[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f1op3zvvdge3w9":16},{"id":4,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":7,"slug":8,"content":9,"content_overview":10,"published_at":11,"seo_title":7,"seo_description":12,"image":13,"created_at":14,"updated_at":15},"01m5yr36vzgnkxw06xbrd8qvy9","1",false,"We can change Scotland's story on alcohol","we-can-change-scotlands-story-on-alcohol","\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justina Murray, Chief Executive, Aberlour Children’s Charity\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This week we have seen further evidence of Scotland’s toxic relationship with alcohol, with the publication of the latest alcohol-specific death figures.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn1\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> In 2025, 1,152 people in Scotland died through alcohol.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn2\">[2]\u003C\u002Fa> This may be 3% lower than the previous year, but it remains 13% up on pre-pandemic levels. Alarmingly, death rates for women are rising (3% up).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The human toll of this loss is traumatic for families and communities. So, so many lives lost. And this sits alongside the everyday harms felt by those concerned about their own drinking, and those desperately worried about keeping their loved ones alive. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story of alcohol in Scotland today is that we have a higher rate of alcohol deaths than England and Wales. We buy more alcohol per adult than England and Wales. Almost 1 in 5 of us drink enough to harm our health and to be classed as hazardous, harmful or dependent drinkers. More of us are diagnosed with chronic liver disease each year. We don’t really think about alcohol being linked to over 200 health conditions or causing 7 different types of cancer. In a country where we routinely hear, “There is no money”, alcohol harm is estimated to cost us up to £10 billion a year.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn3\">[3]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is little sign of any shift in Scotland’s entrenched ‘Alcohol Everywhere’ culture. Just this week (only a day after the alcohol death figures were released), a hospitality chain in Edinburgh asked for licensing permission for unaccompanied 12-15 year olds to be in their pubs until 8pm, describing these as “family-friendly” and “accessible” environments for young people.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn4\">[4]\u003C\u002Fa> And earlier this month we saw the First Minister raising a glass of whisky on the front cover of the SNP conference handbook, of all of the images which could have been used under the banner ‘Choose Scotland’.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn5\">[5]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what is the story for the children and families we support? I joined Aberlour last year - our 150th birthday year. Perhaps due to that timing, or certainly encouraged by it, I often reflect on the organisation’s long history and deep legacy, including what might be the same or different now compared to the early days of the Aberlour orphanage. This grew to care for up to 600 children at any one time, all in one place. Nowadays our models of care have radically altered, with our remodelled Sycamore children’s houses providing safe and loving family-sized homes in the community for 3 or 4 children at a time, alongside a broad continuum of services to support babies, children, young people and families facing disadvantage and adversity, from early help to the most intensive support. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite all these changes, that thread of alcohol harm in families - and the havoc this creates in every respect - runs through every chapter of our 150 years. This harm impacts the lives of children and families across every one of our services today, just as it shaped the story for so many children arriving at the original Aberlour orphanage.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But we are also working alongside families to change Scotland’s story on alcohol. There is quite rightly a call for better prevention and early support for families, but how we respond in a crisis speaks volumes. We offer a range of specialist services for pregnant and new mums and their babies where there is harm through alcohol and other substances. This includes our residential Mother and Child Recovery Houses, alongside community-based perinatal and intensive perinatal services. The impact of these services is mind-blowing, with 65-70% of mums staying safely with their babies, when previously their children were at extremely high risk of going into care - with all the accompanying human and financial cost of this. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These services provide concrete and costed evidence that with the right approach and investment, we can write a whole new chapter alongside children and families. This support offers a blueprint for whole family recovery, helps us #KeepThePromise (not just say it), delivers effective child protection, and models outcomes-focused Public Service Reform. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s time for a different story on alcohol harm in Scotland, let’s turn the page. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cdiv style=\"mso-element: endnote-list;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportEndnotes]-->\u003Cbr clear=\"all\">\u003Chr align=\"left\" size=\"1\" width=\"33%\">\u003C!--[endif]-->\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn1\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn1;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[1]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nrscotland.gov.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Falcohol-specific-deaths-2025\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nrscotland.gov.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Falcohol-specific-deaths-2025\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn2\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn2;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[2]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">Note that alcohol-specific deaths only include those specifically caused by alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease, alcohol poisoning.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn3\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn3;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[3]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">You can find lots of useful information and statistics at Alcohol Focus Scotland on Scotland’s relationship with alcohol and alcohol harm, including a great series of monthly blogs by Chief Exec Carolyn Lochhead, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk\u002F\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk\u002F\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn4\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn4;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref4\" name=\"_edn4\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[4]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002Fcm62yj7nqj77o\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002Fcm62yj7nqj77o\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn5\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn5;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref5\" name=\"_edn5\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[5]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fs3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com\u002Fwww.snp.org\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F06\u002FSNP-Handbook-26-online-5-public.pdf\">https:\u002F\u002Fs3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com\u002Fwww.snp.org\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F06\u002FSNP-Handbook-26-online-5-public.pdf\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv style=\"mso-element: endnote-list;\">\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn5\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>",null,"2026-10-29T00:00:00.000000Z","This week we have seen further evidence of Scotland’s toxic relationship with alcohol, with the publication of the latest alcohol-specific death figures.","media\u002F1301_transform.webp","2026-10-27T13:16:48.000000Z","2026-10-30T08:58:49.000000Z",{"id":17,"blog_author_id":18,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":19,"title":20,"slug":21,"content":22,"content_overview":10,"published_at":23,"seo_title":20,"seo_description":24,"image":25,"created_at":26,"updated_at":27,"next":28,"prev":38},"01j856rb0z5m6mnr59yv6xsa4m","9c8b0191-fcca-48df-af06-d7308bbd8d7b",true,"‘New parents, new home, new life’: Charity’s first foster family 20 years on","new-parents-new-home-new-life-charitys-first-foster-family-20-years-on","\u003Cp>Driving south to Flamingo Land, Natasha was not just beginning a holiday but starting a new life.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>The teenager, who had grown up in residential care, had been away before but never as part of a family. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“I remember being excited but nervous too. It felt like my whole life had turned upside down,” \u003Cstrong>she said.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“On the first day with my new foster parents, they told me they were going on holiday.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“They must have seen the look of disappointment on my face and just laughed, saying of course I was going too, that I was part of the family now.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“It felt completely strange and completely natural at the same time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Now, 20 years on from her momentous trip to the Yorkshire theme park, Natasha is helping celebrate the life-changing role played by Scotland’s foster carers.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>She was the first girl to find a family when \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\">\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Aberlour, Scotland’s biggest children’s charity,\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> launched its fostering service in 2004 and says it transformed her life.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Now 35, Natasha had lived in residential care for almost a decade after being removed from a family fractured by abuse and neglect along with her six siblings.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “I was 15 and remember worrying about what would happen when I was 18. I had no idea what would happen next.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“To find a family at last meant everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The legacy of her early years meant she had trouble trusting adults and, she said, her new family, like any other, suffered turbulence at times.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“It wasn’t all smooth sailing. I had been through a lot and those first few years are a crucial time.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“There were courts and police, a lot for me to deal with. There was trauma there.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Thankfully, Aberlour supports foster carers to understand how children testing boundaries or acting out can often be about something else altogether. It can be a cry for help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“It just takes time. It took me years to accept love and compliments from my mum and dad. Even now, I struggle to accept a hug from them. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Accepting someone likes you never mind loves you can be difficult for children who have never experienced it.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“It took three or four years before I called them mum and dad, for example, but it soon felt natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Twenty years on, her foster family is now just her family and the care worker from Clackmannanshire still lives nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “I can’t imagine what my life would be like without them. To know someone is there for you is like a suit of armour.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Most people take it for granted but I never did and I never will. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“I used to wonder what might have happened if I hadn’t found my family? Where would I be? Who would I be?\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“But I know who I am now and who my family is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said foster carers have the potential to transform young lives:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “Children need someone there for them. To be that someone is huge, to literally change someone’s life is an incredible thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>However, her mum and dad – Aberlour’s first foster parents – said the real satisfaction is not found in what they give children but what they get in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The couple had a background in social work and residential care but were still surprised by the positive impact of fostering on their family.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>David and Shona - not their real names, they would rather not be identified to protect the privacy other children – said fostering Natasha was life-changing for everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Shona, 56, said:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “Even though we had worked in care, it was still a shock to have this child, who had been quite traumatised, living with us. It felt scary.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“It was terrifying for Natasha too because she hadn’t been with a family for so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“There had been long discussions about fostering but eventually we just decided to go for it, to bring these kids up alongside our own. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“Children need a family to grow. Families aren’t possible for every child but are the best way of giving them stability and seeing them through to adulthood.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“When I was training as a social worker, we’d be told that if there’s one person crazy about you then you are more likely to succeed. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“We just wanted to be the people crazy for these kids.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The couple were speaking ahead of a celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of Aberlour’s fostering service later this month and encouraged other families to think about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>David, 58, said the couple started fostering “with clear eyes” but the demands - and the rewards - were still more than they expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>He said:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “There are a lot of great times, a lot of happiness, but it’s not the Waltons.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“It’s the same for any family but, because of their experience, foster children bring an unpredictability. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“You can be in the trenches at times but the dark days get lighter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>When advising couples thinking about fostering, he encourages them to understand the reality of their responsibility and not romanticise the role.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>He said:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “Sometimes you hear people talk about ‘rescuing’ children.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“We’re not here to rescue anyone, we’re here to support them and encourage them, to give them the chance to live happy, fulfilled lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“If we can do that, it’s enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Shona said\u003C\u002Fstrong> it was when Natasha left home at 22 that she finally realised her family was for life.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“She got her own place and realised we were still there for her, that we’re here for the long haul. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“She is our daughter, a fine young woman.” \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The couple said their family including six children, some fostered, some not, has ups and downs like any other.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Shona said:\u003C\u002Fstrong> “It’s not a bed of roses. It’s family life. It’s about belonging and it’s about love, unconditional love.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>“When I was 50, the kids gave me a handmade memory book and on the cover it said ‘We’re not step, we’re not half, we’re not fostered, we’re family.’\u003Cbr>“It is the nicest thing I have ever been given. It is lovely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Lynne O’Brien, Aberlour’s chief officer of children and families, said:\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cblockquote>\"We’re proud to be celebrating 20 years of Aberlour Fostering supporting children, young people and foster carers. We have a long-term commitment to providing loving, caring and supportive foster care for children and young people, helping to transform lives. Children’s rights are at the heart of everything we do at Aberlour and we continue to listen and learn from children, young people and families to ensure we deliver the best care and support.”\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\">Find out more about becoming a foster carer and joining the Aberlour fostering family. \u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cem>This article was written for The Sunday Post, published on Sunday 23rd September 2024.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>","2024-09-23T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity celebrates 20 years of our fostering service. Read all about the experience of fostering from our first ever fostered child and her foster parents.","media\u002F01J856RB0XV2JCC8FJMZT30EQB.jpeg","2024-09-19T13:15:14.000000Z","2024-09-27T11:07:36.000000Z",{"id":29,"blog_author_id":18,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":30,"slug":31,"content":32,"content_overview":10,"published_at":33,"seo_title":30,"seo_description":34,"image":35,"created_at":36,"updated_at":37},"01j96x6fsm0mfrb56554zznjgq","Memorial golf day raises staggering amount for children’s disability service","memorial-golf-day-raises-staggering-amount-for-childrens-disability-service","\u003Cp>A golf day held in memory of Prestonpans local man, James Murphy, has raised a staggering £3150 for \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fservice\u002Foptions-lothian\">Aberlour Children’s Charity Options Lothian disability service\u003C\u002Fa> at Bankfoot in Prestonpans.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>Held at Royal Musselburgh Golf Course, this was the fourth year The James Murphy memorial golf day has been run by James’s daughter Danielle Taylor and her brother Connor Murphy. Each year the fundraising golf day raises money for local charities and this year they chose Aberlour Options Lothian as the sole beneficiary.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>Aberlour Options Lothian provides short breaks respite care for children and young people up to the age of 23 years with complex needs and disabilities. The residential house offers a safe homely environment where children and young people can stay giving their families and carers a break from their caring responsibilities.  \u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>\u003Cstrong>Danielle said:\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cblockquote>“As a family it means the world to us that Dad is remembered. Born and bred in Prestonpans, he was funny, caring, larger than life and of course a keen golfer. This year’s golf day was a great success with over 50 players competing for the James Murphy trophy. We were thrilled that the event raised such an incredible amount. \u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>“We decided that we would donate this year’s funds raised to Aberlour Options Lothian after we were made aware of the service by our friend who volunteers there. Not everyone is aware of the amazing things they do, which became very apparent when Lorna, the service manager, showed us around.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>“Children’s charities meant so much to Dad. By donating to Aberlour Options Lothian it’s great to know that Dad is still making an impact in his local community and through this his spirit lives on.”\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>\u003Cstrong>Aberlour Assistant Director, Cheryl Douglas said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cblockquote>“We are so grateful to Danielle, the Murphy family and all the participants from the golf day for the fabulous amount they raised for Aberlour Options Lothian. This will make a huge difference to the lives of children, young people and families in Prestonpans. Thank you so very much.”\u003C\u002Fblockquote>","2024-10-02T00:00:00.000000Z","Local family from Prestonpans raises over £3000 for the Aberlour Children's Charity's disability service in their area through an annual memorial golf day.","media\u002F01J96XCAP3Y5H3X8WKMJTC1HQW.jpg","2024-10-02T15:22:22.000000Z","2024-10-02T15:25:34.000000Z",{"id":39,"blog_author_id":40,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":41,"slug":42,"content":43,"content_overview":10,"published_at":44,"seo_title":41,"seo_description":45,"image":46,"created_at":47,"updated_at":48},"01j7dzbknt76sk2fm1kr0xjts3","9cdbdd25-1564-45ec-84de-602c5009ebe1","Joint call on MSPs to tackle Scotland's Public Debt Crisis","joint-call-on-msps-to-tackle-scotlands-public-debt-crisis","\u003Cp>We have joined with Govan Law Centre to call upon MSPs to make transformational changes to the way public debt is collected in Scotland to help end child poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Today a Parliamentary event is being held by both charities, where MSPs will be pressed to support a transformational law reform bill which would include radical initiatives to change the way public bodies in Scotland collect debt to ensure children are not trapped in, or pushed into, poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Low-income families across Scotland are facing a growing debt crisis, with public debts such as council tax arrears, rent, and school meal debts trapping them in an unbreakable cycle of poverty. Aberlour’s research and frontline experience found that 75% of the total debt supported by their Tayside Hardship Fund was to pay off debts owed to public bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Aberlour and Govan Law Centre are calling on the Scottish Government to take immediate action to reform the current public debt recovery processes, which often punish, rather than support, struggling families. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Amongst other measures, the charities are advocating for permanent support to parents in school meal debt, as well as a unified, compassionate approach to debt management that prioritises the well-being of families and children over punitive collection practices.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The charities are saying clearly that the Scottish Government must change course from the current public debt collection approaches to ones that actively support families in overcoming financial hardship. \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Positive government intervention is essential not only to alleviate the financial strain on families but also to improve mental health, strengthen family well-being, and prevent issues such as homelessness and the potential loss of children to care systems.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>SallyAnn Kelly OBE, Chief Executive of Aberlour said:\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cblockquote>\"At Aberlour, we stand at the forefront of supporting Scotland's most disadvantaged children and families. Scotland, and indeed the entire UK, are facing a debt crisis that demands urgent and radical action. Public debt is a key factor in entrenching and increasing child poverty, and those burdened by debt need support, not punishment.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>“We are delighted to be working with the Govan Law Centre to urgently call for new legislation that reforms public debt recovery processes. Government intervention is essential to relieve the crushing debt burden on disadvantaged families, enabling them to thrive. The welfare state should be a safety net, not a financial trap.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>“Public bodies, including governments, should help people escape debt rather than trapping them in unsustainable and unmanageable financial situations. Positive government interventions to reduce debts not only alleviate financial strain but also enhance physical and mental well-being, strengthen family bonds, and foster inclusivity for children with disabilities.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>“Governments and political parties must urgently address the policies that lead to public debt and reform current debt recovery practices to be more humane, compassionate, and sustainable.\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>“This session is a critical opportunity for MSPs to engage with Aberlour and the Govan Law Centre and hear first-hand from them about their experiences supporting people affected by public debt.\"  \u003C\u002Fblockquote>\u003Cp>We are urging all MSPs to attend this important event and commit to supporting the necessary reforms to public debt recovery systems. These changes are vital to breaking the cycle of poverty and ensuring every child in Scotland has the opportunity to thrive.” \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Mike Dally, Govan Law Centre said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cblockquote>\"Govan Law Centre belives that the public debt crisis campaign with the Aberlour Children's Charity is a vital initiative to shift the dial on child poverty. Around 240,000 children live in relative poverty in Scotland and sadly this unacceptable number has remained fairly static since 2007\". \u003Cbr> \u003Cbr>\"While the Scottish Child Payment has helped, it hasn't lifted 100,000 children out of poverty as the Scottish Government claim. The evidence for this claim relies upon projected modelling based on a range of policy assumptions\". \u003Cbr> \u003Cbr>\"We know that the uncoordinated and often aggressive collection of debt by public bodies can trap or push families into unnecessary poverty and misery. The obvious lever available to the Scottish Government and Parliament is to use Scots law to create a coordinated, fairer and more intelligent system of public debt collection in Scotland\".\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\u003Cp>\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>\u003C\u002Fp>","2024-09-10T00:00:00.000000Z","We have joined with Govan Law Centre to call upon MSPs to make transformational changes to the way public debt is collected in Scotland to help end child poverty.","media\u002F01J7E428VYNV34S3TAZFSVY3X5.webp","2024-09-10T12:43:25.000000Z","2024-09-10T14:05:42.000000Z"]