinosaur at Portobello Book Festival on Saturday, 5 October – following bookbug. For more information, visit: EdinburghTalkPANTS

Anyone with concerns about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email: help@NSPCC.org.uk for advice.

Children and young people can contact Childline about anything that may be worrying them by calling 0800 1111 or by visiting: www.childline.org.uk

The NSPCC would like to thank Baker-Ross for their donation of children’s craft packs.

New school uniform guidance published

Reducing the cost of the school day

New national guidance which aims to reduce the cost of school uniforms for families has been published.

Following consultation with schools, families, uniform suppliers, pupils and councils, the new guidance also sets out key considerations to ensure pupil comfort, freedom and happiness.

The guidance, which can be used to form individual school uniform policies, includes advice on encouraging schools to adopt measures that limit costs for families and reduce waste, including limiting the number of items that pupils need and promoting items that can be reused more easily.

The Education Secretary launched the guidance during a visit to Camperdown Primary School in Dundee where she learned about work by pupils to develop a cost of the school day action plan.

Ms Gilruth said: “Every child in Scotland should be able to attend school feeling comfortable, confident, and ready to learn. However, we know the cost can be a significant burden for families and we want to support schools to minimise these costs.

“This new national guidance contains measures for schools to develop and implement their own affordable and sustainable policies that recognise the individual needs of all pupils.

“It makes clear that schools are expected to do all they can to limit school clothing costs for families as part of our wider aim to reduce the cost of the school day. The guidance also encourages schools to develop flexible and inclusive policies which promote generic items of clothing and do not include compulsory branded items, supporting our efforts to be more sustainable.

“Ending child poverty is the central mission of this government and reducing the cost of the school day for families will play a crucial role in this work.”

A spokesperson for Edinburgh School Uniform Bank reacted: “We’re delighted that the government has adopted many of our suggestions around school uniform in their new guidance:

👉 Pupils’ comfort, happiness and freedom to learn and play should be at the centre of considerations about school uniform and clothing, alongside a focus on removing barriers to participation in school education.

👉 Branded items of uniform and blazers should not be compulsory, nor promoted or encouraged by schools.

👉 Schools should avoid including items that need frequent washing or are difficult to wash or dry, and

👉 promote and support arrangements for families to access pre-loved clothing, and

👉 consider the availability of non-standard sizes of uniform, clothing and footwear included within their policies to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their age or build, are able to access comfortable and practical clothing and footwear at a reasonable cost.

School uniform and clothing: Guidance for schools and education authorities

New Muirhouse Library opens next week

We hope you’re as excited as we are for our opening next week!

Here’s what’s on in the new Muirhouse Library (!) next week – we hope to see lots of you there, for Bookbug, kids’ craft sessions after school, and coffee mornings.

See you soon!

RPII Launches Play Safety Week

The leading global body for play equipment safety, the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) launched the UK’s first Play Safety Week yesterday (Monday 9th September).

Play Safety Week has been created to drive awareness and education in play safety at a time when many children will be returning back to school and using school equipment and also utilising play equipment on their walk and return from school.

Play Safety Week has been created for schools, organisations, and families to come together to educate, celebrate, discuss and raise awareness of what play safety really means. This includes attitudes to risk, supervision, and accidents.

It aims to increase fulfilling play opportunities for children by dispelling the most common myths about play safety. It also aims to educate play equipment owners and schools on the importance of the right equipment, inspection and maintenance protocols for play equipment.

Play is a fundamental part of children’s development and is crucial for physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. Through play, children learn essential life skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and communication, which are vital for success later in life. In today’s tech focussed world, play is even more important for children to switch off from the digital world and express themselves freely.

According to the RPII, the top 5 most common myths about play safety are:

  1. Playgrounds should be completely risk-free: In fact, exposure to acceptable levels of risk is vital for child development. 1
  2. You must supervise children at all times to prevent accidents: Children learn more when they are left to explore their boundaries. There is no blanket rule that children must be supervised at all times on play equipment in the UK and adults should assess each situation individually. 2
  3. Adults must intervene when children play on play equipment: According to Play England, children learn to assess and manage risks through unstructured play. Overly cautious supervision or intervention can actually hinder this learning process and also potentially lead to more accidents.3
  4. There should be no accidents on play equipment: Minor accidents are a normal part of play. These experiences help build resilience and confidence, enabling children to face challenges and setbacks in other areas of life.
  5. Safer surfaces prevent all injuries: Some surfaces such as rubber significantly reduce the severity of some injuries, however they do not eliminate all risks. Children can still suffer from fractures and other injuries from falls. 4

David Yearley, Chair of the RPII said: “The Play Safety Week campaign has been created to raise awareness about what play safety is in today’s world. We want to educate parents, teachers and playground owners about how to manage and maintain play equipment and what constitutes ‘safe play’.

“The campaign also celebrates our commitment to safe play for children everywhere. The UK’s playgrounds and play centres meet some of the highest standards of safety and inclusiveness in the world, and we want to keep it that way.

“By working together, we can ensure that our playgrounds remain a source of joy, discovery, and growth for all.”

Liz Cheshire, Operations Director, at the Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: “At RoSPA, we fully support the Play Safety Week campaign. Play is essential for children’s holistic development, and ensuring their safety while encouraging natural risk-taking is a delicate balance.

“This campaign offers vital resources and education that can help schools, parents, and communities create environments where children can play, learn, and grow safely. Together, we can foster a culture of play that prioritises safety without stifling the adventurous spirit of childhood.”

The RPII has created a number of free assets for schools, parents and other organisations to download to help to educate parents, co-workers and playground owners with guidelines for play safety on a range of outdoor, indoor and inflatable equipment.

You can sign up to support and share the campaign directly on the campaign website website www.playsafetyweek.org.

Healthier lunchbox ideas

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK:

Healthy Heart Tip: Healthier lunchbox ideas

With the summer holidays at an end, it’s time to think about what to include in your children’s lunchboxes for the new term.

Less than 2% of packed lunches meet the School Food Standards and often offer a less nutritious option than school meals.

Lunchboxes brought from home often include more processed and ultra-processed foods with higher amounts of salt and sugar than school meals. What you choose to include in your children’s lunchboxes can affect their behaviour, concentration and brain function for the rest of the day.

Here, we show you how to pack a nutritious lunchbox ready for going back to school:

Good protein source

Protein is essential for brain and body growth to help kids feel fuller for longer. Fuelling kids’ lunches with protein is crucial for helping them concentrate until the end of the day and supporting their development.

A great way to add protein is by making tuna, chicken or turkey sandwiches or wraps, adding beans and seeds to the lunchbox and including yoghurts.

Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre, making them a great way to add colour to a lunchbox. This will help your child meet their five-a-day goal and feel energised throughout their school day.

So, why not include some vegetable sticks and hummus, or add salad to sandwiches, wraps or pitas? An easy way to ensure fruit is eaten from a lunchbox is to make it easy to eat, this might mean peeling oranges or chopping fruit into bite-sized pieces. Add a small squeeze of lemon juice over chopped fruit like apple to prevent it from turning brown.

Wholegrains

Wholegrains are a great source of fibre and energy for your child. Wholegrains, along with protein, help keep your child full and give them more energy to concentrate.

Wholemeal bread, wholegrain pasta, crackers or brown rice are some examples of where you can swap white carbohydrates for wholegrain varieties.

Hydration

Hydration is essential for your body and brain to work effectively. By including a drink in your child’s lunchbox, you’re helping to keep their brain functioning and ensuring they have optimal concentration.

Using an appealing reusable water bottle that your child has picked themselves can help encourage them to drink regularly. If it’s a warm day, you could add a small frozen drink to their lunchbox to help keep its contents cool throughout the day and encourage your little one to drink more.

Wrap-around support for families

£1.57m for five new place-based partnerships to tackle child poverty

Innovative approaches to providing families with locally-based wrap-around support will be backed in five more areas as part of £1.57 million of additional investment this financial year.

The Fairer Futures Partnerships will ensure services are integrated to help families where and when they need it. The partnerships will build on the learning from three pathfinder projects in Dundee, Glasgow and Clackmannanshire.

In Dundee and Glasgow these have seen key-workers helping at-risk families and ‘walking alongside’ them until the right services or support have been identified and provided, and changing the way services are offered.

In Clackmannanshire activities have focused on supporting the community around the child, using schools as anchor points for breakfast clubs, after-school childcare, holiday provision, food services, childcare support and transportation to support holistic child development and family wellbeing .

The five new partnerships are in Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, Aberdeen and Perth and Kinross.

Speaking ahead of a debate on Eradicating Child Poverty in the Scottish Parliament, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government’s single greatest priority, but this relies on the contribution of many partners.

“Five additional ‘Fairer Futures’ partnerships within local authorities will now be established.

“We know families will only be able to thrive if they have access to the right support at the right time. Designing services around people’s needs means they work better for low-income families, for example to help maximise their incomes, support parents into work and improve the overall wellbeing of families.

“We want to work together with local government to deliver our shared priorities, which include tackling child poverty, to embed this model of whole family support with the potential for this to continue to be expanded further over time to more parts of the country.” 

Gravity Active launches incredible new deals, just in time for Autumn

Set to launch from September 3rd, Gravity Active is excited to introduce two brand new offers, set to provide families with unforgettable experiences this Autumn. Enjoy both the Family Tickets and Gravity Rocks offers and get ready to make exhilarating memories!

Whether bouncing on trampolines, tackling an obstacle course, or climbing to new heights, Family Tickets offer the perfect opportunity for families to bond and stay active together.

Designed for groups of four, five, or six, these tickets offer families incredible value for money, with tickets starting at just £40.95 for a family of four. Available all day Monday to Thursday, and after 4pm on weekends, Family Tickets make it easy to enjoy quality time together, no matter how busy your schedule.

Check out yours here: Gravity Active Deals | Gravity Active Family Discount (gravity global.com)

And the fun doesn’t stop there! Gravity Rocks climbing sessions are now available at Gravity Rocks Climbing | Thrills and Fun for All (gravity-global.com).

These one hour sessions, priced at £12.50 per person during term time, offer a fun and challenging activity for climbers of all ages. Whether as an after-school treat or a weekend adventure, Gravity Rocks is the perfect way to stay active and have fun.

Harvey Jenkinson, Co-Founder and CEO of Gravity, commented: “We are thrilled to continue to introduce new and exciting offers to our Gravity Active sites.

“The Family Tickets offer provides incredible value, making it easier than ever for families to bond, stay active, and enjoy quality time together. And with the launch of Gravity Rocks, there are even more opportunities for families to challenge themselves and create lasting memories.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors to Gravity Active for an unforgettable experience this Autumn.”

For more information or to book your visit, head to Gravity Active’s website: Active (gravity-global.com)

Start the active habit early

Encourage your pre-school child to get active from an early age by signing them up for Play & Try coached activities.

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 at the city’s largest sports and leisure provider.

Edinburgh Leisure is offering a taster week from 13th – 19th September where new and existing customers can come and try coached activities for under 5s for £3.00 per session.  Tailored for little ones, from babies to pre-schoolers, these fun and engaging sessions are all about having a blast while exploring the first steps into various sports.

Classes include Gym and Jump, Gym Nippers, Swim Baby, Swim Nippers, Swim Toddler, Pre-School Dry Dive Gym, Jump Into Sport, Football Mini Kickers and Kick Starters. Sessions will be offered at Ainslie Park, Drumbrae, Gracemount, Kirkliston and the Royal Commonwealth Pool and are suitable for babies and toddlers.

For those that loved the taster sessions, parents can sign up their child/children for a coaching course at the venue on the same day, with the September fee waived.*

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.

Book your spot today for just £3.00 per session.

Play and Try Sports Tasters for Under 5s – Edinburgh Leisure

 Two-thirds of Edinburgh adults without an up-to-date will, charity warns

A staggering 68% of adults in Edinburgh either don’t have a Will or have one that’s out-of-date, a national Will-writing charity has revealed. 

Will Aid’s poll, which surveyed more than 2,000 people across the country, found 57% in the city haven’t made a Will, and 11% admitted theirs did not reflect their current wishes. 

Nationally, the figures showed 56% of people haven’t made a Will, with a further 11% whose Will is out of date. 

Financial pressures seem to be holding people back – with 21% citing the cost of instructing a solicitor as the reason they haven’t sorted a Will. 

Other reasons included believing they had nothing worth leaving (27%), never finding the time (18.5%), feeling uncomfortable talking about death (16%) and concerns about the process being too complicated (16%). 

Nationally, the average time since people last updated their Wills is six years, with nearly 20% admitting they’ve never updated theirs.  

Only a third (34%) of those surveyed have updated their Will in the past three years.  

Parents with children over 18 last updated their Wills an average of seven and a half years ago, while those with under 18s averaged four and a half years. 

Peter de Vena Franks, Will Aid Campaign Director, said: “Making a Will is a final loving act for those you care about. It provides a clear plan and guidance for your family after you’re gone.  

“We know thinking about death is uncomfortable and considering your final wishes can be daunting, but not having one can lead to confusion and distress among family members and beneficiaries, at an already upsetting time. 

“The statistics on outdated Wills are worrying, because circumstances change, and it’s crucial to keep your documents up to date to ensure they reflect your current situation. 

“Having a Will is essential for ensuring your wishes are respected and providing peace of mind for you and your loved ones and keeping that document up to date is vital, especially when circumstances in your life change. 

“Common reasons for updating your Will might include the death of a relative, divorce or separation, having children or gaining stepchildren. We advise you to regularly review your Will to make sure it still outlines your wishes. 

“Will Aid is the perfect opportunity to have your Will professionally drawn up or to have it updated, while supporting charities that help some of the most vulnerable people in the UK and abroad. 

“Getting your Will drafted by a solicitor is the safest way to ensure it is done correctly and legally.  

“This year, you can finally tick that task off your to-do list by securing an appointment with a participating Will Aid solicitor – it can be an in-person meeting  if there is a participating firm near you, otherwise you will be offered firms that can do it remotely, so wherever you are in the UK, you can get your affairs in order through Will Aid this year. 

“It’s a straightforward and easy process, allowing you to secure your family’s future while supporting to important causes.” 

The annual Will Aid campaign sees solicitors across the UK volunteering their time to write Wills throughout November. 

Will Aid is a partnership between the legal profession and seven of the UK’s best-loved charities.  

The initiative, which has been running for more than 30 years, sees participating solicitors waive their fee for writing basic Wills every November. 

Instead, they invite clients to make a voluntary donation to Will Aid – a suggested £100 for a single basic Will and £180 for a pair of basic ‘mirror’ Wills. 

Appointments are available from September 2, and you can sign up by visiting www.willaid.org.uk  

Donations to the campaign are shared by Will Aid’s partner charities, which operate both here in the UK and around the world. 

For more information on Will Aid and how to get involved visit:

www.willaid.org.uk.