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SOSCN Professional Development Book Club - First Book
Personal Plan Toolkit
Everything you need to create personal plans within your service
Medication Management Toolkit
Medication storage, administration and record keeping
Experiences for Older Children
This month's practice focus area is experiences for older children
Service Environment
This month's practice focus area is Service Environment
Dec 2024
Winter edition with updates from Care Inspectorate, SSSC, Members Stories, and more
Professional Development Book Club
Join up with your colleagues in the school age childcare sector from across the country, to read, learn, network and develop
Happy Playday 2024- the culture of childhood!
SOSCN is a committed play champion. This year's theme is Play- the culture of childhood. Supporting play, fun and friendships
Muthill Kiddy Club
We took a trip to visit the children, parents and staff at Muthill Kiddy Club in Perthshire, to learn more about what it’s like at a rural service
Workforce Survey 2024
The SOSCN School Age Childcare Workforce survey 2024 is now live
Key UK Budget announcements October 2024
National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage, and National Insurance Contributions
Season's Greetings
We hope you enjoy the holidays and wish you all the best for 2025
children's guide
SOSCN Children's Guide to Out of School Care and your 20 questions play book
information
Information for service providers and practitioners
Impact Assessments
Information and a sample impact assessment form
Factsheets
download information PDFs here
sick pay
Pensions
Guidance on pay rates
Adverse Weather and Extreme Temperature
video (DVD) licences
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
anti-bullying guidance
STEM in OSC
Information on STEM in school age childcare and SOSCN previous work in the area
Physical Activity in OSC
We are committed to encouraging physical activity and active play both indoors and outdoors at school age childcare services
Essential Guidance For School Age Childcare Services
Documents and guidance most relevance currently to registered school age childcare services
Business Support
It is vital that in addition to expert childcare knowledge, services need to have good business knowledge
Play
Article 31 of the UNCRC states that children have a right to culture, leisure, rest and play
funding
Information for funding opportunities for services
Financial Support to Parents
Understanding Financial Support to Parents to Pay for Childcare
Wellbeing in OSC
GIRFEC, SHANARRI, professional responsibility and more
management
different management structures for school age childcare servicves
regulation
Registration requirements for school age childcare in Scotland, including information on Scottish Social Services Council, Care Inspectorate and PVG Scheme
SSSC
Regulation of the out of school care workforce
Care Inspectorate
Regulation and inspection of out of school care services
PVG Scheme
Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme<
BLOG
Thought and opinions from SOSCN staff and other colleagues
2023
June
Limited or Lack of Local School Age Childcare
This survey addressed the issue of whether parents and carers have access to sufficient school age childcare to meet their needs
March
SOSCN's letter to First Minister Candidates
We have sent a letter to each of the three candidates for First Minister
January
Children's safeguarding at risk in unregulated out of school settings in England
The UK Government Department for Education published a report in November 2022 which has raised serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of the millions of children in England who attend out of school settings
2022
December
Staying Safe and Professional Online as a Social Care Worker
November
Reconnecting - to care for others you need to care for yourself
Access to Childcare Fund - The Learning So Far
September
It's good to chat - SSSC Codes of Practice Conversation
Having a ball in the holidays
August
Superheroes are real- they work in school age childcare
March
A time for change- reflection on the 2021 OSC Workforce Survey Results
2021
August
Stories of Summer 2021
April
Scottish Parliament Election Manifesto Overview 2021
March
The longest year- a reflection
February
The Finnish way to a happier childhood - Putting Children First
2020
November
Reflections on the Week
September
Re-opening services - keeping your staff onside!
Low pay and limited hours are push and pull factors which create a churn in the Out of School Care Workforce
April
Reflections on our journey and the way ahead
March
Coronavirus Covid-19 Potential Impact on Out of School Care, Breakfast and Holiday Clubs
Coronavirus Covid-19 Information Update Monday 2nd March 2020
February
Promising Children - a brief overview of the Care Review
2019
November
OSC draft framework consultation- the time to have your say is now!
Working to live or struggling to get by? Why the Real Living Wage is important.
October
Welcome proposal for free holiday childcare
Giving Parents and Children a say in the Framework for Out of School Care
Out of School Care in Scotland Continues to Grow
April
Success for our STEM Champions in Out of School Care
OSC Workforce - Most Recent Scottish Social Services Council Statistics
Training Opportunities for Out of School Care services- a selection of what's available
March
Supporting OSC Across the Country
February
Recent International policy and research briefing for members February 2019
Equal play? Does your service support or challenge gender stereotypes and roles?
CHANGE Project and T.I.C.T.A.C.S. - low cost quality template test of change
2018
August
Animal Magic- animals in care settings and children in animal settings...
July
Top free foody activities you can do over the summer break
March
Out of School Care - believing that children matter
OSC A to Z
A comprehensive list of information about school age childcare
A - B
accessibility
Services should be as far as possible, accessible to all families and children in their community
accidents and emergencies
Every service will have accident and emergency procedures in place and a method of recording information on anything that happens to children while in the care of the service
additional support needs
Services should do their utmost to be inclusive of children with additional support needs, including children with sensory or physical disabilities, or with a range of learning difficulties
allergies
It is very important that services are informed of any allergies a child has as well as any medication they require
anti-bullying
Anti-bullying Policy Guidance
attainment
Children learn informally through good quality play and social interactions in out of school care
behaviour rules
In general SOSCN advocates a promoting positive behaviour approach which ensures children receive attention for good behaviour
Ch - Co
childcare tax credits
Parents and carers who work and pay for childcare may be able to get extra tax credits to help with childcare costs
childcare vouchers
Employee voucher schemes are being phased out except for those who have already joined.
child protection
As a parent or carer, volunteer or member of staff in a service, the need to ensure children are protected is fundamental
children's charter
Every Out of School Care Service should have its own Children's Charter
children's participation - UNCRC
Links for UNCRC
codes of conduct
All staff members employed in out of school care have to be registered with the SSSC, unless they are already registered with another equivalent regulatory body
consent
Services must seek parental/carer consent for children to have their photographs taken and to clearly state what these purposes may be used for
Co - G
contracts, costs, fees and cancellations
It often comes as a surprise to many parents that their local out of school service or holiday care service is not a statutory service run by their local council
creativity
Creativity and opportunities for self-expression are key
Data Protection
The Data Protection Act controls how your personal information is used. Everyone has to follow rules called data protection principles
equality and diversity
Parents, children and staff involved in an out of school care service should expect that the service has a clear equality policy and is inclusive of local communities
First-Aid Training
The Care Inspectorate and the SSSC require that staff are appropriately trained to do their role
food choices
Information on the Health and Social Care Standards and food
Getting it Right
Links for GIRFEC
H - J
health and safety and insurance
Information on infection control; safety of equipment and food preparation, transport and escorting children to and from school, or on outings
homework
Out of school care is not a homework club or extracurricular club, provided by the school
illness, infection and medication
Information on illness, medication and more
Induction
All new children attending an out of school care service should be supported in their transition into the service
introduction
Jargon Buster
Find out what the terms mean
Just A...
Childcare workers are carers, role models, teachers, counsellors and many other roles, who will consistently support children and families over a number of years
K - Pa
Kids' Club
This term is more often used in England and Wales to describe an out of school care or after school or holiday club
Learning
Children learn in after school care through a wide range of physical activities indoors and outdoors, mental challenges and creative experiences
Lone Parents
Lone parents are often those who are most in need of out of school care, especially if they are living and working away from family network
Moving and Handling
Every service, especially those including children with disabilities, will have a policy on moving and handling children
Nature
A good quality service will give children daily access to natural pursuits, including exploring outdoors and growing plants amongst other activities
Outdoor Play
The benefits of outdoor play are recognised but there is a concern that today's children are becoming more accustomed to indoor activities rather than playing out
parental rights and involvement
Information for parents and carers about rights and getting involved
Pe - T
Personal Plans
Services are legally required to keep up-to-date records of children in their care which must be reviewed on a 6-monthly basis
Play
Article 31 of the UNCRC states that children have a right to culture, leisure, rest and play- play is a fundamental right for children
play and risk
Parents and the professional play and care staff in out of school care have to get the balance right for children and young people in terms of play and risk
Quality in OSC
Ensuring ongoing quality experiences should be at the heart of all services and embedded in all aspects of the service from delivery to administration
Risk and Challenge
Information for taking a positive approach to risk in order to achieve the best outcomes for children
social media and mobile phones
OSC services should have a comprehensive social media policy
trips and outings
Things to consider for trips and outings
U - Z
United Nations
Links for the United Nations
volunteers
Information on volunteering in services
workforce
Workforce considerations
X-Boxes and Screens
There is growing concern in academia and the media about the negative impact pro-longed screen time can have on children and young people
Young Adults
Services can provide care for young people up to age 16 or even 18, if they have a disability, although the majority of services provide care for children attending primary school
Zero Tolerance
Zero Tolerance is acharity working to end men's violence against women by promoting gender equality and challenging attitudes which normalise violence and abuse
April 2019

SOSCN NEWS

image for autism awareness artwork

'Seeing the Potential: supporting children with autism'

June 2019

Following from the positive reception at our September 2018 learning event “Seeing the whole child”, SOSCN is delighted to be working in partnership with Jim Taylor, autism expert, on delivering a masterclass training session for out of school care services. There are two dates for this event:

Glasgow, Albany Centre - Wed 5th June 2019, 10am - 1:00pm (registration and refreshments from 9:30am)

Edinburgh, Melting Pot - Tue 11th June 2019, 10am - 1:00pm (registration and refreshments from 9:30am)

“I found Jim Taylor's talk inspiring - not only for children with autism, but for all children.”

“Jim's presentation was really informative and made me think about how to help the child by realising what they are thinking and how to deal with it.”

“Working for a charity that deals with autism I found Jim Taylor's presentation incredibly useful.”

“Interesting talk from Jim - really refreshing attitude, could have listened to him all day.”

“Great presentation. Jim Taylor was fab.”

Jim has over 40 years' experience supporting children with autism in Scotland, the UK and internationally. Through addressing the impact of Autism and by placing an emphasis on developing each child's strengths and potential, he believes that barriers can be overcome. He knows that a greater understanding of the individual, and how Autism affects them, will lead to an improvement in service provision and life experiences.

At the masterclasses Jim and delegates will consider how children can be better supported in out of school care by suggesting various strategies and approaches with particular focus on the environment, resources and adult-child relationships.

The class will be delivered through presentation, workshop discussions and feedback sessions- it is an interactive and immersive half-day training opportunity.

“I know how important out of school care is in the lives of many children and families. I want to be able to provide you with the strategies to bring out the potential not just in Autistic children, but ALL children. I look forward to seeing you at the masterclasses.”

Jim Taylor

Booking
Cost

Both the Glasgow and the Edinburgh event cost £60.

Both events start at 10am and will finish by 1pm. Registration and refreshments from 9:30am.

Please visit the links below in order to pay for your ticket. Tickets are being sold through eventbrite.co.uk

Please note, spaces are limited, and booking is on a first-come-first-served basis. Refunds due to cancellations are not available, however, delegates can be substituted.

Glasgow 5th June 2019

Albany Centre, 44 Ashley Street, Glasgow G3 6DS

Take me to Glasgow Tickets
Edinburgh 11th June 2019

Melting Pot, 5 Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PR

Take me to Edinburgh Tickets

New articles on the SOSCN Blog

Head over to our website to read our latest blog posts:

This blog looks at a selection of the training that is available through ourselves and also other organisations: Training Opportunities for Out of School Care services- a selection of what's available

This blog highlights the most recent SSSC OSC workforce statistics- did you know that there are 4,850 staff employed in 736 main-service OSC clubs, with an average of 5 staff employed in each service? See the full results here: OSC Workforce - Most Recent Scottish Social Services Council Statistics

Two years ago we started a pilot training and research project which aimed to address the gender and disadvantage gap in STEM. Read more about this here: Success for our STEM Champions in Out of School Care

Read all of our blogs here: https://soscn.org/blog

New SOSCN consultation response

Good Food Nation: consultation. View our response here: https://soscn.org/downloads/consultations/Good_Food_Nation_Proposals_Consultation_Response.pdf

See all of our consultation responses here: https://soscn.org/policy/consultations

SOSCN TRAINING

Resilience Training

image for training_banner

Building Resilience to counteract Adverse Childhood Experiences- how out of school care services can support children in their care.

Participants will gain an understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)- what they are, how to recognise if children are being adversely affected, and how to help build children's resilience to counteract any negative effects.

As part of the training we shall show the film 'Resilience. The biology of stress and the science of hope.' (60mins) and provide opportunities for discussion as well as practical ideas to implement in out of school care services.

The first couple of sessions have been held and received good feedback from participants:

“I will have more understanding of behaviour- be more attentive and listen to children.”

“I will be more aware of children's needs and increase positivity.”

“I will be more aware and thoughtful when a child exhibits 'different' behaviour e.g. angry, attention-seeking”

“I will be more aware of how ACES can affect behaviour and look more into the situation.”

If you would like to find out more, as well as how to book the training, please see this link: https://soscn.org/participate/resilience

Physical Activity Training

There are 2 sessions in the series that set out to give participants an understanding of the importance of physical activity, as well as provide them with skills for getting children of all abilities to take part in, and overcome the barriers to, getting active. The second session looks further at the benefits of physical activity in terms of developing children's skills and attributes and looks in more detail at resources and activities promoting inclusion, self-awareness and goal-directed behaviour.

Services consistently give this training good feedback and many services have been booking Greig to come out and do refresher courses or to train new members of staff, so please get in touch if you think you could benefit from this.

For more information please see this link: https://soscn.org/participate/active-training

SOSCN BHF Heartstart Training

image for training banner

This new free training session from Greig, our activity and wellbeing coordinator, has just started to be offered out to services and the first couple of sessions have gone very well, with participants showing a great interest on what they have learned.

Participants will gain an awareness of how to handle the 5 most likely emergency situations, including CPR, Recovery Position, Serious Bleeding, Choking and Suspected Heart Attack.

image for heartstart 02 Heartstart Training in Coatbridge 25th Feb 2019

The practical part of the training will include using a choking vest, a defibrillation training unit, as well as CPR models - both infant and baby size. Participants will also be shown video clips from the British Heart Foundation Heartstart programme.

For further details, as well as how to book, please see this link: https://soscn.org/participate/heartstart

ACHIEVING QUALITY SCOTLAND

Awards Update

It has been a very productive 2019 for AQS, seeing 13 services awarded so far this year.

Since our last newsletter in Feb, another 6 services have been awarded GOLD awards: GAP Childcare Services; Pollokshaws After School Service; Safe til Six; Gingerbread East End; TASK Childcare; and Battlefield Primary After School Care. Well done to everyone involved for all the hard work.

OTHER NEWS

Scottish Government OSC Policy Newsletter

Download the recent newsletter from the Scottish Government OSC policy team here: https://soscn.org/downloads/news/newsletter-osc-March-2019.pdf

National Minimum Wage and Living Wage

In case you missed it, last month there were rates increases.

View the new pay-rates here: https://checkyourpay.campaign.gov.uk

Payslips Legislation Update

There have been recent changes to the Employment Rights Act 1996 affecting payslip information:

Further information can be found on the ACAS website here: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6637

Care Inspectorate - The Hub website update

The Care Inspectorate have redesigned The Hub website to add much more content and improved functionality.

Read more about this here: careinspectorate.com

2024
December
Dec 2024
Winter edition with updates from Care Inspectorate, SSSC, Members Stories, and more
June
Jun 2024
Summer edition with information on holiday guidance, campaigning, activities ideas, and more features
March
Mar 2024
Spring edition highlighting our new shop and online training platform, with guest articles, essential updates, activities, and much more
2023
December
Dec 2023
Essential updates, information resources and much more
June
June 2023
May
May 2023
January
Jan 2023
2022
November
Nov 2022
August
Aug 2022
June
Jun 2022
April
Apr 2022
January
Jan 2022
2021
November
Nov 2021
October
Oct 2021
April
April 2021
March
March 2021
2020
December
December 2020
July
July 2020
May
May (End) 2020
May 2020
January
January 2020
2019
December
December 2019
November
November 2019
October
October 2019
September
September 2019
August
August 2019
April
April 2019
February
February 2019
2018
December
December 2018
September
September 2018
March
April 2018
2017
December
December 2017
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October 2017
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June 2017
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2016
October
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March 2016
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2015
December
December 2015