Upcoming Training
Click on links below for further information
The purpose of this dedicated portal is to provide a one-stop ‘shop’ to enable all CALA practitioners to access the latest guidance, childcare related news, information, useful weblinks, CALA blog, twitter feed, CPL opportunities and national guidance documents to ensure you are appropriately supported, well informed and empowered to keep up to speed with key information for childcare practitioners. Your portal will be updated frequently, therefore, we recommend you visit on a weekly basis.
Click through the slides below for our current ‘Practitioner Picks’
On Saturday 7th November 2020, The Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Act 2019 (Equal Protection Act) will become the law in Scotland. This means that all forms of physical punishment of children will be against the law in Scotland, and children will have with the same legal protection from assault as adults.
The following is guidance from the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to:
Click on the tabs below to access the information and resources.
Equal Protection - Letter to statutory bodies providing services
Equal Protection Information
The Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Act 2019 (EP Act) received Royal Assent on 7 November 2019 and will be implemented on 7 November 2020. The purpose of the legislation is to assist in ending the physical punishment of children by parents, carers or the person who has charge of them. It removes the statutory defence of ‘justifiable assault’ under Section 51 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003.
Equal Protection Act - Framework document for statutory bodies
NEW - Pinky Promise
Pinky Promise
In October 2016, Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, promised care experienced people that Scotland would do better. She said Scotland wouldcome together and love it’s most vulnerable children and give them the childhood they deserve. To figure out how to do this, she said the Independent Care Review should be set up.
The Care Review had to hear everyone’s voices. It needed to hear from the children and families who knew the ‘care system’ best – the people who had experienced it.
Vitamin D Guidance - Scottish Government
This guidance was updated on 1st Dec to reflect the Coronavirus situation
In Scotland, it is important that people maintain sufficient levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D has a number of important functions and is needed to support bone and muscle health.
Our main source of vitamin D is sunlight. In Scotland, we only get enough of the right kind of sunlight for our bodies to make vitamin D between April and September, mostly between 11 am and 3 pm. From October to March, we need to rely on dietary sources of vitamin D. Since vitamin D is found only in a small number of foods, it might be difficult to get enough from foods that naturally contain vitamin D and/or fortified foods alone.
Good food sources are oily fish and eggs. Other food sources include fortified foods such as breakfast cereals and spreads.
Everyone (including children) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D, particularly during the winter months (October – March). It is specifically recommended that groups at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency take a daily supplement all year round. These groups include:
The current guidance on sun exposure should be followed: 10–15 minutes of unprotected Scottish sun exposure is safe for all. Once sunscreen is correctly applied, vitamin D synthesis is blocked. Staying in the sun for prolonged periods without the protection of sunscreen increases the risk of skin cancer.
You can buy vitamin D supplements or vitamin drops containing vitamin D (for under 5s) at most pharmacies and supermarkets. Please don’t buy more than you need.
Read advice and support for parents to follow the recommendation for infants from birth to 6 months
For further information from the Scottish Government – click here
Position Statement (Highland Only)
Updated Covid-19 guidance from The Highland Council in response to the Scottish Government updates 30/10/20
Winter Planning for ELC providers including childminders (29/10/20)
Care Inspectorate Chief Executive Peter Macleod has written a letter to providers of early learning and childcare (ELC), including childminders and school-aged childcare, about winter planning during COVID-19.
Weekly Monitoring Form
Help keep children safe – complete a COVID-19 childcare monitoring return.
Scottish Government and Care Inspectorate are requesting all childcare settings in Scotland (some exceptions) to complete ‘WEEKLY MONITORING RETURN’ before midnight each Tuesday.
Click here to access
Scottish Government note to all childcare providers - 7/10/2020
The First Minister has announced that, following an increase in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases across Scotland and on the advice of her medical and scientific advisers, further measures were to be introduced across Scotland to slow the spread of COVID-19. The announcement by the First Minister has no effect on current childcare arrangements and childcare providers should continue to operate in accordance with the current guidance.
The Scottish Government Early Learning and Childcare Directorate have issued a ‘note’ outlining this to all childcare providers.
For Highlands Children 5 - Practice Guidance
Highland Children and Young People’s Forum
Highland Children and Young People’s Forum is a Scottish Charitable Organisation based in Highland.
On their website they state their aim is to:
“To advance human rights, promote equality and diversity and relieve those in need by contributing to towards the provision of highest possible standards of services in Highlands for the benefit of children and young people with additional support needs”
Find out about the excellent work they do by visiting their website.
Tooth brushing Standards
COVID-19 Toothbrushing Standards have been reviewed by the following bodies (24/8/20):
HTSI (Highland Third Sector Interface)
Free online learning for third sector organisations during Covid-19. Courses vary in length (identified at course description) and include some 60-second bitesize modules. Courses of particular interest include:
Please access via Marion, [email protected] (CALA practitioners only)
Scottish Government e-learning
Scottish Government ELC
Free e-learning for ELC practitioners – more in-depth modules to study over a few weeks
Current modules:
SSSC
A new resource, 23 Things Leadership – Useful tool with activities to support leadership development in Social and health services – 23 different ‘things’ looking at all aspects of leadership/management, encouraging self-reflection. Links to the SSSC open badges.
COVID-19 related information
Podcast and Q&A webinar on the impact of COVID with Stan Godek. Useful awareness of common anxieties and strategies for supporting children.
Posters, film for how to talk to parents, stories about COVID to share with children. How to talk about bereavement – and much more.
Short film for children explaining other ways to show you care
Particular support for reflection, developing own and other’s leadership capability during crisis e.g. Covid-19: access to a range of existing leadership resources, from a variety of sources, using a simple and accessible format. Learners can access resources designed to support them develop their own skills in leading a crisis, leading with compassion, self-leadership, resilience and wellbeing. There are also resources to support leaders support others in a crisis, and in particular resources related to supporting others to use their own leadership capability, supervision and support, and coaching and mentoring
Free downloads on COVID and child safety
NHS Mental Health & Wellbeing
Range of support tools including info on children, teens, students. Mood assessment, video guides e.g. anxiety, low mood, low confidence & assertiveness, unhelpful thoughts. Links to therapies available, stress busters etc.
Support page for those working in Health or Social Care in Scotland. Links for individuals, managers/employers
For NHS Highland staff – covers issues such as healthy mind, healthy body, finance, etc. Also Moodzone assessment tool
Action for Happiness
Action for Happiness state:
“We are a movement of people committed to building a happier and more caring society. We want to see a fundamentally different way of life – where people care less about what they can get just for themselves and more about the happiness of others.
Click here to access more information and their resources.
Just Ask
This enquiry line is for our parents, carers, children, young people, and those who work with them
Play – post Covid
An article about getting play right in the early years post-COVID
Attachment theory
The psychology of play
A 2 min video with input from psychologists helping children cope with stress and worry through play – good to share with parents
Action for children
Trauma informed
Coping and resilience
A useful infographic to help awareness of coping mechanisms and resilience
Highland Council - CPL via Highland Digital School Hub
Words Up, RTA, access via Highland Digital School Hub
Further learning materials on ELC Highland blog – including planning, SE, literacy, numeracy