Tag: report

Gardens can save our sanity

New National Garden Scheme report highlights the importance of gardens and outdoor spaces during lockdown 

A new report from the National Garden Scheme emphasises the vital role that gardens and outdoor spaces played – and continue to play – in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the nation during lockdown.

Bringing together feedback from garden owners, viewers of their unique Virtual Garden Visits that aired throughout lockdown, and an online survey conducted in August, the National Garden Scheme report confirms that the power of gardens to do good has never been more important.

George Plumptre, Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme said, “Anecdotally, from the responses we received to our Virtual Garden Visits during lockdown, we knew that gardens (real and virtual) were playing a significant and important role in people’s lives.

“In August, to back this up, we ran an online survey entitled ‘The importance of our gardens and outdoor spaces during lockdown’. Over 2,400 people responded giving us a set of key statistics which confirmed much of the feedback we had already established; that access to gardens and green spaces can play a vital role in our ability to cope in times of crisis.

“The report lays out our findings, the statistics along with some of the long-form stories that survey respondents shared with us, and the feedback from a selection of our own National Garden Scheme garden owners.”

KEY FINDINGS: 2,419 people responded to the online survey

92% said their gardens and outdoor spaces were ‘extremely important’ to them during lockdown in terms of health and wellbeing

87% said that a key benefit gained from access to their garden/outdoor space during lockdown was ‘It helped to relieve stress.’

100% of those with balconies or window boxes (35 respondents) said a key benefit was the reduction in stress – all of these respondents were within an urban or suburban environment

Of respondents with access only to a public outdoor space (20 respondents) 95% said that a key benefit was that ‘It helped to relieve stress’ (as opposed to 87% overall)

78% said that a key benefit gained from access to their garden/outdoor space during lockdown was ‘It helped them appreciate nature’

69% said that a key benefit gained from access to their garden/outdoor space during lockdown was ‘It kept them fit and contributed positively to their physical fitness’ 

86% said they used their gardens more during lockdown77% used their gardens for relaxation

81% spent their time growing and propagating seeds

70% grew their own produceEnjoying time to watch and encourage wildlife, connecting with neighbours ‘over the garden gate’, completing overdue garden projects and enjoying the sanctuary of their outdoor spaces were common themes in the long form responses.

THE REPORT

Gardens and Coronavirus 2020

The importance of garden outdoor spaces during lockdown
Read and download the full report here:
PDF https://ngs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Survey-Results-September-2020.pdf Webpage https://ngs.org.uk/new-report-gardens-and-coronavirus-2020/

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE & IMAGES

Virtual Garden Visits specifically related to health and wellbeing from which garden owner quotes are taken:
Long Crendon, Bucks (group): https://ngs.org.uk/long-crendon-a-community-of-gardeners/ Blockley, Gloucestershire (group): https://ngs.org.uk/blockley-gardens-gloucestershire-at- one-with-nature/

Warton, Lancashire (group): https://ngs.org.uk/warton-gardens-lancashire-the-essence-of- the-national-garden-scheme-ethos/
Algars Manor, Gloucestershire (family of GPs): https://ngs.org.uk/picture-perfect-algars- manor-gloucestershire/

Hambledon House, Hampshire (general overview of benefits of gardening and opening your garden): https://ngs.org.uk/hambledon-house-hampshire-harts-delight/
Garden Owner Case studies:

Dave Darwent, Sheffield: “It came as a bit of a surprise that opening my garden is a kind of therapy for my mental wellbeing” https://ngs.org.uk/dave-darwent-it-came-as-a-bit-of-a-surprise-that-opening-my-garden-is-a- kind-of-therapy-for-my-mental-wellbeing/

Amanda Cooper, Oxfordshire: The sanctuary of my garden in lockdown

https://ngs.org.uk/amanda-cooper-the-sanctuary-of-my-garden-in-lockdown/

All gardens and health related films: https://ngs.org.uk/gardens-and-health-we

More people than ever work in Scotland’s social services …

… and one in ten social care workers are migrants making a vital contribution

The new immigration system being proposed by the UK Government would leave Scotland’s vital social care sector critically short of staff, according to a new report. It would also damage a number of other important sectors in Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s response to the Migration Advisory Committee’s call for evidence on the UK Shortage Occupation List (SOL) highlights that the social work and residential care sectors are heavily reliant on migrants, with almost 10% of roles filled by workers from outside the UK – the majority of whom would not qualify for a visa under the so-called ‘skilled worker’ route currently being proposed by the UK Government.

Ben Macpherson, Minister for Public Finance and Migration said the remarkable contribution of non-UK citizens working in health and social care, and other sectors, has been brought into especially sharp focus during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

He said social care roles must now be added to the SOL, in order to prevent a labour shortage in this crucial sector.

The response shows 29,300 non-UK nationals work in health and social care.

Mr Macpherson said: “Care professionals from all over the world have played a vital role in caring for our communities during the COVID-19 crisis.

“It is mind-boggling that the UK Government has introduced a ‘Health and Care visa’, intended to show the UK’s gratitude to frontline workers in these sectors, but that this initiative bizarrely continues to exclude and disregard the huge contribution of social care workers.

“I urge the UK Government to do the right thing and include care workers as eligible for the recently announced ‘Health and Care visa’, so that people who make and have made such an important contribution to our society, particularly recently, can benefit from reduced fees, a fast-track application service, and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

“This report, responding to the Migration Advisory Committee’s call for evidence on the UK Shortage Occupation List (SOL), shows how the UK Government’s ending of freedom of movement, and no replacement general route for what they have wrongly and offensively deemed ‘lower-skilled’ migrants, will be damaging to social care provision and key Scottish sectors of the Scottish economy.

“Adding social care roles to the SOL would allow employers to recruit international workers at a lower salary threshold of £20,480, instead of the proposed £25,600.

“The Scottish Government is clear – we greatly value the skills and contributions of all people who come and settle in Scotland. Inward migration enriches our society for the better and migrants make a net contribution to our economy, our public services and our public finances. Family migration also contributes positively to our demography, and the sustainability of rural and remote communities.”

Read SG response to Migration Advisory Committee on review of Shortage Occupation List 2020

A new report published by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) shows that more people than ever before work in Scotland’s social services. There are some 206,400 people in the workforce, which makes up approximately 7.8% of all Scottish employment or one in 13 jobs.
The figures are revealed in the Scottish Social Service Sector: Report on 2019 Workforce Data.

The report highlights the size and importance of the social service workforce, which has played a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lorraine Gray, SSSC Chief Executive said: ‘The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought Scotland’s social service workers to the fore and this report shows the size and breadth of the sector.

‘They play a vital role in protecting and supporting some of society’s most vulnerable citizens and represent one in 13 of all employment in Scotland, so make a significant contribution to the economy too.

‘As well as being skilled and qualified roles, people must also bring the right values and we can see from the report that this is a committed workforce with just over three quarters in the same post as the previous year.

‘One of the largest increases this year was in the day care of children sub-sector, with an extra 2,360 workers, as recruitment continues towards the expansion of free early learning and childcare. Although COVID-19 has delayed this deadline we expect increased recruitment to day care of children’s service to continue.’

Key points from this year’s workforce data report

The size of the workforce has increased to 206,400, a rise of 0.8% since 2018. This is the highest level recorded since these reports began.
The social service workforce makes up approximately 7.8% of all Scottish employment.This increase has been driven mainly by increases to the day care of children sub-sector and with public provision.
The whole time equivalent (WTE) measure of the workforce is 155,330, an increase of 1.3% since 2018.
The stability index of the workforce is 76.8%. This means just over three-quarters of the workforce remained in the same post since last year.
The largest employer type differs between local authority areas, with services in Orkney, Shetland and Na h-Eileanan Siar (the three island authorities) provided mainly by the public sector. However, in most areas the private sector is the largest employer.
The three largest sub-sectors are housing support/care at home, care homes for adults and day care of children; together these account for almost 78% of the workforce.
The median age of the workforce is highest in the public sector (47) and lowest in the private sector (41).
Early years workers in the private sector have the lowest median age (28).
The percentage of men working in the sector is 15%, although it is around double or greater that proportion in criminal justice and residential children’s services.
The workforce is mainly employed on permanent contracts (82%).
The median figure for the typical weekly hours worked by staff is 32 and 51% of the workforce work full time (more than 30 hours per week).

The report combines administrative data collected by the Care Inspectorate with data collected by the SSSC directly from local authorities to form a comprehensive picture of the paid workforce employed in the social service sector in Scotland at the end of 2019.

The SSSC is an official statistics provider.

Read the Scottish Social Service Sector: Report on 2019 Workforce Data here.

Climate change may put Scottish private water supplies at risk of running dry

The latest UK climate projections show a trend towards drier and warmer summers, with the west of Scotland set to become wetter and the east drier, plus more frequent instances of heavy rainfall.

New research by the James Hutton Institute shows that these changing weather patterns are likely to make private water supplies across Scotland more vulnerable to droughts, a major issue considering that private supplies provide drinking water to 4% of Scotland’s population, and to many more through businesses and tourist facilities.

Summer 2018 was unusually dry and warm and many private water supplies ran dry leaving people needing assistance from their local authority. Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) responded on behalf of the Scottish Government by commissioning a report into how climate change is likely to impact the resilience of private water supplies in the future, focusing on water scarcity.

If, as projected, drier and warmer summers are more frequent, private water supplies will be increasingly vulnerable to water shortages. North east Scotland is forecast to experience the largest increase in water shortages, and it is also where there is the highest density of private water supplies. 

Dr Mike Rivington, project lead and co-author of the report, said: “About half of Scotland’s private water supplies are estimated to be within areas of increased vulnerability between now and 2050.

“Future levels of vulnerability are due to reduced water quantity availability combining with specific catchment scale water use, such as for agriculture. Across Scotland this will vary in space and time due to changes in precipitation and temperature that affects the overall water balance.”

Co-author Dr Ioanna Akoumianaki highlights the need for a better understanding of water storage at landscape scales and the potential impacts of dry weather on springs, rivers, lochs and the water table to help assess the risk of private water supplies drying up.

She added: “Awareness of that risk and collaboration between users, local authorities and experts will be key to addressing the challenges and achieving rural supplies that are resilient to changes in the climate.”

Environment and Climate Change Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “This important research provides more evidence that climate change is having a growing impact on our natural environment and resources – and on our everyday lives.

“The prolonged dry weather in 2018, and again this spring, shows that Scotland is not immune to water scarcity. Events like this will only become more frequent, which is why it is essential that we continue to build on our understanding of climate change effects with research like this. This will help develop our critical adaptation work and support of communities across the country.”

But it’s not just changes in our climate that present potential problems. CREW recently published a study led by Glasgow Caledonian University showing that private water supplies play a vital role in rural economies in Scotland, with many micro- and small businesses relying on them. Reliance on private supplies makes communities in remote areas of rural Scotland potentially less resilient, economically and otherwise.

The report argues that it costs more – directly and indirectly – to access and maintain private supplies and issues with water quality can be detrimental to businesses, further affecting the fragile, interdependent nature of small rural communities.

Whilst tourism is widely regarded as a welcome economic opportunity in rural areas, the sudden rise in water demand, such as along the heavily promoted North Coast 500 tourist route, was recognised as an issue requiring urgent attention. Better regulatory oversight and support and enhanced communication between relevant agencies both locally and nationally is essential so rural businesses and communities can continue to grow.

Prof Bob Ferrier, Director of CREW commented: “Scotland’s climate is changing, and it is important to understand the impacts of that change on our society. Reliance on private water supplies puts users increasingly at risk of both the impacts of climate change and the low resilience to economic impacts.”

Both reports are available for consultation from the CREW website: https://www.crew.ac.uk/publications.

Funded by the Scottish Government, CREW is a partnership between the James Hutton Institute and Scottish higher education and research institutes. For details see www.crew.ac.uk.

‘Absolutely staggering’: spreadsheet error led to delays in hospital opening

A mistake in a spreadsheet calculation set in motion a series of events that led to the delayed opening of the new £150m Sick Kids hospital, a new report has revealed.

Health Minister Jeane Freeman stepped in when last-minute issues with ventilation prevented the opening of Edinburgh’s new children’s hospital last July.

The go-ahead for a new hospital at Little France, a replacement for the ageing Sick Childrens Hospital in Sciennes, was first agreed by NHS Lothian in 2005 but the project has seen a catalogue of delays and spiralling costs.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman, Lothian MSP Miles Briggs, said: ““It is absolutely staggering that this mistake has had such huge repercussions and was not picked up until after the new hospital had been built.

“This review is highlighting how ill equipped health boards are for undertaking projects the magnitude of a new hospital.

“SNP Ministers are ultimately responsible for what has been described as a ‘collective failure’ in the specifications of ventilators at the hospital.

“This fiasco has cost the tax payer enormous amounts of money, money which should have gone towards properly resourcing hospitals and improving treatment times.”

Child sexual offences in Scotland rise by 30% in five years

NSPCC calls for urgent action to tackle crisis of abuse

  • More than 5,000 child sex offences recorded by Police Scotland in 2019/20
  • Childline counselling sessions about sexual abuse in the family triple across UK during lockdown 
  • NSPCC urges Scottish Government to draw up a Child Sexual Abuse Strategy that puts victims and prevention at its core 

Police Scotland recorded an average of 15 child sex offences every day last year, new figures from the NSPCC reveal.  

There were 5,311 recorded offences including rape, online grooming and sexual assault against children in Scotland in 2019/20 – up 30% in the five years since 2014/15. 

In last year’s figures, where gender was recorded, girls were five times as likely to be victims, and in the offences where age category was given, 45% of the crimes recorded were against children under 13.

Across the UK, there were 73,518 recorded offences in 2019/20. The data was provided by a total of 44 out of 45 police forces after the NSPCC submitted a Freedom of Information request. 

NSPCC Scotland believes these figures show the urgent need for national leadership to create a coordinated plan to tackle child sexual abuse, both online and offline, in the country.

The charity is now calling on the Scottish Government to follow other nations in the UK and set about producing a comprehensive Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy.1

The charity is calling for the strategy to put the needs of children and young people at the centre of how authorities respond to child sexual abuse, with a focus on effective prevention and victims having access to timely, relevant and specialist support to help them recover.

NSPCC Scotland research2 has shown that the availability of specialist therapeutic sexual abuse services is patchy and inconsistent across the country. 

Support should include that provided through Child House initiatives where health, policing, social work, therapeutic and other services provide help to children under one roof.

Matt Forde, NSPCC Scotland’s head of service, said: “Every day, children in Scotland are being sexually abused and having to live with the devastating impacts of this abuse on their lives.  

“Urgent action is needed to prevent abuse and to ensure children are supported to recover when it is disclosed.  

“In Scotland, we have seen numerous plans and initiatives launched to deal with various aspects of such abuse, including child sexual exploitation and harmful sexual behaviour.

“However, we believe it is crucial to have a joined-up approach when tackling this crime and want to see a strategy which puts the experiences and needs of children at the heart of it and is effective in preventing abuse and helping young people recover.”

The call comes as an NSPCC report found contacts from young people to Childline about sexual abuse in the family tripled across the UK during lockdown.

The report published today, ‘The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on child welfare: sexual abuse’, shows there were an average of 23 contacts to Childline per week about child sexual abuse in the home, up threefold since March 23rd when lockdown was announced.

Some children told Childline that sexual abuse had become more frequent during lockdown, as they were spending more time with their abuser.

One 17-year-old girl said: “It started during lockdown, about seven weeks ago. Dad touched me and got me to touch him. Today he came into my room and removed his trousers and asked me to do something to him and I did it.

“I don’t want to live here anymore. I feel I should tell social services about how abusive dad is, but I don’t feel ready to tell them about the sexual abuse part.”

A third of counselling sessions were about abuse in the family that happened over a year ago, with many children talking about it for the first time.

A 15-year-old girl told Childline: “My dad touched me sexually when I was younger and now I have to be home all the time with him and I can’t deal with it. Just being in the house with him is so hard. I am constantly reminded of what he did.”

Anyone concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline for advice on 0808 800 5000. Adult victims of non-recent sexual abuse can also get in touch for support.

Childline is available for young people on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk

School street closures could improve level of active travel to school, study shows

Edinburgh Napier and Sustrans team up for project funded by Road Safety Trust

A new report has found that school street closures[1] can improve the number of children walking, cycling and wheeling to school without creating road safety problems.

An increase in school street closures would also not result in traffic displacement causing road safety issues in neighbouring streets, the findings show.

The new report – led by Dr Adrian Davis, professor of transport and health at Edinburgh Napier University – sets out the findings of a review of existing literature on the impact of school street closures designed to create safer spaces for walking, cycling or street play.

A total of 16 studies – including three from Scottish authorities in Edinburgh, Perth and Kinross and East Lothian – were used to evidence the report.

The findings of these 16 studies have been supplemented by semi-structured telephone interviews with relevant officers responsible for local authority school street closure schemes.

Alongside increasing active travel, the findings also suggest that in almost all cases, the total number of motor vehicles across school street closures and neighbouring streets reduced.

There is also consistent evidence that motor traffic displacement does not cause road safety issues of any significance and that mitigating measures, where needed, have been applied successfully by local authorities.

The report also suggests that school street closures are supported by the majority of parents and residents living on the closed and neighbouring streets and that their support increases after any trial period.

The literature review is the first to provide an assessment of the impacts of school street closures published in the English language.

The Road Safety Trust, a charity dedicated to making the UK’s roads the safest in the world, awarded funding to Sustrans to evaluate the impact of school streets on the safety of surrounding roads.

The literature review is part of this ongoing wider project to investigate the impact of school streets – streets that are open to pedestrians and people on cycles but closed to cars at drop-off and pick-up times – for children’s safety.

Dr Adrian Davis, professor of transport and health at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “It is noteworthy that such a simple intervention can have really positive impacts in terms of increasing children physical activity levels and with this the associated improvements in wellbeing.

“School street closures looks to be a win-win for residents, schools and children and their families.”

John Lauder, deputy CEO Sustrans, said: “With the growth in numbers of family groups discovering the joy of cycling, walking, and scootering during lockdown, and with many parents and guardians continuing to work at home, the return to school is a crucial moment.  We want it to be easy and sensible for as many children as possible to get to and from school actively.

“This research shows clearly how school street closures make the streets around schools safer, cleaner and healthier. It also shows that school streets help increase active travel to school, making it easier for children to start the school day awake and alert.  We call on local authorities to give this consideration.”

Sally Lines, chief executive of Road Safety Trust, said: “We want to make the roads safer for all users in particular vulnerable road users which includes children, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, and the results from the literature review are a welcome step towards this. 

“It’s great to see the funding we provided to Sustrans showing these early results in the form of the literature review and that the results can inform best practice across the UK.”

The City of Edinburgh Council has already trialled a number of school street closures within the city, including around Leith Primary, St Mary’s in Leith and Gilmerton Primary earlier this year.

A host of other measures, including street widening and traffic limits, have also been implemented across the city to help people socially distance while travelling and exercising.

The full literature review relating to school street closures can be found here.

Substantial reform of Universal Credit needed, says Lords report

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee report ‘Universal Credit isn’t working: proposals for reform‘, calls on the UK Government to make substantial changes to universal credit in order to protect the most vulnerable.

Universal Credit is failing millions of people, particularly the most vulnerable. The Economic Affairs Committee agrees with the original aim of Universal Credit but blames the scheme’s design for soaring rent arrears and the use of food banks.

Cuts to social security budgets over the last decade is causing widespread poverty and hardship. Universal Credit needs urgent investment to catch up and provide claimants with adequate income. The temporary increase in the standard allowance in response to the Covid-19 pandemic shows that the previous level of awards was too low. The increase should be made permanent.

The Government is using Universal Credit to recover debt, mostly £6 billion of historic tax credit debt. Deductions of up to 30% of the standard allowance, and in some cases more, can be taken from claimants. This has left many households with less money than they are entitled, often at no fault of their own. Tax credit debt should be written off as it is unlikely to be repaid.

The five-week wait for the first Universal Credit payment is the main cause of insecurity. This wait entrenches debt, increases extreme poverty and harms vulnerable groups disproportionately. The Government should introduce a non-repayable two-week grant to all claimants.

The way payments are calculated can result in large fluctuations in income month-to-month, making it extremely difficult for claimants to budget. The level of awards should be fixed at the same level for three months. There should be a mechanism to enable claimants to have an early reassessment if their circumstances change.

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, Chair of the Economic Affairs Committee, said: “Most people, including our Committee, broadly agree with the original aims and objectives of Universal Credit. However, in its current form it fails to provide a dependable safety net. It has led to an unprecedented number of people relying on foodbanks and not being able to pay their rent.

“The mechanics of Universal Credit do not reflect the reality of people’s lives. It is designed around an idealised claimant and rigid, inflexible features of the system are harming a range of claimant groups, including women, disabled people and the vulnerable.
 
“Universal Credit needs more money to catch up after 10 years of cuts to the social security budget. It requires substantial reform to its design and implementation, the adequacy of its awards, and how it supports claimants to navigate the system and find work.

“The five-week wait for a first payment must be replaced by a non-repayable two-week grant to all claimants. The monthly payment calculations which can result in big fluctuations to claimants’ incomes should be fixed for three months. Historical tax credit debt needs to be written off.

“The punitive nature of Universal Credit has not worked. It punishes the poorest by taking away their sole source of income for minor infractions. It needs rebalancing, with more carrot and less stick, particularly as large numbers of claimants will have ended up on it because of events completely out of their control.”

The Committee’s other key findings and recommendations include:

  • The Government must prioritise helping people into work, particularly with the increase in unemployment that the Covid-19 pandemic is causing. All claimants should have a work allowance, at a higher rate than now, to allow them to keep more of their award as they move into work.
  • The Government should consider reducing the taper rate to ensure that the poorest in society do not pay higher marginal effective tax rates compared to the richest in society.
  • The conditionality requirements on claimants who can look for, or prepare for work, has been increased significantly over recent years. Less emphasis should be placed on obligations and sanctions. Instead, there should be more support to help coach and train claimants to find jobs or to progress in their current roles. Conditionality should be adapted to accommodate changing labour market conditions, including at the local level, particularly in the light of the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • The UK has some of the most punitive sanctions in the world, but there is limited evidence that they have a positive effect. Removing people’s main source of support for extended periods risks pushing them further into poverty, indebtedness and reliance on food banks. There is a substantial body of evidence which shows that sanctions harm people’s mental health. The Government should evaluate the current length and level of sanctions. It should also expedite its work on introducing a written warning system before the application of a sanction. Sanctions must be a last resort.
  • The Government is doubling the number of work coaches in response to potential levels of high unemployment. This may not be enough to support people to find work in a stagnant labour market with high levels of competition for jobs. A cap should be introduced on the number of cases for which each work coach can be responsible.
  • Paying awards on a monthly basis does not reflect the way many claimants live. It causes unnecessary budget and cash flow problems. All claimants should be able to choose whether to have Universal Credit paid monthly or twice monthly.
  • Including childcare support in Universal Credit was a mistake. Paying costs in arrears has been a barrier to in-work progression and in some cases, it has been a disincentive to work. The Government should remove childcare support from Universal Credit and be made into a new standalone benefit paid in advance.

Building Back for the Better

– a perspective from Carnegie UK Trust –

The COVID-19 pandemic has touched every part of our society: our economy; our environment; our social connections; and the relationships we have with our governments.

As we embark on the process of recovery, the Carnegie UK Trust believes that there is a collective responsibility to use what we have learned, not just to repair the damage, but to reconsider the fundamentals of economic, social and democratic structures that are no longer delivering positive outcomes for citizens and communities.

Others have referred to this process of collaborative sense-making as “building back better”. “Building Back for the Better: a perspective from Carnegie UK Trust” is our own contribution to that debate.

We have used what we know from our long history of research and practice development to set out a series of propositions, backed up by recommendations of practical things that could be done to improve wellbeing. The propositions are:

  • National wellbeing can be the goal
  • The relationship between the state and the citizen can be reset
  • The future can be local (as well as global)
  • Our relationship with work can be remodelled
  • We can build a new level of financial resilience
  • Technology can be for all

These will not be the only things that require to be considered for the medium-term recovery, but we hope that by taking a wide perspective we can connect the recovery effort with the transformative change to prevailing systems that so many have identified a need for, both before and during this pandemic.

Over the coming months, we will continue to work with organisations across all our networks to understand the impact of the pandemic on the people they work for. This will include central and local government; third sector and community organisations; credit providers; good work stakeholders, and many others. Where gaps remain in the space for collective sense-making, we will explore new opportunities to stimulate the necessary discussions.

If you would like to contribute to these conversations, please email me (Sarah@CarnegieUK.org) or join the debate online by tagging @CarnegieUKTrust – we would be pleased to hear from you.

Best wishes,

Sarah

Sarah Davidson

Chief Executive, Carnegie UK Trust

Steep decline in mental health of young Scottish carers

New Carers Trust Scotland survey shows pandemic’s dramatic impact on wider wellbeing of young carers in Scotland:

  • 45% of young carers and 68% of young adult carers in Scotland say their mental health is worse as a result of Coronavirus. 
  • 71% of young carers and 85% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey were more worried about the future since coronavirus.
  • 51% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey are spending more money due to coronavirus.
  • 58% of young carers in Scotland who responded to the survey say their education is suffering as a result of Coronavirus.
  • 42% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey say they are unable to take a break from caring as a result of Coronavirus.

“[Coronavirus] has made me more anxious, lost, unconnected, unsure and very sad that we can’t hug our dad, nanna, aunts/uncles, cousins and friends. Future so uncertain.” – 15-year-old female carer in Scotland

The results of a new Carers Trust Scotland survey, published yesterday, point to a steep decline in the mental health and wellbeing of young people across Scotland who provide unpaid care at home for family members or friends.

The survey is the first of its kind to provide a base of evidence for how worries relating to Coronavirus and increased isolation caused by the lockdown has affected the mental health and wellbeing of Scotland’s young people with caring responsibilities.

It is part of a larger Carers Trust survey of young carers from across the UK. Young carers aged 12 to 17 and young adult carers aged 18 to 25 responded to the survey.

Coronavirus increases caring hours and pressures on young carers

Even before the outbreak of Coronavirus, young carers and young adult carers were all too often spending significant amounts of time caring for a relative in addition to the time they needed to spend on education, work and time for themselves.

Coronavirus has significantly increased those pressures. The survey found that 10.6% of young carers in Scotland who responded to the survey said that they had seen the number of hours they spend caring per week increase by 30 hours.

A similar proportion of young adult carers reported the same increase in caring hours per week.

Most disturbing of all, 6.4% of young carers and 10.59% of young adult carers who responded to the survey, said that they are now spending over 90 hours a week caring for a family member or friend.

When asked what difference Coronavirus had made to them, 58% of young carers in Scotland said their education was suffering and 45% said their mental health had worsened. Asked the same question, 68% of young adult carers said their mental health had become worse and 42% said they had been unable to take a break from caring.

Responding to findings published today, Director of Scotland and Northern Ireland at Carers Trust, Louise Morgan, said: “This is the first snapshot of how Coronavirus is affecting thousands of young people with caring responsibilities across Scotland.

“And the results are extremely concerning. It’s clear that the pandemic has made what was already a very worrying picture for young carers in Scotland far, far worse. That’s why we are calling for more support and more services to ensure that young people with caring responsibilities get the support they need.”

Other key findings from the survey:

69% of young carers and 76% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey felt less able to stay in touch with friends since coronavirus.

74% of young carers and 73% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey said they are feeling less connected to others since coronavirus.

69% of young carers and 76% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey said they are feeling more stressed since coronavirus.

59% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey are struggling to look after themselves.

56% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey are feeling overwhelmed by the pressures they are facing now.

See below a series of quotes from young carers and young adult carers in Scotland on how they have been affected by Coronavirus:

The voices of young carers  in Scotland

All the responses below were given in response to the following question in the Carers Trust survey: “What difference has coronavirus made to your life as a young carer or young adult carer?”

“It’s made it harder. I don’t get any respite, no time away or family support.” 12-year-old female carer in Scotland

“Coronavirus has made it harder to get a break from my caring role and has made me feel more unsafe at home” 14 year-old-female carer in Scotland

“Has made me more anxious, lost, unconnected, unsure and very sad that we can’t hug our dad, nanna, aunts/uncles, cousins and friends. Future so uncertain.” 15-year-old female carer in Scotland

“I’m stressed with having to care and take care of myself as well as struggling to sleep” 17-year-old male carer in Scotland

“I feel as if it has made it more difficult to care for my father as I have been unable to take care of myself properly” 18-year-old male carer in Scotland

“The difference now is that I can’t get out of the house for a day and we can’t afford to do or get anything. We are just getting by with only making 80% of our wages. It’s a lot harder to keep on top of the rent and we spend more money on alcohol and cigarettes which makes it harder to afford electricity and some foods.

It’s harder to eat fresh and healthy because we can’t afford it at the moment. I have gained a lot of weight since lockdown and it really affects my mental health. Everyone in my household including myself are sick of constantly seeing each other and cabin fever is really bad as well.” – 19-year-old female carer in Scotland

“I have no help or support whatsoever now – I’m caring 24/7 and I’m exhausted and mentally drained. My young carers service is closing before lockdown ends so I now won’t have any support and I don’t know how I’m going to cope” 22-year-old female carer in Scotland

“It has made my caring role more pronounced/taken away other outlets of my life such as study. It has made me feel more isolated from my friends who don’t have caring responsibilities.” 24-year-old female carer in Scotland

Co-op warns of pending grief pandemic across Edinburgh

  • Co-op Funeralcare estimates 9.7 million mourners have been denied the opportunity to say their last goodbye at their loved one’s funeral
  • With only 50% of funerals proceeding with restricted attendance over lockdown, Scotland ranks one of the highest in the UK for funerals that went ahead
  • Just 4% said that someone visiting them was the most comforting thing that someone did for them when experiencing a bereavement in Scotland
  • 59% of bereaved UK adults said lockdown had negatively impacted their grief process
  • A further 61% of bereaved UK adults, who have experienced a bereavement during lockdown, said that nothing has helped them to grieve

Co-op has released a report which reveals the devastating impact lockdown has had on Edinburgh’s ability to grieve and warns the region could yet face a grief pandemic.

An online YouGov survey, commissioned by the UK’s leading funeral provider Co-op Funeralcare, shows that in the weeks following the start of the UK’s lockdown on 23rd March, 50% of bereaved adults in Edinburgh have been denied their final farewell.

Although a necessary measure to protect our nation during the coronavirus pandemic, the restrictions on the number of funeral attendees mean that many have been unable to attend their loved one’s funeral, with some councils prohibiting any attendees at crematoriums and gravesides.

When asked about the most important way to say goodbye, 42% of UK adults chose being present when their loved one passes away, whilst 33% chose attending a funeral or memorial service. Sadly, in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19, neither of these goodbyes have been an option for an estimated 243,000 bereaved families.

Funerals play an intrinsic part in the grieving process, and by being unable to attend, many have been unable to grieve the loss of their loved one. The survey revealed that37% of mourners have been unable to pay their respects by attending a funeral service, whilst 45% of people said the funeral went ahead, or will go ahead, with restricted attendance in person only.

A harrowing estimate of more than 133,000 bereaved families who have lost a loved one during lockdown said their grief process has been negatively affected by the restrictions in place, with over three fifths (61%) saying that nothing in particular has helped them to grieve. This inability to grieve at present means the nation could experience a prolonged period of mourning for months, or even years, to come.

David Collingwood, Director of Funerals at Co-op Funeralcare said: “A funeral provides a sense of closure for bereaved families and is very often the start of the grieving process.

“Sadly, the recent restrictions mean an estimated 243,000 bereaved families across the UK and thousands across Edinburgh have been denied the right to say goodbye to loved ones in the way they would have wished.

“We completely supported the need to introduce these restrictions at the beginning of the devasting Coronavirus pandemic in the UK. We had to make some tough but responsible decisions to protect our colleagues and clients, and to fulfil our social responsibility of slowing the spread of the disease.

“Tragically, we don’t yet know what the long-term psychological effects will be for families denied the last opportunity to say goodbye, so it is vital that we do everything possible to allow families and individuals to attend funerals, whilst always prioritising the health and safety of our communities.”

Co-op Foundation has partnered with Co-op Funeralcare to deliver grants of up to £10,000 for projects that help young people to support each other through bereavement.

Organisations can express their interest in the Co-op Foundation #iwill Fund  until 31 July. The funding will help build confidence, skills and a sense of belonging among young bereaved people, while helping them to make a long-term impact on their peers who have gone through similar experiences.

In Co-op Funeralcare’s Biggest Ever Survey in 2018, 81% of respondents said they hadn’t saved anything towards their funeral, and 8% admitted to experiencing financial hardship due to paying for the funeral of a loved one.

Co-op understands the impact financial worries can have on those trying to navigate the grieving process, so has extended the financial support available through its own Funeralcare Hardship Fund.

The fund which was launched in April as part of the Co-op Members Coronavirus Fundhas allowed Co-op’s 4.6 million members to donate their unspent existing member rewards. The Hardship Fund provides a grant of £250 to anyone[6] who is in financial hardship and arranging a funeral for a loved one who died as a result of coronavirus, or a coronavirus related illness.

Andy Langford, Cruse Bereavement Care Clinical Director said: “The coronavirus pandemic has meant it is an incredibly distressing time to be grieving, whenever your bereavement occurred.

“Many people have been grieving in isolation, unable to attend funerals, say goodbye, and be close to those they love. When you feel you have no control over how you can experience those last moments with someone, this can have a profound impact on the grieving process.”

Whilst grief itself is not a mental health problem, it can cause mental health problems for some of us. Co-op is working with its partners Mind, SAMH and Inspire to encourage those affected by grief to access support from bereavement charities before their mental health deteriorates.  

Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind said: “The loss of a loved one during the pandemic is leaving many people struggling with grief. In most cases, grief is not a diagnosable mental health problem. It is absolutely normal that grief places strain on our everyday lives and it can take a long time to adapt to life after a loss.

“If you feel that your mental health is suffering following a bereavement beyond the stages of grief or if you have an existing mental health problem that is being worsened following a bereavement and you’re struggling to cope, it’s important to seek help, speak to a loved one, GP or contact a bereavement charity.”

For more information, please visit: https://www.coop.co.uk/funeralcare/nationinmourning