Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 30/05/22.
Research: Solving the Childcare Challenge – Centre for Policy Studies
May 2022. This CPS briefing paper puts forward a threefold solution that would deliver for families and the economy while bringing the country in line with its European neighbours. The added bonus: implementing them would not burden the taxpayer with any additional cost:
Link: https://cps.org.uk/research/solving-the-childcare-challenge/
Written Statement: Families Update – They Work For You
23 May 2022. Will Quince The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education gives the update from the Department for Education:
Link: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2022-05-23.hcws44.h&s=children#ghcws44.0
Article: National Register of home schooled children outlined in Schools Bill – Willis Palmer
May 2022. Ofsted will be given greater powers to crack down on ‘unregistered schools’ operating illegally under measures outlined in the Schools Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech:
Link: https://www.willispalmer.com/national-register-of-home-schooled-children-outlined-in-schools-bill/
Policy paper: Schools Bill: policy statements – Department for Education
24 May 2022. Information explaining measures in the Schools Bill, which was introduced to Parliament in May 2022:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-bill-policy-statements
Article: Children are at risk from air pollution
18 May 2022. Thousands of children are exposed to high levels of air pollution due to where their nursery or school is situated.
Link: https://fhcappg.org.uk/?p=3846
News: Warning over shrinking school meals as prices rise – BBC News Online
17 May 2022. School caterers could be forced to serve smaller portions or use cheaper ingredients due to rising prices, a major food wholesaler has warned:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61477584
News: Stretching staff won’t cut costs for parents, nurseries say – BBC News Online
20 May 2022, Branwen Jeffreys. Nurseries and other childcare providers say plans to allow more children for each member of staff in England will not cut costs for parents. Most nurseries and pre-schools were opposed and would not increase numbers, the Early Years Alliance charity said:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-61484083
Article: Report lays bare the impact of Covid on four and five-year-olds’ development – Nursery World
18 May 2022, Katy Morton. The pandemic adversely affected young children’s development with fewer reaching ‘expected’ levels by the end of Reception, according to new research:
News: Children’s activity levels have not recovered after end of Covid restrictions – study – Guardian Online
16 May 2022, Andrew Gregory. Only about a third of children and young people are meeting recommended activity levels, Bristol study finds:
Article: Record 420,000 children a month in England treated for mental health problems – Guardian Online
22 May 2022, Denis Campbell. Experts say many others are denied help, and ‘relentless’ rise in demand could overwhelm NHS:
News: Shortage of NHS staff is putting children and young people’s lives at risk, say leading mental health charities – Mind
Record numbers of children and young people are waiting too long for urgent eating disorder treatment in England, putting even greater pressure on under-resourced NHS eating disorder services, according to leading mental health charities:
Article: Inquiry launched into behaviour and mental health in schools – Willis Palmer
May 2022. An inquiry into behaviour and mental health in schools has been launched by the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition:
Link: https://www.willispalmer.com/inquiry-launched-into-behaviour-and-mental-health-in-schools/
Comment: Britain deserves better than 689 failed obesity policies: – The Evening Standard
17 May 2022, Dr Dolly Theis. Boris Johnson has buckled under pressure from a small group of MPs and agreed to delay and potentially abandon several of his own nutrition policies:
Link: https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/britain-better-than-689-failed-obesity-policies-uk-b1000503.html
News: More than 42m UK adults ‘will be overweight by 2040’ – Guardian Online
19 May 2022, Andrew Gregory. Poorest set to be hit hardest by obesity crisis, Cancer Research says, as MPs accused of ‘kicking can down road’:
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/may/19/more-than-42m-uk-adults-will-be-overweight-by-2040
News: Junk food: Ministers to delay ban on multi-buy deals – BBC News Online
14 May 2022, Mary O’Connor. The government is to delay a ban on multi-buy deals for junk food and pre-watershed TV advertising:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61443047
Blog: What Is Play? How Children Define It – Psychology Today
15 May 2022, Peter Gray, Freedom to Play. “One of my earliest posts here concerned the definition of play, which I developed further in an article on “Definitions of Play” for Scholarpedia (Gray, 2013) and in my book Free to Learn”:
Link: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/freedom-learn/202205/what-is-play-how-children-define-it
News: Playground overhaul needed so disabled children can join the fun, charity says – BBC News Online
2 May 2022, Judith Burns. Disabled children can find themselves excluded from their local playgrounds because of poor design and a lack of consideration of their needs:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61347451
Call for Evidence: Children in poverty: Child Maintenance Service – Work and Pensions Committee
May 2022. Evidence can be submitted by 8 July 2022. The committee wants to hear your views and welcomes submissions from anyone with answers to the questions in the call for evidence:
Link: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/6705/children-in-poverty-child-maintenance-service/
News: Cost of living: Two-child families paying £400 a month more – BBC News Online
23 May 2022, Callum Thomson & Noor Nanji. Basic goods and services for a typical family with two young children are about £400 a month more expensive than they were last year, new data suggests:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61501778
News: Child protection: Without change thousands more kids face care – review – BBC News Online
23 May 2022, Alison Holt, James Melley and Judith Burns. Tens of thousands more children could end up in care without radical changes to child protection, a “once-in a generation” review has warned:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61509043
News: Private children’s home bosses in England criticised over huge profits – Guardian Online
16 May 2022, Helen Pidd. Head of industry association hits out at children’s home owners ‘getting rich off taxpayers’ money’: