Supporting children during the pandemic and beyond, is the focus of a free online conference being held for people working with families in Edinburgh.
The virtual conference has been organised by Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland to mark the end of a year-long campaign launched to encourage families in the city to access support and advice.
Anyone who works with children or families in Edinburgh can sign up to the conference, which is being hosted on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, April 13th, between 2pm and 5pm.
Speakers will look at how the pandemic has impacted children, the ways in which organisations have adapted to help struggling families and what has been learned during the last year.
Attendees will hear about the All of Us campaign, which was launched to prevent child neglect by encouraging families to get help at an early stage and giving advice on how to support those who were struggling.
There will also be an opportunity for people to discuss how to better support children and families in Edinburgh in the future.
Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “The pandemic has presented many hardships for families, including financial pressures, school closures, relationship strains, isolation and ill-health, and it has been more important than ever that people feel they can reach out for support and advice and get help.
“Organisations in Edinburgh have worked hard to find ways to adapt and support families while social distancing measures have been in place. This conference will give us the opportunity to look at what we have learned over the last year and how we can best support families in Edinburgh in the future.”
Jackie Irvine, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “We know that even as we move out of lockdown, people will continue to experience the impact of the pandemic on their lives.
“Protecting young people and supporting families remains a priority for us and we want everyone across the city to be aware of where to turn for help if they or someone they know is struggling.
“It is crucial that we work together to find the best ways of supporting families across the city during this difficult time and beyond.”
Early last year, as part of the campaign, a number of community events were held across the city but further ones were cancelled because of Covid-19 and all activities were moved online, including workshops, seminars and a family fun-day.
In April, the partnership brought together information on its web page about organisations and contacts where families could go for help and support during lockdown.
This included information on support offered by public services, voluntary agencies and charities. Some examples were food banks, financial advice, crisis loans, mental health support, activities for children and support and advice on home learning.
The information was sent in food boxes to more than 300 families across the city and via email to parents through schools, and it was highlighted through social media campaigns. This resource has continued to be regularly updated throughout the pandemic.
The campaign raised awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who were struggling through lunchtime learning sessions and webinars.
To find out more about the campaign visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/allofus.
To sign up for the conference visit bit.ly/3w3UCjK or email allofus@safefamilies.uk.
For parenting advice and support visit NSPCC helpline or call 0808 800 5000, weekdays 8am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 6pm.
People can also contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324.
