An e-newsletter that will provide parents with the latest information about children's facilities and services in Edinburgh will launch tomorrow at Edinburgh City Chambers.
FACe will provide a more direct means of communication between the Children and Families Department and the tens of thousands of parents who live in Edinburgh. Its first issue will feature news about a new school opening, registering your child at school and a survey on school meals.
Parents will have the option of subscribing to FACe free and they can also access it from a link on the council and individual school websites. There will also be a link to the e-newsletter on the Edinburgh Grid for Learning site. Web facilities in libraries and community centres can also be used by parents who cannot access the newsletter at home.
FACe will be produced five times a year at the start of each term or after the mid-term break and there is also an option to produce a one page special edition if required.
Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, Convener for Education, Children and Families, said: "I believe that this e-newsletter is the first of its kind in Scotland which is very exciting. It is really important that we communicate effectively with parents throughout the city and FACe is an extremely cost effective way of doing this.
FACe will keep parents up-to-date with all of the big issues facing the Council regarding children's services such as progress on our programme to rebuild new schools in Edinburgh. It is important that the dialogue is a two way process and that is why we are surveying parents about schools meals in the first issue."
Gillian Tee, Director of Children and Families, said: "FACe is going to make it a lot easier to communicate with parents about our services and the work of the Children and Families Department. We have gone for a colourful format, with eight sections which is easy to read on screen. There is also a print option which can be used by children and families establishments for parents who don't have internet access. ."