Social media and children’s mental health

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has published a report examining the evidence of the impact of using social media on young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. Conclusions following a round-up of the latest evidence include: there is no scientific consensus on the impact of screen-based lifestyles on the mental health of young people; there is limited research on effective interventions to address online risk, for example interventions to prevent or reduce cyber-bullying among young people; restricting access to the internet may reduce the likelihood of young people experiencing online risk, but it also restricts the opportunities for young people to develop digital skills and to build resilience. Recommendations include: more research on the positive and negative influences of social media on young people’s mental health; and focusing policy on how to develop resilience in young people to maintain their emotional and mental wellbeing and to live safe digital lives.

Source: EPI  Date: 30 June 2017

Further information: Social media and children’s mental health: a review of the evidence (PDF) 

Childline sees rise in contacts about race and faith-based bullying

The NSPCC reports that children as young as nine are contacting Childline about race or faith-based bullying, and that the service frequently sees a spike in counselling sessions following terror attacks. Childline figures show that: there were more than 2,500 counselling sessions in the last three years about racial and faith based bullying; Muslim, Jewish. Christian, Black and Sikh were among those who contacted Childline about the issue; in some cases, young people told Childline that the constant abuse and negative stereotyping was so cruel that they had self-harmed, and many wished they could change who they are. Advice to help parents spot the signs of bullying include: unexplained physical injuries; being afraid to go to school, having mysterious illnesses or skipping school altogether; becoming nervous, withdrawn or losing confidence; and problems with eating or sleeping.

Source: NSPCC  Date: 28 June 2017

Further Information: Childline

Technology assisted harmful sexual behaviour (HSB): a practice resource

The NSPCC’s Impact and evidence series features a blog by Pat Branigan Development Manager at the NSPCC introducing the Technology-assisted HSB practice resource (TA-HSB) designed to help experienced risk assessment trained social workers, youth offending team practitioners and specialist providers know how to: collect and collate relevant information regarding technology assisted HSB; devise a structure to develop a case formulation; develop safety plans. TA-HSB replaces the 2009 iAIM framework practice guidance to help professionals work with young people who had engaged in HSB online, and training on how to use TA-HSB 2017 guidance is available.

Source: NSPCC  Date: 03 July 2017

Further information: TA-HSB 2017

Helping parents to safeguard their children from sexual exploitation

The University of Bedfordshire’s International Centre and Parents against child sexual exploitation (Pace) have published an evaluation of the Parents as partners in safeguarding children and young people in Lancashire project, which was delivered from June 2014 – May 2017. This centred around the work of a Parent Liaison Officer (PLO), who provided flexible, one-to-one support to parents and families whose child was at risk, or a victim, of child sexual exploitation (CSE). Key findings include: the PLO helped parents to understand the dynamics of CSE and grooming and respond with more empathy to their child; parents were able to play a more active part in safeguarding their child; the PLO’s support was identified as a key contributor to maintaining a strong record of child/family attendance at court; parents described themselves as more emotionally resilient and able to cope with the impact of CSE because of the PLO’s support.

Source: The International Centre Blog  Date: 13 June 2017

Further information: Empowering parents: evaluation of Parents as partners in safeguarding children and young people in Lancashire project 2014 – 2017 (PDF)

Pace

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Protecting children on the move from violence, abuse and exploitation

UNICEF has published a report looking at how the lack of safe and legal pathways for refugee and migrant children feeds a market for human smuggling and puts them at risk of violence, abuse and exploitation. The report states that 170,000 unaccompanied and separated children applied for asylum in Europe in 2015 and 2016. UNICEF’s six-point agenda for action to keep refugee and migrants safe includes: increasing safe and legal channels for children to migrate and to seek refuge including: practical alternatives to detention for all children; policies to prevent children from being separated from their parents and other family members in transit; and faster procedures to reunite children with their families.

Source: UNICEF  Date: 18 May 2017

Further information: A child is a child – protecting children on the move from violence, abuse and exploitation (PDF)

Internet related child sex offences

The NSPCC has released figures following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to police forces in England and Wales looking at internet-related sex offences. Figures from 39 police forces who responded to the FOI show that: 5,653 police-recorded child sexual offences in 2016/17 had an online element, an increase of 44% from 2015/16 figures; nearly 100 offences were committed against children aged 10 and under; 13 was the most common age of the victim (where recorded). The NSPCC is calling on the government to introduce strict online safety measures including: an independent regulator to hold social media companies to account; minimum standards that internet companies must meet to safeguard children; safer social media accounts for children with default privacy settings.

Source: NSPCC  Date: 01 June 2017

Children and Social Work Act 2017

The Children and Social Work Bill received Royal Assent on 27th April 2017 hours before the previous Parliament came to a close. The Bill has had a difficult passage and not all proposals survived the process. In particular, the controversial plan to allow local authorities to opt out of certain child protection regulations was removed long before Royal Assent.

The majority of the new Act relates to social work and will setup a new independent regulator to be called ‘Social Work England’. Other sections of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 cover:

• promotion of the educational achievement of previously Looked After Children;
• the introduction of compulsory relationships education in primary schools;
• the introduction of relationships and sex education in secondary schools, which may take into account the ‘religious background’ of pupils

The content of the relationships and sex education programme is yet to be set, but will cover safety in forming and maintaining relationships, the characteristics of healthy relationships, and how relationships may affect physical and mental health and well-being.

Maintained schools and academies will need to ensure that there is a designated staff member for previously Looked After Children, which includes those who were cared for under a special guardianship order, and young people who have been adopted.

Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB) will be abolished under the regulations in the new Act, and ‘safeguarding partners’ will instead make local arrangements for safeguarding and promoting welfare of children. Safeguarding Partners are the local authority, health commissioning groups and the police; and although the local authority might also include ‘relevant agencies’, education is not specifically mentioned.

The Act creates a national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (CSPRP) to look into serious child safeguarding cases in England which raise issues that are complex or of national importance.

Consultation on Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls

The Scottish Government is consulting on the draft Delivery Plan for Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls. The deadline for response is 30 June 2017.

Source: Scottish Government  Date: 19 May 2017

Health and well being of children and young people

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published a report following a review of sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) – the proposals put together by the NHS and local councils to meet the health needs of the local population. The review of 44 STPs in England found that: the majority contain little mention of the health and wellbeing needs of children, except in relation to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS); and the majority do not demonstrate appreciation of the life-long impact of poor health in childhood.

Source: RCPCH  Date: 16 May 2017

Further information: State of child health short report: sustainability & transformation partnerships (PDF)

Children affected by domestic abuse

Children & Young People Now reports that Buttle UK has released figures following analysis of grant-giving which shows that: it received 9,909 referrals about children affected by domestic abuse during 2016, an increase in referrals of 33% on the previous year; 3,384 of these referrals related to children aged four or under.

Source: Children & Young People Now  Date: 15 May 2017

Further information: Buttle UK