Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 28/03/24.
News: Childcare: Labour asks ex-Ofsted chief to review of government’s free childcare plan – BBC News Online
27 March 2024, Nicholas Watt. Labour has commissioned a review of the government’s £4bn expansion of free childcare, Bridget Phillipson has said:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68671351
Article: Estimate that the expanded offer will save families up to £6,500 is a ‘far cry’ from the truth – Nursery World
25 March 2024, Katy Morton. Many families eligible for the new two-year-old funding will still struggle to afford their childcare bill, warns new research that finds a quarter of parents will save less than £100 a month:
Article: Playground bullies do prosper – and go on to earn more in middle age – The Observer in the Guardian Online
24 March 2024, James Tapper. Five-decade UK study finds that aggression at school leads to better-paying jobs, while those with emotional instability went on to earn less:
News: Hard-up English councils ration access to special needs tests – The Observer in the Guardian Online
24 March 2024, Chaminda Jayanetti. Many local authorities are increasingly rejecting requests to assess children who need help in schools, new data reveals:
News: Absolute poverty: UK sees biggest rise for 30 years – Quarter of children in absolute poverty – BBC News Online
22 March 2024, Robert Cuffe. The energy price crisis caused the sharpest increase in UK absolute poverty in 30 years, new figures show:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68625344
Research briefing: Reform of children’s social care in England – House of Commons Library
21 March 2024. Summary of the Government’s proposals for reform of children’s social care in England:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9818/
News: Coram Childcare Survey: concerning decrease in available childcare places – Nursery Management Today
19 March 2024. Coram Childcare Survey 2024 revealed a ‘dramatic’ decrease in availability of childcare places, and that children with SEND are largely losing out:
Link: https://nmt-magazine.co.uk/coram-childcare-survey/
News: Childcare shortage in most areas as costs rise above £15,000 – report – BBC News Online
19 March 2024, Vanessa Clarke & Callum Thomson. The availability of places at nurseries and childminders has worsened for pre-school children across all age groups in Great Britain, a report says:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-68580918
News: Thousands of children waiting years for mental health support, Children’s Commissioner warns – Children & Young People Now
15 March 2024, Fiona Simpson. Almost a quarter of a million children are waiting for mental health support despite being referred to services in 2022/23, analysis of NHS figures by the Children’s Commissioner for England finds:
Open consultation: Childminder recruitment and retention consultation- Department for Education
15 March 2024. The Department for Education are seeking views on their proposals to support childminders and childminder agencies (CMAs) and future policy development. This consultation is being held on another website. This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 10 May 2024:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/childminder-recruitment-and-retention-consultation
News: Call to revive play at UK schools to tackle ‘escalating crisis’ in child health – Guardian Online
12 March 2024, Harriet Grant. Campaigners launch proposal for schools to have ‘plan for play’ that would be subject to Ofsted inspection: