Tag: Scottish Government

£50 million to improve mental health care for new mums

More than £50 million is to be spent on improving access to mental health services for expectant and new mothers, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

The new money will provide access to treatment for an additional 11,000 women who experience mental health problems during and after their pregnancy. Perinatal mental illness affects up to 20% of women, and covers a wide range of conditions. If left untreated, it can have long lasting effects on women and their families.

New models of service delivery will be introduced, including specialist care for acute perinatal mental health problems and improved infant mental health services.

A new needs assessment report, funded by the Scottish Government, has been published by the national Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for perinatal mental health. The report outlines recommendations to improve the provision of mental health care for expectant and new mothers and their families.

Speaking on a visit to the mother and baby unit at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, the First Minister said: “Our priority is to drive up standards of perinatal metal health care for new mothers and their children right across Scotland.

“Mental illness during pregnancy and during the first year after birth is really common, affecting up to one in five women, which is 11,000 a year.

“This new funding will identify mental health problems quickly so they can be treated promptly. Women and their families should also expect services to treat them with dignity and respect.

“The impact is not just felt by women. The mental and physical health of fathers and other partners can also be affected following the birth of a new baby. We also know that between 5% and 10% of fathers may develop mental health problems in the perinatal period.”

Dr Roch Cantwell, Lead clinician for the Perinatal Mental Health National Managed Clinical Network, said: “This report results from the enthusiasm, dedication and drive of women and their families who experience perinatal mental ill health, and the professionals who care for them across Scotland. Perinatal mental illness can be devastating, but we know that there are effective treatments which can manage and, in some circumstances, prevent its onset.

“The needs assessment and service recommendations report gives us a template to establish services which will ensure that women, their infants and families, receive expert care wherever they live in Scotland and that children can have the best start in life.”

The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board – chaired by Hugh Masters – will oversee and manage the £50 million investment.

The Perinatal Mental Health Managed Clinical Network is a Scotland-wide network of specialist clinicians focused on improving perinatal mental health.

The needs assessment report can be found here

Nationwide apprentice network “will inspire next generation”

Pupils in every high school across Scotland will benefit from a new national network of apprentices, helping to inspire future generations to benefit from apprenticeship opportunities.

Scotland’s Apprentice Network is open to current and former apprentices who want to encourage young people to follow in their footsteps, with every school in Scotland to be linked with an ambassador from the network.

The network was launched by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Forth Valley College, where she met engineering apprentices as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

The First Minister said: “Creating this network of apprentices, who can share their experiences with others, will help inspire the next generation.

“We know that work-based learning delivers for individuals, employers, and the Scottish economy. Through the network, apprentices are going to have the chance to inspire young people to follow their example and become the apprentices of tomorrow.

“Their success stories are the best way to show pupils that work-based learning offers fantastic career opportunities.”

Director of National Training Programmes at Skills Development Scotland, Katie Hutton, said: “We know that the best people to showcase the benefits of apprenticeships are successful apprentices.

“Through the network, apprentices will have a unique opportunity to talk directly to school pupils who are making their career choices and encourage others to follow in their footsteps.”

Scotland’s Apprentice Network is facilitated by Skills Development Scotland (SDS). SDS will ensure the inclusive recruitment of network members, from across the whole of Scotland, different sectors, industries and disciplines.

Network members will use their own first-hand experiences to communicate the benefits of Foundation, Modern and Graduate apprenticeships to young people, employers, parents, schools and other stakeholders at a local level, ensuring employers and schools can benefit from the national network.

Current and former apprentices are being encouraged to sign up and join the network – www.apprenticeships.scot/network

 

 

Over 1,300 Graduate Apprenticeship places for 2019/20.

More than 1,300 new Graduate Apprenticeship work-based learning opportunities will help boost Scotland’s economy and give people a head-start in their careers.

Fair Work Secretary Derek Mackay announced that the target for Graduate Apprenticeships in 2019/20 has been increased to 1,300. This builds on last year’s achieved target of 800 and recognises the increasing demand for gaining degree level qualifications whilst in employment.

Graduate Apprenticeships have been developed by Skills Development Scotland, in partnership with industry and the further and higher education sectors, to provide work-based learning opportunities up to Master’s degree level.

Supporting sectors that have a need for highly skilled jobs, such as civil engineering, digital and cyber security, graduate apprenticeships provide learning and development opportunities for new and existing employees and enable employers to upskill their workforce.

The growth of Graduate Apprenticeships supports the Scottish Government’s ambition to create 30,000 apprenticeship jobs a year by 2020.

Making the announcement ahead of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, Mr Mackay said: “Apprenticeships are a vital piece of the jigsaw to improve Scotland’s productivity, benefitting individuals, employers and the wider economy. That is why we are investing in more apprenticeship opportunities than ever before, ensuing more people benefit from work-based learning.

“We remain firmly on track to achieve our ambitious target of 30,000 new apprenticeship starts by 2020, with a focus on higher level apprenticeships. By increasing the number of Graduate Apprenticeships available for 2019/20 to more than 1,300, more people will have the opportunity to study while they earn and gain first-hand experience of their industry.”

The expansion includes the wider roll out of the Graduate Apprenticeship in Data Science, following a successful pilot funded by the Scottish Government and run in partnership with St Andrews University, University of Edinburgh and global accounting and business services firm, PwC.

Access to Graduate Apprenticeships has also increased through provision, with opportunities available for the first time through University of Aberdeen.

Skills Development Scotland Chief Executive Damien Yeates said: “Apprenticeships offer employers a unique opportunity to invest in and develop the skills their business needs for the future.

“SDS continues to work with business to increase the number of new apprenticeship jobs through Modern and Graduate opportunities – creating skills that meet their needs.

“Scottish apprenticeships now allow employers to introduce young people to their business while they are still at school and keep them in their workforce until they are degree qualified.”

Scottish Apprenticeship Week is the nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging more employers to take on apprentices.

This year’s theme is ‘Skills for the Future’, recognising the importance of investing in the workforce. The hashtag for the week is #ScotAppWeek.

Graduate Apprenticeship delivery partners include:

  • Edinburgh Napier University
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • Glasgow Kelvin College
  • Heriot-Watt University
  • Open University
  • Queen Margaret University
  • Robert Gordon University
  • University of the West of Scotland
  • University of Aberdeen
  • University of Dundee
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Glasgow
  • University of Strathclyde
  • University of the Highlands and Islands

 

New scheme to support town centres

£50 million fund for high street investment.

The Scottish Government has launched a £50 million fund to help boost town centres across the country. Edinburgh’s EIGHT town centres will receive £2.6 million under the deal.

The Town Centre Fund, which has been set up in partnership with COSLA, is supporting councils to ensure their high streets are more diverse, sustainable and successful in the face of changing and evolving retail patterns.

It will be for local authorities to allocate this fund against the themes of the Town Centre Action Plan.

The money will fund a wide range of investments which will make town centres more vibrant, enterprising, and accessible.

This could include the re-purposing of empty buildings for housing or social and community enterprises.

Speaking as he announced the launch of the fund, Economy Secretary Derek Mackay said: “Town centres are facing challenges across Scotland in adapting to a changing retail climate, and it is important that we help them to diversify and adjust to overcome these challenges.

“I want to make sure we can keep life in our high streets, and ensure they continue to be thriving places for communities to live, work and enjoy.

“This £50 million fund will enable local authorities to stimulate and support a wide range of investments which will encourage town centres to diversify and flourish, and create an increase in footfall through local improvements and partnerships.

“It is part of a wider boost to the economy through providing more than £5 billion of capital investment to grow and modernise Scotland’s infrastructure, and a wider package of support to businesses, including maintaining a competitive business rates package and providing the most generous package of non-domestic rates reliefs anywhere in the UK.”

Councillor Steven Heddle, COSLA’s Environment and Economy Spokesperson said:  “Local Economic Development drives so much of the other vital things that Councils do on behalf of our Communities.  This was a message we promoted as part of our essential services campaign ahead of this year’s budget.  We were clear that inclusive growth must be supported through investment in Local Government.

“We welcome today’s announcement of the £50 million for investment in our towns and we will continue to work with Scottish Government on our shared priority of Inclusive Growth and growing Scotland’s Economy.”

Did you know that Edinburgh has no less than EIGHT town centres?

There are eight town centres defined in the current city local plan. They are:

  • Corstorphine
  • Gorgie / Dalry
  • Leith / Leith Walk
  • Morningside / Bruntsfield
  • Nicolson Street / Clerk Street
  • Portobello
  • Stockbridge
  • Tollcross.

Eating disorder charity and NHS Lothian launch peer support for parents

The UK’s eating disorder charity Beat is partnering with NHS Lothian CAMHS to provide a peer support programme for young people experiencing eating disorders and for parents and carers of people with the illnesses, thanks to funding received from the Scottish Government of £100,000 over three years. Continue reading Eating disorder charity and NHS Lothian launch peer support for parents

Closing the Gap: Record number of school leavers reach a ‘positive destination’

Deprivation gap in positive destinations falls by half

94.4% of pupils had a ’positive destination’ including work, training or further study within three months of leaving school last year, official statistics show.

The figures also reveal that the gap between those from the most and least deprived communities achieving a positive destination has halved since 2009/10, with an increase in positive destinations for school leavers from both backgrounds.

Over the same period there have been increases at all levels of attainment – the qualifications young people are achieving.

For the first time more than 30% of pupils left school with a minimum of five passes at Higher Level or better, up from 22.2% in 2009/10. The gap between those from the most and least deprived areas achieving a pass at Higher Level or better is now at a record low, reducing for the eighth successive year.

In addition, more young people are choosing to remain at school, with almost two thirds leaving in S6.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “These welcome statistics show that more young Scots are studying, training or working within three months of leaving school than ever before. And, the gap between the richest and poorest communities for those getting into one of these positive destinations is now half what it was. That is real world progress in tackling an age old problem.

“They also show pupils are generally staying at school for longer and gaining more qualifications between fourth and sixth year. I am particularly pleased to see the attainment gap between school leavers achieving a pass at Higher Level or better is at a record low.

“At National 4 and 5 level, however, the attainment gap has remained broadly flat over the last two years which reflects the distance we know we have to go and why we are investing more than £180 million through the Scottish Attainment Challenge in 2019/20 alone.

“The figures published today are encouraging but we know there is more to do to raise attainment and ensure all our young people have the very best chance to build the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to succeed – regardless of their background.”

The 2009/10 summary statistics for attainment and initial leaver destinations are the earliest comparable figures to those published today.

Not fair: report calls for better deal for care workers

The Fair Work Convention today published its report Fair Work in Scotland’s Social Care Sector 2019. The report calls for urgent interventions by policy makers, commissioners and leaders in the social care sector to improve the quality of work and employment for the 200,000 strong workforce in Scotland.

The Scottish Greens have urged the Holyrood government to put fair work at the heart of social care by accepting the report’s recommendations in full. Continue reading Not fair: report calls for better deal for care workers

Holyrood to debate changes to organ donation legislation

A Bill to introduce a soft opt-out system of organ and tissue donation for deceased donors  will be debated in Parliament today. Members will be asked to agree to the general principles of the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill. Continue reading Holyrood to debate changes to organ donation legislation