General
News round-up
The latest news, advice and information on keeping your children safe
Children’s Charity Calls for support for asylum seekers
 |
An estimated 100,000 vulnerable children are condemned to a childhood of poverty, uncertainty and fear after being caught up in a UK asylum backlog that may not be cleared until 2011. According to “Like Any Other Child?”, a new report published by children’s charity Barnardo’s as part of its campaign to end child poverty in the UK, these vulnerable children frequently live in intolerably poor accommodation from which they are moved over and over again. Although their parents are often desperate to work and pay their way in the UK, the system does not allow this.
The children’s charity is calling for asylum seekers to be given the right to work, so they can lift their children out of poverty. New procedures introduced by the Home Office mean that from now on many more families arriving in the UK will, if their claim fails, be swiftly returned to their country of origin. But the asylum backlog needs to be dealt with urgently and Barnardo’s is calling for asylum seekers here for longer than six months to be given the right to work, so they can lift their children out of poverty.
The Barnardo’s report cites the appalling conditions experienced by asylum-seeking families in the UK who are awaiting decisions on their claims – in some cases for up to ten years. It highlights the shocking disadvantages asylum-seeking children are forced to endure, living in families with incomes significantly below, already modest, benefit levels; living in damp and unsafe housing; often suffering aggressive racial abuse and frequently having to change schools.
On top of that, asylum seekers also live with terrible uncertainty for years on end, which can create an unbearable environment for children. Some children face deportation to countries they can’t remember or might never have lived in. Barnardo’s Chief Executive, Martin Narey, says: “We do not oppose asylum policy and recognise that, under the new procedures, many families will be removed from the UK speedily.
“But for those whose cases have been languishing in the old system, often for years, there is a desperate need for a new approach and in particular a moral and economic case for allowing parents trapped in the backlog to work and support their children.”
Safety net for young runaways
 |
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Minister for Young People Kevin Brennan have outlined plans that will give a lifeline to the 86,000 children under 16 across England who run away each year. The Department for Children, Schools and Families asked The Children’s Society to look at current provision for young runaways and what more could be done to help them.
Research carried out by The Children’s Society revealed that most of the children who run away from home or care every year are fleeing family conflict, neglect and abuse, with girls aged 14 -15 the group most likely to run. Once these children run away, they are often forced to sleep rough or with strangers, and they are at greater risk of sexual exploitation, violence and drug taking. The police, voluntary sector and local children’s services all contributed what they believe should be in place to support runaways under 16.
In response, a new cross Government Working Group has been appointed to develop an action plan to drive forward the work on runaways and conduct a review of emergency accommodation provision. Steps have already been taken to help the Government tackle the issues of runaways head on. Ed Balls says: “One runaway is one too many and I am determined that every child should have a place where they can feel safe and cared for. That is why I am delighted to announce the creation of this cross-Government Working Group which will ensure that every young person has access to the help and support they need to not only safeguard those who run away, but where possible prevent them from leaving home in the first place.”
Is this love?
 |
A pocket sized, fold-out leaflet designed to help young people identify and protect against abusive behaviour has been launched by fpa (Family Planning Association). With illustrations and clear text, the leaflet looks at caring behaviour and controlling behaviour, and provides contact details of organisations that can help victims and perpetrators of abuse. For more information, visit: www.fpa.org.uk/products
Charity to protect children on TV |
The NSPCC is to set up a new body to protect children who appear on reality TV after a series of “irresponsible” parenting programmes. The charity will bring together experts to advise producers on how to make sure children are safe when making shows. It comes after a Channel 4 series included advice to parents to ignore a baby’s cries and children on a BBC show were left with inexperienced teenagers.
The NSPCC said it feared the rise in reality parenting TV was “harmful”. The society highlighted the recent Channel 4 series Bringing Up Baby, which used child rearing methods from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s advocated by three mentors. During the programme, which aired last year, one of the mentors advised parents to ignore the cries of their infant and resist cuddling them.
The programme generated 752 complaints from viewers, but was later cleared of wrongdoing by media watchdog Ofcom. At the time, Channel 4 said it took children’s welfare “very seriously” and the programme had been made in accordance with Ofcom’s broadcasting code. However, the NSPCC says it wants future programme makers to assure the public that the safety of the child is taken into consideration.
The charity says that it intends to write to professional nursing and medical associations to help set up the expert advisory group. Dame Mary Marsh, director and chief executive of the NSPCC, says: “The group would advise on the latest developments in childcare advice and psychology, ensuring that children’s rights and d evelopmental needs are the utmost priority at all times. “We need responsible broadcasting that is not at the expense of children’s wellbeing.”
Schemes needed to help kids experience risk
 |
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) is calling for a massive expansion in schemes that allow children to experience risk so that they will be better prepared for situations they face in later life. Currently, only about six per cent of primary school children visit a LASER (Learning About Safety By Experiencing Risk) scheme.
Errol Taylor, Deputy Chief Executive of RoSPA, says: “This is far too low. It means thousands of children miss the opportunity to learn how to face challenges successfully and lead more enjoyable lives.” There are about 200 safety schemes across the UK that fall under the general LASER banner. Some are permanent centres and others are annual events. The schemes use realistic settings, such as road, garden, railway and building site scenes, to stress the importance of children taking more personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others; understanding risks; and learning how to cope when faced with dangerous or difficult circumstances.
“Currently, the majority of primary school children do not have the chance to experience this way of learning through calculated risk-taking,” says Errol Taylor. “We need Government, local authorities and all groups with an interest in children’s education to help with funding and play their part in ensuring a greater provision of RoSPA-LASERaccredited schemes throughout the UK.”
For more information about LASER schemes, visit: www.lasersafety.org.uk
Action needed on child
poverty Urgent action is needed to counter child poverty in the UK, according to children’s charity Save the Children. “Growing up in poverty is the most significant barrier to social mobility and the government urgently needs to act to address the growing gap between rich and poor,” says Save the Children’s UK spokesperson Claire Walker. “As part of the campaign to End Child Poverty we are calling for a £4 billion investment to halve child poverty by 2010.”
Save the Children is also campaigning for seasonal grants in summer and at Christmas of £100 per child for the poorest families. This would relieve the pressure on the most vulnerable families at the times of year when they are under the most financial strain. Responding to the launch of David Blunkett MP’s major new pamphlet, The Inclusive Society? Social Mobility in 21st Century Britain, Ms Walker says: “Social mobility has stalled under this government, so David Blunkett’s new pamphlet on this issue is extremely timely. We support many of his proposals, including narrowing the gap of educational achievement and reform of the social fund.”
“But a person’s chances in life are defined during childhood. Without tackling underlying child poverty, social mobility will not improve, and we are well behind schedule. The government needs to invest £4 billion now in order to meet its target of halving child poverty by 2010.”
Broadband for all children
All of the UK’s six million children could have home broadband access under plans being drawn up by the government to improve education standards. More than one million children in the UK do not have access to a computer at home, according to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). It is aiming to make the provision of home IT as much a part of school as a uniform or sports kit The DCSF says it is in talks with BT, Microsoft and RM, among others, to create partnerships to bring these plans to fruition. The department is also putting pressure on suppliers to bring down the price of IT equipment to close the gap between children from different financial backgrounds.
The initiative, which is being led by schools minister Jim Knight, also includes parents having access to on-line updates of their children’s performance and behaviour. This is planned for secondary schools in 2009 with primary schools to follow a year later.
Hospital clown images “too scary”
Decorating children’s wards with paintings of clowns to create a caring atmosphere could backfire, research suggests. A University of Sheffield study of more than 250 children aged four to 16 found the images were widely disliked. Even some of the oldest children found the images scary. The researchers said the findings, reported in Nursing Standard magazine, highlighted the importance of consulting children in hospital design. Researcher Dr Penny Curtis says: “As adults we make assumptions about what works for children.
“We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable.” Dr Curtis stressed the importance of consulting with children – who like colourful spaces and references to contemporary culture – when designing or changing the hospital environment. She added that wards tended to be designed to meet only the needs of the youngest children. As a result, older children often felt hospital space was not for them, raising the risk that they would be passive and inactive.
 |
| DATES FOR YOUR DIARY | |
World Book Day Sport Relief Real Nappy Week Walk to School Week 2008 National School Grounds Week Food Safety Week |
National Bug Busting Days Child Safety Week Wrong Trousers Day Road Safety Week Anti-Bullying Week Universal Children’s Day |
Crisps ‘not a treat’ for children
Children’s diets are now so poor that more than two-thirds of them do not think fast food is a treat, British Heart Foundation (BHF) research suggests. A poll of 500 youngsters also found that 82% do not think of crisps as anything special. More than half do not consider sweets a treat. The charity wants the government to ban the marketing of what it describes as junk food to children. These messages were undermining what “normal” food was, it claims.
“The infestation of arteryclogging foods that make up our children’s everyday diets is putting their hearts and long-term health at risk,” says BHF Director of Prevention and Care, Dr Mike Knapton. Adverts for foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt are already banned during programmes that are aimed at the under-16 audience.
But the BHF wants all junk food ads banned before the 9pm watershed, which is when more children watch television. It also wants food and drink firms to reduce their internet presence, and stop putting messages aimed at children on packaging.
But The Food and Drink Federation, which represents the industry, says that when it comes to marketing, the UK already has some of the strictest rules in Europe.
 |
