£10 a week for families is huge benefit

Last week saw the first payments made from the Scottish Child Payment - £10 every week, per child, for lowincome families. The payment has been described as ‘game-changing’by children’s charities as it will make a difference to the lives of thousands of children across Scotland.

It is estimated that 2800 families across Stirling and Clackmannanshire could receive the Scottish Child Payment this year. I don’t want a single one of those 1200 families to miss out. Those who have not already applied can do so by phone, by post or online and I would urge anyone caring for a child under six and in receipt of any kind of income related benefits to check whether they are eligible.

If you have access to the internet, go to www.mygov. scot/ scottishchildpayment/ or you can call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222.

Two very important steps towards bringing a bit more normality back into the lives of some of the oldest and youngest members of our society have been taken this week.

The publication of guidelines for care providers should allow for up to two designated visitors per resident, meaning that from early March, routine indoor visiting of care home residents by relatives, friends and carers will be able to resume.

Increasing interaction increases risk. That has become very clear indeed. But it is also demonstrably true that continued restriction of contact for residents with relatives can contribute to loneliness and isolation which has clear implications for physical and mental health.

All of these decisions are careful judgements, weighing up all the various factors but with more than 99.9 per cent of older care home residents and 92 per cent of staff now vaccinated with the first dose, and an improving national picture of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes, the balance is now in favour of enabling contact to resume.

I know that this will be a tremendous relief for many residents of care homes and their families.

At the other end of the age scale, nurseries have been able to open their doors again and pupils in Primaries 1-3 are back in school as are a limited number of pupils in the senior stages of secondary who need to access the school for specific practical aspects of a few courses.

These tentative steps are only possible because lockdown is working and because the vaccine rollout is progressing apace.

Last Wednesday, we hit the million vaccines milestone and now the number who have received their first dose is around one and a half million.

We have administered first doses to virtually all residents in older people’s care homes, and to more than 90 per cent of residents in all care homes. Virtually everyone aged 70 and over have received the first dose, along with the vast majority in the 65-69 age group.

Together, they represent groups one to five on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s priority list. That is a fantastic amount of progress and everyone who has been involved in this fantastic achievement has my grateful thanks.

Of course, in any project of this size, there will be blips and anyone over 70 who has not been contacted about their jag, should call the helpline on 0800 030 8013.

The most important thing, right now, of course, is that we all continue to follow the rules and guidelines and take the opportunity of rolling up our sleeves to get the vaccine as soon as it is offered to us.

That is what will ensure the route out of lockdown is a road we can all travel.

More normality into the lives of oldest and youngest