Bookbug for the Home Practitioner agreement

Bookbug is a universal programme that aims to help every child across Scotland to develop a love of stories, songs and rhymes while spending quality time with their mums, dads and carers. Bookbug for the Home is a flexible approach for practitioners to use alongside their work with families and we recognise that you know what is best for the families you support.

When a Bookbug for the Home practitioner uses their toolkit of Bookbug stories, songs and rhymes to support families, they are acting as an advocate of the Bookbug programme and Scottish Book Trust.

We therefore require all Bookbug for the Home practitioners to read and abide by the following values when using Bookbug as well as the Scottish Book Trust Code of Conduct.

Bookbug for the Home Practitioner values

Bookbug for the Home Practitioners should:

• Be enthusiastic, encouraging and responsive to all families
• Be inclusive by making Bookbug as accessible as possible to all families
• Empower mums, dads and carers to develop their knowledge and confidence to share stories, songs and rhymes with their children
• Make it fun! Joy is at the heart of sharing stories, songs and rhymes, and all Bookbug activities should give families a safe space to relax and engage in a fun activity together
• Take responsibility to check all songs, stories and rhymes have no racist or offensive origins. We offer information and advice on this on our copyright and song and rhyme origins webpage.
• Never use the Bookbug brand to promote religious, political or commercial groups or ideas.

At registration and annual renewal, Bookbug for the Home practitioners are required to record and report on the number of families (children and adults) they are supporting with Bookbug for the Home to Scottish Book Trust. We will also periodically ask for contributions to case studies and evidencing impact. This information helps us to continue to fundraise and advocate for the Bookbug for the Home programme.

Bookbug for the Home practitioners should keep their contact details up to date with Scottish Book Trust – email [email protected](this link will open in a new window) about any changes.

Child Protection requirements

Scottish Book Trust is committed to ensuring Child Protection and Safeguarding good practice are applied consistently. Please read our Child Protection Policy. We believe that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe, and we are committed to carrying out our activities in a way that protects them.

Bookbug for the Home practitioners should:

• Have read and understood their own organisation’s Child Protection and Safeguarding policies and procedures
• Know who their organisation’s Designated Child Protection Officer (DCPO) is
• Understand their organisation’s guidelines and procedures for raising a Child Protection concern

Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG Scheme)

We would expect that Bookbug for the Home practitioners are in regulated work that requires they are members of the PVG scheme. From 1 April 2025, it will be a legal requirement for individuals to be a member of the PVG Scheme when carrying out a regulated role with children, protected adults, or both. Organisations must ensure that individuals who are to carry out a regulated role (paid or voluntary) have PVG scheme membership from 1 April 2025 onwards.

Scottish Book Trust cannot carry out PVG checks for Bookbug for the Home practitioners; it must be carried out by the organisation you are carrying out the role with (e.g. your employer). Ultimately it is the decision of the employer, following a PVG check, whether you are suitable for your role, unless Disclosure Scotland have stated that you are unsuitable for regulated work.

You can find out more about eligibility for PVG Scheme applications, and how to apply, on the Disclosure Scotland website(this link will open in a new window).

For more advice, please contact your organisation’s Designated Child Protection Officer. Your organisation’s DCPO can contact Scottish Book Trust’s DCPO (contact details can be found on the Child Protection Policy) if they have further questions.

If you have any questions about the Bookbug for the Home Agreement, please get in touch with [email protected](this link will open in a new window) or call 0131 524 0160.