Ofsted warns of ‘invisibility of vulnerable children’ in lockdown

Ofsted have warned that vulnerable children at risk of harm have “slipped out of sight” during the national coronavirus lockdown. England’s Chief Inspector of Schools, Amanda Spielman, has warned that, when schools were closed during the first national lockdown, children may have missed out on the help they needed due to teachers being unable...

Children more likely to catch Covid in second wave

Children are now more likely than adults to be infected with Covid-19 and bring the infection into a household, it has been revealed. The government’s scientific advisors say that the number of school-age children with coronavirus has risen “significantly” during the second wave compared with the first, and that people living with secondary-school-age children...

More than 100 online sex crimes against children recorded each day

The NSPCC has revealed that online sex crimes recorded against children have passed the equivalent of 100 per day. Analysis of the latest Home Office data shows that, between January and March 2020, the number of online sex crimes against children recorded by police reached the equivalent of 101 per day across England and...

Early years charities warn babies and new parents are at risk

The NSPCC and a coalition of early years charities are calling on the government to rebuild health visiting services for children and families, as they warn that a generation of babies born during the coronavirus pandemic are being failed and potentially placed at risk. The charities have been joined by over 2,000 members of...

Calls to end school mental health support ‘lottery’

A new study has called for better mental health support in schools in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdown. Released just ahead of World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10th October, the study from the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that fewer than half of state schools in England...