Here are some useful websites for resources and information to support literacy in children and young people.

Scottish Book Trust

The Scottish Book Trust are a national charity that believes books, reading and writing have the power to change lives. Click here  to access their website.

Bookbug

Bookbug is Scotland's universal early years book gifting programme and aims to inspire a love of stories, songs and rhymes from birth. Click here  to access their website.

Dolly Parton Imagination Library

Scottish Book Trust is very proud to be a partner of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Every child enrolled in the programme is able to build up their own personal library of up to 60 books, improving their literacy, speech and creative thinking skills, and encouraging their parents and carers to read with them. 

Through a grant from the Scottish Government, the Imagination Library provides a free book a month to all Looked After Children and all adopted children in Scotland from birth to the age of five. Click here to access their website.

Stigma is the negative perceived beliefs, thoughts and opinions towards a particular circumstance, quality or person. 

Stigma intersects with other axes of disempowerment and marginalisation in ways which create further disadvantage. This remains a universal problem for people who use drugs, people in recovery and their families. 

In 2016, just less than half (44%) of respondents to the ‘Public Attitudes in Scotland towards people with a history of drug dependence survey’ agreed that those with a history of drug dependence are a burden on society. 

Stigma acts as a barrier to accessing support and treatment, impacts personal relationships, results in people being socially excluded and can often increase risk and harm. 

Addressing Stigma is vital to enabling people to access the support and treatment and to reduce drug related deaths. 

Leading a more informed and compassionate approach, using people first language, promoting social inclusion and social justice are all crucial to mitigate the impact of stigma and reducing health inequalities for people affected by drugs. 

Strategy policy links 

The Scottish Government have identified Tackling Stigma as one of the cross cutting priorities in Scotland’s National Drugs Mission Plan 2022-2026. The National Stigma Action Plan included within the mission plan encourages organisations to consider how we can work together and individually to create a stigma-free Scotland 4. 

Scotland’s National Drugs Mission Plan 2022-2026