This section of the website presents news and information on topical issues relating to the health of children and young people, and maternal health. It includes health stories appearing in the popular media.
ChiMat does not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of these news items and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.
CWDC wants to identify the behaviours required by those who work with disabled children and young people to help services become more inclusive and accessible.
Application closing date: 29 Apr 2010 at 13:00
This monthly bulletin is designed to provide updates on activities that support the delivery of the Be Healthy outcome for children, young people and families through the Every Child Matters 'Change for Children' agenda. ...
The organisation designed to help make the smartest use of health data across the NHS will celebrate its 10th anniversary today.
“What women eat while they are in the early stages of pregnancy influences the sex and health of their unborn baby”, The Daily Telegraph reported. This NHS Choices 'Behind the headlines' report looks at the evidence behi ...
“A technique that ‘washes out’ the brains of severely ill premature babies may aid survival,” says the BBC. This NHS Choices 'Behind the headlines' report looks at the evidence behind this report.
Teachers and professionals working with children and young people will have new support and guidance to lead the way in cracking down on violence against women and girls, the Government announced today on International W ...
Junior doctors are missing out on training opportunities because they are working excess hours to plug gaps in services, a BMA survey reveals.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
DH are consulting on draft regulations which will impose duties on designated bodies, including employers and contractors of health care workers, in all sectors, and regulatory bodies, relating to sharing information abo ...
Frank discussions about the importance of being tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia are an important indicator of a lasting relationship, according to a surprising new survey.
Many newborn babies and expectant mothers are being transferred long distances for care unnecessarily, according to a baby charity. More than 1,500 babies a year are transferred within Scotland, many far from home, said ...
A new team of specially trained coaches are being deployed to help children become more active - setting them on the path to a healthier future. The new Active Lifestyle Coaches are people who the children know well, but ...
A new team of specially trained coaches are being deployed to help children become more active - setting them on the path to a healthier future.
A pioneering scheme that will improve protection for children by giving members of the public a formal mechanism to make enquires about people who are in contact with children. The scheme will now roll out to 18 new poli ...
Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England sets out the way forward for the future of the professions.
Nurses and midwives must renew their pledge to society to deliver high quality, c ...
A further £500,000 has been announced by Schools Secretary, Ed Balls to help fund a new centre which will provide early intervention and support for children and young people who stammer.
The current economic downturn will force the government to reduce the number of children's centres in England and redistribute funding towards areas where provision is most effective, according to a report being discusse ...
Obese children as young as three years old show signs of future heart disease, say US researchers.
A study of 16,000 children and teenagers showed the most obese had signs of an inflammatory marker which can predict f ...
Peer pressure to drink to excess could be all in our minds according to a survey published for the Department of Health today (1 March). A YouGov poll of more than 2,000 English adults suggests over one in five (22 perce ...
Channel 4 News has been shown exclusive research for the Local Government Association which shows that local authorities are not complying with recommendations aimed at protecting at-risk children. They say they don't ha ...
This is Children's Minister Delyth Morgan's response to the independent review into the sexualisation of young people. She says children today are growing up in a complex and changing world and they need to learn how to ...
A report for the Home Office has warned that children are "over-exposed" to sexual imagery, and that parents have little power to stop it. The report advocates tougher regulation of adverts and placing parental controls ...
The author, psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos was commissioned by the Home Office to look at how sexualised images and messages may be affecting the development of children and young people and influencing cultural norm ...
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
The National Assembly for Wales’ Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the effectiveness of Local Safeguarding Children Boards. Closing date 9 April 2010.
Consultation on proposals to build on the existing Teenage Pregnancy Strategy to strengthen its delivery in all local areas and make further progress towards halving the under 18 conception rate and improving outcomes fo ...
Children's Secretary Ed Balls and Schools Minister Diana Johnson have published plans to implement all the recommendations in Brian Lamb's landmark review on special educational needs. This action plan will help create a ...
Teenage pregnancies have fallen to their lowest rate in over 20 years, annual statistics published this week show.
56 local authorities will be invited to join the pathfinder programme, ahead of the full rollout in April 2011. The EYSFF will provide a more transparent basis for childcare funding and will mean that local authorities w ...
The number of teenage pregnancies in England and Wales has fallen by 4%, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
New independent research reveals that more than 1 in 10 children living in England and Wales could have been privately fostered. Nearly half (46%) of the privately fostered children surveyed said they have had anxieties ...
The age at which people are developing eating disorders is getting younger, a study by a leading charity says.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has agreed to review its guidelines on parents seeing and holding their baby after death.
Video games, mobile phones and TV are keeping many children up at night, a survey for BBC Newsround suggests.
The Department of Health is taking action to ensure the NHS agrees a way of measuring and reporting hospitals’ death rates, in response to the furore prompted by last year’s Dr Foster Hospital Guide.
The Care Quality Commission is looking for urgent “levers” to strengthen legal safeguards it fears are failing to protect vulnerable mental health patients.
NICE is developing draft public health guidance: Dietary interventions and physical activity interventions for weight management in pregnancy and after childbirth.
Following advice from the Public Health Interventions ...
A landmark ruling that said families of disabled toddlers should not be prevented from claiming mobility benefits has been overturned.
DCSF and the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), with the help of iris PR, have initiated a campaign to raise awareness of child-safety issues in the home for parents of newborn- to four-year-olds.
New measures to tackle underage drinking across the country, including a national football tournament, best practice guide and money to enforce new police powers, will be launched by ministers today.
Government urges parents to help their children make sensible decisions about alcohol ...
Experts are warning of a worrying trend in the rise of children, particularly South Asians, developing type 2 diabetes at an earlier age than their previous generations.
Figures show the number of days spent by children on mental health wards has hit a five-year high.
Children need to be taught about the dangers of "legal highs" and guidance should be issued to youth workers to help curb increasing use of the drugs, health experts have warned.
Legislation prohibiting the product placement in television programmes of infant and follow-on formula milk is being introduced by the UK government.
The integrated children's system cannot cope with the push to use more familiy assessments in child protection cases, according to experts.
A clinical practice guideline on pregnancy and complex social factors is being developed for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Registered stakeholders for this guideline are invited to comment on the ...
The Department of Health asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) to produce joint guidance on improving the physical and emotional health ...
Make sure that nurses and midwives get the help they need to raise a concern appropriately and in a way that won't put their registration at risk - tell the NMC if their new guidance is useful.
Young children regularly looked after by their grandparents have an increased risk of being overweight, a UK study suggests.
CWDC are inviting tenders for a contractor to run a high profile, pilot project recruiting high calibre graduates into a career in early years.
The "tipping point" that sets children on the way to a life of obesity often occurs before the age of two, say US researchers.
The Royal College of Nursing wants greater investment in school nurses and health visitors to help stop the growing problem of obesity.
A potentially ground-breaking judgement has been made that should help social services departments defend themselves against historical child abuse claims....
Over a quarter of babies are delivered by caesarean section (CS) in hospitals in Wales, new figures have revealed.
Data from the TellUs 4 survey found that 33 per cent of children are unhappy, which is up from 31 per cent when the survey was last carried out in Spring 2008.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
In 2007 the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) launched the Participation Fund to encourage, enhance and support the development of creative and innovative ways of involving children and young people in all ...
CWDC are inviting bids from an experienced data collection contractor. The successful bidder will co-ordinate the collection of data on the young people's workforce within each Children's Trust in England and support oth ...
Around 36% of acute Trusts in England do not have a policy for joint working between maternity and social services.
Almost three quarters of primary school children in England are now taking vegetables or salad as part of their average school lunch – following the introduction of mandatory standards for school food.
Written answer asked by Natasha Engel,MP concerning the number of bed days young people spent on adult psychiatric wards.
Parents and young people from today will see the digital code, 'Zip it, Block It, Flag It' brought to life with radio, press and poster advertising, as the new internet safety campaign 'Click Clever, Click Safe' is launc ...
Third-hand smoke is “as dangerous as cigarette fumes” according to The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper says that the third-hand smoke that lingers on things like clothes and furnishings can be as dangerous to babies and c ...
"Women who delay pregnancy are more likely to have a child with autism," the Daily Mail reported. It said that researchers have found that a woman of 40 has a 50% higher risk than a woman in her late 20s. This NHS Choice ...
Experts fear older women are ditching contraception in the mistaken belief that they cannot get pregnant past a certain age.
Plans to develop a cross-sector apprenticeship for the children's workforce have been dropped.
The children and young people's sector stands at risk of losing many talented staff to alternative careers amid heightened fears over job security, a CYP Now survey has revealed.
Savings of £174m a year can be made if the government maintains short break funding for disabled children and their families beyond 2011, a report has claimed.
“An 'artificial pancreas' can be used to regulate blood sugar in children with type 1 diabetes,” BBC News reported.
This story is based on research on how to optimise devices that can sense glucose levels and adjust t ...
All local authorities will be required to provide short breaks for parents and carers who look after a disabled child, under plans announced today by Ed Balls and Diana Johnson.
Doctors say more younger diabetics are needing sight-saving treatment for a condition older patients normally develop.
Strategic health authorities are considering cutting workforces by up to 10 per cent in order to make the £15bn-£20bn savings required by 2014.
This letter provides further information about the Department of Health’s plans to replace Prevenar, which contains antigens against seven pneumococcal strains, with Prevenar 13.
First Lady Michelle Obama launches a nationwide campaign to tackle child obesity, which she says threatens America's future.
More than 3,300 children and young people were admitted to accident and emergency wards in England suffering from medical complications caused by diabetes.
A "shocking" number of children are suffering potentially fatal complications of diabetes each year, a charity says.
DNA differences which appear to affect the risk of giving birth early have been found by US scientists.
Sexual health clinics are to be set up in secondary schools in Liverpool as part of an expansion of school-based health services across Merseyside.
Mothers who suffer depression during pregnancy are more likely to have children that show signs of antisocial behaviour and violence later in life, a new study has found.
Scientists in Cambridge have shown that an "artificial pancreas" can be used to regulate blood sugar in children with Type 1 diabetes.
A third of parents of disabled children say they are getting no support with their children's emotional or mental health problems, according to a survey by the charity YoungMinds.
A Texas lawsuit about whether blood samples can be taken from babies without their parents' consent ended in December with the court-ordered destruction of 5.3 million blood samples. The decision does not affect ongoing ...
Surveys have found that many pregnant women take some form of prescribed medication, but little is known about the risks those pharmaceuticals pose to these women and their babies.
Bliss is undertaking project to produce a framework document to help support parents’ decisions in intensive care choices for their babies. This will include continuing active care and stopping active care. The terms com ...
The government has softened its stance on the publication of serious case reviews (SCRs), agreeing that action plans should now be included in every executive summary.
More primary school children across the country will benefit from a free healthy school lunch as Ed Balls invited all local authorities to bid for cash to fund more universal free school meal pilots.
This monthly bulletin is designed to provide updates on activities that support the delivery of the Be Healthy outcome for children, young people and families through the Every Child Matters 'Change for Children' agenda. ...
Young People should take responsibility for their future and tell politicians their ideas, says the Minister for Youth Engagement and Citizenship.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
The government has not significantly improved the health of under-fives despite spending more than £10bn, according to an Audit Commission study.
The Royal College of Nursing calls on the Government to make a sufficient investment in family nurse partnerships and health visiting teams to protect the health of children.
Expectant mums need to stop blaming their bump for memory lapses, say experts who want to dispel the "baby brain" myth.
UK psychologists suggest there is a strong link between heavy internet use and depression, but others dispute their findings.
Parents-to-be should weigh the possible risks of going for non-essential scans purely to get keepsake pictures of their unborn babies, experts conclude.
This is your opportunity to tender for the quality assurance of outreach training and support training providers to improve quality.
Application closing date: 16 Mar 2010 at 13:00
CWDC are commissioning a high-quality training course for practitioners engaged in outreach to help families to access children's centre services.
Application closing date: 16 Mar 2010 at 13:00
A government pledge to provide supported housing for 16- and 17-year-old parents has come under fire after it emerged funding for just 43 additional units has been allocated so far.
Directors of children's services remain unconvinced about the quality of Ofsted's workforce and leadership, a CYP Now poll has revealed.
The report finds that the available evidence does not suggest that diagnostic ultrasound affects mortality of babies during pregnancy or soon after birth. The evidence also does not suggest any effect on childhood cancer ...
This consultation seeks your views on new standards for pre-registration nursing education programmes. These standards set out what nursing students must demonstrate to be fit for practice at the point of registration. ...
This consultation seeks views on draft regulations to require local authorities in England to provide services designed to assist parents and carers to be able to continue to provide care for disabled children and young ...
New research highlighting risk has supported the Australian Federal Government's decision not to provide indemnity insurance and Medicare funding to midwives attending home births, leading to angry midwives.
Schools need more support from government and councils to ensure their extended services are reaching their most disadvantaged pupils, according to a government review.
New powers to tackle underage drinking, including making it easier for police to confiscate alcohol, move on groups of teenagers causing trouble and stop retailers selling to underage children come into effect today.
The country’s young people are being supported through the complex challenges of their teens by an estimated workforce of about six million paid staff and volunteers, a new report reveals. This equates to nearly one in s ...
The research team at CWDC delivers an extensive programme of activity in order to support CWDC in the delivery of its annual business plan. In order to provide the information and knowledge that the sector requires and t ...
The Royal College of Nursing is calling for greater investment in school nursing and sexual health services to ensure that young people are fully aware of the risks of sexually transmitted infections.
This letter from NHS Finance Director General David Flory and Chief Nursing Officer Christine Beasley explains that from 1 April 2010 legislation places a duty on hospital managers to ensure that under 18s are treated in ...
A Caesarean or instrumental birth does not impact upon how long a mother breastfeeds, research suggests.
Based on a survey carried out by the Children's Society involving around 7,000 10- to 15-year-olds.
The Family Information Directory (formerly the Parent Know How Programme)will include the details of all childcare available to families across England. It will show parents the range of providers, from nurseries to chil ...
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
Smoke exposure during pregnancy damages a baby's blood pressure control, which may explain why their risk of cot death is higher, say experts.
Specialist professionals working with children face being marginalised in modern-day children's services departments, a report by the Children's Services Professional Network has found.
Unitary authorities in England have budgeted to spend an average of £3,280 per child this year, new figures reveal.
This consultation seeks views on draft sex and relationships education guidance. The guidance is for maintained primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units in England on all matters relating to sex and r ...
A scheme that encourages families to ditch the car and walk their children to school at least once a week will receive an £800,000 boost from the Government, Public Health Minister Gillian Merron will announce today (26 ...
Children who are mixed-handed, or ambidextrous, are more likely to have mental health, language and scholastic problems in childhood than right- or left-handed children, according to a new study published today in the jo ...
Updated curriculum will deal with pressures posed by new technologies ...
To make quality indicators useful NHS providers need to define what they mean by quality, what they aim to gain by measuring it, how they are going to do this, and what they will do with the resulting data, says a health ...
Parents are more concerned that their children will abuse drugs and alcohol than be involved in a serious accident, research by parenting advice website Parentchannel has revealed.
Children's campaigners have backed the government's pledge to expand its key worker scheme for families with disabled children.
The Prime Minister and Children and Families Minister, Dawn Primarolo announce a further 88 new Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) across the country and a further £2.6m of funding for local authorities to start or expa ...
The government should add Vitamin D to milk and other foods to halt a rise in rickets, say health experts.
Parents are being encouraged to go undercover to check up on the standard of food in their local nurseries, as part of a new campaign to improve nutritional standards.
A registration scheme to protect vulnerable people will force managers to make moral judgements about people’s lifestyles and place a “significant” financial burden on the NHS, HSJ has been told.
The children's database ContactPoint has suffered at least three security breaches since its launch, according to an investigation by a national newspaper.
Ed Balls is today announcing a new package of measures to support modern families in the 21st century.
This event will include presentations from the Central Government departments responsible for the Vetting & Barring Scheme as well as the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) and the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) ...
A replacement vaccine, which will protect children against a greater number of strains of the pneumococcal bacteria, is to be introduced into the routine Childhood Immunisation Programme later this spring, Public Health ...
Shadow children's minister Tim Loughton last night confirmed that a future Conservative administration would publish serious case reviews in full.
Mistakes are being made in a high number of drug treatments given to children in hospital, warn UK researchers.
New legislation could see ill and excluded children denied access to a full-time education, The National Autistic Society (NAS) has warned.
Professionals should assume that all children coming into care are traumatised, according to a charity that champions the voices of children in the care system.
The government has announced plans to issue guidance to help every new father support their partner and baby, as it gets set to publish its green paper on families and relationships.
The responsibility for the evaluation of serious case reviews transferred to Ofsted from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) in April 2007.
Local Safeguarding Children Boards undertake serious case review ...
The majority local safeguarding children boards' serious case reviews were deemed adequate by Ofsted, which has published its evaluation of the reviews from April 2007 to December 2009 today.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
A new study at the University of Leicester is probing why asthma relief inhalers might actually make asthma worse- and what can be done about it.
This page gives information on aiming high for disabled children, which is the transformation programme for disabled children's services.
An ex-health minister calls for a radical shake-up of maternity care after a group of south London midwives had their contract terminated.
The NMC, the statutory regulatory body for the UK’s 620,000 nurses and midwives, is commissioning research to analyse the potential risks and benefits relating to the regulation of health care support workers in the UK.
Comedians Bill Bailey and Jo Brand front an advertising campaign warning teenagers of the dangers of drinking too much alcohol.
The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued guidance on how it will use its new powers to impose penalties of up to £500,000 for breaches of the Data Protection Act.
Caesarean sections (CS) should only be carried out when medically necessary, according to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham will today call for tanning salons to be banned from allowing under 18s to use sunbeds.
Further changes need to be made to the vetting and barring scheme to ensure those working with children are not adversely affected, a Labour MP has said.
Fears have been raised about the impact of council cuts on teenage pregnancy and sexual health services as local authorities set about finalising budgets for the next financial year.
Only 1% of primary school pupil's packed lunches meet nutritional standards set for school meals in England, a study suggests
Expectant mothers should be weighed regularly throughout their pregnancy in a bid to combat obesity, according to the National Obesity Forum (NOF).
This monthly bulletin is designed to provide updates on activities that support the delivery of the Be Healthy outcome for children, young people and families through the Every Child Matters 'Change for Children' agenda. ...
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
A British six-year-old boy has become the first person in the world to have a heart valve widened using an MRI scan for guidance rather than X-ray imaging.
UNICEF UK’s new Child Friendly Communities initiative aims to realise and embed child rights at the local level throughout the UK, improving the well-being of children and young people.
One in five people don’t realise catching chlamydia can affect a woman’s fertility, according to a survey out today to mark the launch of a new sexual health advertising campaign.
Field forces are to bear the brunt of cutbacks at the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), CYP Now has learned.
More than a third of primary care trusts are failing to meet a key maternity services access target, despite claiming they have met the government’s flagship “choice guarantees” for pregnant women.
Feeling guilty that you didn’t breastfeed your children enough – or at all? Relax. New research shows that breast milk is not as important for either the mother or the child's health.
A computerised device that tracks portion size and how fast people eat is more successful at helping children to lose weight than standard treatments, according to new research.
Teenage girls who are too thin may be putting their bones at risk, according to research from Bristol University.
Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan and Care Services Minister Phil Hope today reinforced the clear expectation for all local areas to deliver good quality mental health services for all children, including 24 hour cover f ...
The School Food Trust is urging schools to mirror high street shops and bring in January sales-style discounts on school meals to encourage healthy eating.
Ministers today welcomed news that residents in the areas most affected by youth anti-social behaviour have noticed an increase in police presence and extra activities to keep young people off the streets since the launc ...
BBC Children in Need has launched a small grants programme.
The UK’s second National Family Week takes place from 31 May - 6 June, and is an opportunity for practitioners working with children and young people to raise the profile of their work through a range of activities and e ...
Dig In is a BBC Learning campaign to encourage audiences to grow their own vegetables in the space available at home. Building on the success of the 2009 campaign, in 2010 Dig In will continue to encourage novice gardene ...
School pupils aged 14 will have compulsory parenting lessons from 2011 under curriculum proposals from Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary. The classes would be part of the government's new Personal Health and Social Educ ...
Conservative leader David Cameron promises "real choice" to women in England over childbirth, announcing plans for maternity networks.
Shift has been commissioned to research into TV portrayals of mental health problems. The researchers want to hear from you about what drama or entertainment programmes in particular you think they should look at.
Hartlepool Council has been praised by Ofsted inspectors for offering good training and effective leadership for staff following a spot check of the authority's safeguarding arrangements.
A coalition of organisations including Nacro, Catch 22 and Addaction, is calling for an end to the youth justice political "arms race", which it says results in policies driven by short-term political gain and "tough tal ...
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) can confirm that three children from the Ipswich area have died from suspected meningitis. The first child died in mid-December 2009.
Going to bed earlier protects teenagers against depression and suicidal thoughts, New York research suggests.
Over three hundred of the 1,500 babies likely to be born this New Year’s day could be overweight or obese by the time they start school unless action is taken. The revelation comes as Start4Life - a new campaign to suppo ...
Children are twice as likely as adults to catch swine flu, according to a joint UK-US study.
Every month, this brings you information about the latest developments taking place on the Hub. Packed with the latest news and events, interviews with key opinion leaders and Intervention project groups, information abo ...
Parents in England are warned not to under-estimate the "dangerous consequences" of children drinking alcohol.
Ed Balls today urged parents to talk to their children about the risks associated with drinking alcohol ahead of New Year’s Eve as research shows it is often near the bottom of their list of worries about their child’s s ...
Parents with disabled children will now get better support to help with childcare following a £12.5 million cash boost from the Government, Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo announced today as they also cal ...
A Jersey girl whose parents argued over the swine flu jab will not have to have the vaccine, it is ruled.
Expectant mums who are low in thyroid hormone are more likely to struggle with labour, findings suggest.
A monthly e-newsletter for staff working in Sure Start Children's Centres across the country. Contains information, advice and guidance for staff to support families in their local community.
This consultation seeks views on draft guidance to help local commissioners develop the best approach to commissioning services to prevent violence against women and girls, protect victims and potential victims and provi ...
Sedentary lifestyles are making children less fit - even among those who are not obese, a study suggests.
The Change4Life campaign is bringing back the traditional Christmas day walk and calling on families across the country to burn off their Christmas dinner and be more active over the festive season.
The government has pledged to overhaul the recruitment and training of serious case review chairs by spring 2010.
The way a tree branch breaks could help improve understanding of "greenstick fractures" which are particularly common in children.
'Chapter 8' of Working Together to Safeguard Children has been updated to reflect Lord Laming’s recommendations on Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) and the outcomes of the recent public consultation. This revised statutory gu ...
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
Fourteen London boroughs have adopted a matrix system to assess the risk of domestic violence. Molly Garboden reports
A cross-governmental group is to develop a model for the training and recruitment of serious case review panel chairs and report authors in an attempt to improve learning and improvement.
Nine out of 10 mothers questioned in a British Heart Foundation survey misunderstood the nutrition information on children's foods.
England's top doctor criticises the approach of some parents to alcohol, as official guidance says under-15s should not drink any.
The number of teenagers with mental health problems may have started to decline after an "alarming" 25-year increase, according to researchers.
EDCM welcomes proposal for a ‘new contract with parents’
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today issued a precautionary drug alert on the recall of Dentinox Teething Gel 15g.
This multidisciplinary postgraduate award module will provide you with understanding about
innovative ways of working to support parent and infant mental health during the perinatal
period.
A new brochure detailing information on the midwifery leadership programmes can now be downloaded from the RCM website. The programmes run throughout the year and are held in association with Phi Learning.
Young people across the country stand to benefit from £31million of Government investment in world class youth facilities, announced today by Children's Minister Dawn Primarolo.
The Dutch Medical Association is to scrutinise how doctors treat newborn babies with very serious abnormalities after it emerged that uncertainty exists among the profession over the criteria for mercy killing. Experts f ...
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo and Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron today welcomed the publication of the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group’s sixth annual report and will be responding to all the rec ...
Figures published today (15/12/09) show an increase in parental satisfaction for services for disabled children in 2009-10. The national overall score increased to 61 points, up two points from 59 last year.
Government advisers have called for more innovative approaches to tackling high teenage pregnancy rates.
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has announced it will create a new programme to develop the parenting workforce.
The Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC) today published findings from the Department of Health's School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme for Summer Term 2009.
A widening class gap is likely to be seen in the coming years over childhood obesity, a study suggests.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
Marking the second anniversary of the flagship Children’s Plan, Ed Balls set out his ambitions to continue investment and improvements to 21st century children’s services moving them from good to outstanding as we make t ...
The UK Border Agency has revised its list of shortage occupations eligible for international recruitment in tier 2 of the points based immigration system.....
Sir Roger Singleton today made a series of recommendations on how best to change the rules governing the Government’s Vetting and Barring scheme to ensure it strikes the right balance between offering protection without ...
A controversial NHS pilot is providing the contraceptive pill to teenage girls without prescription in pharmacies.
Concerns have been raised that bereaved parents are not being offered the opportunity to see and hold their baby after death.
NHS East of England has launched a campaign to promote normal birth.
New statistics published today from the National Child Measurement Programme, support emerging evidence that the rapid rise in child obesity has levelled off.
The experiences of children and young people using mental health services may soon be measurable, thanks to a tool being developed at King's College, London.
The Royal College of Nursing calls on the Government to introduce an alternative system to immigration detention centres for children in the UK.
Scientists are to test whether boosting the immune system can prevent the return of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma.
More than one in five children in England start their school life overweight or obese, NHS figures show.
The first sign of budget cuts in children's services has been heralded in the government's pre-budget report with the Department for Children, Schools and Families told to save £350m.
Christina McKenzie, Head of Midwifery, is supporting the advice within the letter sent out to UK midwives, asking them follow Department of Health guidelines and not to discourage pregnant women from having the H1N1 vacc ...
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is urging people to take care with large flat-screen televisions to head off a similar rise in injuries to that reported in the US.
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo today welcomed Ofsted’s findings that the majority of children’s services are performing well, with10 graded as excellent.
The first cross-government strategy specifically designed to break the link between poor health and youth crime was launched today by Care Services Minister Phil Hope.
The government will develop resources to help young people with mental health problems move from child to adult services as part of its strategy on mental health, published yesterday.
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls has today announced £165,000 extra funding to enable the Anthony Nolan Trust to roll out their campaign to educate young people about bone marrow ...
A simple test can help determine if signs of a premature delivery are likely to be a false alarm, research says.
Plans to vaccinate healthy children under the age of five against swine flu are in disarray after talks between the government and doctors broke down.
Children between the ages of six months and five years will start to be vaccinated against swine flu in the run up to Christmas, Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced today.
Pregnant women are to be educated about the importance of taking vitamin D thanks to a Glasgow schoolboy's campaign.
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has made an extra £600,000 available to fund NVQ qualifications in health and social care.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
Scientists say a genetic cause of obesity in children may reduce misplaced accusations of abusive overfeeding.
One of Every Disabled Child Matters leading organisations, the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) has announced that it will be undertaking exciting new research in partnership with the National Children’s Bureau, the A ...
Health bosses have started using Bluetooth technology in an attempt to tackle the spread of chlamydia.
In this issue ...
Core Role of the Midwife
Nursing & Midwifery Council
Workforce and Workload
Calendar of meetings
To mark this year’s National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, the Department of Health is encouraging young mothers from low-income backgrounds to access support that will help them to breastfeed for longer.
This monthly bulletin is designed to provide updates on activities that support the delivery of the Be Healthy outcome for children, young people and families through the Every Child Matters 'Change for Children' agenda. ...
Increasing numbers of pregnant women are hiring doulas - paid birthing assistants who can hold a hand and mop a brow during labour. Are they an important addition or another must-have accessory in the lucrative business ...
Maternal deaths in developing countries could be reduced by 70% and newborn deaths halved if the world doubled investment in family planning and pregnancy related care, reports research published by the Guttmacher Instit ...
The Department of Health has released the latest annual update on infant mortality rates for England and Wales, with data updated to 2006-08.
The Children’s Minister, Dawn Primarolo, announced that the Government will be taking further important action in three Local Authorities – Cornwall, Doncaster, and Rotherham - to improve children’s safeguarding services ...
NHS Institute Alert is a current awareness bulletin, highlighting latest research and opinion to NHS staff working in the areas of innovation and improvement. The aim is to improve practice by raising awareness of the la ...
This letter provides clarity on the specific actions primary care trusts should take with regard to their primary medical services and the actions that GPs should take in response to recommendation 34 of the report The P ...
The government launches a campaign to encourage young people to talk more openly about sex and contraception.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
The government is drawing up new plans to tackle family breakdown that will promote any stable relationship, not just the superiority of marriage, the children's secretary, Ed Balls, reveals. His department is due to pub ...
Despite the rapidly rising birthrate well over a third (40%) of Heads of Midwifery (HOMs) say they have not had any budget increases in the past year. Worryingly, nearly a fifth (17.8%) report that their budget has been ...
More than half of people recruited by churches to work with children are not asked to supply referees, complete application forms, or attend an interview, according to a report.
A nationwide shortage of sonographers is leading to severe service delivery problems for many NHS trusts and health boards.
Over two thirds (67 per cent) of heads of midwifery (HOMs) have reported that they do not have enough midwives to cope with the workload in their unit.
Health Secretary previews new Change4Life Campaign at the Royal College of Midwives conference. The new Start4Life campaign, will support front line staff to deliver the Healthy Child Programme, supporting pregnant women ...
Women with ectopic pregnancies have a lower level of a particular protein and this could be used to create a simpler and more effective test, a study finds.
A one-to-one telephone support service run by parenting support charity Parentline Plus is not receiving enough referrals from schools, children's centres and health visiting teams, according to an evaluation.
Insufficient numbers of doctors and adult services staff are getting involved in inter-agency training aimed at safeguarding children, according to research.
Maternity services in England are at a critical point, the leader of the midwives' union says.
Funding for innovative NHS maternity services is to be proposed by the Conservatives in recognition of the additional pressures that higher birth rates have created.
Maternity services in England have reached a critical point, the leader of the midwives' union says.
MPs and peers have slammed the Child Poverty Bill for excluding vulnerable children.
This is a transcript of the speech by Children's Minister Dawn Primarolo in London on 26 November 2009. She talks about the delivery of children's health services.
Numbers of young people in England receiving a reprimand, warning or conviction for the first time has dropped by 21.6 per cent in the space of a year.
The Staying Safe: Action Plan (2008) announced additional funding of £10 million per annum, over the period 2008/09 to 2010/11, to support health professionals participating in the new statutory child death review proces ...
Working together to protect the wellbeing of women and babies was the aim of a summit of European midwifery regulators held in Brussels last week (20 November 2009).
The Children’s Minister, Dawn Primarolo, has today announced that the Government will be intervening in Cornwall to improve its services to safeguard children.
Guidance for midwives and nurses who wish to raise and escalate concerns about the quality of care in their workplace is being developed by the NMC.
The UK government has deferred controversial plans to allow the media access to medical reports in family court cases after an outcry from paediatricians, psychiatrists, lawyers, and children’s groups.
Wales is the only UK region to have no specialist mental health services for children under the age of five, according to a damning joint report by health, social care and education inspectors in the region.
Up to a third of children in some areas may have had swine flu, but many will not have been ill, analysis shows.
Ofsted does not intend to do any work around setting limits on social worker caseloads according to its new director of development for social care. Speaking...
This is a transcript of the speech by Care Minister Phil Hope at the Association for Children's Palliative Care Annual Conference on 18 November 2009. He talks about the future of children’s palliative care.
BBC News reported that pregnant women who have pre-eclampsia are more likely to suffer from thyroid problems.
This news comes from well-conducted research that used two separate studies to explore whether pre-eclampsi ...
The smoking ban did not lead to children being exposed to more smoking at home, a study has concluded.
Young people caught carrying knives will be shown graphic images of stabbing victims as part of an attempt to stop them carrying weapons.
Children should be allowed to get dirty, according to scientists who say being too clean can impair the skin's ability to heal
The introduction of the Group C meningococcal vaccine to the childhood immunisation programme has proved to be one of the most effective health protection measures of recent years, saving hundreds of lives said Health Pr ...
The Wellcome Trust Children’s Clinical Research Facility (WTCCRF) has been set up to help develop and test new medicines and treatments for children. The new unit at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH) is als ...
Children's Minister Delyth Morgan launches long term vision for promoting children's rights and improving outcomes for young people, making them a priority for the Government.
The RCM has reiterated the importance of employing maternity support workers (MSWs) at the Agenda for Change band that most accurately reflects their role.
The London Borough of Ealing is launching a specialist homecare service for children and young people who are disabled, seriously ill or recovering from illness.
The children's commissioner has called on the government and all political parties to commit to continued investment in children's services to safeguard their rights.
A new National Advocacy and Advice service for children and young people, backed with £459,850 of new Welsh Assembly Government funding has been announced by Children’s Minister Jane Hutt.
'The Code of Everand' uses a virtual world to help children develop skills - such as finding a safe place to cross and planning ahead - which will help them to stay safe in the real world.
This issue includes details of the latest activities of the European Child Cohort Network which is now fully up and running. There are also updates on the latest surveys carried out for the 1970 British Cohort Study, the ...
Through one of the most significant reforms - the ‘From Care2Work’ programme - all care leavers are now given a guaranteed opportunity to get training, mentoring and access to jobs. Thirty of the country’s biggest employ ...
Pregnant women with the potentially dangerous condition pre-eclampsia may be more likely to suffer from thyroid problems, research suggests.
Teams from the US and Norway found those with the condition had a raised ris ...
This is a letter from Acting Director of the National Cancer Action Team Stephen Parsons. It highlights the publication of the Children’s Cancer Measures as part of the revised Manual for Cancer Services following a thre ...
The fifth sweep of the Millennium Cohort Study is scheduled to take place in 2012 when the cohort children will be age 11. It is provisionally anticipated that the survey will include interviews with both parents (where ...
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
A new law that will help to protect children and young people from the harms of tobacco received Royal Assent today (12 November 2009). The Health Act 2009 will come into effect over the next few months.
Provisions i ...
All schools should have clear plans for dealing with incidents involving drugs and alcohol on the school premises.
Schools Minister Diana Johnson today (13 Nov 09) launched a consultation on new guidance for schools to ...
Ofsted plans to revise its frameworks for inspection of children's social care remits over the next 12 to 18 months.
In the first issue of its social care newsletter, Ofsted said the revised frameworks would include c ...
Six out of ten parents that use childcare vouchers will reconsider working if tax relief on the scheme is phased out, according to a new survey.
Youth Justice Board (YJB) chief executive John Drew has called for fresh talks between central government and local authorities over who should foot the bill for social workers in young offender institutions (YOIs). Fund ...
The National Audit Office said the NHS had duplicated effort and failed to test as many of the under-25 target group in England as it should have... But the government said such an "ambitious" screening programme was alw ...
New, smarter punishments, that will further tackle the underlying causes of youth crime, and help prevent reoffending will come into effect on 30 November, Ed Balls and Jack Straw announced today (12 Nov 09).
The You ...
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo today called on local authorities and health trusts to continue to prioritise the Government’s successful teenage pregnancy strategy, to further bring down teenage conceptions.
Thousands of frontline children’s social workers are feared to have turned their backs on the profession in the wake of the backlash over the death of baby P, council leaders warned today, as new figures showed staff ret ...
This tool has been updated.
“Children who drink full-fat milk are less likely to become overweight than those who drink the skimmed version,” reported the Daily Mirror. It said that a study of eight-year-old children found that those who drank the ...
Women who are obese as teenagers may have a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis as adults, say researchers.
The Council of Europe children’s strategy for 2009-2011, ‘Provision, Protection and Participation for Children in Europe’, has amongst its major focuses that of eradicating all forms of violence against children. In part ...
England’s Department of Health has urged GPs to reassure pregnant women who are worried about being vaccinated against swine flu.
There has been a large rise in reports of children being sexually assaulted by women, ChildLine has revealed.
Ofsted plans to revise its frameworks for inspection of children's social care remits over the next 12 to 18 months.
The United States ranks 30th in the world in terms of infant mortality, behind most European countries and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and Israel, says a report from the US Centers for Di ...
Breastfeeding campaigners express dismay at a watchdog's report on advertising for follow-on formula.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
...ContactPoint starts to be rolled out nationally to local authorities and frontline practitioners, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan confirmed...
Teenagers across Europe are using cannabis less but are more likely to binge drink, according to latest data from drug addiction monitoring experts.
The NSPCC has confirmed that 45 jobs will be lost as part of a shake-up at the charity.
The call is out to all schools inviting them to help children both here and in some of the world's poorest countries.
The campaign: encourages more pupils to try school food, which is now governed by nutritional stan ...
Secretary of State, Ed Balls announces that all PSHE education will be made compulsory in schools from September 2011.
All schoolchildren and college students should be vaccinated against swine flu, the Tories say.
The British Association of Social Workers has branded the implementation of the computerised integrated children's system (ICS), which records details of children receiving social care, a "systematic failure".
An important chapter for the young people’s workforce, and those it serves, begins today, as Children and Young People’s Minister, Dawn Primarolo launches the Young People’s Workforce Reform Programme.
Looked-after children have urged the chair of the Social Work Task Force to recommend their involvement in the training and recruitment of social workers.
Children with complex health needs will have an individual health plan put in place next year as part of a government programme, CYP Now can reveal.
Children's Minister, Dawn Primarolo announces 20 areas to deliver the new £6.5m projects.
“Smoking during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of having a child with behavioural problems,” The Guardian has reported. This finding is based on a study which followed the early years of around 13,000 childre ...
New standards for the care of sick babies have been published in an attempt to improve services in England.
Twenty areas will deliver the new £6.5m Child Poverty Family Intervention Projects.
New data shows progress on obesity as Healthy Towns help communities Change4Life.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) Scientific Advisory Committee has released a new opinion paper on vitamin supplementation during pregnancy. The paper examines the evidence for vitamin supplem ...
The Psychological wellbeing and mental health of children and young people will be the focus of a new National Support Team (NST) currently being established. National support teams provide consultancy-style expert tailo ...
The UK Borders Agency (UKBA) has done a u-turn and issued guidance to its employees on their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children caught in the immigration, asylum and customs systems.
“We couldn’t let the banks fail, now we mustn’t fail our children” A staggering two million British childre...
Depaul UK, 42nd Street and YouthNet surveyed 179 users of their online Self-harm: Recovery, advice and support service, a resource for young people suffering from self-harm. A 25-year-old woman said: "When I have been to ...
New research released today has revealed that, after the understandable flurry in the first eight weeks of motherhood, the period when first-time mums have the most questions about their babies’ development can be pin-po ...
The GMC has updated its guidance for doctors working in a pandemic.
The government is being called on to scrap the Child Poverty Bill and radically overhaul its child poverty targets.
Nearly a fifth of women who smoke while pregnant fail to admit their habit to health professionals, a study suggests.
Commenting on the issue of women wanting to specify the skin colour of the healthcare professionals caring for them during pregnancy and birth, Jon Skewes, Director of Employment Relations at the Royal College of Midwive ...
Dawn Primarolo, minister for Children, Young People and Families, today announced three new pilot projects to help up to five million mums, dads, carers and grandparents get important parenting information support and gu ...
More than half of young people who have used sexual health information providers said that they wouldn't use them again.
Charities have urged the government to make targets to cut child poverty more ambitious or risk pushing the most vulnerable families into further crisis.
Seventeen organisations that represent doctors, lawyers, social workers, and children have banded together to fight UK government plans to allow the media access to medical and welfare reports in family court cases. The ...
Commenting on the release (Tuesday, 27th October 2009) of maternity statistics by the NHS Information Centre, Cathy Warwick, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said:
“It is disappointing that we are ...
Delivering Quality and Value’s c-section team has launched a film on Health Exec TV featuring Blackpool Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which as part of the Rapid Improvement Programme for c-section succes ...
The Health Services Journal reports that the Department of Health has disputed claims by the National Childbirth Trust that most expectant mothers still have no choice but to have their babies in hospital.
Eight in 10 girls say that having the HPV vaccine makes them think twice about the risks of having sex, a poll finds.
Several newspapers have reported on the steep rise in Down’s syndrome pregnancies, said to be due to recent shifts to later motherhood. This NHS Choices 'Behind the headlines' article examines the evidence behind these r ...
According to a new report Location, location location released by the parenting charity NCT, more than 95% of women in the UK do not have a choice of where they give birth.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
More than 68,000 single parents of children aged 10 or 11 must start looking for work or face losing their benefits.
Councils are shying away from implementing the common assessment framework (CAF) because in some areas it has resulted in increased referrals to already beleagued care services it has emerged.
Ed Balls today signalled an end to intervention in Bradford and Hackney local authorities and has agreed they will now submit succession plans to drive forward improvements to the quality of education and services in the ...
Children who watch television late at night could be “more likely to develop depression,” The Daily Telegraph has claimed. The research behind this report has also been covered by several other newspapers, which say tha ...
Directors of children's and adults' services from across the UK gathered in Harrogate to discuss the key issues facing social care. Highlights are presented here by Community Care.
Herefordshire has become the first county in the UK to integrate its council and NHS IT services.
A drug used to treat cancer can stop contractions and may prevent premature labour, researchers say.
Children from the most deprived areas are four times more likely to be killed or injured on the roads than those from the least deprived areas, a report by MPs has found.
There will have to be radical change in the way public services are delivered if frontline services are to be protected, the chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) has said
More babies are being immunized against deadly diseases than ever before, yet without better funding and improved access, at least 24 million infants are left unprotected.
Charity Action for Children has told local government leaders to ensure services for disabled children reach those with the most complex needs.
This publication presents the latest information on vaccines and vaccination procedures for all the vaccine-preventable infectious diseases that may occur in the UK. In particular it deals with those immunisations that c ...
Contraceptive use among young people has increased slightly from last year, new figures show.
More than 11 million people in England will be offered it first
Many primary care trusts (PCTs) are failing to publish details of how much government cash is being spent on disabled children's services, it has been claimed.
The Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls has confirmed the appointment of Dr Maggie Atkinson as the new Children’s Commissioner.
Ed Balls and Michael Palin today launched a new programme to support teachers to help children who stammer and announced its roll out to schools across the country.
The Fatherhood Institute is inviting Children’s Centres and other family services to take part in the UK version of a groundbreaking American ante-natal peer support programme for dads-to-be.
Six young people stood before an overflowing room of people at UNICEF House to present their views on child participation. Getting adults to listen is their biggest challenge, they said, but these well-spoken activists b ...
The first episode of a Channel 4 series following eight- to 12-year-olds living "alone" in Cornwall breached the broadcasting code, according to the communications watchdog Ofcom.
Guidance on fabricated or induced illness (FII), formerly known as Münchausen syndrome by proxy, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health aims to boost doctors’ confidence in an area of practice that most f ...
One in three young people in the UK feels some emotional distress most of the time, according to a poll conducted by the NSPCC.
The Royal College of Nursing is today publishing results from its 2009 Employment Survey, which highlights how pressures on workload and staffing levels can impact on patient care.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
The Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls today announced the appointment of Jean Gross as England’s first Communication Champion.
Giving paracetamol to babies after routine vaccine jabs may lessen the effectiveness of the immunisation, according to BBC News. This 'Behind the headlines' article examines the evidence behind this report.
The Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls announced the appointment of Jean Gross as England’s first Communication Champion.
The appointment of a Communication Champion was a recommendation in the 2008 Bercow Report on servi ...
Thousands of teenagers had a total of 5,171 litres of alcohol confiscated in a summer crackdown on binge drinking.
Foetal kick charts, used to check a pregnancy's healthy progress, are inaccurate and should not be used, Irish researchers say.
Over 468,000 expectant mothers have claimed the new Health in Pregnancy Grant since its launch in April this year.
More than 23,000 children have reached a "good" stage of development after the first year of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), according to government figures.
New rules forcing local health services to reveal how many health visitors they employ will form the key plank of a strategy to address the profession's workforce crisis.
Sir Ian Kennedy today set out the areas he will consider in his review of NHS services for children, looking at how to build on recent progress and ensure lasting improvements in quality and outcomes for children.
New NCB Healthy Outlooks
newsletter: promoting the health and well-being of children and young people most in need
Several newspapers have reported on research into cot deaths, or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The Daily Telegraph and The Times report that half of cot deaths “happen when babies are sleeping with their parents”, ...
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has published information about the how the new Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) will affect people working with children and young people.
“Scientists prove cancer can be passed on in the womb,” reported The Guardian today. The newspaper said that in the first proven case of cancer cells crossing the placental barrier, a mother had passed on leukaemia to he ...
Action for Children has warned of an alarming rise in the number of child neglect cases in a survey released today.
Medical experts demand an urgent review of the Government policy of detaining children in immigration removal centres, after finding clear evidence indicating that detention is “harmful to children’s mental and physical ...
A total of 8,000 more health visitors need to be employed to avoid more tragedies like Baby P, a union has warned.
Expert witnesses in civil courts now have to include in their reports a statement confirming their awareness of all relevant court rules.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
In 2005 Bliss launched its original Baby Charter. This was the first time the rights of a premature or sick baby had been clearly set down. The charter has now been comprehensively revised and includes seven standards wh ...
More than one in 10 children's professionals have seen an increase in cases of suspected child neglect over the past year, but nearly one in five have had no training or information on what to do, a charity has warned.
Most obese children reject the idea of weight loss surgery, but need more support to lose weight naturally, a survey suggests.
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls is today writing to Ofsted to propose an end to the regulation of reciprocal childcare arrangements between friends.
Children and vulnerable adults are to be better protected from today with the start of the new vetting and barring scheme (VBS).
Britain's biggest supermarket chain has agreed to stop young people from buying high energy drinks in one of its stores because of concerns about the effect they have in the classroom.
The national roll-out of the children’s database ContactPoint is to go ahead from later this month, the government has announced.
Teenagers could be kept away from drink-fuelled violence and sex if parents gave them a weekly alcohol allowance, a study suggests.
A survey next year will assess the NHS’s delivery of choice in maternity care.
Training programmes run by the National Academy for Parenting Practitioners are failing to engage fathers, according to research seen exclusively by CYP Now.
The number of young people seeking treatment for heroin and crack cocaine addiction in England has fallen dramatically, annual figures suggest.
According to several newspapers, the inhaled drug Ventolin may not work for one in ten children with asthma.
Midwives and nurses who will return to work in the event of the worsening of the H1N1 influenza outbreak will have their re-registration fees paid by the Scottish government.
This monthly bulletin is designed to provide updates on activities that support the delivery of the Be Healthy outcome for children, young people and families through the Every Child Matters 'Change for Children' agenda. ...
The Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls has today written to the Chairman of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee to invite him to hold a pre-appointment hearing with Maggie Atkinson, who he has nominated to be ...
Pregnant women who eat a lot of liquorice could negatively affect their child's intelligence and behaviour, a study suggests.
Over one in ten children with asthma are taking inhalers that may do nothing for them, researchers believe.
This monthly bulletin is produced as a partnership venture between the National CAMHS Support Service (NCSS) and YoungMinds. It highlights the latest resources on Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
The children's social services department at Birmingham City Council is "patently not working" in an effective manner, an official inquiry has concluded.... The inquiry into the city's social services was commissioned af ...
Mums who express milk for feeding from a bottle should make sure it is given to baby at the same time it came from the breast, otherwise it could disrupt sleeping patterns,” the Daily Mail reported.
Lord Laming is to launch a training programme to prepare newly qualified social workers for child protection roles in Hertfordshire on Monday.
A vision that will allow nurses and midwives to transform the quality of care was set out today by the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery. Its ultimate goal is that all nursing and midwife ...
On Oct 14–18, Berlin will host the first World Health Summit. The prevention of adult chronic diseases through interventions in young children is one of the summit's key topics. Promotion of good nutrition in early life ...
Ofsted has drawn up a list of the best primary schools in England's most deprived communities to show others how to narrow the achievement gap between pupils from different backgrounds.
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has reduced the fee for Standard Disclosures.
A pathologist has confirmed that the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine did not cause the death of Natalie Morton, the schoolgirl from Coventry.
Early media speculation suggested the anti-cancer jab could be responsi ...
Several news sources report that British children are not getting enough exercise. According to BBC News, only one in eight young people in this country are getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day. ...
"Babies who are starved of oxygen at birth have a much lower risk of brain damage if they are given mild hypothermia,” reported BBC News. The website said research in more than 300 babies found that full-term babies that ...
“Lots of sweets makes kids thuggish adults,” said the Mirror today. The newspaper reports that research has found that more than two in three people (69%) with a violent record by the age of 34 had “scoffed confectionery ...
A girl who was vaccinated against cervical cancer died from a malignant tumour, an inquest hears.
Mothers who smoke in pregnancy put their children at greater risk of psychotic symptoms like hallucinations, a study suggests.
Plans for new laws to stop under 18s from using sunbeds and a ban on unstaffed tanning salons are unveiled in Wales.
A plan to create the UK's first £288m children's health park at Liverpool's Alder Hey hospital is being submitted.
Disagreement about the right way of measuring hospitals’ standardised mortality ratios is compromising “confidence in them and their effective use”, the NHS Information Centre has warned.
A girl who died shortly after being given a cervical cancer vaccine had a "serious underlying medical condition", an NHS Trust says.
Following tragic news of the death of a girl in Coventry yesterday, the Department of Health is working closely with the NHS, regulatory bodies, to thoroughly investigate the details of the case.
As a purely precautio ...
All 16- and 17-year-olds who cannot stay with families to receive supported housing by 2012 writes Mithran Samuel. Gordon Brown's pledge to place all 16 and 17-year-old parents who get taxpayer support in "supervised hom ...
Primary care trusts have been urged not to use the recession as an excuse to cut funding for sexual health services.
Sexual health clinics should start offering advice about safe drinking, according to a British Youth Council survey of young people.
The British Heart Foundation says only one in eight youngsters get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day.
Ofsted has been urged to adapt its plans for inspecting children's centres to ensure they meet the needs of the most vulnerable families in their community.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
Influential government advisers are calling for frank discussions on sexual pleasure to form a central part of a new teenage pregnancy strategy.
The Department of Health has proposed that quality accounts will not include any mandatory clinical or performance data.
This letter outlines the Department of Health's expectations of what the NHS will have achieved in maternity services by the end of 2009.
The MMR jab is "off the hook", The Guardian reported today, referring to controversial theories that the vaccination may be linked to autism. The newspaper said that new research shows that rates of autistic disorders ar ...
The number of premature births has risen significantly but survival rates for babies born early have also improved, a study has found.
The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is carrying out an audit to create the first accurate picture of qualifications in the early years workforce in England.
Latest autism figures should dispel any fears about the MMR jab being linked to the condition, say experts.
A new report launched today by the Local Wellbeing Project, Parenting and wellbeing: knitting families together argues that parenting support often fails because it ignores the wellbeing of parents themselves.
Happy p ...
The government must focus on families and parenting to tackle child poverty, according to Charlotte Pickles, senior policy adviser at conservative think-tank the Centre for Social Justice.
A survey shows that nearly a tenth of children under the age of twelve in Northern Ireland have tried cannabis.
A weekly ebulletin highlighting the latest news, events, reports, research and other resources relating to children, young people's and maternal health.
The Healthy Care Programme is supported by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and developed by the National Children’s Bureau. It is a practical means of improving the health and well-being of looked after ...
Children should be forced to wear helmets while cycling to reduce the number of deaths and serious head injuries on the roads, leading doctors say.
Ofsted has listed areas for priority action in three of five reports on unannounced inspections of local authority safeguarding services published this week.
Using the new Advanced Data Selector in the Data Atlas, you can create custom atlases (and tables or charts) using LAs/PCTs and indicators of your choice. You can now select and compare indicators from any theme and save ...
Psychiatrists call for urgent action to protect vulnerable young people from eating-disorder websites.
Schools Minister Vernon Coaker today launched a DVD for pupils and a new resource pack for schools to help them prevent and tackle bullying of young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities.
Hospital trusts are significantly increasing their maternity spending for the first time in several years, according to research by the Royal College of Midwives.
The Children's Society is holding workshops to demonstrate how local authorities can increase disabled children and young people's participation in planning services.