Source: Children’s Commissioner for England
Date: 04 March 2020

The Children’s Commissioner for England has published a paper highlighting the main inequalities in child health in England, and calls for more focus on the health inequalities in early childhood that manifest before a child starts school. Key points at which these inequalities should be identified and addressed include: during pregnancy and birth; at two and a half years old; and in reception year in primary school.

Read the news story:Health inequalities briefing
Read the report:Children’s Commissioner’s briefing: health inequalities in childhood (PDF)

Source: CASPAR

Source: Public Health Wales
Date: 09 March 2020

Public Health Wales has published an interactive profile looking at mental wellbeing, including child personal wellbeing in Wales. Findings include: more than a quarter of young people aged 11-16 did not feel they had mental health support at school; and over two thirds of young people agreed they got help and emotional support they needed from their families

Read the news story: New profile looks at mental wellbeing in Wales
View the profile: Mental wellbeing in Wales

Source: CASPAR

Source: Children and Young People Now
Date: 11 March 2020

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Knife Crime has published a report following an inquiry looking at what effective youth work looks like for children and young people and the role of youth services in England in helping to tackle knife crime and serious youth violence. Recommendations to government include: conducting a national audit to establish the extent of youth services and their capacity to deliver services particularly in deprived communities; funding local authorities to invest in sustainable long-term youth work; and introduce a statutory requirement to local authorities for a minimum level of professional youth services provision.

Read the news story: MPs call for investment in youth workers to prevent knife crime
Read the report: Securing a brighter future: the role of youth services in tackling knife crime (PDF)

Source: CASPAR

Source: IICSA
Date: 12 March 2020

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has published a report following its investigation into online-facilitated child sexual abuse. The report looks at the response of law enforcement, the internet industry and government to online-facilitated child sexual abuse by considering the response to three types of offending including: indecent images of children offences; the grooming of a child; and live streaming of child sexual abuse. Recommendations to government include: publish the interim code of practice proposed by the Online Harms White Paper;  introduce legislation requiring providers of online services and social media platforms to implement more stringent age verification techniques; and require the online industry to pre-screen material before it is uploaded to the internet to prevent access to known indecent images of children.

Read the news story: Inquiry report finds risk of immeasurable harm to children from internet
Read the report: The internet: investigation report (PDF)

Source: CASPAR