This week Aberlour’s Chief Executive, SallyAnn Kelly, spoke at the Scotland Policy Conference seminar in Edinburgh on the topic of improving provision for children in care and care leavers. She highlighted some of the key challenges facing all those concerned with the care and support of Scotland’s most vulnerable children, recognising that whilst on the … Continued
Official statistics released today show poverty is continuing to rise in Scotland, with 24% of children (240,000) now living in poverty – an increase of 10,000 from last year. In response, the Give Me Five campaign, supported by senior academics, children’s charities, anti-poverty groups and leaders of Scotland’s Churches have renewed their call for the … Continued
According to research published by unbiased.co.uk last year, roughly 60% of people in the UK don’t have a Will. The figure is even higher in Scotland, with both Glasgow and Edinburgh featuring in the top ten list of major cities in the UK with the highest percentage of adults without a will; 68% of adults … Continued
Aberlour has been celebrating Scottish Apprenticeship Week – the annual campaign to encourage employers to take on apprentices and more young people to consider an apprenticeship. Our unique Aberlour Futures service provides an SQA-accredited training and assessment centre for your people who want to work in early learning and childcare. Declan, Katie, Charlie and Caitlyn … Continued
Mental ill health affects one in every five pregnancies in Scotland. The Scottish Government has announced that £50 million will be made available to increase provision of perinatal support, news that has been welcomed by Aberlour. Speaking with STV’s Scotland Tonight programme, Assistant Director of Aberlour Liz Nolan said of the announcement: “It has highlighted … Continued
This week the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Humza Yousaf MSP visited the Aberlour Scottish Guardianship Service. Humza Yousaf MSP was invited along to the service by SallyAnn Kelly, Chief Executive of Aberlour, to highlight the problems many asylum-seeking children and young people face, specifically those who have been victims of human trafficking. Aberlour delivers … Continued
Roisin’s son Ashley was sectioned aged just 13. He was taken into a specialist residential school 250 miles away from his home in Fife. He hadn’t done anything wrong; he did however have severe learning disabilities and autism and had begun to self-harm out of frustration. Roisin spoke powerfully on BBC Radio Scotland earlier this … Continued
Aberlour’s Urgent Assistance Fund has witnessed record demand. Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly talks to Professional Social Work magazine on the need to stop stigmatising people who are struggling to make ends meet. The idea was seen as controversial and radical when it was floated. Give social workers discretion to make cash payments to people they … Continued
On the 17 December 2014, then Cabinet Secretary for Education, Angela Constance, announced that the the Scottish Government intended to hold a public inquiry into historical institutional child abuse. Aberlour’s Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly said: “To those who suffered abuse while under the care of Aberlour, we reiterate our unreserved apology. The Scottish Child Abuse … Continued
Aberlour Children’s Charity has called on the Scottish Government to deliver a budget that puts more money in the pockets of families struggling to afford basic everyday essential items such as food and clothing. In a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work, SallyAnn Kelly, Chief Executive of Aberlour Children’s … Continued
Pudsey Bear enjoyed an exhilarating adventure holiday recently with a group of disabled children and young people from across Scotland as part of this year’s Children in Need. The beloved bear joined the trip to Kielder Water Outdoor Centre in Hexham, Northumberland, run by Aberlour Children’s Charity’s Options Adventures Service. He spent the day trying … Continued
Anne, a former governor at Aberlour, Scotland’s children’s charity, didn’t set out to write a 256 page history of Aberlour Orphanage in WW1 through letters and orphanage magazines. Part of her role during her 12 years of volunteering on the Board of Aberlour was to answer requests for information from previous residents of Aberlour Orphanage … Continued
Aberlour would like to say thank you to claims.co.uk for their generous donation of £500. Here’s Claire Dillon, Managing Director with a lovely cheque that will help us work with even more children and their families in Scotland. If your organisation would like to support our work, please contact Lesley Ann Muirhead for more information. … Continued
Aberlour, in partnership, with Includem, the Care Inspectorate and CELCIS have been awarded a grant from The Life Changes Trust. The funding will allow the organisations to work in partnership to explore the key characteristics of nurturing relationships within the care system and the effect that love can have on young people growing up in … Continued
Aberlour Children’s Charity has launched a new campaign, No Place Like Home, to highlight the support needs of parents with learning disabilities and their children and the requirement for greater parenting support services across the country to help keep families together. Research suggests between 40 and 60 per cent of parents with learning disabilities will … Continued
“This week is Challenge Poverty Week, an annual Scotland-wide campaign designed to raise a voice against poverty in Scotland and challenge stereotypes, while encouraging public support for more action to solve it. It also offers politicians, organisations and campaigners the chance to discuss in more depth how, as a society, we can work together to … Continued
An 8-year-old from Govan has won a citywide photography competition for his depiction of friendship through a series of photos taken on a disposable camera. Organised by the Glasgow Youthpoint service of Aberlour Children’s Charity, George Wilson’s raw and authentic portrayal of friendship caught the imagination of those on the judging panel, including BAFTA award … Continued
Aberlour Children’s Charity and the Scottish Borders Council has announced that a new family outreach service, Aberlour Sustain, will launch in the Scottish Borders later this year. Aberlour will work with the Scottish Borders Council, children, young people, families and local partners to develop a highly responsive service for families at the ‘Edge of Care’. … Continued
