Read about how Children First's support line helped mum Louise when she was really worried about her 13-year-old daughter Zoe who had been skipping school. www.childrenfirst.org.uk/louiseandzoe If you’re working with a family that is worried about their child, they can call us on 08000 28 22 33.

For more information on the impact of Family group decision making - you can read our report on our website. Link below: www.childrenfirst.org.uk/about-us/wor...

Today’s IFS Sure Start research shows beyond a doubt that an investment in an easily accessible, community-based, integrated whole family support has wide ranging, long-tern benefits for children, families and public service budgets.

Wow we're so proud of our supporter James Paterson! @clareadamsonmsp.bsky.social raised a parliamentary motion congratulating him on his amazing support for Children First. www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-... James you are a true fundraising hero and we can't thank you enough! 🤩👏

If you’re working with a family who is finding things tough, Children First is here to help them. Our free support line is for anyone who cares for a child in Scotland. Parents and carers can call our friendly team on 08000 28 22 33 or start a webchat at www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline

We were delighted to welcome @willierennie.bsky.social to the Bairns Hoose today. @margl24.bsky.social spoke about how the model works and the importance of ensuring there is a consistent trauma recovery model like Bairns Hoose across Scotland that puts children’s needs at the centre.

In a new blog for Children & Young People Now, FRG Chief Exec @cathyashley.bsky.social and @childrenfirst.bsky.social Chief Exec @margl24.bsky.social tell us to take a step back and reimagine how we support children and families in need. Read the full blog here: www.cypnow.co.uk/content/blog...

You can read Margaret's obituary on our website and we hope it will be a heartfelt reminder of the kindness, connection, strength and hope that she brought to her work with children and young people. ow.ly/euAh50VBwe0

Our love and thoughts are with the many family, friends and colleagues who will miss Margaret deeply, especially her sister Ella and our colleagues in the Borders service.

An absolute honour to speak at the celebration of Margarets incredible life today. A true pioneer and champion for Scotlands children - brokenhearted at her lossxxx

Children and young people can feel uncomfortable and anxious about opening up to a social worker. With JamieLeigh and Erin, we've put together this handy video to help professionals navigate online safety with the children and young people they work with: ➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjnh...

Grateful for every day 💪🏻🩷

Read @margl24.bsky.social's statement on the latest child protection statistics. We're calling for an urgent national conversation between Scottish Government, social work, the third sector and key partners about what needs to change to keep children safe. ➡️ www.childrenfirst.org.uk/news/respons...

Some disabled people could lose £10k a year in benefits by end of decade under Labour’s reforms. The planned cuts will deliver a series of “painful income shocks”, with families facing losing multiple entitlements at once Me & @patrickjbutler.bsky.social report www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

We are excited to be premiering them today at a global conference of over 1000 professionals. You can see all the animations at www.childrenfirst.org.uk/about-us/wor...

A huge thank you to Jamie-Leigh and Erin who have created five new powerful animations to help professionals, parents & carers understand how to support children who have been harmed online.

@margl24.bsky.social says the figures provide further “shocking” evidence of the depth of Scotland’s national childhood emergency. We asked more than 2,460 young people aged 11-25 about their lives through @youngscot.bsky.social's Truth About Youth Survey. www.childrenfirst.org.uk/news/childre...

As a society we need to urgently wake up and face up to the horrific harms being done to our children through exposure to extreme violence and pornography on line. We have to hold the tech companies and those who create the content accountable for this abuse of our children

Im doing this amazing challenge - fancy joining me?

A huge thank you to @neilmackay.bsky.social for shining a light on the amazing young people transforming the justice system by helping develop Bairns Hoose, which was only made possible thanks to the incredible support of players of People's Postcode Lottery. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2497435...

Today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social shares more about the "astonishing" difference the Bairns Hoose has made to over 370 children since it was piloted. Together, with your support we, can sure this vital work continues. Donate at childrenfirst.org.uk/donate www.heraldscotland.com/news/2497464...

We're hiring! 📣 Children First has some fantastic opportunities to join our team. 🟣 Project Worker - Moray Family Wellbeing Service 🟣 Family Group Decision Making co-ordinator - West/Central Scotland Find out more and apply: childrenfirst.org.uk/careers Closing date: 17th March 2025

If your family is struggling or you are worried about a child, call our friendly support line team for a confidential chat on 08000 28 22 33 or visit www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline to start a web chat.

Thanks to Children First, "home and school is a big thumbs up" says Finn. Read Finn and his family's story of how working with Children First helped them get through a really difficult time and how their lives are now better than ever. www.childrenfirst.org.uk/news/a-big-t...

We're hiring! 📣 Do you want to create a safer, brighter future for all children in Scotland? We are looking for a marketing manager to join our team ⬇️ 📍 Edinburgh/hybrid 💰 £42,500 - £48,900 📅 40 days annual leave 🗓️ Closing date 1 April Find out more and apply on our website: ow.ly/vhcw50Vh5qh

Listening to the Tim Harford radio 4 doc about how children suffered from a lockdown imposed to protect adults, straight after a news bulletin full of 'young people with MH problems need to get back to work to save us all a fortune' is I have to say fairly jarring

💙🦋

NEW: Children as young as 11 to 13 are being targeted by sextortion criminals for the first time - this comes after parents at a primary school in Edinburgh were warned to check their children’s devices after an eight-year-old girl was reportedly a scam victim www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

"We have an agreement that we are able to look at their phone because that’s a basic part of parenting now". What to do if your teenager is targeted by sextortion scammers www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Thank you for highlighting this massive issue

1. You feel powerless? Don’t know what you can do to resist the rise of fascism? Here is an answer: Good Things. Fascism inflicts pain and harm as a matter of doctrine. Kindness, care and conviviality defend us from it. The more we build community, the less it can take root. 🧵

"People [like me] have always known..that the freedom to adopt our positions – however legitimate – was founded on a particular world order in which [our] own security was..guaranteed." My @heraldscotland.bsky.social column on Ukraine, Trump, Starmer & Gaza. www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Roll out the red carpet.....

Today's events in Washington are a clear cause for deep concern, for shock, for anger. What we need now are cool heads and clear thinking. We must stand firm with our European allies in the steadfast defence of Ukraine. That is where Scotland stands. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦

Word of the Day is ‘ingordigiousness’ (18th century): extreme greed at the expense of principles.

Today is Safer Internet Day. Last year, our chief executive @margl24.bsky.social wrote a blog for @crimestoppersuk.bsky.social on keeping children safe online. Read it here: crimestoppers-uk.org/fearless/new...

The allegations of horrific cruelty and abuse of children in Skye House, set out in today's #BBCDisclosure documentary are shocking. Read our statement from @margl24.bsky.social 👇 www.childrenfirst.org.uk/news/childre...

Good morning!

What if history just didn't repeat itself, for once?

“We’re just speeding at a million miles an hour towards ecological collapse,” the climate activist Roger Hallam, who was sentenced to prison for organizing a protest, said. “The political, moral, and spiritual implications of that are off the scale.”

Every week, parents and carers tell us that their children's mental health is one of their biggest worries. Read Tessa's story to find out how Children First supported her when she started having feelings of anxiety and panic attacks. www.childrenfirst.org.uk/news/tessas-...

Delighted to be at The Gathering today and hear from Fiona Duncan on the findings of the latest Oversight Board report that monitors the progress towards keeping @thepromisescotland.bsky.social You can read our Chief Executive's @margl24.bsky.social comment on the report here ➡️ ow.ly/ttFa50UTVZn

If you're worried about a child's internet use, our friendly support line team is here to listen. Call free on 08000 28 22 33 or head to our website at www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline

The UK Government should now look at opportunities to introduce legislation so that social media companies have clearer responsibilities to protect children from harm. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

We welcome this step from the UK Government but more work is needed across all levels of government to raise awareness of online harms and ensure we are on the front foot to protect children from these risks as they develop.

Incredibly moving Justin Trudeau remarks: "We have fought and died alongside you....During your darkest hours...we were always there. Standing with you, grieving with you, the American people....Canadians are a little perplexed as to why our closest friends and neighbors are choosing to target us."

"It may be linked to cuts in social care, cuts to early care, closures of children’s centres … these broader policies that would otherwise mean children can be cared for perfectly fine within the family, and with that bit of extra support, without needing social care.

NEW: One in four children in England need social care services by the age of 18, either for health-related services or child protection The findings of a new study have sparked warnings over the impact of poverty and austerity on children By me, for the Observer www.theguardian.com/society/2025...