The government has laid out guidance, information and assurances about early years providers, schools and colleges for parents. While nurseries and childminders have remained open and allowed children to attend their usual hours during the third national lockdown in England, schools are due to reopen for all students from 8th March. The government has...
Concerns about parental substance misuse rise 66%
The NSPCC has reported a 66% rise in the number of people contacting them with concerns about parental substance misuse. The national children’s charity says that long-term drug and alcohol misuse among parents has become a growing concern for members of the public, who are contacting their helpline with fears for children being put...
Call to care campaign launches
The public are being urged to consider and apply for both short and long-term work opportunities in the adult social care sector as well as volunteer roles. The Department of Health and Social Care have launched the next phase in their national recruitment campaign for the sector, which features television, digital and radio advertising...
Vulnerable children must be put ‘centre stage’ post-Covid
The Children’s Commissioner for England has called on the government to put vulnerable children “centre stage” in forthcoming plans to “build back better” after the Covid-19 pandemic. In her final speech after six years in the role, Anne Longfield said that plans to “level up” the nation must start with its most vulnerable children...
Duchess puts spotlight on parental mental health
The Duchess of Cambridge has urged parents to look after their mental health during the coronavirus pandemic. In a special video message recorded to mark Children’s Mental Health Week, Kate said she knew many parents found it hard to prioritise their own wellbeing, but that it was important “to be the very best versions...
Funding boost to support social care sector
The adult social care sector is set to receive a £269 million funding boost to help protect and support staff and those receiving care. The funds will be split, with a new £120 million fund to enable local authorities to boost workforce capacity and a £149 million grant system to support lateral flow device...
1 in 4 frontline doctors seek mental health support
It has been revealed that a quarter of frontline doctors have sought mental health support during the coronavirus pandemic in the UK. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has published data showing that, after having faced one of the worst public health crises of the modern era, 1 in 4 doctors has sought mental...
Childline raises concerns over mental health of children
Childline has raised concerns about the mental health of children and young people after delivering over 50,000 counselling sessions since the first peak of the coronavirus pandemic. The NSPCC’s confidential charity helpline delivered 54,926 counselling sessions to children and young people between April and December 2020. This represents a 16% increase in the average...
Teachers ‘not at significantly higher risk’ from Covid-19
New figures suggest that teachers are not at significantly higher risk of death from Covid-19 than the general population. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that care workers, restaurant staff, taxi drivers, security guards, nurses and people working in certain manufacturing roles were among those with the highest death rates....
Aviva reducing office space in favour of permanent home-working
Investment company Aviva has announced that it will be closing many of its offices across the UK and allowing staff to work from home as standard practice. Aviva currently employs 16,000 people in the UK and sought to assure that the changes they were making would not amount to job cuts and that staff...
Research reveals men’s mental health under pressure
Research by mental health charity Mind has revealed that men feel worried or low more regularly than they did 10 years ago. Mind compared new polling data from YouGov with results from the same survey conducted in 2009 to see how men’s experiences of mental health issues have changed over the past decade. They...
HSE checks Covid-secure measures in transport and logistics
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been conducting spot inspections on transport and logistics firms to ensure they’re managing the risk of Covid-19 during periods of high demand. Britain’s health and safety watchdog has been working with local authorities to carry out the spot inspections and ensure that businesses in the transport...
Nestle fined £640,000 after workers arm trapped in machine
Nestle UK Ltd have been prosecuted and fined £640,000 after a worker was injured when their arm became trapped in a machine. The company appeared at Bradford Crown Court, where they pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations in relation to the incident, which “could so easily have been avoided.” The court heard...
‘Shocking’ rise in child abuse during lockdown
The Children’s Society has described the 27% increase in reported incidents of children dying or being seriously harmed following suspected child abuse or neglect as ‘shocking.’ It has been revealed that the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel received 285 serious incident notifications from April to September 2020, following England’s first national lockdown to combat...
Skills for Care investigates key issues affecting BAME workers
A recent survey from Skills for Care has found that adult social care workers from black, Aisan and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds face significant challenges with racism, progression, representation and health. People from BAME backgrounds account for 1 in 5 of the adult social care workforce in England, but despite playing a crucial role...