`Outstanding’ child protection
Child protection services in Perth and Kinross delivered by the local authority, NHS Tayside, Tayside Police and a number of voluntary organisations have been described as “outstanding” in a Care Inspectorate report published this week. Projects highlighted included Bounce Back, a school-based resilience programme; @Scott Street, a one-stop shop for advice and information for vulnerable 16 to 25-year-olds; and Change is a Must, a support service for families affected by substance misuse.
pound;5.3m wireless revolution
Edinburgh schools are to go wireless in a pound;5.3 million technology revamp of the council’s education services. All establishments will receive an increased capacity for email and other electronic storage along with remote access to files and better management of software; schools will see significantly improved internet speeds. The major refresh will also replace 9,000 ageing computers with new equipment.
College places for children in care
Dedicated college places should be awarded to children in care to boost their educational achievement, social work leaders have said. The Association of Directors of Social Work in Scotland made the recommendation in response to an inquiry by the Scottish Parliament’s education committee into why looked-after children are still lagging behind their peers, despite a massive investment of time and money aimed at improving their outcomes.
Mobiles favoured over television
For the first time, youngsters aged 12 to 15 say they would miss their mobile phones (28 per cent) and the internet (25 per cent) more than television (18 per cent), according to research by Ofcom. But TV viewing is still growing, with children aged four to 15 watching an average of 17 hours and 34 minutes of TV per week in 2010 compared with 15 hours and 37 minutes in 2007.
Creative fund launched
Creative Scotland and Young Scot have launched a new fund for young people, the Creative Enterprise Fund, to help young people aged between 15 and 22 to develop their artistic talents and unlock opportunities within the creative industries. It can make awards of up to pound;200 for individuals and pound;750 for groups of three or more.
