Disposable Vapes to Be Banned for Children’s Health, Government Says
Disposable vapes are set to be banned as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping, the government says.
Young People Contact Childline About AI Related Sexual Abuse, Bullying and Misinformation
NSPCC have joined forces with Common Sense Media to help keep children safe online and understand the impact of generative AI on children. This alliance comes as children have been reaching out to the Childline service with concerns about generative AI, including sexual abuse, bullying, and misinformation. The partnership will advocate for children, making sure their experiences and safety are central to decision-making by tech companies and regulators, as well as at the front of global policymakers minds. The NSPCC will also be rolling out education programmes to increase digital literacy skills in schools to help school leaders teach children invaluable lessons about navigating the constantly evolving tech landscape in which they live in. Children can call Childline on 0800 1111 or message a counsellor on the 1-2-1 chat service if they need someone to talk to.
Labour Pledges New Youth Hubs in Plan to Tackle Knife Crime
The Labour Party has reiterated proposals for a network of youth hubs across the UK in a bid to reduce knife crime among young people. If elected the party would introduce Young Futures, the programme would include the creation of as many as 90 youth hubs across the country and youth mental health hubs in every community
New data reveals North/South divide of children hit by two-child limit on benefits
The North West, North East, Yorkshire & Humber and the West Midlands have the highest percentage of children affected by the two-child limit across the UK. The data also reveals a strong correlation between the two-child limit and areas with high rates of child poverty.
Independent assurance review of the effectiveness of multi-agency responses to child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester
Rochdale Council and police failed to protect children at risk of sexual exploitation in the Greater Manchester town more than a decade ago, an independent review has found
The Children’s Commissioner for England – Digital playgrounds: Children’s views on video gaming
The Children’s Commissioner for England has published a report looking at children’s views on video gaming. Findings from a survey of 8- to 17-year-olds in England show around two thirds of children viewed video games as beneficial to children’s health and wellbeing
Youth Justice Statistics: 2022 to 2023
This publication looks at the data for the youth justice system in England and Wales for the year ending March 2023. Key findings: In the year to 31 March 2023, the number of children entering the justice system for the first time increased by one per cent on the previous year to 8,400 – the first increase since 2012.
Politicians don’t understand us, say nation’s children.
New data released by the Children’s Charities Coalition highlights that children feel politicians don’t understand their lives and aren’t listening to them as the country prepares for a General Election
THE NEW CLIMATE DENIAL
Third Of UK Teenagers Believe Climate Change Exaggerated, Report Shows The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has found that most climate denial videos on YouTube push the idea that climate solutions do not work, climate science and the climate movement are unreliable, or that the effects of global heating are beneficial or harmless. The report also included the results of a nationally representative survey conducted by polling company Survation which found 31% of UK respondents aged 13 to 17 agreed with the statement “Climate change and its effects are being purposefully overexaggerated”. This rose to 37% of teenagers categorised as heavy users of social media, meaning they reported using any one platform for more than four hours a day
Consumption of energy drinks by children and young people: a systematic review examining evidence of physical effects and consumer attitudes
More Evidence to Ban Energy Drinks for Children, Study Finds The sale of all energy drinks to young people and children in the UK should be banned, says a review of the latest evidence on their effects on health. It highlighted links to more risks than previously found, such as anxiety, stress and suicidal thoughts.