In 2019, latest figures I can see, Scotland had around 2 300 health visitors. In 2019, in England, there were only around 8 500 and falling. All things being equal, England might be expected to have had around 23 000 health visitors but had only 8 500, just over a third. Continue reading Scotland has nearly three times as many health visitors per head of population

On repeatedly today: Academics have called for a “pause for thought” after a report found that about one in every 100 children born in Scotland goes into care before their first birthday. Although there has been a slight dip in the numbers recently, experts say the figures are still too high. They have called for more focus on prevention and support. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65591941 Support? Any mention from the researchers in a BBC Scotland report of: Baby boxes worth £30? The Child Payment of £25 weekly for every child? The Pregnancy and Baby Payment replaces and expands on the UK Government’s Sure … Continue reading Babies in care – Researchers can’t find evidence of support for mothers

Bob Lamont This still occupies prime spot on the BBC/Scotland and Scotland/Politics web-pages, but has been demoted on the UK page. Curiously an article on the same subject appeared in the Times, published exactly one minute after Geissler’s “Sunday Show” had aired https://archive.ph/syHzfNone of the Geissler “personalised” framing here, instead referring to failure of SG government and SNP Ministers to progress amendments to the original Bill in 2021, yet also ignoring more pressing issues occupying ministers at the time, eg Covid.The source seems to been a Sun interview, which could only have been conducted before the Geissler Show and the resulting … Continue reading A playground media pile on aided by a childish huff at not being re-appointed?

Gordon Westminster refused legislation in Scotland. Legislation by Holyrood because it refused the Devolved legislation as legit under the Devolution settlement. It was the Westminster Government who would not sanction the legislation. The Holyrood Government gets the blame, as usual. The SNP introduced extended nursery places. Supporting single parents. Child meals at school. Primary. Introduced £25 child payment about to be increased. Baby boxes. Travel for children. Grants and allowance for those in foster care. Kinship payments to prevent children going into care, but staying within the family., Mitigated bedroom tax. MUP cutting consumption of alcohol. Smoking ban. Increasing additional … Continue reading How the SNP Government has worked for children despite Westminster’s obstacles

stewartb Having read the BBC article I conclude that Mr Adamson has malign intentions: this is a reasonable conclusion to draw when on such a complex, intractable subject a professional answers a journalist’s loaded question – ‘Are you saying she’s failed?’ – with the answer ‘Absolutely!’. As Mr Adamson is leaving his post what is his motivation for such ‘absolute’ negativity – to seek to mitigate his own failings in post, to do a final favour for his preferred political party, or some other reason? His statement has clearly been gleefully received by BBC Scotland which in turn provided a … Continue reading ‘As Mr Adamson is leaving his post what is his motivation for such ‘absolute’ negativity – to seek to mitigate his own failings in post, to do a final favour for his preferred political party, or some other reason?’

From the Reporting Scotland team first thing this morning and no doubt all day on TV and radio: The Royal College of Nursing is warning that patient safety is being compromised as patients are increasingly being treated in inappropriate areas such as corridors. A survey of its members who are meeting in Brighton today found more than 9 in 10 have raised concerns that patients may be receiving unsafe care. The Scottish Government says patient safety is paramount and is investing in frontline services. This is not being reported by BBC UK, England or even on the BBC Scotland website. … Continue reading BBC Scotland put patient safety at risk with a survey including only 33 of Scotland’s 5 000 nurses

From Reporting Scotland tonight: The man whose role it is to safeguard the rights of children and young people here, Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner, attacked Nicola Sturgeon over child poverty and mental health. Bruce Adamson is about to leave the job after six years. Leaving aside the obvious inaccuracy in the above description of an adviser, BBC Scotland’s Martin Guiser prompted him this morning with: ‘Are you saying she’s failed?’ ‘Ebsolutely!’ Adamson seems most concerned about the effects of the pandemic lockdowns. A Labour and Conservative spokesperson are then allowed to join in with accusations of spin and failure. There’s so … Continue reading Outgoing Commissioner forgets to mention Scotland was first to legislate to bring the UN Conventions of the Rights of the Child into law

When I see the words ‘Kevin, McKenna, Catholic’, I think there’s an SNP or Scotland ‘bad’ thing coming. Often I move on but today, I see the possibility of a quick easy piece of enlightening and balancing and putting in perspective or is it proportion, the treatment of the many thousands of Irish refugees arriving in Glasgow in the 19th Century? In 2016, I wrote this: The in the wake of the Rangers riots of May 2021, I wrote: There’s a great deal I agree with, strongly, in this piece by James Foley [https://sourcenews.scot/source-direct-scotlands-real-shame/]. There were repeated incidents of horrific abuse of … Continue reading Scotland’s relatively civilised response to 100 000 refugees