Please join us in calling for the Scottish Government to review charity funding decisions to reflect our growth.

Since 2016, The Yard has received £90,000 per annum from the Scottish Government – enough to support 550 children. Seven years on, the charity’s reach has grown fourfold delivering family support, respite, school and play services to over 2,300 children in the East of Scotland from three centres.

Our funding from the Scottish Government has not grown in line with this, with funding being rolled over each year instead of giving us the opportunity to discuss the need for funding that reflects the growth in demand. In 2016 the Scottish Government contributed £163 per family and in 2023 this has reduced in real terms by 76% to £39 per family.

Mum Nicola, whose child attends The Yard in Dundee, told us, "The Yard is unique in the area - no waiting list, drop-in, no diagnosis needed and the staff do a great job with the resources they have. Plus, from re-opening after COVID-19, to the desert of opportunities in summer 2021 and 2022 for inclusive play, they have been our constant."

The campaign has been gaining traction so far, with a letter by Yard parent Lawrence Cowan presented to the Scottish Parliament on Friday 16th June 2023. This was then followed by questions presented by Claire Baker MSP at the First Minister's Question Time on Thursday 22nd June 2023.

However, we still need your support in order to spread the word about how vital it is that charities like The Yard receive fair funding.

Here are three quick and easy actions you can take to support the campaign:

• Sign our petition here
• Write to your MSP - you can find your MSP's contact details on the Scottish Parliament website
• Tweet at your MSP using the hashtag #OurKidsWontWait - your MSP's Twitter handle can also be found using the link above.

If you would like to get more involved in our campaign, please contact us.

Thank you for your support.