Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 03/03/25.
Report: The State of Childhood Report 2025 – Bright Horizons
February 2025. The insights from our recently-released Modern Families Index UK Report 2025 highlight the challenges and concerns of 3,000 randomly-selected working parents, with suggestions and solutions to help employers engage and retain talent, enhance productivity and plan for an ever-changing future:
Link: https://solutions.brighthorizons.co.uk/resources/mfi/mfi-the-state-of-childhood-report-2025
Research briefing: Protection of Children (Digital Safety and Data Protection) Bill – House of Commons Library
28 February 2025. The Protection of Children (Digital Safety and Data Protection) Bill is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Commons on 7 March 2025:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10205/
Research briefing: Free School Meals (Automatic Registration of Eligible Children) Bill 2024-25 – House of Commons Library
28 February 2025. The Free School Meals (Automatic Registration of Eligible Children) Bill 2024-25 is listed for second reading on 14 March 2025:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10206/
Article: MPs tells Government to use Schools Bill to introduce auto-enrolment of free school meals – Nursery World
28 February 2025, Katy Morton. Cross-party MPs have told the Government it should use the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to remove the requirement to apply for free school meals for eligible children from low-income families:
Census 2021 Data & Analysis: Risk factors for suicide in children and young people in England – Office for National Statistics
27 February 2025. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in children and young people; we have identified groups of young people in England with a higher risk of dying by suicide:
Blog: Reversing the Childhood Mental Health Epidemic – Psychology Today
24 February 2025, Paul Sunseri Psy.D. What parents can do to mitigate the negative effects of screen time:
Article: School breakfast clubs in England ‘will be used to justify keeping the two-child benefits cap’ – The Observer in the Guardian Online
23 February 2025, Toby Helm. As the education secretary announces the first primary schools to offer free breakfasts, Labour MPs question the commitment to fighting poverty:
News: Call to ‘end crippling childcare costs’ for parents on Universal Credit – Nursery World
19 February 2025, Katy Morton. Academics are calling for entirely free childcare for low-income working parents in receipt of Universal Credit: