The Brighter Days Foundation CIC

25/08/2026

Today’s news about care leavers is incredibly difficult to read.

Young people who have already experienced things no child should have to experience are dying at around 3 to 4 times the rate of other young people their age.

They were aged between 18 and 24. Some were just 18.

And what really stands out is what happens when they reach adulthood. The support, relationships and people around them can suddenly disappear, just at the point when they arguably need them most

We have just 5 weeks left on our petition calling for proper, ongoing support for young people leaving care. If we reach 10,000 signatures, the Government has to respond.

Please take a minute to sign it, and if you can, please share it too. We need as many people as possible to see this and understand why it matters.

No young person should leave care and suddenly feel like they have been left to figure life out completely on their own.

Please sign and share. ❤️

Introduce a statutory right to trauma-informed one-to-one mentorship and guaranteed mental health support for every child in care and after care leavers up to age 25, funded by the Government.

21/08/2026

Children don’t just need another programme that teaches them about emotions. They need a safe, consistent adult who believes in them.

Someone who shows up every week, gets to know them, notices when something is different, gives them space to be themselves and helps them discover that they’re capable of more than they might believe.

I think that’s where real change happens. Not just through another curriculum or another set of activities, but through relationships. When a child feels safe, listened to, valued and believed in, their confidence can start to grow naturally.

And I completely understand that parenting is full on. Between work, home, responsibilities and everything else life brings, giving your child that steady, undivided attention isn’t always possible, even when you want to more than anything. That’s not a failing. It’s just real life.

That’s exactly where we come in. We can be another consistent, caring adult in your child’s corner; someone who takes the time to really see them, listen to them and believe in them, so that you’re not carrying everything on your own 💛

If this resonates with you, send us a message. There’s no pressure and no expectation, just a conversation.

13/08/2026

This is the kind of news that gets me excited these days 💛

What if we taught empathy like we teach maths?

There’s something Denmark does in its schools that I think we should be paying much more attention to.

Danish schools have a long-standing tradition of “class time”, where children have dedicated time to work on relationships, cooperation, wellbeing and the social dynamics within their class.

They’re given space to talk.
To listen.
To understand each other.
To work through disagreements.
To develop their social skills and sense of belonging.

And I think there’s a really important lesson here.

We spend years teaching children how to read, write and solve equations…

But how much time do we spend teaching them how to:

🌱 understand their own emotions
🌱 recognise how someone else might be feeling
🌱 communicate when they’re struggling
🌱 listen without immediately judging
🌱 resolve conflict
🌱 build healthy relationships
🌱 regulate themselves when emotions become overwhelming

These aren’t “soft skills”.

They are life skills.

And if we want to reduce bullying, improve mental wellbeing and raise children who feel confident, connected and able to understand themselves and others, perhaps emotional intelligence needs to be treated as something we actively teach, rather than something we simply expect children to develop on their own.

Imagine if every child had regular time at school to learn not just what to think…

…but how to understand themselves and the people around them.

Maybe that could change more than we realise. 💛

This is exactly why I believe emotional wellbeing and self-esteem work belongs in our schools.

12/08/2026

This is amazing! 💛

Gemma is such an inspiration, and Simon’s work is incredible too. What a fantastic resource for helping young people dream big, build confidence and believe in what’s possible for their future. ✨

We’re so excited that every young person who has been through our Brighter Days programme will receive a copy too! 📖💛

I’ll be in touch with everyone who has completed our programme with more information.

So excited to see the impact this can have on our young people🌟

It’s International Youth Day, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect time to share this. 💛

I’m still pinching myself about this…🤗🤗🤗

Every young person who completes a Next Gen MEM mentorship will receive their own copy of Simon Squibb’s What’s Your Dream? Children’s Workbook to take home with them ✨📖✨

It honestly couldn’t be a better fit for what we do 🤍

Next Gen MEM is about so much more than supporting children’s mental health. It’s about helping young people understand who they are and their emotions, build their confidence and self-belief, and realise that whatever they’ve been through or are facing right now does not have to define their future.

We want every young person to finish their mentorship believing in themselves like never before … knowing they have choices and feeling excited about what could be possible for their future.

This workbook is such a perfect way to continue that journey, giving them something meaningful to keep long after their mentorship has finished 🙏 a reminder to keep dreaming big and believing anything is possible.

I’m honestly so grateful to Real Simon Squibb Adam Smith and the whole team for making this possible, for continuing to support and believe in our mission, and for helping us inspire the next generation to dream big. 💛

Happy International Youth Day! 🌍

03/08/2026

Are you feeling frustrated as a parent?

Do you ever find yourself thinking…

“Why am I getting so angry?”
“Why can’t I stay calm?”
“Why does my child’s behaviour trigger me so much?”
“Why do I feel like I’m failing as a parent?”

You are not alone.

Here there is never any blame, judgement, or criticism.

We are all trying to do the best we can with the tools, knowledge, and experiences we have gained throughout our own lives.

Parenting can bring up emotions we never knew were there. The shouting, the tears, the overwhelm, the moments where we feel like we’ve reached our limit often aren’t just about what is happening in that moment.

Sometimes our children’s big emotions can activate our own old wounds, fears, and beliefs we have carried for years.

Without even realising it, we can sometimes find ourselves parenting in ways we were parented, even when those are patterns we never wanted to repeat.

This doesn’t mean we are bad parents. It means we are human.

Maybe you grew up feeling unheard.
Maybe you were expected to “just cope”.
Maybe your emotions weren’t always welcomed or understood.

And now, when your child is struggling, a part of you struggles too.

But awareness is the beginning of change.

When we understand ourselves, we can begin to respond differently. We can break cycles, strengthen connection, and create the safe and loving relationships our children deserve.

We believe emotional wellbeing starts from the inside out. Children and parents need support to understand emotions, build confidence, and create stronger connections.

If you have ever felt frustrated, overwhelmed, or guilty after a difficult parenting moment, please know:

You are not alone.
You are learning.
You are growing.

If this resonates with you, please get in touch. Sometimes having the right support and understanding can be the first step towards creating more calm, connection, and confidence within your home.

Together, we can create brighter days☀️

15/07/2026

✨ She is a lot happier at home ✨

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs don’t happen where everyone can see them.

I recently received this message from the parent of a 12-year-old I’ve been supporting with anxiety:

“She is a lot happier at home and has definitely got more confident around the house and in speaking up. She opens up to me more now and tells me how she’s feeling, which she didn’t always do. It’s a massive improvement.”

Reading messages like this reminds me that healing isn’t about becoming fearless overnight.

It’s about taking one step that felt impossible yesterday.

These are the moments that matter.

We help children and young people understand their emotions, build confidence, and gently overcome the beliefs that keep them feeling anxious or stuck.

Every child deserves to believe in themselves.

And every small step forward deserves to be celebrated 💛

07/07/2026

💛 For the parent who's carrying more than they let on...

If you've been feeling anxious, overwhelmed, constantly worrying, or like you're just surviving each day, I want you to know you're not alone.

As parents, we often put everyone else's needs before our own. We keep going because we have to. But carrying stress, fear, self-doubt or old emotional wounds can be exhausting, and our children often feel what we're carrying too.

We help parents gently uncover and release the subconscious beliefs and emotions that may be keeping them stuck, so they can feel calmer, lighter, more hopeful and more like themselves again.

This isn't about "fixing" you.
It's about helping you reconnect with the version of yourself that's been buried beneath the weight of everything you've been carrying.

💛 Throughout July, sessions are reduced to make support a little more accessible.

If you've been thinking, "I just want to feel like me again," this could be the sign you've been waiting for.

There's no pressure at all. If you'd simply like to ask questions and see if it's right for you, my inbox is always open.

With love,
The Brighter Days Foundation CIC

03/07/2026

There’s something powerful happening in the world that we don’t talk about enough.

Some countries are seeing such a shift in crime that prisons are being closed or redesigned. Not because crime doesn’t exist, but because prevention, support, and rehabilitation are working.

In places like Norway and the Netherlands, the focus isn’t just on punishment. It’s on understanding behaviour, supporting mental health, and helping people rebuild before things reach crisis point.

And the results speak for themselves:

Lower reoffending rates.
Safer communities.
More people returning to society with hope instead of harm.

It makes you pause and think…

What if we focused more on prevention than reaction?

What if children and young people were supported with their self-worth, emotions, and beliefs long before they ever reached a point of crisis?

This is exactly why we exist.

Because healing doesn’t just change one life, it changes families, and entire communities.

When we help a child believe they are enough, we’re not just shaping confidence…

We’re shaping the world they grow into.

01/07/2026

💛 I've been a little quiet on here recently...

Not because I've disappeared, but because I've been busy doing what I love…. supporting people behind the scenes.

It reminded me that I don't often talk about the fact that I work with parents as well as children and young people.

So many adults are carrying around beliefs they formed years ago:

✨ "I'm not good enough."
✨ "I have to keep everyone else happy."
✨ "I can't say no."
✨ "I'm not worthy."

Those beliefs can affect every part of our lives—our confidence, relationships, parenting, careers and happiness.

The beautiful thing is that they don't have to stay that way.

Whether you're a parent wanting to feel calmer and more confident, or you're looking for support for your child, I'm here to help.

At The Brighter Days Foundation, my passion is helping people rediscover their worth, build healthy self-esteem, and create brighter days—for themselves and for the next generation.

If you've been wondering whether this kind of support could help you or someone you love, my inbox is always open 💛

13/05/2026

Every child carries a light inside them.

Even when the anxiety is loud. Even when school feels impossible. Even when they’ve started to believe the hard things they’ve been told or the hard things they’ve been telling themselves.

It doesn’t go out. It just needs someone to help them find it again.

Wednesday feels like a good day to say that.

Midweek, when energy dips and the week can start to feel heavy. To any parent or carer reading this who’s watching a child struggle right now, there’s still light there. We promise🌤️

We’re here in Dunfermline, helping children find it one session at a time. One-to-one and group support available. Reach out whenever you’re ready 💛