The Education Secretary has pledged the introduction of 300 new state nurseries in England within the next 12 months. The nurseries are set to open within English schools by next September to meet rising demand prompted by the introduction of free childcare for children from the age of 9 months. The new Labour government...
NSPCC reports rise in sextortion contacts
NSPCC has reported that their Childline service has seen a marked increase in the number of contacts they receive about sextortion. The confidential charity helpline provided over 900 counselling sessions for children concerned about sextortion – online sexual extortion – during 2023-24. This represents a 7% increase from 2022-23. During this same period, the...
NSPCC calls for early years support to better protect young children
The NSPCC is calling on the government to invest in early years’ services to ensure we are “keeping the youngest children safe from harm”. The national children’s charity has spoken out after data showed that almost 4 in 10 of its Helpline referrals involved children aged 5 and under. The NSPCC said that their...
Youth Mental Health Day urges young people to control their scroll
It’s Youth Mental Health Day and the theme for 2024 is #ControlYourScroll. Youth Mental Health Day is an annual awareness campaign falling on 19th September which aims to raise awareness and foster discussion around the mental health challenges young people face. This year, the mental health campaign, spearheaded by youth mental health charity stem4,...
Government pledges fair pay agreement for care professionals
The Care Minister has reiterated a government pledge to establish a fair pay agreement for care professionals as he reached out to services regarding “operational resilience” this winter. The Minister of State for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Stephen Kinnock, wrote a letter this week to local authorities and adult social...
New whitepaper outlines ‘first steps to fixing social care’
A new social care whitepaper has been published which sets out the “blueprint” for addressing the “severe challenges” faced by the sector. Released yesterday (17th September 2024), the whitepaper has been published by homecare technology specialist Birdie and includes insights from social care leaders and experts from across the sector. Entitled ‘Ready to Care:...
Skills for Care is driving change with their new workforce strategy campaign
Skills for Care’s latest campaign focuses on encouraging the care sector to implement its new workforce strategy. The new ‘Driving change in social care’ campaign is running throughout September to promote the ‘Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care’, which was launched in July 2024 to improve working conditions in care and help create a...
World Alzheimer’s Month amplifies voices
September is World Alzheimer’s Month, an international awareness campaign that takes place every year, with 21st September designated as World Alzheimer’s Day. Led by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), the annual campaign was devised to bring everyone together to raise awareness of dementia and to try to breakdown the stigma and tackle the discrimination that...
Health and safety law turns 50
The UK’s landmark health and safety law – the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 – turned 50 this summer. The world-leading health and safety law received Royal Assent on 31st July 1974 – which is now just over half a century ago. A former Chief Executive and Senior Inspector from the...
IOSH calls for focus on ‘looking after people at work’
Responding to the King’s Speech last month, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) welcomed plans to strengthen workers’ rights and urged a “greater focus more generally on looking after people at work.” IOSH’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Ruth Wilkinson, penned a blog post following the King’s Speech in the House...
Care workforce supply and demand remains ‘key issue’
Skills for Care published their latest data on The size and structure of the adult social care workforce in England in July. The annual report forms a key chapter in ‘The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England’ report, which is published in October each year, and demonstrates workforce supply...
Statutory and Mandatory Training: Skills for Care’s new guide
Skills for Care have published a new guide on statutory and mandatory training, which are both key aspects of any care worker induction. Statutory training is training that is required by law or by a statutory body, such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC) or Ofsted, in order to ensure care providers and their...
New Workforce Strategy for adult social care a ‘call to action’
The new national Workforce Strategy for adult social care in England has been described as a “call to action” which provides a “long-term vision” for the sector. The sector-led Workforce Strategy has been developed by Skills for Care in collaboration with other social care bodies and stakeholders, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC), care...
Reforming Mental Health Act a ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’
A leading mental health charity has called the new government’s pledge to reform the Mental Health Act a “once-in-a-generation opportunity.” Responding to the King’s Speech, national charity Mind said that plans announced within it to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983 were “a welcome first step in tackling the nation’s mental health crisis.” The...
Youth group to advise on child safety online
A new group of young people has been set up to advise politicians, regulators, parents and professionals about child safety online. The Voice of Online Youth group consists of 15 young people aged 13-16 from across the UK. They were selected based on their passion for helping children to remain safe online. The group...