UK child welfare and refugee organisations call for Education Secretary to protect unaccompanied children

Date: 23rd August 2021
Category: Refugee , migrant and asylum-seeking children

Around 70 organisations, including Article 39, have sent a joint letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, urging him to take immediate action to protect children arriving in the UK on boats.

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New UNICEF Innocenti report considers past crisis’ solutions to address children’s mental health throughout COVID-19

Date: 23rd August 2021
Category: COVID-19, Mental health

A new report by UNICEF Innocenti reviews the impact of past crises (such as natural disasters and the HIV epidemic) on youth mental health with the aim of informing responses to the current crisis.

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A National Care Service for Scotland

Date: 23rd August 2021
Category: Health and health services, Mental health

Closing date: 2nd November 2021

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Further calls for ban on tasering under 18s

Date: 23rd August 2021
Category: Equal protection from violence

Using tasers on children goes against the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as it subjects children to torture, inhuman and degrading treatment. Following a freedom of Information request, Sky News has been revealed that over the last three years, police forces across the UK have continued to use tasers against children in various incidents.

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Scottish Government works towards providing forensic medical services for victims of sexual offences

Date: 23rd August 2021
Category: Equal protection from violence

The landmark Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Act 2021 was unanimously passed by the Scottish Parliament on 10 December 2020 and received Royal Assent on 20 January 2020. Work now advances to implement the FMS Act.

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Together supports calls around children’s play opportunities

Date: 20th August 2021
Category: Recreation, play and cultural activities

Together has joined Play Scotland in warmly welcoming the announcement that £60 million will be invested in the renewal of play parks throughout Scotland. A joint letter sets out next steps to ensure the investment makes a real difference.

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Together joins calls to double Scottish Child Payment

Date: 20th August 2021
Category: Child poverty

As part of the End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland, Together joins 120 organisations and leaders from across Scotland to call for doubling the Scottish Child Payment. This is the single most impactful action that could be taken to help meet the interim child poverty targets in 2023. It would signal that ending child poverty is a defining priority for this Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament.

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Together supports calls to #KeepTheLifeline

Date: 20th August 2021
Category: Child poverty

The UK Government plans to cut universal credit and working tax credit by £20 a week in October. This is a lifeline many children and families need to have and without it, it will leave their right to food, shelter and health at risk. Together joins organisations to #KeepTheLifeline, urging UK Government to change its mind.

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What do children and young people think as lockdown eases?

Date: 20th August 2021
Category: COVID-19

The latest round of the #LockdownLowdown survey reveals what children and young people aged 11 to 25 feel about the impact of COVID-19 on their mental and physical health, access to information, employment, relationships, primary, secondary and further education and youth work.

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Scottish Government’s Volunteering Support Fund is now open for applications

Date: 20th August 2021
Category: Funding

The £3.3 million Fund will be delivered by Impact Funding Partners over the next 3 years. Organisations can apply for up to £30,000 until March 2024.

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