Not all nurseries or childcare providers in Scotland have trained staff in paediatric first aid on site to deal with immediate life threatening first aid emergencies like choking or asthma attacks. Infants and children, who need simple first aid treatment, before an ambulance arrives, are being put at risk everyday. In England and Wales, all childcare settings should have at least 1 member of staff with a 12 hour Paediatric First Aid qualification. This became law in September 2014. The tragic Millie Thompson case in 2012 brought into sharp focus the fact that paediatric first aid training can mean the difference between the life and death of a child. Since 2016 we have been asking the Scottish Government why this law can't be applied to all Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Providers in Scotland, to bring us in line with England and Wales. We have discussed the issue with the previous and current Scottish Minister for Childcare and Early Years and had prolonged discussions with the Care Inspectorate (the government body responsible for inspecting childcare providers) but have been unsuccessful in moving this issue forwards. The Scottish government does not seem to think that any childcare staff on duty, when children are present in nurseries, or on visits, needs to hold a Paediatric First Aid qualification. In late 2016 we contacted all 32 Local Authorities in Scotland under FOI legislation to ask how many of their registered childcare providers had staff with Paediatric First Aid qualifications. Their replies were shocking: • 30% of Local Authorities said they did not require ELC Providers to have staff on site with a Paediatric First Aid qualification. • Of those that did require Paediatric First Aid training, this varied widely from 3 - 9 hours. There was no consistency of course length or course content across Local Authorities. Why a 12-hour Paediatric First Aid course? Not everyone realizes that first aid for infants and young children is quite different to that for adults. This course is seen as the ‘standard’ first aid course for childcare across the rest of the UK but not in Scotland. The training includes time to cover infant and child specific issues around CPR, asthma, febrile convulsions, recognition of meningitis and more. None of these are included on a standard Emergency First Aid at Work course. If the law were changed, to create parity between England, Wales and Scotland then this situation would be resolved instantly. The Scottish government is working towards doubling the amount of free childcare hours for parents of young children in Scotland. More children will be put at risk for longer, unless this change is made. Now is the prefect time for Maree Todd, Minister for Childcare and Early Years, to change the law. As other childcare legislative changes are enacted it is the perfect time to change the law to ensure that Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Providers have Paediatric First Aid trained staff on duty when children are present, or on visits. Previous precedent’s concerning children and first aid People say to me, you will never persuade the powers that be to change their minds. Well there are some similar precedents to this situation regarding first aid training. In 2014 the English government issued new guidance on the use of asthma inhalers and adrenaline auto injector pens (EpiPens) so that schools and nurseries could hold a spare inhaler / auto injector in case a child lost of forget their own. It took till late 2017 for the Scottish government to follow suite and issue similar guidance, making schools and nurseries safer places for our children to be. The issue of Paediatric First Aid training for childcare and early learning providers is similar. The law changed in England back in 2014 so sometimes it does take a while for our government to catch up! Why should we have to wait for another young child to die in a nursery before the government acts? What can you do? • Sign our 38 degrees petition, asking Maree Todd MSP to change the law • Send a Facebook or twitter message to Maree Todd MSP • Write to Marie Todd MSP

Benefit claimants are the largest section in society to be living in, or at risk of, poverty. This group of people are more likely to vote Labour. Calling into question their right to vote undermines democracy and normalises the view held by many that they are separate underclass who simply do not count. This is an outrageous affront to free speech and would set a worryingly dangerous precedent, as other societal groups could then be denied a voice as a result. ---- Further clarity : Same Difference (samedifference1.com) shared a poll from You Gov market research stating the following .. "Please say whether you think each of the following groups should or should not be allowed to vote in General Elections in the UK (Should be allowed to vote / Should NOT be allowed to vote / Don't know) Non-British citizens living in the UK ; British citizens currently serving jail sentences; British citizens aged 16 and 17; British citizens who receive more money from welfare benefits than they pay in taxes". https://files.38degrees.org.uk/items/files/000/001/366/display/benefit-vote.png

The preservation of the Sutton Estate is strongly supported by The Victorian Society due to its fine architecture, historic value and its contribution to the Chelsea Conservation Area. Furthermore, RBKC have given no explanation whatsoever for why the Estate was not originally included in the Conservation Area, since all other buildings of that period are, and as a result remain protected from demolition. The Sutton Estate is an Edwarian social housing estate completed in 1913, the largest ever built at that time, comprising 16 red-brick blocks, designed by renowned architect Edward Charles Philip Monson. It was founded in 1900 with the funds of entrepreneur and philanthropist William Sutton who left his fortune to provide housing for the poor. Clarion Group (who took over Affinity Sutton) propose to demolish the historic estate and replace it with an ugly modern block which The Chelsea Society calls “bland and lacking in character”, with a large part of the land to comprise luxury housing. James Hughes of The Victorian Society wrote in support of the estate's preservation, saying “Sutton Dwellings is an early example of social housing which makes a positive contribution to the local area and sits well with the 1915 Samuel Lewis Trust Dwellings opposite. With its handsome proportions it is unsurprising that many residents are unhappy at leaving...Affinity should spend its money on sensitive restoration rather than demolishing this early attempt to address inequality in London.” There has now been a date set, 9th May, for the appeal of their plan, which was rejected on the grounds that it did not provide enough replacement social housing. The new plan will still fall short in social housing by 70 apartments.

It’s important because this man has been in the UK since 1974 and has worked since 2006 and has paid all has National Insurance and Tax contributions. Now the Government are saying they have no record of him. Whether they do or they they don’t, this man has just been diagnosed with prostrate cancer and now the NHS have stopped his treatment and in other words left him to suffer or even die! We must take action. This is against our human rights

Anna Campbell was an utterly committed and courageous woman who put her belief in social justice before her own life. This commitment took her to Syria to fight the Islamic State and Isil, and whilst fighting alongside the female Kurdish Women's Protection Units (YPJ) in northern Syria, she was tragically killed by turkish airstrikes last week on the 15th March. I come from the same home town as Anna, and have known her family for many years. They are all truly incredible individuals who have worked tirelessly for social and environmental issues and are a credit to our small town. Now even in their grief they want to continue to raise awareness of the suffering and the cause of the Kurdish people. But they also want their daughter and sister back, so that they can say goodbye properly to the woman they love so much. Please see more information here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/21/father-british-woman-killed-syria-demands-help-repatriate-body/

This is incredibly important for the freedom of people and democracy around the world. It is difficult enough for people to make a decision of importance based on information which is provided by a Biased and propagandist media. Psychological manipulation and deliberate large scale misinformation is despicable and very dangerous. Why was a Phd professor having been asked to leave Cambridge university return after 3 years in South America , then allowed to continue at Cambridge under his new name of SPECTRE ? It beggars belief. Why was Steve Bannon involved in both BREXIT and the Trump vote Along of course with many others ......

On the 19th March, Taunton Deane Borough Council voted by a narrow margin to merge with West Somerset Council to create a new Borough Council. Since 2013, repeated assurances to the people in both Boroughs have been made that each would remain independent; although the two councils have been working to provide some services together in order to reduce costs, and utilising a common senior management team, it has always been maintained that the two groups would remain separate. This move to merge the councils contradicts the assurances given and is being taken without a democratic mandate from the electorate of either borough. Furthermore, the local paper ran a poll which showed the majority of people did not want the merger to take place. We must uphold democracy and stop this happening until the public can have a real say in the future of their councils.

Because the Broadway is the heart of Debden and they are driving us out. All that will be left is boarded up shops and cafes. The council as done nothing but lie to us and all they say when we ask for help is "give your keys back"

It is important to me because the current system allows people in Scotland,Wales, Northern Ireland and London to have a free travel pass for use on buses, train and tube. The same transport companies such as First buses and Virgin trains... provide transport across the UK. If it was a case of no one having a pass at age 60 I could accept that but, why only people living in England. It's a form of segregation that is unfair and wrong.

This is an important asset to people in the local area and especially in the area north of the River Tees. Patients in the north of Hartlepool for example would be faced with a journey of at least 35 minutes. This is unacceptable in an emergency situation. People could be losing precious, life saving minutes if forced to travel further to recieve treatment.

This library and its staff provide vital services to one of Somerset's most deprived areas where community assets are already scarce. Not only is this an essential information and communication resource but it also contributes significantly to health, wellbeing and social life, in particular for the considerable number of residents with limited mobility, especially older, disabled, and low-income residents.

The Citizens Advice Bureau provides vital benefits advice and support to ill, disabled and vulnerable people in and around Boston and Skegness. Lincolnshire County Council have decided to cut funding for this valuable service. There is no other organisation that provides the same service. Please sign and share.