It’s Okay to Ask – New Cost-of-Living campaign launches in South Ayrshire

South Ayrshire Council and the South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership are supporting Child Protection Scotland’s new ‘It’s Okay to Ask’ campaign, encouraging any parent or carer who is struggling to look after their children, to ask for help before reaching crisis point.

The cost-of-living crisis has led to many families in Scotland finding it very tough to make ends meet. Rocketing food and energy prices have been extremely challenging for everyone, especially for families on low incomes who already have money worries.

Finding enough money for food and energy bills, and for things that children need on a day-to-day basis can lead to stress and anxiety for many parents and carers. These difficulties can even affect how well parents are able to look after their children, and themselves.

Co-designed in conjunction with two Scottish family support organisations, Stepping Stones and Dads Rock, the digital campaign has been designed using ideas and input from both groups.

Child Protection Scotland Chair, Tam Baillie, said: “Lack of money can have really serious consequences and take a big toll on family life. Constant money worries can cause huge levels of stress and anxiety and even lead to some parents finding it hard to look after their children as well as they’d like to.  

“It can be difficult and embarrassing to ask for help, but there is support out there, so it’s very important for your children, and for yourself, to ask for help if you need it. It’s a lot better to get help than to let things get really, really bad. Every council has an emergency fund to help families, and there are lots of local community groups who can provide advice and guidance.”

Jim Kerr, Independent Chair South Ayrshire Adult & Child Protection Committees, said: “Here in South Ayrshire, we are committed to supporting this national campaign. The cost-of-living crisis is constantly in our thoughts, and we witness its impact on children and families first-hand through reports, discussions, and interactions with those who support and operate food banks, as well as distribute essential goods.

“We continue to assist in the development of the South Ayrshire Child Poverty Action Plan, and various local community groups can offer help in numerous ways. We are acutely aware of the record number of families struggling to meet their most basic needs to stay warm, dry, clean, and fed.

“These factors deeply impact physical and mental health, children’s prospects, and place a strain on our services. Therefore, this campaign aims to reach out to families, encouraging them to seek assistance before the cost-of-living demands become overwhelming. We are fully devoted to supporting families in South Ayrshire.”

South Ayrshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Health and Social Care, Councillor Lee Lyons said: “I welcome and fully support Child Protection Scotland’s ‘It’s Okay To Ask’ campaign.

“We’re living in extremely challenging times, where things that we may have taken for granted previously, like feeding our children and heating our homes, has become a daily struggle for many families.

“Every parent wants to be able to provide for their children themselves, and I know it can be difficult to reach out and ask for support. We want parents and carers to be brave and tell us before they come to a crisis point.

“I’m sure the ‘It’s Okay to Ask’ campaign will encourage more parents and carers to come forward and ask for help if they are struggling.”

Parents and carers can find sources of help and support on the ‘It’s Okay to Ask’ campaign page on the Child Protection Scotland website www.childprotection.scot/itsokaytoask.

ENDS

For further information about the campaign or to arrange an interview, please call or email Mairi Damer on 07809 597901 or hello@wordupscot.co.uk

#ItsOkayToAsk – a new cost of living crisis campaign for parents and carers, co-designed by family groups 

https://www.childprotection.scot/itsokaytoask

FYI. Police Scotland advise that there has been a significant rise in telephone scams recently particularly targeting the elderly and a number of residents have lost significant sums of money, in some ccases their entire life savings. These scams generally originate from out with the country so the chances of them being detected or the monies recovered are almost non-existent. If you know of anyone who would benefit from call blocker please advise them to get in touch with Trading Standards.

Call Blocker Client-Referral Form-2023 South Ayrshire Trading Standards – Infographic trueCall leaflet

EOI Application Guidance Notes Oct 23 Expression of Interest Form

This year, the South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership Locality Planning Partnerships are going to be distributing their funding via Participatory Budgeting events that will take place in February and March 2024.  If you are part of a community group, 3rd sector organisation or charity that would like to apply for funding, we are now accepting Expression of Interest forms.

These forms will be assessed by a sub-group and your project may be invited to submit a full application form. Groups can apply for funding from £500 up to £3000.

The Expression of Interest form (EOI) is attached along with the guidance notes.  Please return EOI forms to SAHSCP.Engagement@south-ayrshire.gov.uk, confirming which locality area you are applying to by Friday 17^th November 2023.

Your project must benefit the locality and align with at least one of the priorities – details of locality priorities are on attached Locality Priorities document.  Please complete the EOI form in full and get in touch if you have any queries.

Accessible Ayr is an ambitious project to significantly improve the town centre, making it a vibrant and more attractive place for people to visit and enjoy, as well as make it easier to access by pedestrians and cyclists, adjoining other active travel routes.  It is one of a number of projects being promoted by the Council and its partners with the aim of supporting the town centre.

 We held public consultation a year ago and over the course of 2023 the design team has been refining designs and undertaking further consultation with individuals, businesses and organisations.  This is an opportunity for the community to shape the vision for a town centre that balances the needs of all users; you can still drive to the town centre but cycling and walking to and around the town centre will be safer and more attractive.

South Ayrshire Council  advise you that a second round of consultation for Accessible Ayr will run from 6^th November – 4^th December 2023 with in person drop in events being held on Thursday 9^th November from 2pm until 7pm and on Saturday 11 November from 12 noon until 4pm at Ayr Central Shopping Centre on Skye Square. 

 The plans can also be viewed online from 6^th November at https://accessibleayr-swecouk.hub.arcgis.com/  We’d be really grateful if you are able to publicise the consultation amongst your networks and if you use social media you can share our posts https://www.facebook.com/AccessibleAyr

 Accessible Ayr is an ambitious project to significantly improve the town centre, making it a vibrant and more attractive place for people to visit and enjoy, as well as make it easier to access by pedestrians and cyclists, adjoining other active travel routes.  It is one of a number of projects being promoted by the Council and its partners with the aim of supporting the town centre.

 We held public consultation a year ago and over the course of 2023 the design team has been refining designs and undertaking further consultation with individuals, businesses and organisations.  This is an opportunity for the community to shape the vision for a town centre that balances the needs of all users; you can still drive to the town centre but cycling and walking to and around the town centre will be safer and more attractive.

Payment for care leavers – Financial support for young people leaving care

Young people transitioning from the care system into adulthood are to receive a one-off Care Leaver Payment of £2,000 to support them to move into more independent living under proposals being considered. See link for further information: Payment for care leavers – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

National Mission on Drugs Annual Report

Minister welcomes progress in key areas. The second annual report on the National Mission on Drugs has highlighted a wide range of initiatives and projects aimed at reducing deaths and improving the lives of people impacted by drugs. It sets out the progress made from April 2022 to March 2023 against the National Mission Plan. For more information please see link: National Mission on Drugs Annual Report – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Who is eligible for Winter Heating Payment

• How Winter Heating Payment works
• Who is eligible for Winter Heating Payment
• If you do not receive a Winter Heating Payment
• Check if you’re eligible for Winter Heating Payment

Winter Heating Payment is for people in Scotland who:

• get a particular benefit – this is the ‘qualifying benefit’
• get the qualifying benefit on at least one day between Monday 7 November to Sunday 13 November 2022 – this is the ‘qualifying week’
• meet one other specific requirement of their qualifying benefit

For more information click the link: Who is eligible for Winter Heating Payment – mygov.scot

Pension Age Winter Heating Consultation

The Scottish Government has committed to replacing Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) with Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) on a like-for-like basis. Given the significant number of clients who will be transferred to Social Security Scotland with this benefit and the need to ensure a safe and secure transition, the focus of this consultation is around gathering evidence on people’s views of the current benefit and considering how we could improve the system already in place.

SG are therefore consulting on the policy intention behind the delivery of PAWHP, building on the broader consultation on the Social Security Bill in 2016 which asked respondents for their views on WFP and Cold Weather Payment. This consultation aims to provide an overview of the payments aim, its key eligibility criteria and format. It will lay out how we intend to deliver this new benefit through Social Security Scotland to provide assistance to individuals to help towards meeting heating costs in winter. We also want to identify any unintended consequences of our proposals.

This consultation asks questions on whether the policy intent set out in the Scottish approach to replacing WFP will best meet the needs of those it is intended to help.

SG would like to gather views to ensure we have identified the impacts this policy will have, and provide the opportunity to make improvements to the benefit going forward.

Read the consultation paper: Pension Age Winter Heating Payment – Scottish Government consultations – Citizen Space

Social Security Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government. They help the people of Scotland by delivering social security payments, for more information please click on the link: Social Security Scotland – Homepage

Partnership Engagement Officer |Planning & Performance|South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership | Elgin House | First Floor, Main Building  | Ailsa Hospital | Dalmellington Road | Ayr | KA6 6AB | Direct Line: 01292 612623| www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk

South Ayrshire Community Transport – Out & About Winter 2023-2024 Programme

BonfireWatch, a multi-agency initiative to help people have fun, stay safe, avoid injury by bonfires and stop antisocial behaviour has been set up in the lead up to Bonfire Night each year since 2008.  

The BonfireWatch campaign is coordinated by the South Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership Safer Places Joint Action Group. The group comprises of Police Scotland; the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service; Portland Janitorial; and Officers from South Ayrshire Council’s Community Safety, Trading Standards and Environmental Health, and Waste Management teams. By removing illegal bonfires, the aim is to help to decrease the chances of people being injured, property being damaged, and reducing the likelihood of people getting involved in antisocial behaviour.  

This year, the partnership is tackling the issues of fireworks and illegal bonfires by encouraging the pubic to attend public displays, in a bid to deter private displays in gardens and local areas. Our Trading Standards and Environmental Health officers are also visiting local premises to discuss fireworks sales and legislation to help reduce illegal purchases.  

Local residents who see any waste being gathered for a bonfire are encouraged to contact South Ayrshire Council’s Community Safety Team on 0300 123 0900, to allow for its removal. 

Councillor Martin Kilbride, South Ayrshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Buildings, Housing and Environment said: “I am pleased to see the BonfireWatch initiative continuing to play a vital role in ensuring that everyone can enjoy celebrations safely.  This time of year is a fantastic opportunity for communities to come together and enjoy spectacular professional displays, but it is also a challenging time for our emergency services. 

The efforts of those involved in this campaign are key in helping to reduce the number of illegal bonfires being constructed.  This, in turn, reduces the likelihood of people being injured or engaging in antisocial behaviour and frees up resources to ensure people are safe over this period.” 

ENDS

The above Temporary Notice, which comes into force on 30/10/2023, imposes restriction on the following roads:

• Queens Drive

Please find attached a copy of the Temporary Notice.

A copy of the plan relating to the Notice can be found online at https://www.tellmescotland.gov.uk/notices/south-ayrshire/traf

SAC10252_PlanSAC10252_TemporaryNotice

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Trading Standards teams across Ayrshire have issued warnings that residents should take additional steps if they receive phone calls from businesses offering free loft surveys. These calls may be from an Ayrshire 01292 number but the company may not be based locally.

Reports have been received that unacceptable sales tactics are potentially being used by some companies to encourage residents to enter into agreements.

If you receive a call of this nature, you should:

• Stop and think before signing any agreements, paying cash or transferring money for home improvements, such as loft insulation from companies you don’t know
• If you are shown pictures of mould in your roof space or are told about serious defects in your house, get a second opinion before starting any work
• If the visit is as a result of an unsolicited telephone call you will have a 14 day period to cancel. Do not sign away your rights to cancel the contract unless you are absolutely sure about the company you are dealing with
• If you have friends or family who might not see this information please let them know

Free impartial advice on energy matters can be obtained from Home Energy Scotland here https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/ or the Energy Agency here https://www.energyagency.org.uk/