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STV News
a day ago
- General
- STV News
Families most at risk of poverty to be supported by £1.5m of childcare funding
The children's minister has announced £1.5m in funding to help expand childcare in Scotland. Natalie Don-Innes said the fund, to be split between seven organisations over two years, will help families most at risk of poverty. The groups will use funding to deliver free or subsidised breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, term-time and holiday childcare, as well as specialist provision for children with complex additional support needs. Don-Innes said: 'Since 2020, we have provided over £4.5m through the Access to Childcare Fund to support projects delivering activities, childcare, food and family support. 'Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government's defining mission, and we know what a difference access to affordable school-age childcare can make for families that need it most. 'The projects receiving Access to Childcare Funding over the next two years are demonstrating the important role that school-age childcare services play in supporting children's health, wellbeing and relationships, and in enabling more parents and carers to balance caring for their children with work commitments, thereby helping increase household income.' Support, Help, and Integration in Perthshire (Ship), a childcare provider in Perthshire supporting those with additional support needs and disabilities, will receive £135,000 this year and £138,000 next year. Nicola Schelbert, general manager at the organisation, said: 'Ship provides essential support for children and young people aged from five to 18 with complex needs, delivering youth clubs, Saturday clubs, after-school and holiday clubs. 'Access to Childcare Funding supports our after-school clubs and childcare spaces at our holiday club, which enables parents to work or take respite. 'Families we work with tell us that without Ship, continuing employment would be impossible, which would have a negative impact on their family's wellbeing. 'This vital service strengthens families and ensures children receive the support they need.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
SNP MSP says she will not seek re-election in 2026
An SNP MSP has announced she will be stepping down at the next election in what she says is the 'most difficult decision' she has ever made. Natalie Don-Innes has served as SNP MSP for Renfrewshire North and West since May 2021, and on Wednesday evening, she announced via X she would not be seeking re-election in the 2026 Scottish election. Ms Don-Innes, 36, has served as the minister for children, young people, and the promise since 2023. In her statement on X, she said: 'It has been the honour of my life representing the people of Renfrewshire North and West. 'However, at this time I have to confirm that I will not be seeking re-election in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. 'I honestly cannot put into words how much this role has meant to me. 'It has genuinely been the biggest honour to have served the Renfrewshire North and West constituency since May 2021. 'As a young working class woman from Renfrewshire I could never have imagined it could be possible to be elected as a member of the Scottish Parliament to represent the area that I grew up in and love so much. 'I hope that what I have achieved encourages more people who wouldn't necessarily get involved in politics to do so.' She added: 'This has probably been the most difficult decision I have ever made and one that I have wrestled with. 'However I feel that at this time, it is the right one for me and my family. 'I have a young family, one that I am thinking of growing further and while I have balanced my family life and parliamentary life since 2021, it has come with the sacrifices that being an elected member and a mother brings.' In her time in parliament, she has worked on a number of committees, including social justice and net zero. She says she remains committed to First Minister John Swinney and the Scottish Government until her time as an MSP comes to an end, and that she will always support causes such as Scottish independence and will continue to campaign for it moving forward. She added: 'From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank every single person who has voted for me, supported me and allowed me to be in this position in the first place. 'I also want to thank my amazing constituency office team for the hard work they put in every day, to help local people. 'Finally, I want to thank my family for supporting me every step of the way.' The First Minister paid tribute to Ms Don-Innes on X, writing: 'I am sorry that Natalie has decided not to seek re-election [at the Scottish Parliament.] 'She is a young woman who has made an exceptional contribution to our work and I wish her and her family well for the future.'
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Child sex abuse victims in Glasgow 'failed', says minister
The victims of one of Scotland's biggest child sex abuse rings were "failed", the SNP government has seven members of the gang were given life-long sentences after three victims under the age of 13 were subjected to sexual abuse and violence in Glasgow over a seven-year minister Natalie Don-Innes described the case as "horrifying" and said the government was working to ensure "nothing like this ever happens again".Opposition MSPs accused the government of failing to take urgent action. 'Learn lessons' Don-Innes told MSPs: "This case absolutely horrifies me and there is no getting away from the fact that these children were failed."However, she said the government was already working to acting to protect children."Keeping children safe is an utmost priority and ministers are working closely with partners to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation in all forms and support victims and their families," the minister said. She welcomed an independent review of the Glasgow Child Protection Committee which she said would help improve safeguarding across the country. "I'm confident we will learn lessons from the failings here and what we can do to protect children in the future," Don-Innes said. She told MSPs the government had set up the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group, as well as a taskforce to tackle online also pointed to work to fulfil The Promise, a flagship scheme under Nicola Sturgeon's government to improve the lives of care-experienced children and young minister added that she was happy to look into what urgent action could be taken "over and above" the steps she had outlined. Her comments came in response to criticism from opposition MSPs. Alba's Ash Regan, asking an urgent question in parliament, said the case "reeks of institutional failures". She said the children were "failed" despite being on the child protection register, being absent from school and showing "blatant" signs of neglect."The Scottish government has presided over this catastrophic failure at every single level," Regan called for urgent action to address "serious safeguarding failures".Labour MSP Pauline McNeill questioned why the abuse was not detected earlier, adding: "Surely the minister is not satisfied simply to leave it to a case-led review to give us some answers to that key question."Conservative Douglas Ross said there was "nothing urgent" about the government's response."We have an independent review that doesn't have a chair, that we don't know when they will report." 'Beastie house' Gang members Iain Owens, 46; Elaine Lannery, 40; Lesley Williams, 43; Paul Brannan, 42; Scott Forbes, 51; Barry Watson, 48, and John Clark, 49, were jailed for between eight and 20 years and handed orders for lifelong restriction on subjected their victims to what police called "unimaginable abuse" in a Glasgow drug den dubbed "the beastie house".The lifelong orders are reserved for the most serious court cases in Scotland which do not involve murder, and mean the individual will either be in prison or on parole for the rest of their Lord Beckett told the gang, whose jail sentences totalled more than 93 years, that they may never be released from prison.
