Scotland is Determined to End Child Poverty
First Minister John Swinney heard from partners in the third sector, local government and academia to inform the Scottish Government’s work to end child poverty. Speaking after the meeting in Glasgow, the First Minister said that eradicating child poverty remained his government’s top priority – and called on the UK Chancellor to take equally urgent […]
Supporting Families with School Attendance
A national TV, radio and multi-media campaign that aims to improve school attendance by supporting parents, carers, and teachers to make school a positive experience for all children has been launched. The £320,000 national school attendance campaign will run for four weeks across TV, radio, static ads including posters, and digital mediums between 30 October […]
Music Programme Boosts Children’s Wellbeing
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has welcomed a review highlighting the impact of music for young people of all backgrounds during Challenge Poverty Week. The £9.78 million Scottish Government-funded Youth Music (YMI) Initiative provides music-making opportunities for young people across Scotland, particularly those who would otherwise be unable to participate. In 2003, the Scottish Government’s YMI was […]
Scottish Novelist Holly Surplice Releases New Novel
Author and illustrator, Holly Surplice has released her newest novel, The Horse Dreamer, the perfect Christmas gift for readers age 9+. With all the makings of a modern classic, The Horse Dreamer is a stunning, hopeful and poignant animal story. With shades of Lauren St. John and Marianne Dreams, the story explores themes of grief, […]
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How performing arts benefits young people’s mental health
By Vanessa Panter at PQA – Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts The health of our children and young people has never been more important. Analysis from the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) finds that the number of children and young people accessing treatment for mental health conditions in England has risen by 27% (from 628,454 to 798,479) […]
Charity Declares ‘Fuel Poverty Emergency’
ALIenergy is calling on the UK Government to introduce a social energy tariff ahead of the energy price cap rising by 2%, for millions of people in Scotland. The most recent fuel poverty statistics from the Scottish House Condition Survey and Scottish Government (2023) displayed that overall fuel poverty in Scotland is 34%, up from 31% […]
Support for Transgender Young People
The guidance to help schools in Scotland support transgender children and young people has been updated. The refreshed guidance takes account of recent court decisions while also providing greater clarity for schools on provision of toilet facilities and support for pupils. The Education Secretary met with COSLA, ADES, and teaching unions throughout the summer as […]
The Future of Books and Reading
Reading habits are changing, and with them come urgent questions about how to sustain a love of books across generations. Written by Professor Sarah McGeown, University of Edinburgh, The Future of Books and Reading brings together voices from universities, libraries, education, publishing, and cultural sectors, alongside children, young people, and adults, to reimagine the role of reading in […]
Free School Meal Uptake Increases
The number of eligible children taking up the offer of a free school meal has increased for the second year running, according to the latest statistics. More than two thirds of those eligible (67.7%) were able to benefit from a balanced and nutritious meal as part of their school day in 2023-24, up over three […]
Easing Teaching Workload
Proposals to help alleviate workload pressures faced by teachers have been announced by the Scottish Government. Work is underway with councils and teaching unions to create a plan to reduce class contact time for teachers, which is supported by increased funding for councils of £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels. In addition, […]
New exhibition programme at GoMA promotes infant feeding in public
The national tour of a collaborative artwork which arrives at the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow (GoMA) this autumn, is the inspiration for a dedicated programme promoting infant feeding in public. Entitled, The Milky Way, the exhibition is part of a touring programme for Feed – an arts-based project which promotes inclusive, sustainable approaches […]