Up to £2m will be made available to The Yard, a charity providing support to disabled children and young people, after calls for a fairer funding deal for children’s charities made it to Scottish parliament.

Leaders of Scotland’s opposition parties wrote to the First Minister earlier this month outlining the need for an “urgent review” of the Children and Young People Early Intervention Fund (CYPEIF).

This comes following a campaign urging Humza Yousaf to rethink the decision to roll forward CYPEIF grants based on funding levels set in 2016 amid shifting demands and the rising cost-of-living.

Leaders say this is preventing frontline charities like The Yard from meeting their growing demand, with The Yard looking to support more than four times as many children with the same funding seven years on.

Mr Yousaf has now announced up to £2m extra funding to The Yard to be delivered over the next three financial years, subject to parliamentary approval.

The Yard offers a range of creative and inclusive play experiences in a well-supported environment for disabled children and young people up to the age of 25, alongside support for the whole family.

Reaching families across 16 different local authorities, The Yard says it is well-placed to support the Scottish government in achieving its key priorities of improving childcare and tackling poverty.

Chief Executive of The Yard Celine Sinclair said the increased funding to the charity will be “transformational” for disabled children and their families:

“We are absolutely thrilled that the First Minister has committed to working with us to grow our services in Scotland.

“This announcement is transformational for disabled children and their families, and we look forward to working with our partners to ensure that our children get the support they need to get the best start in life and thrive.”

She told healthandcare.scot that this funding will allow The Yard to not only sustain current services but grow and support children and families in the West of Scotland. 

During a visit to The Yard’s head office in Edinburgh where he met children and families supported by the organisation, Mr Yousaf said:

“I am absolutely committed to improving outcomes for disabled children and their families across Scotland.

“Visiting The Yard has given me a chance to see their outstanding work first-hand, and hear more about the support being provided by the charity.

“I was extremely impressed with the flexible and creative ways in which The Yard are offering services and support to disabled young people and their families, many of whom I know are facing additional and significant challenges.”

This announcement comes just weeks after a Holyrood committee failed to back the Disabled Children and Young People’s Transitions Bill, which seeks to support young disabled people in their transition to adulthood.

The committee called for the Scottish government to act urgently to address the “substantial issues” faced by disabled young people and their families.

Meanwhile, announcing this funding promise, the First Minister said he hopes to see The Yard continue to grow their services across Scotland:

“I sincerely hope that this vital funding will enable The Yard to grow their services and offer support to more families of young disabled children across Scotland – and I look forward to continuing to engage with The Yard in all of their family support centres in Edinburgh, Fife and Dundee.”

The Cheif Execuitve of The Yard told healthandcare.scot that the organisation looks forward to working with the Scottish government in the future “to ensure our children get the best start in life”.

Read more:  UN told rights of disabled people in ‘crisis'; New Disabled Children and Young People Transition Bill; Holyrood committee fails to back Transitions Bill; Scotland prioritises neuro-inclusion, says government; Voices of disabled key to policy development; Carers in ‘devastating' financial hardship

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