Girls’ mental health

The Guardian offers advice for parents on protecting girls’ mental wellbeing. Tips include: put your mobile devices to one side during conversations and at mealtimes; show them it’s OK to fail; listen to whatever the problem is from their point of view; promote positive, non-physical, female role models. Advice is also given about safety from […]

Fostering in England Inquiry Launched

The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into fostering in England. Issues which will be addressed include: recruitment and retention of foster carers; stability of foster care placements; foster care for young people with specific or challenging needs and its relationship with residential care; the involvement of young people in their care.   Submit your […]

Government pledges support to councils to help refugee children

The Government will work with local authorities to help children from the ‘Jungle’ refugee camp in Calais who are eligible to enter the UK, home secretary Amber Rudd has pledged. But she said only children who were already in the camp before the authorities began to clear it would be considered, so as not to […]

Celebrating Diwali

Diwali will begin on Sunday 30th October and continue for five days until Thursday 3rd of November.  Many communities within the UK will celebrate this time of year with displays of lighting and fireworks brightening up the night sky, but what does this festival mean and how can you help your child celebrate their own […]

Tax Return Reminder

MONDAY 31 OCTOBER is the deadline to send your tax return on paper. If you are planning to file your tax return on paper, don’t forget that HMRC must receive this from you by midnight on 31 October 2016. If HMRC receive your paper tax return after 31 October 2016, you will receive an automatic […]

Lords Defeat Government on Plan for Exemptions from Social Care Law

Peers vote to remove controversial proposals from Children and Social Work Bill The government has been defeated in the House of Lords over controversial proposals to allow councils to request exemptions from statutory social care duties. Peers voted 245-213 in favour of amendment to delete the proposals, set out in clause 29, from the Children […]

Facebook’s Online Safety Guidance

Facebook has relaunched its safety centre and bullying prevention hub. It provides information on bullying for teens, parents and educators, including what to do if a child is bullying others. Click here to find out more. […]

Children with positive care experience outperform at school

A new national tracking tool is highlighting the care factors that boost educational progress. This new tool is being developed by the National Consortium for Examination Results (NCER), the National Association of Virtual School Heads (NAVSH) and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), to track the progress of children in care at school […]

Multi-Faith Safeguarding Hub

The NSPCC offers guidance on how to approach safeguarding from within the beliefs, teachings and cultural context of faith communities. For further information, please click here Source: NSPCC  Date: 26 October 2016 […]

Children England Discuss Funding and Commissioning of Care Services in New Paper

Children England has published a discussion paper to engage thinking about the funding and commissioning of care services and placements for children in need of care and adoption, across all types and specialisms of placement. It puts forward the idea of a national ‘Care Bank’ which would fund the costs of all placements directly from […]