Edinburgh Child Protection Committee – The NEN

NSPCC and Signalong create new resources to help protect children with communication barriers from abuse

New resources created for children who face communication barriers will share crucial messages to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.

The national initiative from the NSPCC and communication charity Signalong was developed as part of the Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign to make important messaging on preventing child sexual abuse more accessible to children and families in the city and beyond.

The Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign, which is being delivered by NSPCC Scotland and the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and partners, launched last year and ends next month.

Dozens of events at libraries and public buildings across the country have seen thousands of families receiving the campaign materials which contain advice for parents, carers and professionals on how to have simple, age-appropriate conversations with children to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.

With the help of a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, Talk PANTS helps children understand that their body belongs to them, they have a right to say no and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried.

The Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign promotes the PANTS rule, which teaches children five key messages to help them understand their rights regarding their bodies.

These principles empower children to recognise inappropriate behaviour, affirm their rights to personal safety, and understand that they can speak out if something does not feel right.

The Signalong charity provides training and resources to assist children with communication difficulties and when English is an additional language.

Signalong is based on British sign language and uses speech, body language, facial expression and voice tones.

Lillian Cringles, Chair of Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “Inclusion and hearing what matters to children with additional support needs is of vital importance.

“We are very proud that dedicated materials for families using Signalong to aid communication were the inception of our local campaign. It is impressive that the NSPCC and Signalong have formalised a set of national resources in such a timely fashion and demonstrates a real commitment to partnership working.

“I have no doubt these new materials will continue to be of use in our Edinburgh education, community and family settings to aid prevention of sexual harm to children.”

Carla Malseed, Local Campaigns Manager for NSPCC Scotland, added: “The Talk PANTS resources are an important step in equipping families and professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to have open discussions about body safety.

“They will make difficult conversations around sex and consent easier to have with children from more diverse backgrounds.”

Tracy Goode, Signalong Chief Executive, said: “Talk PANTS is a wonderful resource to help keep children safe, available in English, Welsh, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Scottish Gaelic, BSL and Makaton.

“Signalong recognise that not all children speak the same language and those with communication difficulties do not use the same signing system across the UK.

“Signalong are delighted to partner with the NSPCC to ensure that the PANTS message is available to those who rely on Signalong to communicate. The colourful PANTS Rules incorporate realistic drawings and signs which are readily available to those who currently use Signalong.”

Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The Talk PANTS campaign has already supported parents, carers and professionals with the resources they need to have important conversations with thousands of children and young people in Edinburgh.

“With an increasing number of children in the city recorded as having an additional support need, this new set of materials is a welcome addition to the existing campaign and goes a step further in ensuring that children experiencing challenges around communication can access important information about boundaries and body safety.”

While the resources were developed as part of the Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign they are available online to professionals from across the United Kingdom.

The Signalong materials are available online and will be launched at an online event on Wednesday, November 20 with speakers from Signalong, NSPCC Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council.

For additional inquiries or to access more information about the Talk PANTS campaign, please visit the NSPCC website, where the Signalong materials are also available.

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.

Edinburgh campaign has had over 3,000 conversations with people to help keep children safe from abuse

A campaign to help protect young children from sexual abuse has resulted in approximately 3,240 Talk PANTS conversations with people in Edinburgh 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.

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.

With the use of a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, it helps children to understand 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.

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 Pantosuarus at Edinburgh Zoo in July when more than 370 adults and children attended, and family sessions at Edinburgh Book Festival.

Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Manager, said: “A simple conversation can make a big difference and that’s what Talk PANTS is all about.

“With the help of our fun, loving dino – Pantosaurus – we’ve reached thousands of people across the city.

“We have been really pleased to see so much engagement with the campaign from families and professionals in Edinburgh, and we’re looking forward to having more conversations with Edinburgh residents at our upcoming family events.”

Other upcoming Talk PANTS events in Edinburgh include a family day at Sighthill Library on Friday, August 30, when popular children’s author Bruna De Luca will read ‘Pantosaurus and the Power of PANTS’ and from her own book ‘I’m Not Cute, I’m Dangerous.’

Bruna De Luca, who lives in Melrose in the Scottish Borders, said: “I’m a parent of young children and I love how the TalkPANTS message is tailored to a young audience in a fun, positive, and reassuring way.

“I can’t wait because it’s not every day you get to meet a Pantosaurus. I also think my feisty crocodile character – Fifi – would fully support the TalkPANTS message. She might be little and cute, but she is NOT to be underestimated!

“The TalkPANTS message is so crucial in preventing abuse because it helps children to have the confidence to speak up if they feel unsafe.”

Lillian Cringles, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “It’s fantastic that this campaign has 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 come along to this fun event at Sighthill Library or look out for other events on our web pages to learn more about the TalkPANTS message.”

As well as book readings there will be facepainting, colouring, games and singing and dancing at the event which runs from 1pm until 2.30pm.

For more information about other events taking place in Edinburgh, 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.

More than 100 families attend first event of new campaign in Edinburgh to help keep children safe from abuse

More than 100 families attended the public launch of the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS campaign in Edinburgh this week.

Children got to meet Pantosaurus, the campaign’s mascot, as well as play games and get their faces painted at the McDonald Road Library on Tuesday (October 17^th).

It was the first in-person event for the Talk PANTS campaign in Edinburgh, which will help protect young children from sexual abuse.

The year-long campaign was launched earlier this month (October 5) with an online event for professionals who work with children and families. It 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.

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.

With the help of a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, it helps children understand 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.

At the family event there were refreshments, a Bookbug session, colouring in, games and Talk PANTS materials for parents and carers to take away.

Carla Malseed, Local Campaigns Manager at the NSPCC, said: “We were amazed at the turnout in McDonald Road Library. It was great to see how thrilled the children were to meet Pantosaurus.

“This campaign doesn’t use scary words or talk about sex, instead we focus on the PANTS rules that help children understand important messages, like their body belongs to them and they should tell an adult if they’re upset or worried about something.

“We hope this campaign will provide parents with the knowledge and skills to be able to talk about this difficult topic with their child from a young age, to help prevent abuse.”

Over the coming year, local PANTS champions will be trained to deliver the campaign messages and resources to other professionals and families through webinars and workshops, and awareness raising events will be held across Edinburgh for parents, carers and children.

The campaign materials and resources for parents, include a British Sign Language PANTS video, a Talk PANTS with Makaton guide, which is designed to be used to deliver the PANTS message to children with Additional Support Needs, and a Pantosaurus film. There are also resources for teachers to use in primary schools.

Find out more about Edinburgh Talk PANTS here.

Parents and professionals can also find out how to Talk PANTS here. The adult guides include ones for foster carers and parents with learning disabilities.

Anyone with concerns about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 for advice.

Edinburgh talking PANTS tomorrow!

Campaign being launched in Edinburgh to help keep children safe from sexual abuse

A campaign to help protect young children from sexual abuse is being launched in Edinburgh tomorrow with an online event for professionals who work with children and families in the city.

The year-long campaign 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.

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.

The online launch, which will run from 2pm to 4pm on Thursday, October 5, will explore how we can better prevent and respond to child sexual abuse, using PANTS, and the next steps of the campaign.

The online event is open to all professionals who work with children and families in Edinburgh, and it will take place on Microsoft Teams.

NSPCC Scotland’s Assistant Director Karen Head will introduce the event, and this will be followed with the personal story from a mum whose daughter was sexually abused. There will also be speeches from Stuart Allardyce, Director of Lucy Faithfull Foundation / Stop It Now! Scotland, Laura Brown, Edinburgh Child Protection Lead Officer and NSPCC Scotland’s Local Campaigns Manager Carla Malseed.

Carla Malseed, Local Campaigns Manager at the NSPCC, said: “Each year in Scotland, Police record more than 5,000 sexual offences committed against children. It is crucial that we do all we can to help prevent abuse from happening in the first place.

“The Talk PANTS campaign is about helping start difficult, but vital, conversations with children from a young age about sexual abuse and their right to be safe.

“We don’t talk about sex or use scary words but focus on rules that help children understand important messages, like their body belongs to them and they should tell an adult if they’re upset or worried.”

NSPCC Scotland’s Assistant Director Karen Head, said: “We are delighted to be launching this campaign in Edinburgh to help prevent sexual abuse and keep children across the city safer.

“The Talk PANTS message and Pantosaurus animation makes it much easier for parents, carers and professionals to tackle this topic in a straightforward, fun and light-hearted way that children can understand and easily put into practice.”

Lillian Cringles, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “This campaign will help families and professionals have these important conversations with children about their bodies and help keep them safe. I urge as many professionals, parents and carers as possible to come along to our events in Edinburgh over the next few months.”

The first event for parents, carers and children aged 3-11, will be held at the McDonald Road Library on Tuesday, October 17 from 3 to 4.30pm. Also, a PANTS coffee morning will be held at the new NSPCC Community Hub in Leith on Wednesday, November 1, from 10.30am until 11.30am.

Other events throughout the year will promote the campaign materials and resources for parents, which includes a British Sign Language PANTS video, a Talking PANTS with Makaton guide which is designed to be used to deliver the PANTS message to children with Additional Support Needs and a Pantosaurus film. There are also resources for teachers to use in primary schools.

To book a place at the online launch event, visit: Edinburgh, Talk PANTS launch event for professionals Tickets, Thu 5 Oct 2023 at 14:00 | Eventbrite

Find out more about Edinburgh Talk PANTS here.

Parents and professionals can also find out how to Talk PANTS here. The adult guides include ones for foster carers and parents with learning disabilities.

Anyone with concerns about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 for advice.

Campaign being launched in Capital to keep children safe from sexual abuse

A campaign to help protect young children from sexual abuse is being launched in Edinburgh with an online event for professionals who work with children and families in the city.

The year-long campaign 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.

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.

The online launch, which will run from 2pm to 4pm on Thursday, October 5, will explore how we can better prevent and respond to child sexual abuse, using PANTS, and the next steps of the campaign. The online event is open to all professionals who work with children and families in Edinburgh, and it will take place on Microsoft Teams.

NSPCC Scotland’s Assistant Director Karen Head will introduce the event, and this will be followed with the personal story from a mum whose daughter was sexually abused.

There will also be speeches from Stuart Allardyce, Director of Lucy Faithfull Foundation / Stop It Now! Scotland, Laura Brown, Edinburgh Child Protection Lead Officer and NSPCC Scotland’s Local Campaigns Manager Carla Malseed.

“The Talk PANTS campaign is about helping start difficult, but vital, conversations with children from a young age about sexual abuse and their right to be safe.

NSPCC Scotland’s Assistant Director Karen Head, said: “We are delighted to be launching this campaign in Edinburgh to help prevent sexual abuse and keep children across the city safer.

Lillian Cringles, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “This campaign will help families and professionals have these important conversations with children about their bodies and help keep them safe.

“I urge as many professionals, parents and carers as possible to come along to our events in Edinburgh over the next few months.”

The first event for parents, carers and children aged 3-11, will be held at the McDonald Road Library on Tuesday, October 17 from 3 to 4.30pm.

Also, a PANTS coffee morning will be held at the new NSPCC Community Hub in Leith on Wednesday, November 1, from 10.30am until 11.30am.

To book a place at the online launch event, visit: Edinburgh, Talk PANTS launch event for professionals Tickets, Thu 5 Oct 2023 at 14:00 | Eventbrite

Find out more about Edinburgh Talk PANTS here.

Parents and professionals can also find out how to Talk PANTS here. The adult guides include ones for foster carers and parents with learning disabilities.

Anyone with concerns about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 for advice.

Talk pants at McDonald Road Library!

FREE FAMILY FUN DAY – 17th OCTOBER

Free family fun day with @NSPCC_Scotland at McDonald Road Library on Tuesday 17 October, 3pm to 4.30pm. Free activities, snacks and meet Pantasaurus.

Find out more at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/talkpants

Talk PANTS is a partnership between the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland. The aim is to protect children from sexual abuse by encouraging parents, carers and professionals to have conversations with children in an age-appropriate way about how to stay safe.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the PANTS rule across the city. PANTS helps children understand that they have a right to say no and if they need to speak out about something, someone will listen.

There is a range of resources available for parents, carers and professionals who work with children.

All of Us: New film launched by Edinburgh campaign set up to support struggling families

A new film encouraging families in Edinburgh to access support and advice has been launched today (Wednesday, March 29) as part of a campaign run by NSPCC Scotland and the city’s Child Protection Committee.

The All of Us campaign, set up over two years ago, has involved organisations across the city working in partnership, including Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council, Stepping Stones North Edinburgh and Dads Rock, to highlight the different kinds of support available for families through events and workshops.

The film features two first-time mums who talk about the support they have received from Stepping Stones North Edinburgh and a father who says Dads Rock has helped him become ‘a more confident father’.

As well as helping parents and carers get support and advice, the campaign lets people know where to turn if they have concerns about a child. It also raises awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who are struggling.

About one third of calls made to the NSPCC Helpline are from people concerned a child might be experiencing neglect, which is when a young person’s basic needs are not being met. This includes the child not having warm, clean clothing; enough to eat or drink; receiving love and care; access to healthcare; and support with education.

Neglect can happen due to a variety of issues, including parents not having support, funds or skills, and having poor mental health.

Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “We know that taking care of children isn’t always easy and we all need help from time to time.

“Parents might be struggling due to money, health issues or a whole range of factors outside their control and there’s help available across the city.

“The NSPCC Helpline is also there for anyone who wants advice or knows a family that needs support. It takes All of Us to raise happy, healthy children.”

A 25-year-old first-time mum, Shannon Borthwick, who attends Stepping Stones North Edinburgh – a charity that supports young parent families, said: “I don’t have the words to describe how much Stepping Stones has helped me, it’s just changed me as a person, it’s been so good for me.

“They’ve offered me such amazing opportunities. I’m incredibly grateful for all their help and support and I’m definitely finding parenting is easier since I reached out to them.”

24-year-old Marcia Cruz, who is also supported by the charity, added: “I’m also a first-time mum and I experience anxiety sometimes. There are times when it’s very difficult to know why your child behaves in a certain way.

“Having other people to talk with about things really helps and makes me feel much better. You realise you’re not the only person who feels a certain way and other mums are having similar experiences.”

Thomas Lynch, service manager at Dads Rock, said: “Parents really just appreciate having someone else to speak to and knowing they’re not alone and that other people are going through similar stuff.

“Nobody knows everything and it’s good to get a bit of information and support when you need it. I think people need to ask for help as soon as possible.”

Mark Cooper, a dad who has been supported by Dads Rock, said: “In the midst of a baby screaming that can be highly stressful.

“The support has helped me to become a more confident father because I know I’m not alone.”

Amanda Hatton, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said:“The All of Us campaign has been successful in highlighting the very real issues around child neglect and the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee has been working with NSPCC Scotland to raise awareness.

“The holiday period can be a challenging time for families so it’s important that everyone is aware of the wide range of support available here in Edinburgh. The ongoing cost of living crisis has put even more pressures on families, and I would urge people to continue to seek support.”

The film was launched at 10am this morning: Wednesday, March 29.

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, their health visitor, GP or child’s school. If you’re concerned that a child is in immediate danger phone 999.

To find out more about the campaign visit: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/allofus

For further support and advice visit: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/support-families

To watch the video visit: NSPCC All of Us – YouTube

It takes ‘ALL OF US’ to raise happy, healthy children.

FREE Fun Family Drop In at McDonald Road Library this Saturday

Looking for something fun to do with the wee ones during the school summer holiday?

Why not pop along to a Fun Family Drop-in at the McDonald Library, Edinburgh, on Saturday, July 23, for some arts and crafts, balloon modelling, face painting and loads more.

The event has been organised as part of a campaign that was launched two years ago by the city’s Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland.

All of Us was set up to help people find out where to get support and advice with parenting or other worries about family life and where to turn if they have concerns about a child.

The partnership wants to help parents and carers, who may be struggling, and signpost them to where they can get advice and support before reaching crisis point.

Stalls at the event, which runs from 1pm to 3pm, will include NSPCC Scotland, Home Start, Children’s Health Scotland, Venture Scotland, Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) and The Junction.

There will also be arts and crafts from Polymorphics, a Bookbug session, snacks and drinks, a face painter, balloon animals, and the Institute of Physics, a professional body which strives to make physics accessible to people from all backgrounds.

Gail Sayles, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “Looking after a child can be challenging for all parents and carers at times, and it is so important that people feel they can seek support and know where to turn for help.

“Everyone is welcome to come along to this event to find out what support and activities are available where you live.

“Don’t forget the NSPCC Helpline is also there for anyone who wants advice or knows a family that needs support.”

The campaign has also been raising awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who are struggling.

Jackie Irvine, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “Many organisations will be on hand to offer advice and provide practical support to parents and carers at this fun free drop-in at McDonald Road Library.

“This campaign was first launched just weeks before the pandemic struck and highlights the very real issues around child neglect. The past couple of years have really driven home the importance of raising awareness among communities and professionals so they are alert to the signs of child neglect.

“I would encourage as many people as possible to come along to find out more information about what is available.”

The Family Fun Drop-In is being held at the McDonald Library, McDonald Road, Edinburgh, from 1pm to 3pm.

The campaign has also been raising awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who are struggling with online workshops and seminars.

To find out more about the campaign visit: Edinburgh.gov.uk/allofus

It takes ‘ALL OF US’ to raise happy, healthy children.

Free online event will look at impacts of pandemic on children and how best to support families in Edinburgh

Supporting children during the pandemic and beyond, is the focus of a free online event being held for people working with families in Edinburgh.

The virtual event 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 event, which is being hosted on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, April 13^th, 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 event 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 online event 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.