Hourglass (Safer Ageing) calls on the SNP leadership contenders to support safer ageing
Hourglass has asked the three contenders for the Scottish National Party leadership to commit to safer ageing and to support older victim-survivors of abuse.
Older people are at risk of becoming victims of physical, financial, sexual or psychological abuse. Many others suffer abuse due to simple neglect. Older people are much less likely to report abuse and when they do the experience can be traumatic.
At present, insufficient data is collected on abuse of older people in Scotland. This lack of information is one reason this issue does not get the attention or resources it desperately needs.
Hourglass have called on the three leadership contenders Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf to commit to the following actions if they become the Scottish First Minister:
1. Collecting all relevant data on the abuse of older people. 2. Develop a safer ageing strategy for Scotland 3. Host a Safer Ageing forum with Hourglass at Holyrood later this year.
Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass said:“The Scottish Government need to take action to prevent abuse of older people.
“The first step is to collect the data on reported abuse. The second is to develop a safer ageing strategy which will outline how the Scottish Government intend to tackle this problem. Thirdly, this is an issue that is seldom talked about. We need the Scottish Government to work with us to raise awareness of this issue.
“Hourglass (Safer Ageing) is the only charity in Scotland that specialises in supporting older victims of abuse. We have nearly 30 years of working in Scotland and throughout the UK and Ireland, where we have continued to see an increase in demand for our services.”
George Foulkes, Hourglass Patron said:“We have an ageing population and the next First Minister of Scotland needs to be to take this seriously.
“The Scottish Government need a safer ageing strategy to protect older people from abuse and neglect.”
The charity is urging those keen to support the charity to make a donation by visiting https://wearehourglass.org/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10.
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If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.
A new system that will give the Government and emergency services the capability to send an alert directly to mobiles phones when there is a risk to life has been launched today.
UK-wide Emergency Alerts service launched and in operation from today
System will bolster the UK’s resilience and provides the capability to send alerts direct to mobile phones when there is a risk to life
UK-wide test to take place on Sunday 23 April
Working with mobile broadcasting technology, the Emergency Alerts system will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; providing a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area; providing clear instructions about how best to respond.
The system is now ready to be tested across the country following successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading, as the Government continues to strengthen its resilience capability, making sure it offers the best possible protection against an ever-evolving range of threats.
A UK-wide alerts test will take place in the early evening of Sunday 23 April which will see people receive a test message on their mobile phones.
The alerts will only ever come from the Government or emergency services, and they will issue a warning, always include the details of the area impacted, and provide instructions about how best to respond – linking to gov.uk/alerts where people can receive further information.
Emergency Alerts will be used very rarely – only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives – so people may not receive an alert for months, or even years.
The service has already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, where it has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, alerts could be used to tell residents of villages being encroached by wildfires, or of severe flooding.
Announcing the launch of the new alerts system, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said: “We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats – from flooding to wild fires.
“It will revolutionise our ability to warn and inform people who are in immediate danger, and help us keep people safe. As we’ve seen in the U.S. and elsewhere, the buzz of a phone can save a life.”
Emergency Alerts will be used across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their initial use will focus on the most serious severe weather-related incidents, including severe flooding in England.
The Government has been working closely with a range of stakeholders and partners across the UK on developing the system, including colleagues from the emergency services, transport groups and the Environment Agency.
Scotland’s Justice Secretary and lead Minister for resilience Keith Brown said: “This new service builds on the arrangements we already have in place with responders and other key organisations in Scotland to keep people safe during emergencies and save lives.
“The system has already been used successfully overseas in other countries including New Zealand, the Netherlands, Japan and the USA where it has been credited with saving lives during severe weather events and earthquakes.
“During rare events where there is an imminent risk to life, alerts can be sent direct to people’s mobile phones with clear instructions explaining what action to take and how to seek help.”
Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said: “Together with every fire and rescue service in the country, I’m looking forward to having Emergency Alerts available to help us to do our jobs and to help communities in the event of emergencies.
“We’ve seen this type of system in action elsewhere across the world and we look forward to having the facility here in the UK – by working together with fire services and partners we want this system to help us to help you be as safe as you can if a crisis does hit.”
Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management at the Environment Agency, Caroline Douglass, commented: “Being able to communicate warnings in a timely and accurate manner during incidents is really important to help people take action to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbours.
“This year is the 70th anniversary of the 1953 east coast surge, one of the worst flood events in our recent history which saw over 300 people perish in England – while our ability to warn and inform has come on leaps and bounds since then, Emergency Alerts is a fantastic addition to our toolbox that we can use in emergency situations.”
By broadcasting from cell towers in the vicinity of an emergency, the alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. They do not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data.
Alerts can only be sent by authorised Governmental and Emergency Services users. Successful live tests of the service have already taken place in East Suffolk and Reading.
A fund that helps to tackle inequality and discrimination has supported more than 115,000 people in its first year.
The Scottish Government’s Equality and Human Rights Fund is providing £21 million in grants over three years to 48 organisations working with diverse communities to further equality and protect human rights.
Funded initiatives include advice helplines, mental wellbeing sessions, English classes and benefits advice.
Equalities Minister Christina McKelvie visited the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council (WSREC) in Glasgow, to see how people have benefited from their work.
Ms McKelvie said: “We want to build a fairer, more equal Scotland which is free from discrimination and where the human rights of everyone are respected, protected and fulfilled.
“I was very pleased to visit WSREC and see the range of activities that they deliver. For example, their cost of living advice service for people from minority ethnic communities has helped to boost family incomes and lift children out of poverty.
“WSREC is just one of 48 organisations that receive grants from the Equality and Human Rights Fund. From advocacy support to public education, these organisations are transforming the lives of the thousands of people that they work with.”
Ghzala Khan, Executive Director at WSREC, said: “Based in Glasgow, the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council supports a range of minority ethnic communities across 12 local authorities.
“The Equality and Human Rights Fund has enabled us to deliver bi-lingual, culturally sensitive services to marginalised minority ethnic groups in the areas of advice and information, employability, direct discrimination, civic participation and health and wellbeing.
“Our work reduces inequality, increases opportunity, and supports people and families to achieve their full potential.”
Scottish Government funding for Comic Relief projects across Africa
Ensuring women and girls in Africa are safe, equal and respected is a key focus on Red Nose Day.
Funding of £200,000 this year brings the overall Scottish Government match funding for Comic Relief to £2.7 million since 2017. This funding has supported a number of projects aimed at tackling lack of education, poverty and violence against women and children in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia.
To build on this work, a Women and Girls’ Fund will be established later this year as part of a new international development Equalities Programme announced in the 2021/22 Programme for Government. This fund will be created for community organisations in the three African partner countries, with women’s rights groups invited to design the fund.
International Development Minister Neil Gray said: “We are proud of our collaboration with Comic Relief. Our partnership has helped ensure women and girls are safe, equal and respected, and our investment continues to support them to reach their full potential.
“Our funding for Comic Relief’s Levelling the Field Programme uses sport to tackle some of the key issues faced by women and girls in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. As a powerful tool for driving long-term positive social change, sport is able to challenge stereotypes and increase opportunities for education, employment, training, and leadership.
“The success of our partnership with Comic Relief is enabling us to establish a fund for Women and Girls in Africa where women’s-led organisations will have an opportunity to determine funding priorities.”
Chief Executive Officer of Comic Relief Samir Patel said: “We are incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with the Scottish Government.
“Through our Levelling the Field programme, local organisations in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia are using innovative Sport for Change approaches to challenge gender injustices and inspire women and girls to reach their full potential.”
The Scottish Government has supported Comic Relief over five years with a total of £2.7 million:
£1.2 million for Levelling the Field I (2017 – 2020)
£1.5 million for Levelling the Field II (2020 – 2023)
All hosts of short-term lets across Edinburgh are legally required to obtain a new short-term let licence from the City of Edinburgh Council. Hosts who were already operating a short-term let before 1 October 2022 have until 1 October this year to apply for a licence.
They can continue to operate whilst their application is being determined. New hosts from 1 October 2022, who wish to set up and operate a short-term let for the first time, are required to apply and obtain a licence before they can accept bookings or receive guests.
The new licence will require hosts to meet a set of mandatory conditions – many of which are already best practice within the sector, or required by existing law. The new legislation introduces mandatory standards for all short-term lets across Scotland.
There are a number of conditions that hosts will need to meet in order to be granted a licence such as displaying an EPC rating on adverts and listings (where applicable), ensuring there are valid buildings and public liability insurance in place for the accommodation, arranging an electrical safety inspection and completing a Legionella risk assessment.
The tourism sector makes a significant contribution to the Scottish economy – in 2019, there were around 17.3 million overnight visitors to Scotland, spending £5.7billion. The legislation ensures that hosts meet the mandatory standards, helping to protect the positive reputation of Scottish hospitality and confidence amongst visitors and local communities.
Hosts will also be required to pay an application fee to obtain a licence, but the fee will typically vary depending on the property location, size and type of let.
Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “While short-term lets bring benefits to hosts, visitors and the Scottish economy they need to be balanced with the needs of residents and local communities. We are taking action to ensure all short-term lets are safe and local authorities have powers to tackle local issues.
“The principal component of our licensing scheme is a mandatory set of safety standards, which many hosts will already be following as a matter of compliance with existing law or best practice. I encourage those existing hosts that have yet to do so to apply well in advance of the extended deadline to join the growing number of licensed premises in the sector.
“This will not only ensure the safety of guests and the wider community but also help to maintain the reputation of Edinburgh as a welcoming and responsible destination for visitors.”
Councillor Neil Ross, Regulatory Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We have around a third of all short-term lets in the country here in Edinburgh.
“The new licensing scheme will not only support those already providing well run holiday lets but will help us address issues including safety and anti-social behaviour which have been having a detrimental effect on residents across the city. This will also help us to improve further the quality of accommodation we offer visitors coming to our Capital city.
“I’d encourage everyone who needs one to sign up for a licence, if they haven’t already done so, to ensure they can continue to operate after 1 October 2023.”
Short-term lets include home-shares (i.e. letting a room in your home out) or anyone who lets their home out while they’re not there (i.e. on holiday). The new regulation also includes the let of entire premises (i.e. full-time, self-catering properties such as holiday cottages) as well as hosts responsible for B&Bs and guest houses.
The new licence is a legal obligation for all hosts, even if they occasionally let out a spare room or sub-let while on holiday for example. Those who fail to acquire a licence will be at risk of being fined up to £2,500 and ineligible to apply for a licence for a year.
Hosts are required to contact their local authority to find out about the specific licensing requirements within the area that their short-term let is located, including fees, any additional conditions and the application process.
For more information about the licensing scheme, whether your accommodation requires a licence and how to apply visit gov.scot/shorttermlets.
Funding to support women working to prevent and resolve conflict in 25 countries will be extended for 2023-24, the First Minister has confirmed.
The Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship, run by Scottish cultural exchange non-profit Beyond Borders, will receive a grant extension of £300,000 during 2023-24 from the Scottish Government’s International Development budget.
The Fellowship equips female peace-building activists from countries affected by conflict across the Middle East, South Asia and Africa with skills in gender-sensitive conflict resolution, mediation and reconciliation.
The funding will support the principles set out by the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women’s participation in peacemaking and peace-building initiatives in conflict-affected regions.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This funding will support Women in Conflict 1325 Fellows to continue their vital work to promote peace and equality. Their expertise, specialism and – above all – compassion in dealing with the broader issues resulting from conflict, which are being further exacerbated in many cases by the impact of climate change, is invaluable.
“I have been privileged to attend several fellowship meetings, and every time I am impressed and heartened by the devotion and determination of the women carrying out extraordinarily difficult work across the globe.
“It’s no wonder the organisation has grown from strength to strength since 2016 to now number 42 Fellows in the 2022-23 project year, with a broader network of alumnae spanning over 300 women from some of the countries hardest hit by conflict – each and every one of whom make an enormous contribution towards building and maintaining peace.”
Mark Muller Stuart KC, Founder of Beyond Borders, said: “Since 2016, Beyond Borders has helped to establish and nurture a unique community of practice of over 300 women peace practitioners who operate across the globe.
“Through this programme, Scotland has not only provided these Fellows with a platform by which to exchange best practice with seasoned peace practitioners – including from the UN. It has also offered a critical safe space for them to share experiences and connect with other women working in peacebuilding and conflict resolution as well as learn about devolution and Scotland and the UK’s own remarkable constitutional journey.
“Beyond Borders is particularly indebted to the First Minister for her inspirational support and visionary leadership, which time and again has helped to further galvanise this remarkable community of women peacemakers in their ground-breaking work.”
Alaa Assani, a Syrian Fellow of the November-December 2022 Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship Programme, said: “Through the Fellowship I have met amazing and incredible women Fellows who supported me with their feminist solidarity during my most difficult times as an asylum seeker – supporting my family Syria and Turkey after the devastating earthquake while I was in the UK.
“The conversations with other Fellows and the reflections on our feelings, standing by each other and exploring opportunities and resources to support ourselves and others affected by this disaster, were significantly helpful for me.
“The Fellowship encouraged me to start my self-care and healing journey by acknowledging my challenges, revisiting my priorities and prioritising my mental health after it was neglected in the last 12 years due to the ongoing Syrian war and accumulative traumas over the years. This helped me restore energy which I have poured into fighting for women’s rights and accountability, and seeking for justice and sustainable peace for my Syria.”
Financial support available to undergraduate students will rise by £900 from the start of the 2023-24 academic year.
Estranged students in higher education and other undergraduate learners with the lowest household income will see their maximum support package increase from £8,100 to £9,000 per year, as the ceiling for all student loan applications is uplifted by £900.
The annual non-repayable Care Experienced Bursary for eligible higher education students will also increase to £9,000. In further education, a £900 increase will also be applied to the maximum bursary rate available to care experienced students.
These increases will be available to students already at college and university and for new students beginning their studies from Autumn 2023.
Students in need of immediate financial support for the 2022-23 academic year are still able to apply to their college or university for assistance through their Discretionary Funds.
Higher and Further Education Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “This rise in support will help to alleviate the financial pressures facing many students as we grapple with the cost-of-living crisis.
“The maximum financial support package available to the most vulnerable students and those from the lowest household incomes in Higher Education will rise to £9,000. This is the next step in delivering our commitment to provide a total package of student support equivalent to the living wage.
“Increasing the Care Experienced Bursary will help more of Scotland’s Care Experience community to access further and higher education and fulfil their potential.”
Who Cares? Scotland CEO Louise Hunter said: “It’s great to hear news of the £900 increase in financial support available to students in Scotland. I’m sure this will be welcomed by many students who are struggling to balance their education and finances during the cost-of-living crisis.
“Raising the Care Experienced Student Bursary to £9,000 per year responds to the specific challenges this group can face. For many Care Experienced people without family to rely on for support during their studies, they can face greater barriers in realising their lifelong right to education.
“We know that Care Experienced people are often disproportionality disadvantaged compared to their peers and in recognition of this Who Cares? Scotland will continue to fight for the rights of Care Experienced Students – as committed to within The Promise. This means we can ensure all members of our community are given the right support to thrive.”
A Memorial Book for those who have experienced a pregnancy or baby loss prior to 24 weeks will be available this summer, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.
Along with an entry in the book, those who have experienced a loss will be able to apply for a commemorative certificate which is intended to give recognition and comfort to those who want to record their loss. The service will be free of charge and completely voluntary.
Applications to have an entry included in the book, produced jointly by the Scottish Government and National Records of Scotland, will go live this summer.
Making the announcement, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The loss of a pregnancy or a baby is always painful. I have spoken in the past about my personal experience of miscarriage, and I know the sense of grief will stay with me and my husband forever.
“I also know that we would have drawn comfort at the time if there had been a way for us to mark the loss and formally recognise the child we were grieving.
“Launching this Memorial Book with the National Records of Scotland will give parents an opportunity – if they wish it – to commemorate their loss with a physical record, and to have their child recognised.
“I am very proud to support the Memorial Book and hope that it will bring comfort to those experiencing the pain of baby loss. I also hope that might also help break the silence and stigma around the loss of a pregnancy or a baby that sadly still exists in our society”.
“We warmly welcome the development of Scotland’s new Memorial Book and optional certificate for those who have experienced a loss before 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Ruth Bender Atik from the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance said: “Even the earliest of pregnancy losses can be deeply upsetting and the lack of any formal acknowledgement can add to that distress.
“We believe that for many people, the Memorial Book and certificate will provide great comfort and a validation that these tiny lives mattered.”
Applications to record a pre 24 week loss in the Memorial Book will go live following the launch in Summer 2023.
There is no statutory requirement to register the loss, and all information given is voluntarily.
The loss must have taken place in Scotland, or applicants must reside in Scotland at the time of application.
There is no requirement for applicants to submit medical evidence of the loss with the application and historical applications will be welcomed.
More than one loss can be recorded by an applicant, with each one requiring a separate application.
Stop It Now! Scotland and NSPCC Scotland are today (Wednesday, March 15, 2023) hosting ‘Public Health Approaches to Preventing Child Sexual Abuse’
The online event will look at the evidence on preventing sexual abuse and what could be done in Scotland to better protect children before abuse begins and to help with their recovery
Stop It Now! Scotland and the NSPCC are calling on the Scottish Government to develop a national strategy to tackle child sexual abuse that focuses on prevention to make the country a safer place to grow up.
The two charities, which are today hosting an event in partnership with the Scottish Parliament, say working together to stop the abuse from happening in the first place will prevent the devastating impact it has on the mental health of children and adult survivors.
They are urging the Scottish Government to develop a comprehensive and coordinated national approachto prevent child sexual abuse, which involves health, police, education, community safety, children’s services, social services, housing and the wider community. The child protection charities say it is vital that everyone understands what child sexual abuse is and knows how they can be part of preventing it.
A review of UK data revealed that 15 per cent of females and 5 per cent of males will experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 16. This means at least 80,000 children in Scotland will have been affected by this issue before they leave high school. Although this is thought to be an under-representation of the scale of the problem and the actual number of children who have experienced sexual abuse in Scotland is not known.
The charities say that to understand the numbers of children in Scotland affected and the scale of the suffering it is crucial that a prevalence survey is conducted. At the event, leading experts will discuss current evidence on preventing child sexual abuse and explore the next steps needed to make Scotland the safest country for children to grow up.
Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland’s Policy and Public Affairs Manager, said: “Child sexual abuse has a devastating impact on people’s lives.
“The response, to date, has focused largely on bringing perpetrators to justice and providing some children with therapy and support. But we believe that as a society our focus should be on preventing child sexual abuse before it occurs, before people at risk of abusing become offenders, and before potential victims become actual victims. Understanding child sexual abuse, and what causes it, is a vital step towards developing effective prevention strategies.”
Stuart Allardyce, Director, Lucy Faithfull Foundation / Stop It Now! Scotland, said: “We are calling on the Scottish Government to carry out a dedicated prevalence survey to identify the levels of sexual offending against children in Scotland, alongside a national strategy for tackling child sexual abuse.
“We know that sexual abuse has an enormous impact on the mental health outcomes for children and adult survivors and the economic costs for the criminal justice system.
“We believe sexual harm towards children and young people could be reduced if we focused more on prevention, including therapy being offered to adults who are worried about their sexual thoughts and feelings towards children.”
Childlight, based at the University of Edinburgh, also launches the first comprehensive global data repository today, which will look at all forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), with the aim of being able to show the scale and nature of this abuse.
The international team, made up of experienced individuals from academia, the private sector, law enforcement and non-governmental organisations, will produce an annual report, global dashboard and index with the data that can be used by tech companies, law enforcement agencies and those who work in child protection so they can take action to prevent CSEA.
Speakers at the online event will include:
Professor Elizabeth Letourneau, Moore Centre for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, School of Public Health, John Hopkins University
Pat Branigan, Assistant Director – Together For Childhood – NSPCC
Stuart Allardyce, Director, Lucy Faithfull Foundation / Stop It Now! Scotland
MSP Clare Haughey, Minister for Children and Young People
Children and young people can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice 24 hours a day online at www.childline.org.uk or on the phone on 0800 1111.
Anyone with concerns about a child’s wellbeing can contact the NSPCC Helpline on help@nspcc.org.uk. The NSPCC practitioners provide free and confidential help and advice and can take appropriate steps to help keep children safe. If a child is in immediate danger, please call 999.
Kinship carers urged to check Scottish Child Payment eligibility
Kinship carers are being urged to check if they could be entitled to the Scottish Child Payment, after eligibility was expanded to include more of them last year.
The call comes at the start of Scottish Kinship Care Week, which celebrates the role of extended family or friends who care for children when they cannot remain with their birth parents.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met with a group of kinship carers yesterday at an annual big breakfast hosted by the Big Hearts Community Trust at Tynecastle Park to thank them and highlight the extra support available via the Scottish Child Payment and other Scottish social security benefits.
Big Hearts’ Kinship Care programme was launched in 2015 and offers a range of support for young people and their carers, including after school clubs, coffee mornings, and wellbeing advice.
The First Minister said: “We owe kinship carers an enormous debt of gratitude for the role they play in providing loving and secure homes for children and young people, and it’s vital they receive every penny of support they’re entitled to.
“In line with our commitment to tackling child poverty, we increased the Scottish Child Payment to £25 a week per eligible child last year, and expanded the eligibility criteria to include more kinship carers.
“We want to ensure everyone gets the financial support they are entitled to, so I’d encourage carers to check whether they’re entitled to receive the Scottish Child Payment and any other Scottish Government benefits.
“In addition to the fantastic support provided by charities like Big Hearts, there are a range of events for kinship carers taking place across the country this week, and free advice and guidance is also available from the Kinship Care Advice Service for Scotland website.”
Craig Wilson, Big Hearts’ General Manager said: “It was fantastic to welcome Scotland’s First Minister to Tynecastle Park for the start of Scottish Kinship Care Week.
“We are so proud to work with so many amazing kinship care families and for many years we’ve strived to raise the profile of kinship carers and highlight the support they can and should receive.
“There’s no doubt that today adds to that and we want kinship carers to know there is always a warm and welcoming place for them here at Big Hearts.”
