Further community support for adults, children and young people
Two funds to support projects aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing in adults, children and young people have been awarded a further £30 million.
The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults, and the Children and Young People’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports, have been awarded £15 million each for 2024-25.
Launched in 2021, the fund for adults has supported grass roots community groups to deliver programmes for adults which build resilience and tackle social isolation, loneliness and mental health inequalities. Projects focused on connecting people and providing peer support were delivered through activities such as sport, outdoor activities and the arts.
Funding for the children and young people’s support began in 2020 to help with the mental health impact of the pandemic and its restrictions.
The new funding means more than £65 million has been made available to local authorities since then to deliver community-based mental health and wellbeing support for five to 24 year-olds and their families.
Support delivered includes mentoring, art-based therapies, digital services, whole-family support, counselling and sport or physical activities.
First Minister Humza Yousaf, who today visited Edinburgh Community Performing Arts Re-connect project for older people, said: “On becoming First Minister I reiterated my personal commitment to supporting those living with mental health challenges.
“We know how important it is for our society to have access to mental health and wellbeing support. That is why my government is committed to ensuring we fund vital services in our health service and in community settings to ensure we try, as much as possible, to provide a national network of community support for adults, children and young people.
“This further £30 million will fund community based projects which are focused on prevention and early intervention, and this is a significant step forward in supporting people’s mental health and wellbeing by making sure they can easily access the help they need, when and where they need it.
“Since 2020 the Scottish Government has invested over £100 million in community-based mental health support. An independent evaluation published last year shows that projects for adults have lowered social isolation thereby alleviating some of the negative mental and physical health impacts from the pandemic, as well as providing support and self-help for individuals with ill mental health issues.
“More than 300 children and young people’s supports and services are in now in place across the country, and evaluation published by the Scottish Youth Parliament found that nearly three-quarters of young people agreed or strongly agreed that they received support when they needed it.”
Fundraiser and Project Manager at Edinburgh Community Performing Arts Emma Stewart-Jones said: “We are delighted to have funding from the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.
“The difference that these community arts projects can have on individual’s health, sociability and well-being can be profound.”
Up to £2.23 million funding is being made available to third sector organisations providing counselling, peer support and practical support to adult survivors of childhood abuse.
Support groups can now apply for the latest round of grants from the Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support (SOCAS) Fund which will be made available from October 2024 to March 2026 and will enable groups to enhance or expand their current services.
Since it was set up in 2020, the SOCAS fund has seen more than 16,000 survivors supported by 29 organisations.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “We want all survivors to be provided with services which allow them to lead happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.
“This latest round of funding, up to £2.23 million per annum, builds on almost £10 million invested since establishing the Fund in 2020, and is designed to reduce the impact of the inequalities and disadvantages survivors often experience as a result of abuse.
“Our recently published Mental Health Strategy Delivery Plan outlines the importance of survivors having access to services which promote sustained recovery through person-centred, trauma-informed support and treatment – this funding will enable more people to get the help which is right for them.”
Director of Funds at Inspiring Scotland Kaylie Allen said: “The Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support fund provides vital help for survivors to enjoy a safe and healthy life with improved wellbeing and sense of safety.
“Helping people affected by trauma is at the heart of the Inspiring Scotland strategy so we welcome the continuation of the Scottish Government’s funding and look forward to supporting applicants through the application process.”
Charities providing support to pregnant women, new mums and their families are to share £1.5 million expand and enhance their mental health and wellbeing services.
It has been estimated that up to 20% of mums and up to 10% of dads are affected by poor mental health in the perinatal period.
The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund, which is now open for applications, enables organisations to provide a range of one-to-one and group-based support and care for parents, carers and new babies.
Over 10,000 parents, expectant parents and infants have been supported by existing funded organisations since 2019.
The new round of funding will start from October 2024.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “It is very important that all mothers and their families have access to good mental healthcare throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period.
“The third sector provides vital access to perinatal mental health support, and we are dedicated to supporting them to do so.
“This latest round of funding of up to £1.5 million, building on previous awards of over £2.8 million over four years, is designed to increase the provision of parenting and infant support, peer support and counselling or psychological support. The Fund will enable organisations to provide the services that women and their families need.”
Marie Balment, Infant Mental Health Lead, Perinatal Mental Health Network Scotland said: “We’re delighted the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund has been opened for a new round of funding for 18 months.
“This will enable statutory perinatal and infant mental health services to work alongside charity partners to continue offering essential perinatal mental health services that support families with babies.
“The contribution of third sector organisations is needed now more than ever, providing necessary support to parents recovering from mental illness and promoting the mental wellbeing of families during a time of vulnerability. This includes vital work promoting positive parent – infant relationships and infant mental wellbeing, which has a lifelong impact.”
Kaylie Allen, Director of Funds at Inspiring Scotland said: “We are pleased to be managing the application process for the next 18 months of Scottish Government Perinatal and Infant Mental Health funding.
“We know from the last three years of managing the fund the extraordinary impact community-based peer, parenting and infant focussed support can make for babies, parents, and families. It is so important that we focus on the early years to give all children the best start in life.”
A new UK government campaign is to be launched to support parents as research highlights some are unaware their baby’s mental health impacts their early development.
A new government campaign aims to support parents in nurturing their bond with their baby.
New research highlights many parents are unaware of the link between their baby’s good mental health and early childhood development.
Building close relationships in this critical period of social and emotional development reduces the likelihood of mental health difficulties throughout their lives.
A new government campaign – Start for Life’s If They Could Tell You – has launched to support parents to help build secure bonds to help nurture their baby’s future mental health, along with easy-to-follow guidance on the Start for Life website.
The campaign aims to highlight that babies’ expressions, reactions, noises, and cries are the way they communicate their needs and feelings to parents which in some cases can be an indication of their mental wellbeing.
The government wants to help parents and carers learn how to interpret these cues so they can find the best way to meet their babies’ needs.
A baby’s brain is making one million neural connections every second, making pregnancy and the first 2 years so important for their healthy development. These connections are formed as a result of the interaction between parents and their babies, laying the foundations for their physical and emotional wellbeing, now and in future. Secure relationships with parents and carers positively impacts child development outcomes and reduces the likelihood of mental health difficulties.
Minister for Public Health, Start for Life and Primary Care, Dame Andrea Leadsom said: “We are committed to giving every baby the best start in life, and promoting that vital secure attachment between babies and their parents in the 1,001 critical days from pregnancy to two years old is crucial for their future well-being.
“Speaking with parents across the country, I’ve heard first-hand that they need more support around how to better build those connections. Parents can access a range of support and advice, in person via family hubs and on the Start for Life website.
“We are also launching new guidance for frontline practitioners, aimed at helping them to start conversations with parents about building their relationship with their baby.
England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy said: “A strong, loving connection between parents or carers and their baby can play a significant role in developing the brain and protecting their mental health as they grow up.
“This campaign will make it easier for parents and carers to interpret the way their baby is communicating with them and understand how best to meet their baby’s needs.
“Raising a baby is not easy and I hope that new NHS trusted advice provided through the campaign will be a helpful source of information and support to parents and carers.
“New guidance for frontline practitioners will also help start conversations with parents and carers to explore their relationship with their baby, in order to provide support.”
The early years are a crucial time for the development of a child’s brain. Over a third (41%) of parents of under twos in England are unaware that mental health starts to impact a child’s development before they are two.
Whilst most parents (95%) feel confident in supporting their baby’s emotional and social development, more than two thirds (73%) of parents in the survey indicated they would welcome support in nurturing their connection with their baby further.
The new survey from Censuswide, which explored parents’ understanding of building a positive connection with their baby, also found that over half (53%) of parents believe that parenting advice they received in their baby’s early life, such as letting the baby ‘cry it out’ (53%) and limiting physical affection (52%) to avoid the baby becoming clingy was outdated, with almost a third (31%) of parents feeling guilty for following this advice when their baby’s cues indicated otherwise.
Child development expert Dr Amanda Gummer said: “Building a strong connection with your baby from pregnancy onwards helps to foster a sense of love and security, laying the foundations for their future wellbeing and mental health.
Dr Amanda Gummer has these tips for parents to help interpret cues and build strong connections with your baby:
Mirror your baby’s reactions and emotions
Babies need you to help them learn about themselves and the world around them. Your baby might be telling you they’re ready to play if they’re smiling or cooing. You can mirror your baby’s reactions and emotions – such as smiling back if they have bright eyes – as this shows them that it’s OK to express those emotions.
Comfort your baby when they are crying
It’s important to respond to their cries, as well as their smiles, with love and reassurance. If your baby is crying, try soothing them with gentle rocking, speaking softly, or singing to them.
Remember, you can’t ‘spoil’ a baby with too many cuddles and it doesn’t make them clingy. Babies will cry for different lengths and at different times, so try not to compare your baby to others. Babies also cry for different reasons; pain cries can be different to hunger or tired cries so try to understand what they’re telling you to help you respond appropriately. Looking after yourself is also really important and will help you to comfort your baby’s cries.
Enjoy playing face-to-face with your baby in everyday moments
The more you cuddle, look at and play face-to-face with your baby, the more secure they’ll feel, and the more independent they’ll become. In time, they will feel confident that you will be there for them. This can be as simple as saying what they do and name what they see, as you’re going about your routine.
Let your baby take breaks when they need them (and the same goes for you!)
Your baby’s body language, facial expressions, noises, and cries are their ways of telling you what they need. Sometimes they might be telling you they just need a break. Show them that it’s ok if they need to try something different, or to just to rest. Remember to also take care of yourself, and take a moment when needed, so you’re ready to understand and respond to your baby’s cues.
Further information on family hubs can be found here:
Across the UK more children than ever need mental health care as NHS figures show nearly half a million are awaiting treatment.
On National Social Prescribing Day, there is an increasingly significant role being played by coaches in local communities delivering socially prescribed physical activity to support the mental, physical, and emotional health of young people – amid a concerning increase of poor mental health and growing waiting lists for mental health services.
‘Social prescribing’ has traditionally been used to help adults and older adults find non-medical ways of combating loneliness and stress, but now in young people, mental health and emotional wellbeing is the most common reason for referrals.
However, an emerging approach of ‘youth social prescribing’, pioneered by leading youth charity StreetGames through the the creation of a Youth Social Prescribing Network is now directly supporting many children and young people referred to mental health services through physical activity programmes which focus on a child first coaching approach.
The charity is part of The Children’s Coaching Collaborative (CCC) a collective of like-minded organisations, who want to create a nation of child-first coaches.
Child-first coaching, where coaches focus on championing every child’s voice, choice and journey in sport and physical activity, aims to ensure positive experiences for every young person through the people who know them best – their coaches.
The approach is seen as critical to increasing enjoyment levels for all children and young people and helping them stay active for life but has particular benefits for young people experiencing poor mental health.
As part of activity sessions, coaches are now collaborating actively with young people referred by medical professionals to co-create activity that helps them as an individual, embedding a child-first approach to best understand their individual needs and respecting their voice.
The number of children referred to emergency mental healthcare within the UK has soared by more than 50% in three years – and inclusive physical activity, delivered by coaches that take a child-first approach and priortise wellbeing is now helping young people manage their mental and emotional health.
Chair of the CCC and StreetGames Director Hannah Crane reflected on the incredible positive difference made to the lives of young people: “The Play Their Way campaign is celebrating the profound positive impact child-first coaches can make on the lives of young people.
“Youth social prescribing is a significant area where a huge difference is being made for our children and young people – in this form of physical activity, it is even more essential that coaches are taking a child-first approach which can potentially help reduce hospital admissions and presuure on the NHS.
“StreetGames have founded our Youth Social Prescribing Network with the aim of delivering the approach for children and young people across every Primary Care Network. We are proud to support and celebrate the amazing people delivering physical activity that gives every young person a voice and a choice.
“Via the Play Their Way campaign, we want to further unlock the potential of coaches to directly support the wellbeing of children and young people – and that starts with taking a child-first approach.”
Aysha, a session coach focused on taking a child-first approach when supporting young people with varied and complex needs, said: “It’s vital that we treat all children as indivduals and our ethos is always focused on asking the children what they want to do, having a loose plan in place but knowing that if the plan changes, that’s great because it means the children are doing what they really want to do. This makes them much less likely to disengage.
“Socially prescribed activity for young people can have a huge impact, but we need to deliver it in the right way. Every child is different, every child has the right to be listened to. Getting them active is massively beneficial for supporting their mental health, at a time where this is needed more than ever, and I’m proud of the role our coaches, and coaches across the nation can make.”
One young person shared the profound positive effect her coach has had on her after taking part in weekly sessions, saying: “I originally went to the sessions because I was struggling with my well-being.
“I suffered from social anxiety and was self-harming, I did not have a good self-imagine about myself or who I was. My coach even visited my high school a few times, and was my biggest supporter at the time even when I thought my world was crashing down.
“She helped me holistically with my mental well-being by keeping me busy and helping me get out of the house. She played a pivotal role in supporting me as an indivdual by offering me opportunities to prosper and achieve. Her unwavering encouragement, her genuine care and her thoughtfulness cannot even be transcended into words.”
To learn more about the campaign, access resources and sign up to join the biggest grassroots movement to transform the way we coach our children and young people visit www.playtheirway.org.
Deidre Brock MP paid tribute to the success of Leith’s Time Bank in the House of Commons on Tuesday (27th February).
The Edinburgh North and Leith MP led a debate on timebanking across the UK and called for extra support to help the movement grow.
Timebanking is based on a simple premise: for every hour you spend helping someone, you earn an hour back for your time bank. Rather than volunteering in the traditional sense, it is based on a reciprocal exchange of skills.
Run by respected Leith charity the Pilmeny Development Project, Leith’s Time Bank has been going for over a decade and is an amazing success story, providing opportunities for people of different ages, cultures and backgrounds to share their skills, knowledge and experience with others.
Members have described the time bank as a “lifeline”, boosting their mental health and wellbeing and creating opportunities to meet exchange skills and experiences with people from different generations, backgrounds and walks of life.
Deidre Brock said: “Timebanking deserves much more recognition, so I was delighted to raise the fantastic work of Leith’s Time Bank and the wider network during the debate.
“We all have skills, knowledge and experience to offer that could be beneficial to someone, whether it’s gardening, sewing, simple repairs, language teaching, running errands, tech skills, or whatever it might be.
“Timebanking is a great way for people to exchange expertise without any money changing hands, and it can have such a positive impact on community cohesion and tackling social isolation and loneliness.
“The minister was very complimentary about timebanking and I’ve secured a meeting with him to discuss the concept further. We’ve also had a lot of interest from people keen to learn more and even set up new timebanks in their own area.”
Two-thirds of parents in the UK are worried about their children’s mental health. And rightly so, as 1 in 6 children in the UK are experiencing mental health problems.
When children are anxious and stressed, parents are often anxious and stressed.
That’s why Edinburgh Leisure is taking a whole family approach to wellbeing and empowering employees to support their children’s mental health.
Employees now have access to the Wee Seeds Mini-Minds Wellbeing Toolbox. It’s a programme of fun and easy mindfulness exercises for children, all about bringing calm and connection to families.
Helen Macfarlane, Director of Wellbeing at Edinburgh Leisure said: Encouraging and supporting people’s health and wellbeing is at the heart of what we do at Edinburgh Leisure.
“We deliver a range of wellbeing initiatives to support our customers’ and employees’ health and wellbeing.
!We’re investing in our employees’ mental health. So, we’re taking a whole family approach to mental health and empowering our employees to support their children by giving them access to the @WeeSeeds Mini-Minds Wellbeing Toolbox. Our staff deserve good mental health and so do their children.”
Wee Seeds Founder, Christina Cran, said: “We believe it’s time for employers to take a whole family approach to mental health.
“All the areas of our life, work, home, and social life, intersect with each other. By working on having a calm family environment at home, we can improve all areas of our lives. Calm families, equal calm staff. That’s why we’re delighted to support Edinburgh Leisure with their staff and their families’ wellbeing.
“Our Mini-Minds Toolbox is designed to help shape the next generation’s mental health. The mental health crisis starts with our children, it’s time we tackle that early.”
Mindfulness can help children:
– Focus more easily and be ready to learn – Sleep better – Feel less anxious – Feel more connected to their family – Build resilience – Understand their emotions – Deal with frustration better – Become kinder to others and themselves
These are skills children can use today and for the rest of their lives so we are also investing in the future of the workforce.
As a social enterprise, all profits Wee Seeds makes go back into its social impact programme.
So, by partnering with Wee Seeds, Edinburgh Leisure will also contribute to Wee Seeds’ social impact programme Growing Good, which will support families in poverty or struggling with their mental health to nurture their mental well-being.
To find out more about how Wee Seeds is improving mental health, visit weeseeds.co.uk
First Minister kickstarts conversation to promote a positive vision for a fairer society
First Minister Humza Yousaf has held a roundtable with practitioners and leaders who are working to promote positive masculinity in their broader approach to achieving equality across our communities.
This involves highlighting to boys and men the benefits that positive masculinity can provide for their everyday lives including mental health and wellbeing as well as positive relations. It also includes highlighting the harm that can be caused by negative behaviours associated with ‘toxic masculinity’ which may also manifest itself in sexism, misogyny and abuse or violence against women and girls.
In his Programme for Government speech, the First Minister committed to leading on this issue.
First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “I am committed to leading on this issue as I believe it’s important to have a vision for masculinity that is uplifting and positive so the negative male role models we are all aware of can be challenged.
“If we can promote positive masculinity, then we address deep rooted inequalities in our society, and tackle the root cause of violence against women and girls, namely abusive behaviour perpetrated by men.
“We need to create the safe spaces for boys and men to come together to talk, without judgement about the challenges they face, the anxieties they have and to talk about the positive male identity.
“We need to be aware of the outcomes for boys of not having this: educational outcomes, mental health and relationships can all be affected at both personal and societal level.
“Having a vision of positive masculinity, and adequate support for boys and young men, can support them to have better outcomes, and can also benefit all of society including helping to reduce abuse and violence.
“I look forward to continue working to achieve a vison of a fairer and more equal society.”
A Scottish Parliament committee has expressed its concern with proposals to support people experiencing mental health issues and struggling with debt.
The Bankruptcy and Diligence (Scotland) Bill proposes introducing a “mental health moratorium” – meaning people suffering from poor mental health would be protected from some debt recovery action while their health improved.
However, the Bill proposes that only those subject to compulsory mental health treatment would be protected.
The Parliament’s Economy and Fair Work Committee has called on the Government to extend the criteria to include more people experiencing a mental health crisis, so vulnerable people are not left behind by the new scheme.
Economy and Fair Work Committee Convener Claire Baker said: “The Committee is broadly supportive of this Bill and its aims. The idea of a mental health moratorium will be very helpful to those who need it.
“However, we are concerned that the proposed narrow criteria will mean this Bill does not help enough people, and the Bill should be looked at again with this in mind.
“We are calling on the Scottish Government to extend the criteria to allow more people experiencing a mental health crisis to lean on this support.
“Experts suggested various alternative approaches, and we hope the Government will listen to their views.
“We also believe that this is an opportunity to increase the amount protected for debtors during an earnings arrestment, and further protect vulnerable people from destitution.”
The Committee also criticised the lack of detail around the proposals made available while it was taking evidence.
Crucial information concerning how the moratorium would work was not made available when the Bill was introduced, and more detail won’t be available until the Government sets it out in regulations.
The Committee heard from Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance Tom Arthur that the Government would “endeavour” to produce draft regulations ahead of stage 3.
Ms Baker added: ”The Committee looks forward to working with the Government further on these proposals. The Government has indicated they will bring forward draft regulations, and the Committee will look carefully at these.
“It is vital that the Committee has a chance to scrutinise these regulations before the Bill is passed, so that the detail of these proposals can be fully examined.”
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