Our Children - 23 May

Hello all,
There is a lot to share this month, starting with the agenda for our next network meeting on Wednesday 29 May. As you will see below, this agenda is packed with great speakers, sharing their work, and important information to support Renfrewshire’s children, young people, and their families. We have also listened to your feedback and left plenty of space of those important conversations and networking opportunities. Don’t worry if you can’t make it along, I will share the presentations after the meeting.

I would like to highlight The Chat this national survey is only open until 31 May and it would be great if you could share with your teams, and parents you support.

As always, if there is anything you would like shared with the network, or would like to see in our newsletter, or at our network meetings, please get in touch with Jane – jhamilton@engagerenfrewshire.com

• Our Children Network Meeting – Agenda
• HSCP – Food and Health Training
• Public Health Inequalities – The Chat
• Together – Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights
• Research and Reports
• Useful Information, events, and resources
• Renfrewshire Climate Hub and Action Network
• Funding
• Training

Our Children Network Meeting – Agenda

10.00 Welcome and intro (Lesley Compston – Chair)
10.05 Thrive Under 5 – HSCP – Chris Scott
10.25 Routes – Action for Children –Lisa Wilson
10.45 Whole Family Wellbeing – Update – Susan Bell
11:00 Networking / Break
11.10 Renfrewshire Children's Services - Children at Risk of Harm Inspection – Nicola Davidson
11.30 WFW Impact Arts- Angela Smith
11.45 AOB
11.55 Thanks & close (Lesley Compston – Chair)

FREE Food & Health training

The Renfrewshire Health Improvement team have organised free REHIS - Food & Health training for anyone within the locality who works with food or for anyone who may work in a role which would benefit from education around food and health. 
 
The contents of the training session are in the attached flyer and there are 12 spaces available for those who wish to attend. You can book your space by clicking this link and providing your details, after which you will be sent a confirmation email for your own records. 
 
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Chris Scott - christopher.scott@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
 

The Chat

“The Chat”, a national engagement process with parents and carers across Scotland on the subject of their children’s relationships, sexual health and parenthood learning at home and at school. Details are at www.thechat.scot 
 
This final stage is a short online survey which will run throughout the month of May and which we would like as many parents and carers across the country to complete as possible.
 
The Chat has been delivered on behalf of the SHPN Scottish Sexual Health Promotion Specialists Group, with funding from five health boards and one local authority and with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as lead commissioners, awarded to TASC Scotland to conduct. The results of the survey will augment the recent qualitative engagement with over 120 parents and carers across Scotland in focus groups and interviews.
 
The Chat is being undertaken to provide an up to date picture of:

• How parents and carers currently discuss and communicate with children and young people on RSHP
• Parents and carers own needs in relation to their crucial role as primary educators on this topic
• How they currently experience communication with schools on these matters
• Their views on how schools and parents can best work together to ensure that children and young people have the best outcomes and experiences in relation to RSHP
• What parents/carers want for their children and young people in relation to RSHP, including the role of school and the role of parents/carers

Final reports of the work will be published by the end of June 2024 and the findings will inform approaches and resource development for parents and carers.
 
What we would like your support with:

• We are asking all colleagues in the Board and HSCPs to share this email with their teams and encourage them to use their local networks and communication tools to promote the survey to people in their area or using their services.
• If you are a parent or carer, we would welcome you completing the survey and would be very grateful if you could encourage other parents/carers that you know to also complete it.

Research and Reports

Children's Health Scotland



RCPCH report 'Worried and Waiting'  
Paediatricians in Scotland are calling for urgent and bold action to improve waiting times after the publication of a new report Worried and Waiting: A Review of Paediatric Waiting Times in Scotland that shows increasing demand and long waits for children and young people. Commenting on the report Michelle Wilson, our Head of Children and Young People Services, said: “Children’s Health Scotland is very pleased to support RCPCH Scotland in the publication of their report. It highlights what children, young people and those that love and care for them have also been telling us: “Waiting for appointments takes too long”. The report not only highlights issues of concern but carries strong recommendations that will help Scotland realise its Promise to all our children – in order that they feel loved, safe and respected and have the opportunity to be the best they can be. Thus, on the eve of the incorporation of the UNCRC into Law in Scotland in July 2024, we can truly say that every child has the right to the best possible health.”


Children in Scotland
Families’ experiences of in-work poverty in Scotland and implications for children’s human rights – The Institute for Inspiring Children’s Futures.
 
The latest Serving the Future publication is now available, outlining key findings and policy recommendations on families’ experiences of in-work poverty in the hospitality industry in Scotland, and implications for the realisation of children’s human rights. Serving the Future is a partnership project driving change so paid employment can provide families with sustainable protection against poverty.
 
The briefing discusses case studies on families’ experience of in-work poverty in the hospitality sector in Scotland, key human rights concerns for children, opportunities to align and strengthen child poverty and child rights legal and policy frameworks in Scotland and recommendations for Scottish duty-bearers.
 

Useful information, events and resources

New Peer Recovery Hub – Scottish Recovery Network
Scottish Recovery Network has launched a new online resource full of free tools, events, and opportunities to inspire, develop and champion peer support for mental health recovery. It will also be a space where they will shine a light on peer support projects, services and organisations and a space to share ideas and learning. Find out more


Keeping the Promise for Dads? Seminar
The seminar will be delivered in collaboration with Circle, Dads Rock, Fathers Network Scotland and YMCA Scotland.
Join for an interactive seminar exploring what Dads need from The Promise, whether Dads are getting the right support and consider what else could be done to ensure we engage actively with Dads. There will be interactive workshops including one from the Promise Scotland team to look into the big challenges Dads dace and they can be assets in #Keepingthepromise.
Keynote speakers include Anna Tarrant, Professor of Sociology, University of Lincoln, Director of the Following Young Fathers Further study and a new research centre called the Centre for Innovation in Fatherhood and Cathy Sexton, Director of Fathers Network Scotland, Author of the 2023 Dads Survey 2023.
When: Wednesday 12th June 9:00am-1:30pm
Where: Gorgie Mem, 338 Gorgie Road, EH11 2RQ
Cost: Free
Book here


UCAS Announces New Initiatives to Encourage Students from Low–income Families to Apply for University
A new package of support targeting students who might disregard university as an option for them, because of initial financial barriers or because they believe they will not achieve the entry requirements published by universities, has been announced by UCAS. The initiatives being launched by UCAS are: 

• Students in receipt of free school meals (FSM) will no longer have to pay for their university application.

Applicants will soon be able to view historic entry grades data and offer rates displayed for each course. Find out more
 

Voter ID needed for next election
Ahead of the next UK Parliament general election, due to take place before the end of January 2025, we want to make all residents in Renfrewshire aware that they will need an accepted form of photo identification to cast their vote – so please share this with your networks.
All people voting in-person will need to show photographic ID at the polling station for the first time following the introduction of new legislation by the UK Government.   
Accepted forms of ID include a passport, driving licence, older persons or disabled persons bus pass and Young Scot card. Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.   
Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of ID will be able to apply for free ID online at www.voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk or by completing a paper form.  
The full list of accepted ID is available on the Electoral Commission’s website, along with more information about the new requirement and details of how to apply for the free ID, at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID.
The need for photo identification applies to UK general elections only and not for local or Scottish Government elections. 
For help with applying for the free ID or to request an application form, contact the electoral registration office on 0300 300 0150 or email ero@renfrewshire-vjb.gov.uk.
For more information on the election in Renfrewshire, visit the council website. 

Renfrewshire Climate Hub and Action Network 

LEAP are doing scoping work to set up a Renfrewshire Climate Hub and Action Network with support from the Scottish Government. The aims of the Hub are to support the people of Renfrewshire to flourish through climate action, creating tangible outcomes for people and communities that enhance wellbeing. We will do this by connecting people and places, sharing knowledge and skills and funding and developing projects.

We have created a survey to ensure that the hub does relevant and needed work. If you're a community organisation based in Renfrewshire, we'd like to hear from you. We're looking for a breadth of responses, not just from organisations who do 'green' or climate related work. It should only take up to 10 minutes of your time, but will be invaluable to the Hub.

Renfrewshire Climate Hub Survey
Many thanks in advance! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions.

svenja@myleapproject.org
lucy@myleapproject.org

Funding

Early Relationships Fund – Cattanach
The Early Relationships Fund (ERF) is a three year funding programme for third sector organisations supporting parent-infant relationships during the crucial First 1,000 Days (from pregnancy to age 2). The fund is designed to support third sector organisations to deliver high-quality, evidence-based education and support to new and expectant parents around the importance of attachment and early relationships, and to evidence the impact of this work, with support from an external learning partner. Learning from this programme will support broader strategic efforts to improve access to early relationships education and support for parents and babies in Scotland.
There is a two-stage application process for this fund. Cattanach is currently inviting Expressions of Interest from eligible organisations. Find out more
 

The Woodward Charitable Trust
The Woodward Charitable Trust only makes grants for core costs rather than specific projects as they recognise that smaller charities can find these hard to fund. They hope that this will have a more direct impact on the organisations that they choose to fund. Trustees only fund organisations that support at least one of the following three target groups and particularly look to fund projects that help families and young people and that are aiming to improve the life chances of their beneficiaries.
 
1. Children and Young People (up to 25 years)
2. Disadvantaged Families
3. Prisoners and Ex-Offenders
 
Types of grants available:
1. Small Grants – up to £3,000, but usually £1,000 or less.
2. Large Grants - Only a few large grants are awarded over £3,000 each year, and these are usually to charities known to the Trustees.
3. Children’s Summer Playschemes - 60-70 grants of £250-£1,000 per year are made towards Children’s Summer Playschemes.
Find out more

Training

Children in Scotland

Embedding children and young people's voices in your organisation

Non-Members can access this event for £15, members use your discount code for your free ticket.
Key Learnings

After the session the participants will …

• understand the rationale and benefits of embedding children and young people’s voices
• have a more in-depth knowledge about different ways to embed children and young people’s participation
• understand some of the common challenges
• have a clearer sense of practical things they can implement within their organisation

With the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scottish legislation it is now more important than ever that public services and children’s sector organisations consider how children and young people are involved in shaping their planning and activity.
This session will explore key learning from Children in Scotland’s own work to embed children and young people’s voices across the organisation. It will explore some of the successes we have experienced and highlight some of the common challenges organisations face.