Scottish Government – Page 5 – The NEN

Improving lives across Scotland?

FM outlines progress made in first 100 days of government

Helping people with the cost of living, strengthening public services and growing the economy are the focus of policies delivered so far in the first 100 days of government, First Minister John Swinney has said.

Since appointing the Cabinet on 20^th May, the Scottish Government’s action has included setting up the First Homes Fund to help first-time buyers with up to £10,000 support towards a deposit, investing in and expanding health and social care provision, and setting up initiatives to boost business.

Work is also underway on key commitments including expanding support for breakfast clubs, extending the £2 bus cap beyond the Highlands and Islands, the Welcome to School Bag which builds on the success of Scotland’s Baby Box and on mobile phones in schools.

First Minister John Swinney said: “From day one, this government has been focused on the issues that matter most to people across Scotland – helping people with the cost of living, making our public services like the NHS stronger, and supporting our economy to prosper. My government will deliver on its promises to the people of Scotland.

“In our first 100 days, we have taken decisive action to support these priorities. That includes investing £90 million to bring down NHS outpatient waiting lists, boosting the social care workforce and opening new GP walk-in services.

“Our First Homes Fund is helping first time buyers to get on the property ladder, and launching the £50 million Homelessness Prevention Fund will make sure fewer people reach the point of crisis.

“To support our economic growth, we have established the National Council for Economic Growth and set up a fund to support island business impacted by travel disruption.

“As we near the end of the first 100 days of this government, we will continue to deliver action that will help improve people’s lives – including launching the consultation on the food price cap and delivering more school breakfast clubs to help families with essential costs.

My Programme for Government will then set out how we build on the progress to go further in improving lives and delivering change to build a stronger,fairer Scotland.”

Multi-Year Funding for Scotland’s Bairns Hooses

Scotland’s Bairns’ Hooses will be supported with multi-year funding from the next year to help them better plan for the future and ensure that every child who needs its services can access those by 2031.

Bairns’ Hooses bring together essential services such as health, justice and social work and recovery around a child in a trauma-informed approach.

They provide better support for children who have been victims or witnesses of abuse or violence that has caused or is likely to cause significant harm. This ensures children do not have to repeatedly recount their experiences while accessing the support they need.

By providing multi-year funding certainty, the Scottish Government is enabling partners to plan for the long-term and recruit key practitioners more easily. The multi-year funding will cover financial years 2027-28 to 2029-30, with the level of funding being set out in next year’s Budget.

Children and Young People Minister Siobhian Brown said: “No child should have to face the aftermath of abuse or trauma alone, or be made to tell their story over and over again to different people, at what is already one of the most difficult times in their life. Bairns’ Hoose exists to wrap support around children when they need it most, bringing together the people who can help.

“The proposed multi-year investment, covering financial years 2027-28 to 2029-30, would build on more than £30 million already invested in the programme. Nine Bairns’ Hooses are currently operational across Scotland, providing trauma-informed, child-centred support to children who have experienced abuse or violence – and with a tenth site in Fife expected to be up and running soon.

“Local partnerships are at the heart of delivering of Bairns’ Hoose, bringing key statutory partners across justice, health and recovery support services together around the child.

“We have listened to feedback from partnerships who asked for multi-year funding to give the certainty needed to plan, recruit and scale up services effectively, supporting the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure every child who needs it has access to a Bairns’ Hoose by May 2031.”

Fife Bairns’ Hoose Partnership said: “Multi-year funding provides partnerships like ours with the stability needed to embed services, strengthen collaboration across agencies and focus on delivering lasting change for children and families. A

” longer-term funding commitment would also support the development of a sustainable and committed workforce and effective commissioning arrangements, creating the conditions for successful implementation and continuous improvement.

“This approach would enable our Bairns’ Hoose to fulfil its vision and purpose for children and young people across Fife, ensuring they benefit from a coordinated, trauma-informed response that delivers positive outcomes over the long term.”

Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity, has responded to news that Scotland’s Bairns Hooses will be supported with multi-year funding from next year.

In response to the Scottish Government’s announcement of multi-year funding for Scotland’s Bairns Hooses, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First said: “The guarantee of multi-year funding for the Bairns Hoose model is a vital investment in the future of children who have experienced violence and abuse.

“Every child has a right to get all the trauma-informed care, justice, protection, advocacy and recovery support they need through Bairns Hoose to move on with their lives, without delay.

“While Scotland has made significant progress since Children First opened the first Bairns Hoose in 2023, there must now be a greater focus on funding the therapeutic recovery, advocacy and participation which lie at the core of the model. Without it, Bairns Hoose will not deliver the transformation in systems that children need and which the Scottish Government aspires to.

“The roll out of Bairns Hoose is a wider step to ensuring that no child is asked to go to court unless it is absolutely and unavoidably necessary.

“Alongside today’s commitment and the funding that will be required to fully deliver the Bairns Hoose model, the principle that court is no place for children needs to be enshrined in legislation to give child victims confidence that their wellbeing and recovery is the priority.”

Protecting young people from online harms

Surveys to explore families’ experiences of smartphones, social media and going online

Families are being invited to share their experiences of using smartphones, social media and the internet through surveys aiming to identify what support they need to stay safe online.

The first survey explores how children and young people use screens, apps and social media, as well as assessing the possible effects on their wellbeing and their confidence in staying safe on the internet.

The second asks parents or carers about their own screen use, how confident they are in supporting their children’s screen use, and what resources they would find helpful, among other questions.

While legislation to manage online safety lies with the UK Government, Scottish Ministers are focused on what more can be done within devolved powers.

The Scottish Government is therefore also conducting a review of more than 140 post-Covid research papers examining the impact of digital media use on the wellbeing of children and young people. The findings from the surveys and the review will be used to deliver new policy to reduce the impact of online harms.

Children and Young People Minister Siobhian Brown said: “Going online and using social media gives young people access to huge amounts of information, which can have positive benefits for their learning and connection to friends, family and the world.

“However, it can also have a harmful impact on their physical and mental health and wellbeing. We also know parents and carers are worried about how long young people spend online, what content they may be viewing and the addictive nature of some apps.

“We will continue to push the UK Government to go further – for example we want to see a Social Media Levy applied to online platforms which can then be reinvested back into our young people. However, we are also focused on what we can do within our powers in Scotland to ensure children and young people are safe and supported in their online lives, as part of a public health approach to online safety.

“To that end, we are seeking the views of as many people as possible, particularly around what support and information they would find most helpful. The surveys are completely anonymous and will help us to inform any public health campaign on this important issue.

“This work comes on top of our action to create phone-free learning environments to ensure pupils can learn free from the disruption associated with mobile phones.”

Digital wellbeing survey – children and young people

Digital wellbeing survey – parents and carers

The Scottish Government has provided funding to organisations supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people, including:

Mind Yer Time, an online hub on digital wellbeing designed by children and young people from the Children’s Parliament and the Scottish Youth Parliament
the AyeFeel online hub and award-winning ‘This is How AyeFeel’ podcast, delivered by Young Scot in collaboration with children and young people.

Parent Club provides advice for parents and carers on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their children and families, including on how to manage screen time and ensure children have a healthy balance of screen-based activities and offline play and exercise.

Temporary Bluetongue Control Zone introduced in Scotland

Animal movement restricted in an area around Dumfries and Galloway

The Scottish Government is strengthening bluetongue disease controls after a case was detected near Lockerbie.

A Temporary Control Zone has been put in place in an area around Dumfries and Galloway as a precautionary measure while further investigations are conducted on the source and extent of the disease.

All movement of livestock such as cattle, sheep and other susceptible ruminants in or out of the zone can now only take place under licence. There will be also be increased surveillance and testing of animals nearby.

In addition, from tomorrow (Saturday 22 August), cattle, sheep and goats and other ruminants that are travelling from anywhere in Scotland to the Bluetongue Restricted Zone in place in the rest of the UK must return to Scotland on the same day to minimise the risk of the disease spreading. This replaces the current rule allowing up to four days away.

From 10 September, all livestock susceptible to the disease that are being moved from a Bluetongue Restricted Zone in the rest of the UK into Scotland will need to be vaccinated, other than livestock returning to Scotland under the “same day” rule.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with livestock industry representatives, including National Farmers Union Scotland, National Sheep Association, National Beef Association, the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers Scotland, and the Livestock Auctioneers Association, to ensure industry concerns are heard and reflected in the approach taken.

Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands Jim Fairlie said: “The recent detection of bluetongue near Lockerbie, combined with the rapid rise in cases across the rest of the UK, means we must act now to strengthen our protections and minimise risk.

“This will allow essential time for further investigations and to allow vaccine uptake levels to increase sufficiently to provide greater protective immunity across susceptible livestock in Scotland.

“I recognise the significant impact this news will have on farmers and the wider industry in the area, and I do not underestimate the pressure this places on those affected. I am very grateful for their continued constructive engagement as we work together to introduce an effective control strategy while minimising restrictions on businesses as far as possible.

“We will ensure that control measures are proportionate. This is a dynamic situation while further investigations are carried out, and we will continue to monitor it closely, considering further control measures as necessary in partnership with industry.

“Vaccination remains our best long-term defence, and I would strongly encourage all farmers to discuss this with their vets and place vaccine orders now to ensure access to supplies.

“We continue to work with other UK nations, manufacturers and distributors to ensure timely access to vaccine, with more doses being brought in from continental Europe and additional supplies now in production.”

Bluetongue is a virus spread by insects, mainly Culicoides midges.

It is a disease of ruminant livestock and does not affect humans or food safety. Signs include nasal discharge, redness and swelling of the lips, nose and muzzle, lameness / reluctance to stand, milk drop (decreased production) and diarrhoea in cattle.

It is notifiable and suspicion of disease in animals should be reported to APHA Scotland.

Big Hearts: Centre Circle Whole Family Hub at Tynecastle backed by the Scottish Government

Big Hearts is leading a national partnership with four other well-established football charities in Scotland to tackle child poverty, through a £850,000 Whole Family partnership funding.

This partnership will establish five Centre Circle Whole Family Hubs across Edinburgh, Falkirk, Aberdeen, Inverclyde and East Ayrshire to support families experiencing financial hardship.

Centre Circle is an innovative model designed to help families access inclusive and preventative support at their local football ground: a place they already know and trust.

The partnership aims to support 500 families in its first year, through relationship-based, whole-family support that helps struggling households improve financial stability, wellbeing and resilience.

Big Hearts Community Trust, the charity of Heart of Midlothian FC, will lead on the Centre Circle partnership with four strategic delivery partners: Falkirk Football Community Foundation, Aberdeen FC Community Trust, Morton in the Community and The Killie Community.

Football sits at the heart of communities across Scotland, creating a welcoming and relaxed environment where people can connect and access support without judgement. Centre Circle will open a new chapter by combining local knowledge with a shared delivery framework and common outcomes across five regions.

Centre Circle is funded by the Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund. As part of its latest Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, the Scottish Government announced that our leading partner Big Hearts was one of 10 organisations selected through the £20 million Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund.

Craig Wilson, CEO of Big Hearts said: “Centre Circle is a new approach to deliver whole family support across local communities in Scotland through the driving force of the beautiful game.

“The £850,000 funding announced by the Scottish Government, with only 10 organisations supported for 2026/27, is a testament to the incredible work that has been delivered so far by Big Hearts and our key partners: Falkirk Football Community Foundation, Aberdeen FC Community Trust, Morton in the Community and The Killie Community.

“Football charities play a vital role in engaging with isolated and hard to reach families. Together, we believe Centre Circle can create transformative change with more resilient, connected and supported families.”

Driver safety roadshow set to roll into Edinburgh to help older drivers stay safe behind the wheel

● The Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland have launched their Fitness to Drive campaign to encourage drivers aged 60 and over to reflect on their driving and take simple, practical steps to stay safe and confident on the road.

● The Fitness to Drive national roadshow will be stopping off in Edinburgh from 19 – 23 August appearing at local spots including IKEA Straiton, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, and Dobbies Garden Centre Edinburgh.

● Older drivers will be able to drop in for a free ‘Driver MOT’ – a session to help them recognise any changes in the way they drive and explore practical steps they can take to continue driving safely for longer.

A road safety campaign by the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland is coming to Edinburgh as part of a nationwide tour to support mature drivers to stay safe and confident on the road.

With more than 850,000 drivers over 60 in Scotland, the Fitness to Drive roadshow will be appearing at IKEA Straiton on 19 August, before heading to Cameron Toll Shopping Centre on 20 August, before finally rolling into Dobbies Garden Centre Edinburgh from 21 to 23 August.

The purpose of the roadshow is to highlight the importance of recognising how ageing may impact driving, as well as understanding the steps that can be taken to mitigate that.

Transport Scotland statistics show an increasing trend in the number of road casualties involving drivers aged 60 and over. The Driver MOT roadshow aims to help people understand ways they can overcome age-related challenges, such as changes to eyesight, hearing and reaction times.

The roadshow will share tips for addressing these changes, which may include booking regular eye examinations, reducing night-time driving, avoiding busy junctions at peak hours, and/or refreshing skills with a driving review.

Fear of having to give up driving can often stop people from addressing these changes, but the Fitness to Drive initiative looks to equip older drivers with the knowledge and understanding they need to help stay safe behind the wheel for longer. Friends and family members of drivers aged 60 or over are also encouraged to attend for advice on opening up supportive and sensitive conversations about driving.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, Stephen Flynn, said: “The Fitness to Drive campaign is designed to support older drivers to recognise any changes that come with age – whether that’s to eyesight or hearing – and encouraging them to take action to ensure they continue driving safely and confidently.

“Change doesn’t always have to mean hanging up the keys and, by helping older drivers and their families ensure their driving fitness, we can help make people more confident and safer when they travel which, in turn, can help stop collisions and save lives.”

The Fitness to Drive national roadshow will be at the following locations:

● IKEA Straiton – Wednesday 19 August – 10am – 4pm

● Cameron Toll Shopping Centre – Thursday 20 August – 10am – 4pm

● Dobbies Garden Centre Edinburgh – Friday 21 – Sunday 23 August – 10am – 4pm

For more details about the roadshow and advice about how to keep driving safely for longer, visit roadsafety.scot/fitness-to-drive/

Data centre planning direction

Harnessing opportunities of data centres in Scotland

Planning authorities will be required to notify Scottish Ministers of new data centre applications within seven days of validation.

A new direction, issued by Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad, applies to data centre developments exceeding 50 Megawatts (MW) power capacity. It will support strategic monitoring of the pipeline of such planning applications and of the implications for wider infrastructure.

Ms Goodlad has also recalled a planning appeal for Ministerial decision relating to a proposed green data centre in Edinburgh, and has issued directions requiring Environmental Impact Assessments at locations in Fife and Edinburgh.

She said: “Data centres is a rapidly emerging sector, and planning has an important role to play in considering applications, harnessing economic opportunities, and finding solutions which align with our climate goals.

“We must balance the economic and employment interests in developing data centres with national energy, climate and community wealth building ambitions, which are vital to our future prosperity, as well as the potential impact on local communities.

“It is essential to secure public benefits from this type of development, and I am clear that voices of communities that will be affected will be central to any considerations on data centres.”

First Minister Welcomes 20 Global Festival Leaders to Bute House

Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Global Ink 2026

First Minister John Swinney MSP, welcomed some of the world’s leading festival directors and cultural leaders to Bute House last night (17 August) as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Global Ink 2026 programme.

The reception brought together 20 international delegates from 15 countries who travelled to Edinburgh from across Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania for Global Ink, the Book Festival’s flagship forum for festival directors.

Attendees represented organisations including Jaipur Literature Festival, Kerala Literature Festival, Adelaide Writers’ Week, Centre for Ideas at UNSW Sydney, Toronto International Festival of Authors, Auckland Writers Festival, San Miguel Writers’ Conference & Literary Festival,Gothenburg Book Fair, Emirates Literature Foundation and Ubud Writers & Readers Festival among others.

The invitation to Bute House marks the start of a week of networking, industry discussions and public engagement activities embedded within the wider Edinburgh International Book Festival programme, creating opportunities for international delegates to connect with Scottish writers, publishers, cultural organisations and policymakers.

They will be joined by representatives from leading UK festivals and sector bodies including Cheltenham Literature Festival, Cambridge Literary Festival, Bradford Literature Festival, Wigtown Festival, Open Book, Arts Council England, Wales Arts International, Scottish Book Trust, CILIPS, Publishing Scotland, Literature Alliance Scotland and Creative Scotland.

Together, these gatherings position Edinburgh as a unique meeting point for cultural leaders from across Scotland, the UK and around the world, reinforcing the city’s role as an international hub for literary exchange, collaboration and cultural diplomacy.

Jenny Niven, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “The relationships built through Global Ink extend far beyond a few days in Edinburgh.

“The conversations and partnerships that begin here have the potential to open doors for Scottish writers and creatives across the world for years to come – supporting cultural exchange and strengthening Scotland’s place within an international community of ideas, literature and creativity.

“We are grateful to the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland for their support through the Festivals EXPO Fund, which has enabled us to expand this work and deepen our international connections.”

Edinburgh’s status as the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature reflects the strength of a creative ecosystem that delivers significant cultural and economic value.

A major 2026 impact study found that literature and publishing contribute £50.9 million annually to Edinburgh’s economy, while literary festivals attract more than 256,000 visitors each year and help sustain the city’s global reputation as a centre for ideas, storytelling and cultural exchange.

The wider Edinburgh Festivals are estimated to generate £852 million in economic impact across Scotland annually, welcoming audiences from more than 100 countries and providing an international platform for Scottish creativity.

Scottish Government: Supporting people to buy their first home

Delivering further support for first-time buyers

A scheme to help people on low incomes and in priority groups buy their first affordable home has opened for applications.

The Open Market Shared Equity Scheme (OMSE) is available for first-time buyers and priority access groups who can’t afford the full price of a home. This includes social renters, disabled people, people aged 60 and over, members of the armed forces and veterans.

The scheme, along with the First Homes Fund, provides financial assistance to prospective homeowners and is part of the Government’s programme of action to provide affordable housing across the country.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This Government is delivering on affordable housing and this scheme, along with our First Homes Fund, will provide a vital support for those looking to buy their first home.

“We know how hard it is to get that first foot on the property ladder – our shared equity schemes assist households who can sustain mortgage repayments but find it difficult to accumulate the necessary savings to secure a purchase.

“I encourage everyone who is eligible and looking to buy a home to apply to these schemes. Giving more people the chance to buy an affordable home also plays a crucial role in reducing homelessness and eradicating child poverty across the country.”

The Open Market Shared Equity Scheme (OMSE) is open for applications. It is a shared equity scheme designed to help eligible buyers on low-to-moderate incomes purchase a home on the open market by funding a percentage of the price (usually 60% to 90%) while the government holds the remaining equity stake.

The First Homes Fund was introduced by the Scottish Government in June this year. This offers a £10,000 contribution to first-time buyers that struggle to save enough for a full deposit.

Further investment to tackle child poverty in Scotland

Ensuring support is available where and when families need it

TEN charities will receive a share of a £20 million fund in 2026-27 to deliver wide ranging support to improve wellbeing, boost incomes, and help parents towards employment as part of the Scottish Government’s drive to eradicate child poverty.

The charities involved estimate that up to 35,000 families could benefit from the Scottish Government’s package of whole family support, spanning almost all of Scotland.

The beneficiaries include:

Salvesen Mindroom Centre (Mindroom), which will expand its support into new areas of Scotland, such as Dundee, to pair parents of neurodivergent children with a Family Adviser to help boost incomes and improve children’s outcomes
Home Start Caithness which will bring together nine organisations to provide one-step gateway to financial and wellbeing support in the region
Borders Community Action who will work with 30 local charities under a new partnership to embed support in rural communities, where poverty can be harder to identify and the right support more difficult to access
Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector which will coordinate a new partnership between more than 30 local organisations to deliver help specific to the needs of communities across the city

In Dundee, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville met with families of neurodivergent children to hear about the difference that effective support at point of need can make. Mindroom will use this funding to expand into new areas of Scotland.

Ms Somerville said: “We have made great strides in our ambitious mission to eradicate child poverty. Within the powers we have, we have boosted incomes while delivering a transformational cost of living support package.

“But we know that more needs to be done, which is why we are driving whole family support. This is about making sure that people can access the help they need easily, as simply as possible, and as quickly as possible.

“To remove barriers, we need to empower local charities and local people and bring them together with other services so that there are clear and easy ways to access the right support, in the right place and at the right time.

“I am proud that this ambitious programme, which we will deliver in partnership with charities across Scotland, does just that.”

CEO of Mindroom Alan Thornburrow said: “We see the benefits that whole family support brings to parents and children on a daily basis, so we are pleased to receive support from the Scottish Government to expand our services, including into Dundee.

“Neurodivergent children and their parents have historically found it challenging to access the right support, in the right place – but we are determined to be there for them, tailoring services to meet their individual circumstances, and giving children the best start in life in the process.

“This funding will help us do so on a larger scale, enabling us to reach more people in varied communities. We look forward to pressing ahead with this work.”

tackling-child-poverty-delivery-plan-2026-2031 Download

Children and families – Cost of Living Support Scotland

Information on benefits – Social Security Scotland

The funding comes from the Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund, announced as part of the latest Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, Bringing Hope,Building Futures, and, subject to confirmation during the annual Scottish budget process, it is expected to continue on an annual basis while the programme is in operation.

The 10 organisations that secured funding following a competitive application process are:

Community Enterprise in Scotland Ayrshire
Borders Community Action
Early Years Scotland
Citizens Advice Scotland
Capital City Partnership
Salvesen Mindroom Centre
Big Hearts Community Trust
Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector
Home Start Caithness
One Parent Families Scotland