Tag: support services

Spending to support Scotland’s vulnerable children slashed by more than a third

SCSC calls for greater resourcing

  • Spending cut of £1,934 per pupil from 2012/13 for those identified with additional support needs (ASN) – 33.9 per cent cut over a decade
  • More than doubling in the number of pupils with ASN from 2012
  • Cut of 546 in the number of ASN teachers 

An alliance of leading providers of specialist children’s services, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), has called for greater resourcing to support children and young people with ASN, such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems.

The call comes as new figures contained in a parliamentary answer to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP, reveal that average additional support for learning (ASL) spend per pupil has slumped by over a third (34.8 per cent). [1] This comes against a perfect storm of escalating numbers of pupils with ASN, against the backdrop of cuts in support.

While the SCSC supports a presumption of mainstreamingfor pupils with ASN, meaning that they are educated in a mainstream school unless exceptional circumstances, without adequate resourcing there is an obvious impact on those with ASN, fellow pupils and teachers.

The SCSC is calling on the Scottish Government to work with local authorities to increase funding to support the needs of vulnerable children and young people, including greater provision of specialist ASN teachers, educational psychologists, behaviour support staff and classroom assistants.

The figures highlight that average spending per pupil on ASL by local authorities in Scotland (primary, secondary and special education) has fallen from £5,698 in the 2012/13 financial year to £3,764 in 2022/23 (in real terms). This amounts to an overall cut in spending of £1,934 per pupil, representing a 33.9 per cent drop.

This fall is against the backdrop of a 104.8 per cent increase between 2012 and 2022 in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 118,011 to 241,639, amounting to 123,628 individuals. Those with ASNcurrently represent more than a third of all pupils (34.2 per cent).3

Between 2012 and 2022 the number of full-time equivalent ASN teachers (publicly funded primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) has fallen from 3,390 to an all-time low of 2,844, a decrease of 546 teachers, representing a cut in numbers of 16.1 per cent.4

Against the backdrop of Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis, with its disproportionate impact on those with ASN, this cut in support has created a perfect storm for those with ASN.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is devastating to note cuts in spending supporting those with ASN, and we would urge the Scottish Government to adequately resource the provision of the likes of specialist teachers, educational psychologists and classroom assistants.

“We are facing a lost generation of children with ASN, and it is vital that they get the care and support they need, when they need it, especially given the impacts of the Covid-19 and cost-of-living crisis. This is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap, as we know that those with ASN are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods.

“We are experiencing a mental health emergency, and have also witnessed dramatic increases in classroom disruption, impacting on pupils and teachers alike. This is in part due to increased levels of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties post-lockdown.

“The Scottish Government and local authorities must work together to provide adequately resourced support across Scotland for those children and young people with ASN, representing some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. “

£65 million support for drugs services

Frontline and third sector organisations invited to apply

Drug support services are benefitting from a £65 million boost to drive down the number of drug deaths each year.

Life-saving organisations which help people who use drugs turn their lives around and offer support to their families are invited to apply for this Government funding which will help people on their road to recovery.

The cash will go to initiatives like Aberdeen Alcohol and Drugs Action which was given almost half a million pounds earlier this year to deliver a “Sharp Response Service” to people in their homes, ensuring they were given immediate access to advice and support to help them get back on track.

The money, from the additional £250 million national mission funding, is being channelled through the Local Support Fund which is open all year round and two further funding pots, which are reopening today (20 October) – the Improvement Fund for organisations delivering residential rehabilitation and associated services and the Children and Families Fund which gives financial help to those working with the loved ones of those affected.

All funds are administered through the CORRA Foundation, a charity which aims to make grants available to projects which make a difference to people and communities.

Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “The number of lives lost to drugs is still too high in Scotland and these funds are vital for those services working on the frontline to help those affected and their families.

“These organisations save lives and we want to support them so they can extend as far into their communities as possible and offer people the support they need when and where they need it.

“£65 million of the additional £250 million set aside for the national mission on drug deaths over the course of this Parliament will go directly to these funds and we are determined to make every penny count.”

Aberdeen Alcohol and Drugs Action Service Manager Simon Pringle said: “The Drug Improvement Fund has allowed ADA to offer a more flexible service to clients who find accessing mainstream or statutory services – including treatment – difficult.

“Since receiving the funding we have offered help to over 150 individuals helping them access support, engage with NHS Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), re-engage with services and receive sterile injecting equipment.

“We have been able to target those most at risk and see them quickly – usually the same day – therefore reducing the risks of overdose or other harms. Without the fund we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this.”

CORRA Foundation – drug services funds

Collective grief and shared loss: the psychology of national mourning

Collective grief and shared loss, the psychology of national mourning

Following the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II, many people will be grieving and feeling loss. Psychologists from the British Psychological Society (BPS) have explained the psychology behind collective grief and national mourning, and how to cope if the death of the Queen triggers emotion and grief for you.

Professor Nichola Rooney, a chartered member of the BPS, explains the idea of collective grief, but also that we will all experience it slightly differently: “Collective grief is how we describe the reaction of a group of people (usually a nation, region or community) who experience the death of a significant figure from that nation/community or experience multiple deaths.

“While many will mourn individually, what we are witnessing so clearly in the media is the expression of collective grief. For many of us the death of Queen Elizabeth II has been the first time grief had been so widely displayed and discussed at a national level, with the numerous events and rituals and constant media coverage.

“It’s important to remember however that while grief is universal and is a normal response to loss that we will all experience during our lifetime, while there are some acknowledged similar experiences and reactions to loss, grief is unique to all of us. It is determined by our relationship with the deceased, to the meaning of their loss and how it effects our life.”

As well as collective grief, for many they may be experiencing, ‘re-grief’, with the death of the Queen and the media coverage triggering grief and emotions for loved ones lost, no matter how long ago they passed.

“Talking about dying is not something that we do very well in Western cultures, so this collective grief can often be difficult to deal with,” says Professor Rooney. “It can feel overwhelming and it can also trigger feelings about our own losses and experiences of grief and exacerbate existing psychological distress.

“For some people who lost loved ones during the pandemic there may be some feelings of resentment that the death of the monarch has involved so many memorials and opportunities to express grief. During the pandemic these rituals were denied to the grieving and our unprocessed collective grief from the pandemic, has undoubtedly been touched. But for all of us, the death of Queen Elizabeth and the huge media coverage can trigger grief for loved ones who have died, no matter how long ago.

“While this is a difficult time for many, there can actually be some benefits to seeing others mourn a loss in such an open way. It can give us permission to revisit our own experiences and to express our own grief again. We can find comfort through our connection to others with the same lived experience.”

If you are struggling following the death of a loved one, or increased anxiety/feelings of loss following the Queen’s death, the following places can serve as sources of support:

Holyrood report spotlights mental health of expectant and new mothers and expresses concern over access to support services

The mental health of pregnant women, new mothers and their families, including those affected by miscarriage, stillbirth and the death of an infant, has been highlighted by a Scottish Parliament Committee.

The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s inquiry into women’s mental health experiences before, during and after the birth of a child (otherwise referred to as the perinatal period) highlights a number of issues faced by new mothers over the support they have received, particularly during the pandemic.

In particular, the inquiry found there was a sharp rise in birth trauma incidences reported since the pandemic began. The Committee calls on the Scottish Government and NHS Boards to redouble their focus on delivering services that directly address birth trauma.

The Committee also looked into the of support for those suffering from miscarriage, stillbirth or death of an infant. During its inquiry, the Committee received evidence of some women affected by baby loss who reported being treated close to women giving birth to healthy babies, causing additional trauma to the women affected.

The report calls for accelerated action to establish specialist baby loss units and, in the meantime, for new national protocols to be set up “that ensure families affected by baby loss are consistently treated with respect and compassion and in a trauma-informed way”.

Alongside a focus on community care, the Committee also examined access to specialist Mother and Baby Units (MBUs), of which there are currently two in Scotland. The Committee emphasises the benefits of providing wider access to MBUs for new mothers with complex needs and they express support for the creation of a new MBU serving the north of Scotland. 

Gillian Martin MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said: “Up to 20% of women in Scotland experience negative mental health impacts before, during and after giving birth and the aim of our inquiry was to shine a spotlight on this important issue and to see what more should be done to support these women.

“We heard of concerns in certain health board areas with the support structure in place for parents and families impacted by miscarriage, still birth and the death of an infant, and feel more action is needed to give them appropriate support.

“We had discussions with some new parents affected by baby loss who felt they didn’t receive the standard of care they are entitled to expect. That is why we are calling for every effort to be made to accelerate the establishment of specialist baby loss units

“The evidence we received suggests that during the pandemic, there was a sharp rise in incidences of birth trauma. In many instances this was a direct result of COVID-related restrictions, which limited the support women were able to receive from partners and families before, during and after giving birth.

“Our inquiry heard about the benefits of Mother and Baby Units for women who have complex mental health issues in the perinatal period and the Committee would like to see a concerted effort to widen access to these units in conjunction with the community care offer.

“We think there is a strong case to set up a new Mother and Baby Unit serving the north of Scotland but we also need to focus on issues around staffing, resources and general awareness to maximise the positive impact of perinatal mental health services and third sector organisations who support mothers.”

The Convener added:

“The extensive evidence we have gathered during the course of this inquiry has shown the importance of a preventative and community based approach to perinatal mental health. It is clear that only through accessible, joined up care across both the third sector and statutory services, women and families can get the care they need at this critical time.

“We’d like to put on record our thanks to all of the women who spoke with us and shared their stories.”

Other findings in the report include:

• concern that many women and families are currently having to wait longer than 6 weeks to access perinatal mental health support;

• the increased barriers faced by women and families from minority ethnic backgrounds, or for whom English is not their first language, and those from particularly vulnerable or at risk groups, to access perinatal mental health services;

•  the critical role that stigma plays in perinatal mental health and the resulting reluctance for individuals to fully engage with healthcare professionals;

• a call for the Scottish Government to ensure further education institutions deliver perinatal mental health training as core training for all midwifery and nursing students as a priority.

HSCS062022R3Download

Stroke charity’s Lottery award set to benefit hundreds of survivors

The Stroke Association in Scotland is planning to support hundreds more people affected by stroke as they recover from the effects of their stroke and impact of lockdown in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The charity has received a Lottery award from The National Lottery Community Fund to help develop and expand its peer support offers to help people affected by stroke, rebuild their lives again.

John Watson, Director Scotland of the Stroke Association said: “As well as the physical disabilities caused by stroke, there are many other stroke related difficulties less visible but just as important. For example, a third of stroke survivors in Scotland will experience depression.  

“We are delighted to be granted this award from The National Lottery Community Fund who has recognised the value of our support services and need for them to grow – particularly at this time. Our Recoveries At Risk survey last year highlighted that just under half of people affected by stroke felt less able to cope with the impact of their stroke during lockdown.

“In response to the pandemic, we are delivering new support offers in Scotland that aim to address the psychological impact of stroke – particularly the emotional needs of people affected by stroke.

“We will use the funding to continue and expand the support options for people recovering from stroke throughout Scotland. That support will help stroke survivors connect with local groups, facilitate Zoom meetings, and run face to face support groups.  They will also receive vital information to help with their own self-management.”

 Heather Melville-Hume from Galashiels, was only 43 when she had her stroke two and a half years ago.  It came completely out of the blue.  In an instant, her life changed as she knew it.

Heather was unable to walk confidently or use her lower right arm and dominant hand. The fatigue that came after her stroke was overwhelming. Everything felt like a huge mountain to climb – both physically and emotionally.

And as if that wasn’t hard enough to deal with, Heather then lost her husband who she had been with for seven and a half years.

She said: “Nobody around me had been widowed at such a young age and there was no one I knew my age, dealing with the impact of a stroke.  I was in a very lonely place.”

Heather heard about the charity’s stroke café via social media. And although initially anxious to join online and talk to people, something made her do it.

“I was delighted to feel at first like I didn’t need to say anything.  People were just talking normally about everyday things, and it was very relaxed with a warm welcome by volunteers involved.

“After a while people started to talk about what sort of a week they’d had.  And that’s when I heard some fascinating stories about peoples’ stroke experiences and how they were coping/had coped.  I realised I was not alone, that every stroke comes with its challenges, but there is hope and you can get back to a new normal.

“I am delighted the Stroke Association in Scotland is receiving support from The National Lottery Community Fund.  There is so much value in connecting with strangers with shared experiences in lifting your mood, spirit and importantly raise a smile on the hardest of days.”

ANOTHER BIG WINNER announced this morning was ELREC (Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council), who received almost £100,000.

The Forth Street-based organisation will use the funding ‘to continue supporting isolated women and activities will include exercise classes, arts and crafts workshops, a women’s health forum, and opportunities to practice talking and writing in English.

‘Participants will meet new friends and will benefit from a supportive network, improved wellbeing and increasing social interaction.’

The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still: said: “In these unprecedented times, it’s heartening to see the way Scottish communities are coming together to provide each other with support.  

“I would like to congratulate the Stroke Association in Scotland on their award which is testament to the incredible efforts of their staff and volunteers. National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is making such a difference.”