Tag: Children and Families

Call for action as number of legal plans for vulnerable children slumps

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has called for action following a sharp decline in the number of legally-binding education support plans for those with complex or multiple additional support needs (ASN).

So-called co-ordinated support plans (CSPs), prepared by local authorities, are the only education plans that are legal documents.  

These provide some guarantees of entitlement to additional resources and legal redress, placing statutory duties on local authorities to review and ensure the provisions contained within it are being met.

However, despite a Scottish Government promise that there would be no reduction in the proportion of pupils receiving them since their introduction in 2004, there has been a significant fall in the number of pupils with a CSP.

There were 3,279 pupils with such a plan in 2013 1. In 2023, this had fallen to 1,318, amounting to a drop of 59.8%. 2  This is a reduction from 2.5% to 0.5% of those pupils with ASN, amounting to 0.2% of the pupil population.

This is in contrast with England where the number of those receiving an education, health and care plan (EHCP), the CSP equivalent, is 4.3% of the pupil population. 

Amounting to more than 22 times the percentage of those receiving a CSP in Scotland, this figure is also on the increase.3

A concern raised by the coalition is that local authorities are reluctant to issue CSPs because they are seen as cumbersome and time-consuming, as well as being resource-intensive and subject to enhanced scrutiny. Being legally enforceable, with legal action taken if the needs of the child or young person are not believed to have been met, is also another cause of this reluctance to issue.

This is all set against the backdrop of a lack of resources to support adequate CSP provision, with non-statutory alternatives often being offered in their place.

Also of concern is the fact that CSPs are more likely to be opened for pupils with ASN living in the least deprived neighbourhoods, compared with those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods This is despite the fact that there is a greater prevalence of those with ASN in the most deprived communities.

The coalition has called for an expansion in access to CSPs, with the Scottish Government, local authorities, health and other relevant agencies collaborating more effectively to ensure that those requiring such a legal plan receive one.

This needs to be supported by the necessary resourcing and increased awarness and understanding of CSPs by families/carers and professionals. It has also called for a particular focus on care- experienced children and young people, and those from the most deprived neighbourhoods.

This sharp fall in the number of CSPs contrasts with a dramatic increase in the number of pupils with ASN, such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems. In 2023 this reached a record high of 259,036.4 This represents 36.7% of the pupil population, rising from 131,593 in 2013, and is a near doubling (96.8%) in numbers from that year.5

If a lower number of those in more deprived communities are receiving a CSP in comparison with least deprived communities, they may not be getting the care and support they need, which has the potential to make closing the educational attainment gap even harder.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “We are calling for action following figures highlighting a decline in the use of CSPs, which are designed to support those with the most complex needs.  This is despite a Scottish Government assurance that they would not decline and against the backdrop of a dramatic increase in the numbers of those with ASN.

“By not providing this legally enforceable provision, many of these vulnerable individuals are being failed and not getting the support they are entitled to. This is of particular significance given the devastating impact of Covid-19 and cost-of-living crisis. The Scottish Government, local authorities and other agencies need to collaborate to ensure that those requiring a CSP receive it, with the necessary resourcing in place to support this.

“With those with ASN drawn disproportionately from poorer neighbourhoods, if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap, they must get the care and support they need, when they need it.”

Major national drive to improve school attendance in England

Attendance hubs to more than double to support 1,000 more schools and £15 million investment to expand the attendance mentor pilot programme

Driving up attendance and tackling persistent absence is at the centre of new stronger measures launched today as pupils return to school in England.  

More than one million children and young people will be supported into regular education as part of a major expansion of the attendance hubs, which provide a range of tailored support to families and pupils to boost time in school. 

There will be 18 new attendance hubs across six regions, bringing the total to 32 and will see nearly 2,000 schools helped to tackle persistent absence.

Hubs are run by schools with excellent attendance that share practical ideas with other primary, secondary, alternative provision and special schools in England who need help to boost their attendance.

From direct pupil engagement initiatives like breakfast clubs and extracurricular activities, to improving their processes and analysis of attendance data, lead hub schools provide a range of support to schools that they can tailor to their pupils and families.  

The Westminster government is also increasing the direct support offered to children and their families with the expansion of the attendance mentor pilot programme.

With an investment of up to £15million, over three years, this programme will provide direct intensive support to more than 10,000 persistent and severely absent pupils and their families.  

The programme will see trained attendance mentors working in 10 further areas from September 2024. These areas are in addition to the existing pilot programme with Barnardo’s which is already operating in Middlesbrough, Doncaster, Knowsley, Salford, and Stoke on Trent.  

The programme provides intensive one-to-one support to pupils who are persistently absent working with them and their families to find out why the child is skipping school. This can lead to extra support, more intensive work with teachers or in some cases bridge-building between school and family.

Being in school has never been more valuable with standards continuing to rise. 89% of schools are now rated good or outstanding, up from 68% in 2010. We are constantly seeing the success of our reforms rising up the rankings in maths, reading and science.

Just this month, England was ranked 11th in the world for maths, up from 27th in 2009, and in May, England was named ‘best in the west’ for primary reading.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “The benefits of our success in raising education standards can only be when all children are in school.

“Tackling attendance is my number one priority. We want all our children to have the best start in life because we know that attending school is vital to a child’s wellbeing, development, and attainment as well as impact future career success.

“I am hugely grateful to all our brilliant teachers, heads, and everyone whose worked with us to make the progress we’ve already made with 380,000 fewer children persistently absent.”

Children’s Commissioner Rachel De Souza said: “As Children’s Commissioner, I have made school attendance one of my top priorities because children tell me how much they value their education and want to be in school.

“Every day counts: when children miss school, it’s not just about missing lessons, it’s also about losing valuable moments spent with their friends and teachers.

“I very much welcome the government’s announcements today which include the recommendations made last year in my report on school attendance.

“I am hopeful that these measures will arm local authorities and schools with real-time information about school absence rates and provide vital support for children who face barriers to attending school.”

Chief Executive of Barnardo’s, Lynn Perry MBE, said: “Our Attendance Mentoring pilot scheme shows that one of the best ways to improve attendance is working individually with children, building trust and listening to their concerns.

“Our mentors encourage children to talk openly about issues such as family finances, bullying, or mental health worries – anything they feel may be preventing them from going to school.

“In Middlesbrough, 82% of the children we have worked with improved their attendance through one-on-one support from an attendance mentor, with almost two-thirds of the children saying their mental health also improved.”

Rob Tarn CBE, Chief Executive of Northern Education Trust said: “We are delighted that the hard work around attendance at North Shore Academy has led to significant impact for our students and their outcomes.

“The fact that this work was recognised as a best practice model meant we felt compelled to share what we are doing with other schools and academies in similar contexts and help where we could.

“This was, in essence, the beginning of the attendance hub programme. Seeing this work extended, with more hubs supporting more schools, is a source of great pride for the trust.”

A national communications campaign on the importance of attendance is also launching today targeting parents and carers.

Under the strapline ‘Moments Matter, Attendance Counts’ it outlines the importance of attendance for attainment, wellbeing, and development as well as signposting to advice for further support.  

Key advice includes a recent letter from the Chief Medical Officer that outlines best practice when it comes to attendance and illness.

The intention is to ensure that parents have the guidance they need when it comes to making decisions when deciding to send their child to school or when to keep them home. 

The UK government has also committed to further legislation in the coming months that will mean all schools will be required to share their daily school registers.

This, together with reforming pupil registration practice, will modernise how schools record and share data on attendance and support them to understand what is driving absence in their school and provide early support and intervention where pupils are displaying worrying trends of absence.

St Columba’s: Supporting Your Child In Grief session

Our next ‘Supporting your child in grief’ session takes place on Thursday 11th January at 11am.

The session offers an opportunity for you to join other parents and carers to talk, share feelings and connect with one another. You can simply say it how it is, seek advice and hopefully pick up some tips from each other.

Register for free today at http://bit.ly/3vtaTTC

New Year, new career? Scottish foster dads needed

Fosterplus is encouraging more men in the Edinburgh area to become foster carers.

Sadly, there are more than 80,000 children and young people in care, and that number is set to rise to more than 100,000 by 2025. Thousands more foster parents are needed throughout the country to keep up with demand.

“At first, it didn’t matter to me that I was going to be a male foster carer, I was just going to be a foster carer but now I understand just how important it is.”

Steven is an electrical engineering lecturer and has been fostering with his partner, Jill, since September 2022.

The Scottish foster carers now look after one little boy, a ‘curious and cheeky’ 10-year-old and are based in Bathgate. He’s the first foster child that they have looked after, and they both balance his care between working full time at a local college. 

So, why foster? Steven said: “We talked about fostering for quite a number of years and then we just took the plunge and went for it. We just wanted to try and give someone a better start in life or to change their circumstances.”

Why male foster carers are so important

For Steven, giving someone a better start isn’t limited to their physical needs but also extends to being a positive male role model for his foster child.

Male foster carers are incredibly important for a variety of reasons, but especially with the decrease in Scottish foster care households (down 4.8% in December 2022 from 2021). 

Boys and young men in the foster system may not have any good male influences in their lives, and this can prove to be pivotal for young people who may identify more with and learn from male role models. The diversity that male foster carers can bring to the role can also help provide different and balanced perspectives for young people needing guidance and support.

“I thought I could be someone to look up to. At first, it didn’t matter to me that I was going to be a male foster carer, I was just going to be a foster carer but now I understand just how important it is. Not just for a child that might be in your care, but also for the entire fostering community.

“The sooner we can normalise men fostering, the sooner we can be rid of stigma and the sooner we can get more positive father figures for vulnerable young people.”

Small Acorns grow to mighty oaks

Steven is also part of a group, Acorns, where male foster carers and their foster children gather to socialise. Thanks to Steven’s help, the group now meets at one of the local colleges to take part in activities that require more specialist equipment. It gives them the opportunity to do things like cooking, joinery, motor vehicle maintenance and repair and beauty therapy. 

He described Acorns as being a safe place for carers and foster children.

“Sometimes people see fostering as a ‘woman’s job’, and it can be a difficult thing to do, even without all of the stigma. For me, one of the best parts of Acorns is that a group of men, all foster carers, can meet up, have a chat, and even rant if they need to, to people that ‘get it’.

“All while enjoying really valuable bonding time with their foster child. We have something really special and I feel grateful to be a part of it.”

Landmarks in Scotland go green in support of the NSPCC and Childline this Christmas 

Landmarks across Scotland shone green on the longest night of the year in support of the NSPCC and its Childline counselling service, which will be there for children across the country this Christmas.

Buildings and landmarks lit up on Friday, December 22, for the charity, including the Falkirk Wheel, Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow Botanic Gardens and Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura as a reminder that the Childline offers a beacon of light to young people in their darkest hours.

Other sites in Scotland that lit up for the NSPCC include Dalkeith Country Park, West Lothian Civic Centre, Dundee Science Centre, Marischal College, Aberdeen and the Titan Crane in Clydebank.

Also, on December 22, people across the country took part in the NSPCC’s Walk for Children – a 5k fundraiser.

Caroline Renton, NPSCC Scotland Fundraising Manager, said: “Our Childline service is expecting a child to contact them every 45 seconds this Christmas. 

“For children facing abuse, the winter nights are dark, long and lonely, and we want all children to know that Childline is here for them, even on the darkest nights.

“We’re grateful to everyone who raised funds through walking and all those who helped with lighting up these landmarks and buildings as a reminder that Childline is here throughout the Christmas period.”

Childline counsellors are on hand around the clock to talk to young people throughout the festive period, including Christmas Day.

With schools closing their doors and children having reduced contact with wider support networks over the festive season, many vulnerable children face increased risks at home.

For those children and young people for whom Christmas means abuse, Childline is a lifeline.

Childline delivered 240 counselling sessions to children in Scotland during the 12 days of Christmas last year1.

During this period, Childline delivered more than 1,000 high-risk counselling sessions across the UK, with 64% of high-risk calls and web chats during that period coming in after dark. Childline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even over Christmas.

Last year, hundreds of people walked 5k on the longest night of the year and raised over £100,000 to help fund vital NSPCC services, like Childline.

Fort Kinnairs hosts local charity for festive film screening

Fort Kinnaird has partnered with local charity Magdalene Community Education Centre to treat young people in the city to a free screening of the newly released Wonka film and bring a smile to their faces this festive season.

Twenty children, aged between six and fourteen, were invited to see the highly anticipated movie and were also treated to popcorn and a range of other goodies to tuck into.

Magdalene Community Education Centre offers a weekly programme of activities for children, teenagers, adults and older people who face social and economic barriers, helping to bring local people together.

The centre plays a vital role in supporting the East of Edinburgh community and is run in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council.

Rab Hogg, Senior Youth & Children’s Work Organiser at Magdalene Community Education Centre, said: “There were lots of happy faces as our young people enjoyed a trip to Fort Kinnaird’s Odeon cinema to see the new Wonka movie.

“Like many across the country, the families we work with are experiencing enhanced financial pressures at this time of year, so it is very important to have established partnerships like this to help take the pressure off those struggling in the community and spread some festive joy.”

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Supporting our local community and giving back to those that work tirelessly to help make it a better place is extremely important to us.

“It was fantastic to welcome Magdalene Community Education Centre to Fort Kinnaird and work together with our partners at Odeon Cinema to put on a fun day out for the young people and volunteers.”

For more information on Fort Kinnaird, please visit www.fortkinnaird.com/

Spartans Holiday Programme

The holidays may be about to start but our Christmas programme will ensure that there are activities available during the festive season, beginning with Fridays FooTea Christmas dinners!

Check the information and remember there’s food etc available each day!

#HereForGood

Budget choices must prioritise hardest-up families, say child poverty campaigners

“Scandal of child poverty in a rich country must end” 

Scottish child payment must rise to £30 to protect lower income families who don’t benefit from proposed council tax freeze. 

Campaigners at the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland are calling for tax and spending decisions to do more to prioritise hard up families ahead of tomorrow’s Scottish budget.

With the proposed £300 million council tax freeze set to benefit better off households they say the very least that is needed to protect lower income families is a £58 million investment to raise the Scottish child payment to £30 per week. CPAG were one of over 150 signatories to a letter sent to the First Minister Humza Yousaf last month urging him to deliver the increase. 

The Scottish child payment, which currently provides a vital £25 per week extra support for children in lower income families, must by law be uprated in line with inflation.

However during the SNP leadership campaign the First Minister said he wanted to see it rise to £30 in his first Budget. In a pre-Budget briefing sent to all MSPs the campaigners say this is the “minimum extra investment that is needed to support lower income families and demonstrate the First Minister is genuinely ‘shifting the dial’ on child poverty.”

The group have also joined over sixty other groups today to call on all Scotland’s political leaders to build a fair tax consensus that can provide the social investment needed for ‘a more equitable, resilient, and prosperous Scotland’. They say the Scottish Budget must be a ‘pivotal moment for fundamental change.’ 

Speaking ahead of today’s budget statement John Dickie, Director of Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said; “Struggling families desperately need a budget that will provide immediate support as well as help meet statutory child poverty targets.

“Increasing the Scottish child payment to £30 is a cost-effective investment that would provide much needed financial support to the lower income families who get little if any benefit from the proposed council tax freeze.

“It would make a substantive impact and demonstrate the First Minister is genuine in his desire to ‘shift the dial’ on child poverty.” 

Recognizing the challenging fiscal backdrop Mr Dickie added: “Difficult budget choices will be needed. But the right choice is to prioritise tax and spending decisions that will help end the poverty that still blights the lives of tens of thousands of children across Scotland.

“We are a wealthy country and we need all our political leaders to work together to harness that wealth to end the scandal of child poverty in a rich country once and for all.”

Child Poverty Action Group is calling for a Scottish Budget that:

•    Increases the Scottish child payment at the very least to £30 per week from April 2024, as committed by the First Minister in his leadership campaign. This investment is supported by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner and over 150 trade unions, faith groups, children’s charities and community organisations from across Scotland. 
•    Ensures sufficient resources are harnessed and allocated to fund the wider measures (including on childcare, employment and housing) set out in the statutory child poverty delivery plan – Best Start, Bright Futures.
•    Provides additional cash payments to families impacted by the two-child limit and the under 25 penalty in universal credit.
•    Invests in childcare so not only can the actions in Best Start, Bright Futures be delivered, but every parent can access the childcare they need, when they need it. 
•    Is bold in using tax powers in a progressive way to ensure sufficient resources are available to fully deliver on the actions that are needed to tackle child poverty. 

Bereaved parents call for action to end preventable sepsis deaths

New report shows 15% of child deaths are related to infection

  • 15% of child deaths are related to infection according to a new report from the National Child Mortality Database
  • Sepsis is the immune system’s overreaction to an infection, and claims 48,000 lives in the UK each year
  • Clinical signs of sepsis were reported in over 700 child deaths between April 2019 and March 2022
  • Parents who have lost their children to sepsis are calling for action to improve patient outcomes
  • Following a report from the National Child Mortality Database released today, parents who lost their children to sepsis have spoken out about what needs to happen to prevent future child deaths.

Fifteen per cent of child deaths in England over the last three years are related to infection, according to a new report published on 14 December by the University of Bristol’s National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) team.

The report uses the NCMD’s unique data on all child deaths in England to examine 1,507 infection-related deaths between April 2019 and March 2022, with the clinical signs of sepsis reported in 701 child deaths.

UK Sepsis Trust Founder & Joint CEO Dr Ron Daniels, who contributed as a report author, said: “It’s staggering to learn that almost one in every six deaths in children is caused by infection.

“Whilst not every death will ever be preventable, this report clearly highlights that modifiable factors may have saved many of these children’s lives. It’s clear that there is an urgent need to empower parents and carers, to ensure that health professionals listen more closely to families, and to work closely with people from vulnerable communities to design messaging that is relevant and accessible to them.

“Martha’s Rule when implemented will be a hugely important step, but it is one small part of the system wide solution we need to stop avoidable deaths from infection in children.”

UK Sepsis Trust Ambassador Melissa Mead, whose son William died of sepsis on 14th December 2014, and who reviewed the report from the perspective of a bereaved parent said: “For this report to be published on the anniversary of William’s death felt quite poignant.

“It’s a really sad day, if I’m honest, and this is makes for really sobering reading. I’m really disheartened. It feels like William’s life didn’t matter and that the same thing is happening time and time again, and I just feel like no one is listening to us – certainly me as a parent – and it scares me.”

Helen and Daniel Philliskirk lost their 16-month-year-old son James to sepsis in May 2022.

They took him to Sheffield Children’s Hospital on multiple occasions but were dismissed by doctors and told he had chicken pox – but a postmortem examination found that he had developed sepsis after a Strep A infection, with no evidence of chicken pox present.

His parents have given their support to calls for Martha’s Rule, after their own inquest experience found that neglect by the hospital contributed to James’ death.

“Just trust your gut; you know your child best,” said Helen. “I think people would always rather see children and verify that they are healthy or verify that things are OK rather than people be at home worried and things get missed and ultimately lead to very unwell children or sadly, children dying.”

The NCMD report also found that children under one were at greater risk of infection related death than other age groups, but also that risk varied by ethnic and socio-economic background.

Children from an Asian/Asian British or black/black British ethnic background were at higher risk, with children from a Pakistani ethnic background at the highest risk of all.

During their son’s illness, Mohammed Elsiddig and Duaa Siyed Ahmed were repeatedly dismissed by healthcare professionals despite their respective medical qualifications, and their son Yousef died of sepsis on 5th February 2023, just after his first birthday.

They have shared Yousef’s story with the UK Sepsis Trust to help raise awareness of sepsis, while also hoping to reduce the

Duaa said: “Although it’s extremely difficult for us every day, nothing can bring Yousef back but at least we can do something to prevent this from happening to other families.”

Mohamed said: “Our message to the healthcare professionals is please listen to parents because they know their kids better, and please show them respect and empathy.

“Whenever you are dealing with a child with fever please think and ask yourself ‘Could this be sepsis?’ and if you are not so sure please do not feel ashamed to seek senior advice, whether at night or during the day.

“Always follow the national guidelines because it’s very sensitive to detect sepsis. Finally, please pay attention and do not fall into unconscious bias and stereotyping.”

Read the report: ncmd.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Infection-related-deaths-of-children-and-young-people-in-England.pdf