-
Our groupworker, Liam, recently went to forest kindergarten training, which introduced the concept of outdoor learning and its importance for child development. The training was situated in the Granton area and focused on finding green spaces in urban areas and bringing the benefits of the outdoors to children.
-
Our Family Wellbeing Practitioners identified a need within their intensive parent support service: a place for mums over 25 to meet, socialise, and create new community bonds. Many of the parents we work with over 25 are less interested in or unable to attend the more formal arts and crafts, employability workshops, and young parent groups – but they still want the opportunity to meet other parents.
-
One of our Family Wellbeing Practitioners recently attended a 3 day course ‘The Dynamics of Relationship Based Practice’ hosted by Dr Suzanne Zeedyk and Children in Scotland. Suzanne Zeedyk is a research scientist and a well known advocate for early years development relating to parent-baby connection. Read on to hear more about the key take-aways from the course.
-
BWell Family Wellbeing Practitioners, Abi and Aimee, recently carried out our first piece of groupwork with a group of the P7 girls at one of our referring primary schools. The aim of the group was to support the girls with their upcoming transition to high school and to encourage good mental well-being. The 6-week programme was developed to cover building positive relationships, promoting increased confidence/self-esteem, introducing the importance of self-care, dealing with conflict, and managing change. The girls were identified by the school as in need of some additional support surrounding these areas.
-
At Stepping Stones, we believe that access to early learning opportunities are vital and we understand that the toddler stage can bring with it new challenges as well as lots of fun. Our early learning team recognised a gap for this age group due to the demand for spaces in the local nurseries and feedback from parents who were looking for local opportunities to play with their children and support their development. Read on to hear more about Toddler Steps.
-
Throughout summer we supported 110 children and 75 parents to access our weekly activities with outings to local green spaces, the National Galleries, East Links and the Fringe. Across the 15 different trips we supported children of all ages, with an emphasis on including children under 5 so that families could access a holistic provision during the school holidays.
-
BWell Together has been running for just over a year now, with our Family wellbeing Practitioners, Abi and Aimee supporting 33 children and their families during that time. BWell Together is made up of a range of partners include Circle, Granton Youth, Intercultural Youth Scotland, Muirhouse Youth Development Project, Pilton Youth and Children’s Project and Wester Hailes Youth Agency.
-
Seasons for Growth is a programme which helps children and young people understand the experience of change, loss and grief and how these can impact a person's life. Mubarra completed her Seasons for Growth training in September 2022 and is coming to the end of delivering her first Season for Growth group in Pirniehall Primary School in partnership with Ferrywell Youth Project.
-
Think you know the story of The Three Little Pigs? Think again! Our after-school group came together over the last few months to form a theatrical troupe: ‘School’s Out!’, in which the players put together a performance of a lively, surprising and rather revolting retelling of one of the world’s best loved fairy tales, according to Roald Dahl.
-
This week is Maternal Mental Health week, and this year the focus is on Journeys to Recovery. It is always important to speak about your mental health with trusted others, and equally to feel comfortable reaching out to seek further support when you need it. But to allow women to feel comfortable doing this, everyone needs to have an awareness of how mental health can be affected after having a baby, and it is our shared responsibility to ask mothers if they are OK, in a meaningful way.
-
It has been a particularly tough tome for everyone over the last year, whether you are a new parent or one with a growing family. Either way, it can be difficult to know whether you're doing the best thing for your baby. That's why we've partnered with Parent Club to tell you about their Wellbeing for Wee Ones campaign.
-
We would like to thank all of the families who have engaged with the service during 2020, it has been great to support so many and to help re-connect children and parents after lockdown. Whilst 2021 will still hold many challenges we hope that there will be many more positives to come. Read on to hear some of the great feedback we've had from families.
-
Please have a look at what services we are continuing to deliver in the coming weeks as we approach Christmas. We continue to not have access to our main office / landline number so please email moragwilson@steppingstonesnorthedinburgh.co.uk or info@steppingstonesnorthedinburgh.co.uk with any queries. Stepping Stones will be close from 23rd December until 5th January.
-
Whilst there continues to be restrictions across our communities these latest changes to meeting socially do not apply to services or activities that are already exempt from these restrictions and have been permitted to open subject to their own guidance. Stepping Stones continues to safely offer a wide range of services both face to face and online. Please read on to find out more about our current activities.
-
It may now be the summer holidays but we are still here providing support and planning activities for local families. Included in our summer activity packs is a treasure hunt which we've planned around North Edinburgh, click on the new tab on our website to find out more. Or read on here to find out about the rest of our summer plans.
-
We would like to say a massive thank you to the individual donors and trusts that have donated funds to support our work in the community recently. Stepping Stones continues to support families in a wide variety of ways and we would encourage any families who need extra support during this time to reach out to us.
-
We understand what a difficult time this is for the families in North Edinburgh and we are continuing to offer whatever support we can to those in need. Please do note that we can not currently pick up calls from our office landline. Any emergency enquiries should be made to moragwilson@steppingstonesnorthedinburgh.co.uk
-
A Network of 84 organisations across Edinburgh have organised a campaign called #SideBySideEdin showing how Edinburgh’s charities work with Children, Young People & Families across the city, side by side all public services. We are pleased to be part of this campaign and for parents to have the opportunity to talk about what Stepping Stones means to them.
-
Last week we took 9 parents and 16 children to the Scout Adventure camp Fordell Firs. This is an extra activity for families to attend and gets their summer holidays off to positive start. The project raises funds to cover all the costs of the trip and it provides great opportunities for families to enjoy time with their children.