Tag: COSLA

Review of Autism Strategy criticises lack of progress

An independent review of the Scottish Government and COSLAs 10-year Autism Strategy has been published today.   

The strategy, which comes to an end this year, set out with the vision that by 2021 autistic people would be “respected, accepted and valued by their communities and have confidence in services to treat them fairly so that they are able to have meaningful and satisfying lives’.  

The review concludes: “After ten years, valuable resources have been created and new and additional services delivered. However, real change for many autistic people, both in how they engage with services and in how they are supported to live productive lives, is not as evident. To have a greater impact, the services and support need to have greater reach, become embedded and be sustained.”  

This echoes the findings from the Cross-Party Group on Autism’s own 2020 review the ‘Accountability Gap’ which found (from a survey of 900) that 72% of autistic people and families did not have enough support to meet their needs across a number of areas including education, care and employment.   

In the lead up to the May Holyrood Election National Autistic Society Scotland together with partners Scottish Autism and ENABLE Scotland campaigned under the banner of ‘Our Voice Our Rights’ for a Commissioner to promote and protect the rights of individuals and their families.   

This resulted in a commitment in the SNP Manifesto to introduce a Commissioner as part of a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill. Scoping work on this is due to begin shortly.  

Nick Ward, Director of National Autistic Society Scotland, (above) said: “What is clear from today’s review of the Scottish Strategy for Autism is that autistic people and their families are still, after ten years, not getting the vital support that they need to live meaningful and fulfilled lives.

“The review echoes findings from last year’s ‘Accountability Gap’ report produced by the Cross-Party Group on Autism which found that while progress had been made, 72% of individuals and their families did not get enough support to meet their needs.      

“Today’s review sets out some positive ways forward and we are delighted that Scottish Government has committed to establishing a Commissioner. We believe a Commissioner with robust powers to uphold rights, challenge bad practice and promote good will lever real change.”  

Suzanne from Dunfermline was part of the ‘Our Voice Our Rights’ campaign and has an autistic son called Callum. She said: “Callum has a lot of challenges, he is constantly having to deal with sensory issues and sounds and he needs someone supporting him most of the time.

“It’s difficult for people to understand what he is saying and so we need to be with him when he is out to help as well as explain his compulsion to touch people.   

“When Covid hit a lot of the services withdrew leaving us to deal with health education and social work issues. Over time that has got better but we’re still not receiving the level of support we had before the pandemic.  

Suzanne (with Callum, above) added: “I think there needs to be a lot more joined up thinking, sometimes we end up going from service to service – there needs to be someone holding the system together, someone at a national level I can go to if there is an issue.   

“My hope is that when Callum leaves school he doesn’t end up sitting in a day centre all the time and that there are opportunities for him. He loves buses and would love to be a bus driver. That may not be possible but working or volunteering in and around buses would be amazing for him.”  

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Scotland rolls out LGBT inclusive education across curriculum

Scotland has become the first country in the world to embed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusive education across the school curriculum.

Focused on promoting equality, reducing bullying and improving the educational experiences of LGBT children and young people, subjects across age groups will now include LGBT identities, issues and history.

Support to help schools deliver this includes:

  • a website where school staff, parents, carers, children and young people can access information to support LGBT children and young people
  • a basic awareness e-learning course for education staff on LGBT inclusive education
  • a toolkit of LGBT inclusive education teaching resources 

Parents, teachers, young people and LGBT organisations helped to develop the website, e-learning course and teaching resources.

Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “I am proud to say that Scotland is leading the way as the first country in the world to embed LGBT inclusive education right across the curriculum. By doing so, we can help young people to reach their full potential and flourish in a diverse and inclusive society.

“The launch of this ground-breaking suite of resources for schools takes us another step forward in ensuring that our curriculum is as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools.

“The Scottish Government, in partnership with COSLA, is determined to provide a fully inclusive education for Scotland’s children and young people.”

COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Cllr Stephen McCabe said: “Improving inclusion in our schools is a priority for Local Government. We welcome the materials published today, which will assist schools, teachers and education staff to drive this important agenda forward, ensuring all children and young people receive the support they need.”

Time for Inclusive Education co-founder Jordan Daly said: “I experienced bullying and prejudice at school for being gay, and it had a detrimental impact on my confidence and wellbeing for some time.

“This new website, and the supporting resources, which have been co-developed with teachers across Scotland, will support teachers to take a proactive, educational approach to tackling prejudice. Most importantly, this work will empower young people and provide them with an opportunity I didn’t have at school – to feel valued, confident, and proud of who they are.”

National Parent Forum of Scotland Chair Margaret Wilson said: “We welcome the roll-out of LGBT inclusive education across the school curriculum.

“With other stakeholders, we have developed an information resource on LGBT inclusive education for parents and carers to help them to support their children and ensure they have a positive educational experience, using an approach underpinned by children’s rights, kindness and respect.”

The new website is here: www.lgbteducation.scot

Schools facing strike action

GMB Scotland serves notice to councils over “derisory and unacceptable” pay offer

Nearly 10,000 school support and refuse and cleansing workers will be balloted for industrial action from next week, after GMB Scotland reps served statutory notice on councils yesterday against a “derisory” pay offer for 2021.

It follows a consultative ballot of GMB Scotland members across Scottish local government which delivered a 95 per cent rejection of COSLA’s £850 a year increase for staff earning up to £25,000 a year.

The ballot will run from Thursday 16 September to Thursday 7 October, with the prospect of strike action affecting school cleansing, janitorial services, refuse collections, and street sweeping from late October onwards.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Drew Duffy said: “COSLA’s offer amounts to little more than £15 a week more for our frontline workers in local government, it is derisory and unacceptable.

“The dither and delay on delivering proper value means they are still mired on pre-pandemic pay rates – there has been no “thank you” for these workers.

“Council and political leaders have said many times during this pandemic they value the work of our members, well it’s time they put their money where their mouth is.

“The threat of disruptive strikes in schools and community services is now likely, and unless COSLA chiefs table an improved offer the blame will lie with them.”

It’s World Suicide Prevention Day

On World Suicide Prevention Day COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson @cllrStu is urging people to join the United to Prevent Suicide campaign – https://unitedtopreventsuicide.org.uk

Anyone struggling can find support from: Samaritans – 116 123

Breathing Space – 0800 838587

#WSPD2021

This week Edinburgh Police have been holding partnership outreach information events in an attempt to provide information on the support that is available to people affected by suicide and to highlight the importance of talking about suicide.

Yesterday at Cameron Toll Shopping Centre we were delighted once more to see so many organisations come together.

Thanks to Lothians Veterans Centre Chris’s House PenumbraThe Edinburgh Crisis CentreSurvivors of Bereavement by Suicide – SOBSEquality NetworkProjekt 42Scottish Trans AllianceWaverley Care – HIV, Hep C & Sexual Health in ScotlandSamaritans for supporting these events over the past few days.

Today we will be at Bristo Square from 11am until 2pm if you would like to come to speak to someone.

We all have our part to play in preventing suicide and, if you are affected by suicide, you are not alone.

#unitedtopreventsuicide

Strike threat facing schools and cleansing as GMB members reject latest COSLA pay offer

School support staff and refuse workers moved “a step closer” to industrial action yesterday after GMB members rejected COSLA’s latest pay offer.

95 per cent of members who participated in the union’s consultative ballot over the 2021 offer voted to reject an £850 increase for local government staff earning up to £25,000 a year.

The union will now move to a full industrial action ballot of nearly 10,000 members employed in schools and local refuse and cleansing services, increasing the possibility of autumn strikes.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser for Public Services Drew Duffy said: “COSLA bosses have failed to table to a pay offer that reflects decent value for many workers who have been part of the frontline response to COVID-19.

“The prospect of an increase that would amount to little more than £15 a week extra in the pockets of workers like school cleaners and refuse collectors has been rightly and resoundingly rejected.

“COSLA’s dither and delay means local government staff across Scotland are still mired on pre-pandemic pay rates – there has been no “thank you” for these workers.

“It means the threat of strikes this autumn, disrupting schools and community services like waste collection and street cleansing, is now a step closer.”

‘Council staff are worth more’ says UNISON as members are balloted on strike action

UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, has started to issue formal industrial action ballot papers in a dispute over pay.

COSLA, the umbrella body representing council employers, had previously offered staff earning less than £25,000 a flat rate rise of £800. Last week COSLA came back with a revised offer of £850 – working out at approximately 97p per week for the lowest paid staff.

The union says council staff who have kept services and schools running throughout the pandemic deserve a proper pay rise. They say the latest pay offer falls far short of their pay claim and does little to address low pay which has become endemic following a decade of austerity.

The trade union says that councils have suffered a decade of cuts and jobs losses, and that staff have received year-on-year pay cuts. It has meant delivering services has become increasingly stressful for the workforce.

Pressure is mounting on both COSLA leaders and the Scottish Government to find an urgent resolution to this issue.

UNISON intends to take targeted strike action, which means select groups of workers will be balloted. These include members working in school cleaning, school catering, school janitorial as well as those working in waste and recycling services.  

Tom Connolly, Branch secretary said: “The last 18 months have taken an enormous toll on council staff who have been working flat out for no reward. Their courage and sacrifices need to be rewarded, yet the employers are failing to recognise their efforts.

“These workers, mostly women, are amongst the lowest paid in the country and have seen their pay drop substantially in recent years. The pay offer falls far short of their colleagues in the NHS and local government workers are left feeling exhausted and undervalued. Scotland’s council workers deserve fair pay.”

Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government, said: “We’ve all relied on council staff to keep our communities clean and safe, protect the most vulnerable and to work in our schools throughout successive lockdowns to allow others to work.

“Without these workers going above and beyond to keep services running over the past year their colleagues in the NHS would have been left without childcare, our mortuaries would have been overwhelmed, our children would have been left without an education and our elderly would have been left without care.

“Yet to date they have received no reward or recognition of their efforts at all. It’s simply not good enough – our council staff are worth more.”

The ballot will run from 1 – 22 September 2021.

• Useful reading: https://unison-scotland.org/local-government-pay-ballot/

• One year of Covid Survey, a survey of UNISON members working in local government in Scotland. https:// www.unison-scotland.org/wp-content/uploads/LG-One-Yr-of-Covid-Survey-Report-April21-1.pdf

£5 million investment to improve Scotland’s play parks

Play parks across Scotland will be modernised and restored through £5 million of funding, following agreement between the Scottish Government and Cosla.

Each local authority will receive a share of the funding to improve the standard of existing play parks, enhancing play opportunities for children and young people.

The funding is the first round of the Scottish Government’s total planned investment of £60 million for play park renovation over this parliamentary term and delivers on another commitment for the first 100 days of this government.

Minister for Children Clare Haughey said: “We know that play is an absolutely crucial part of children’s health and well-being and as we continue to recover from the pandemic, playing outside will allow children to reconnect with each other and allow them to return to enjoying their childhood.

“Our overall investment of £60 million will ensure that all children across Scotland have access to quality play in their own community and helps to deliver on children’s right to play, enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“We will continue to listen to children and young people throughout this process to ensure our funding is spent on play spaces that work for all.”

Bridging the digital divide

700,000 digital devices for children in Scotland

Work to provide every school pupil in Scotland with a laptop or tablet has started. Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed discussions with local government are underway to deliver the ambitious commitment, which will benefit 700,000 children.

The Scottish Government are also considering how to deliver consistent digital infrastructure across Scotland’s 2,500 school buildings. The announcement delivers on another commitment for the first 100 days of this government.

Ms Somerville said: “Every child has the right to an education and we believe that means an education supported and enhanced by technology. This as a vital aspect of an education system in the digital age which was clearly demonstrated by the pandemic.

“This is a hugely ambitious programme of work that will build on efforts to tackle digital inclusion during the pandemic. These early talks with Scottish councils are a positive step towards delivering this commitment.”

Refugee projects in Scotland awarded £2.8 million

Organisations and community groups working to support refugees in Scotland will share £2.8 million through a new grant scheme.

In total, 56 projects will receive funding to deliver initiatives designed to help New Scots settle in their adopted communities by promoting employability, education, health and social and cultural connections.

Grants awarded include:

  • £104,615 for employment and training support for refugees in the West of Scotland
  • £72,930 to help Arabic speakers in Dundee, Fife and Clackmannanshire access certification to work in the Scottish construction industry
  • £114,987 to improve mental health and reduce loneliness and social isolation of refugees and separated children in Edinburgh
  • £23,075 for English language learning (ESOL) in Midlothian that focuses specifically on preparing learners for the workplace

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “We are committed to supporting the integration of asylum seekers into our communities from day one, not just when leave to remain has been granted.

“The funding and development of these projects will support our aim to have cohesive, connected and multi-cultural communities where people can access services and be supported into employment and education.

“Scotland has a long history of welcoming asylum seekers and refugees from all over the world. In re-building their lives they help make the country stronger, more compassionate and more successful for everyone.”

This project is part funded by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and is part of the New Scots Refugee Integration Delivery Project. It is led by the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA, Scottish Refugee Council and the UNESCO Chair at the University of Glasgow.

Scottish Refugee Council CEO Sabir Zazai said: “There is such a strong will in Scotland to support newcomers and make people feel welcome. Equally strong is the desire from refugee-led groups to make a contribution and use their skills and expertise to create flourishing, well integrated communities.

“This funding will build on all of this and allow groups and organisations to strengthen and deepen their work with people seeking safety in Scotland.”

COSLA’s Community Wellbeing spokesperson, Councillor Kelly Parry said: “I am thrilled so many local authorities have secured funding to implement a wide range of exciting projects aimed at enhancing refugee integration.

“From improving refugee employability to developing tailored mental health support for young asylum seekers, the projects being funded are both ambitious in their scope and innovative in their approach.”

UNESCO Chair at the University of Glasgow, Alison Phipps, said: “The New Scots policy is regarded with acclaim internationally, modelled on human rights and dignity for all.

“It is especially heartening to see refugee led projects at the forefront and to know that new and expanded work will take place across Scotland.”

GMB warns COSLA must “make good” on improved local government pay offer

Ahead of crunch talks next week GMB Scotland – the union for local government workers – has written to employer-side representatives for Scottish local authorities, warning bosses “must make good” on the delivery of an improved pay offer for council workers if strikes are to be avoided.

In an act of good faith, Scottish local government unions have suspended preparations for industrial action ballots of their memberships in school support staff and refuse and cleansing services ahead of meetings with representatives of the Conventions of Scotland Local Authorities (COSLA) next Wednesday 18 August.

Plans for industrial actions were put in place last month in response to the existing offer of £800 increase on the basic rate of pay for workers earning up to £25,000 a year, with COSLA chiefs refusing to commit to the delivery of the £500 “Thank You” payment and backpay provisions of the offer.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Drew Duffy said: “Strike action affecting school support staff and cleansing workers across Scotland can be avoided if COSLA bring forward an improved offer that is deserving of our members’ consultation.

“Weeks and months have now passed leaving key workers without a proper pay rise while Scottish Government Ministers and COSLA representatives pass the buck of responsibility to each other.

“The applause for our key workers from the political class has long since finished yet our members remain on the frontline of service delivery in our communities.

“Next week COSLA must make good on tabling an offer that reflects the proper value these workers deserve after everything they have done for all of us over the last eighteen months.”