A report said that statutory agencies, such as national health and education services, are failing to identify those vulnerable children and young people who are being sexually exploited in their communities.
Source: Julie Taylor-Browne, More than one Chance! Young people involved in prostitution speak out, ECPAT UK (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) (020 7501 8927)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Dec
A report called on the Churches to recognise the ways in which their institutional life has silenced those who have been abused, and protected those who have abused. It considered issues relating to the pastoral care of those who have been sexually abused, training and screening of clergy, and rehabilitation of sex offenders in ways that protect children and vulnerable adults.
Source: Time for Action: Sexual abuse, the Churches and a new dawn for survivors, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (020 7898 1300)
Links: Press release | Guardian report
Date: 2002-Dec
A consultation exercise began on a proposed nationwide programme to create and improve play opportunities for children and young people aged 16 and under, funded by the New Opportunities Fund with proceeds from the national lottery.
Source: Lottery Funding for Children s Play, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (020 7211 6185) and five other organisations
Links: Consultation Document (Word file)
Date: 2002-Dec
The full report was published of a study of home supervision of children in Scotland who have appeared at children's hearings.
Source: Cathy Murray, Christine Hallett, Neil McMillan and June Watson, Children (Scotland) Act 1995: Home Supervision, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2002-Dec
Full results were published from a survey of drug misuse, smoking and drinking among secondary schoolchildren aged 11-15 in England. In 2001, 29 per cent of pupils reported that they had ever tried one or more drugs. Although it was not possible to compare this figure with previous survey results in the series (due to changes in the structure and wording of questions), the authors said the survey responses suggest that the increase in drug taking reported between 1998 and 2000 probably continued into 2001.
Source: Richard Boreham and Andrew Shaw (eds.), Drug Use, Smoking and Drinking among Young People in England in 2001, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | DH press release | Guardian analysis
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 30/3, Digest 119, paragraph 6.4
Date: 2002-Dec
A think-tank pamphlet called on the government to introduce a public health strategy for children. The report called for a ban on the advertising of confectionery and fizzy drinks targeted at children, and said the government should issue recommended daily menus to parents.
Source: Howard Stoate MP and Bryan Jones, All's Well that Starts Well: Strategy for Children's Health, Fabian Society (020 7227 4900)
Links: Press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/1, Digest 121, paragraph 2.3
Date: 2002-Dec
The Northern Ireland Executive published a draft strategy for the protection of children, combining the responsibilities of social services, health, education, police, probation and housing agencies.
Source: Co-operating to Safeguard Children, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Draft report (pdf)
Date: 2002-Dec
From April 2003, new age ratings and symbols on computer and video games will indicate to parents, shoppers and online consumers whether they are suitable for a specific age group. A pan-European system will replace the current voluntary age rating procedure in the United Kingdom.
Source: The Observer, 29.12.02
Links: Observer report
Date: 2002-Dec
An independent inquiry into the killing of Ainlee Labonte, a child aged two, found that health and social workers in east London who should have protected her were 'paralysed by fear' of her abusing parents.
Source: Helen Kenward, Ainlee - Born: 24.06.1999 : Died: 07.01.2002, Chapter 8 Review, Newham Area Child Protection Committee/London Borough of Newham (020 8430 2000)
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2002-Dec
A report reviewed recent research findings in relation to children and young people who go missing from where they usually live, and highlighted the implications for policy and practice responses.
Source: Nina Biehal and Jim Wade, Children who go Missing - Research, Policy and Practice, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2002-Nov
An article reviewed the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or treat childhood obesity.
Source: 'The prevention and treatment of childhood obesity', Effective Health Care, Volume 7 Number 6, NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination/University of York (01904 433648)
Links: Report (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 2.5
Date: 2002-Nov
Failings in child protection services in Scotland
An official report found that half of children at risk of abuse or neglect in Scotland are not being adequately protected or cared for.
Source: 'It s everyone s job to make sure I m alright': Report of the Child Protection Audit and Review, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report | Press release | Community Care article
Date: 2002-Nov
A report highlighted the extreme distress suffered by children and their families when there are mental health problems, and reported on the work of an information and advice service designed to help people in such situations.
Source: Working to Alleviate the Distress of Children and Families with Mental Health Problems, YoungMinds (020 7336 8445)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release | Community Care article
Date: 2002-Oct
An advisory group recommended measures to promote swimming by children, including a 'charter for swimming' with a strong emphasis on local strategies. The government said that it accepted the main recommendations and announced a package of measures.
Source: Swimming Advisory Group, Report of Swimming Advisory Group, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | Press release 17.10.02, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Summary and Government response (Word file) | Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
Food additives can cause behaviour changes in toddlers, even in those who have no history of hyperactivity, a study reportedly found. A study by the Asthma & Allergy Research Centre concluded that all children could benefit from the removal of specified artificial food colourings from their diet.
Source: The Food Magazine, 25.10.02, Food Commission (020 7837 2250)
Links: Article
Date: 2002-Oct
A paper reviewed the literature on the nature of childhood bereavement. It said the effects of bereavement need to be made explicit within health services coming into contact with children experiencing loss, in order to identify those children who may benefit from interventions.
Source: K. Lowton and I. Higginson, Early Bereavement: What Factors Influence Children s Responses to Death?, National Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services (020 7520 8299)
Links: NHCSPCS publications page
Date: 2002-Oct
A study found that a programme in central Scotland has had a positive impact on offending and anti-social behaviour among vulnerable children, as well as on their physical health, parental management and support, school attainment and behaviour at school.
Source: Gill McIvor with Kristina Moodie, Evaluation of the Matrix Project, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2002-Oct
The government said that it will produce a Green Paper on children at risk, which will consider measures to reduce levels of educational under-achievement, offending, anti-social behaviour, teenage pregnancy, and ill health.
Source: Press release 30.10.02, Cabinet Office (020 7261 8527)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
The government announced that all registered sex offenders will be made to attend a police station in person every twelve months to confirm their personal details, regardless of whether their details have altered.
Source: Press release 2.10.02, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
A paper examined the causes of childhood accidents, and the implications for preventative policies in areas such as social deprivation, road safety and safety education.
Source: Elizabeth Towner, The Prevention of Childhood Injury: Background Paper for the Accidental Injury Task Force, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Task Force Report (pdf)
Date: 2002-Oct
A report said that libraries need to market themselves more aggressively to children if they are going to compete with television, videos and computer games.
Source: Start with the Child: Report of the CILIP Working Group on library provision for children and young people, Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (020 7255 0500)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | Press release
Date: 2002-Oct
The first of a series of three-yearly reports examined how well official agencies protect children from the risks of harm caused to them by parents, carers or professionals, as well as by other children, young people and people who are known to present a high risk. It was found that the priority given to safeguarding children has not been reflected firmly, coherently or consistently enough in service planning and resource allocation nationally or locally across all agencies.
Source: Safeguarding Children: The Joint Chief Inspectors' Report on Arrangements to Safeguard Children, Social Services Inspectorate/Department of Health (08701 555455) and seven other inspectorates
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | DH press release | Community Care article
Date: 2002-Oct
A report described effective strategies in health, education and social work for helping children cope with transition and change, through the promotion of resilience.
Source: Tony Newman, Promoting Resilience: A Review of Effective Strategies for Child Care Services, Centre for Evidence Based Social Services/University of Exeter (01392 262865) and Barnardo's
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2002-Oct
An article argued that food and drink advertising targeted at children is contributing to an epidemic of obesity. But a think-tank pamphlet said that learning to handle advertising is part of children's education, and that children should not be protected from it by increased regulation.
Source: Faith McLellan, 'Marketing and advertising: harmful to children s health', The Lancet 28.9.02 (020 7424 4910) | Adrian Furnham, Growing Up With Advertising, Social Affairs Unit (020 7637 4356)
Links: Lancet | Independent article
Date: 2002-Sep
A research report on childhood disability provided a baseline measurement of the response of key public services in Northern Ireland to disabled children and their families.
Source: Marina Monteith, Eithne McLaughlin, Sharon Milner and Linda Hamilton, 'Is Anyone Listening?': Childhood Disability and Public Services in Northern Ireland, Barnardo's Northern Ireland (028 9067 2366)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Sep
Researchers found that the increase in the quantity of children s programming on television is largely made up of repeats and imports.
Source: Jamie Cowling and Kirsty Lee, They have been Watching - Children s TV 1952-2002, Institute for Public Policy Research, available from Central Books (0845 458 9911)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Sep
Researchers in Scotland found evidence of increased anxiety on the part of parents about their ability to discipline their children, together with a greater sense of being held to account for their behaviour.
Source: Simon Anderson and Lorraine Murray, Disciplining Children: Research with Parents in Scotland, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 5.2
Date: 2002-Sep
A report revealed the extent to which people in respected positions within the sport of swimming have used their authority to abuse children and young people in their care without interruption, often for many years.
Source: In at the Deep End, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (020 7825 2775)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Sep
From 2003, local authorities, the health service, the police and key criminal justice agencies will be required to agree 'local preventive strategies' covering children at risk.
Source: Press release 6.9.02, Children and Young Person's Unit/Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Press release (Word file)
Date: 2002-Sep
A charity called for four specific new criminal offences to be created, in order to combat child prostitution.
Source: Stolen Childhood, Barnardo s (01268 520224)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2002-Sep
A report set out a strategic framework for children s services, designed to involve children and their families more in the organisation of services and ensure that agencies work in partnership to meet their needs.
Source: Serving Children Well - A New Vision for Young People s Services, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000), NHS Confederation and Association of Directors of Social Services
Links: Report (pdf) | LGA press release
Date: 2002-Aug
The government announced that local systems to identify, track and refer children at risk (for example, of offending, drug taking and teenage pregnancy) would be put in place across the country in the course of the following year.
Source: Press release 16 August 2002, Children and Young Person's Unit/Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Press release (pdf)
Date: 2002-Aug
Information was published on drug misuse among young people under 25. Among those aged 11-15 in England in 2001, 20 per cent reported using drugs in the last year; among those aged 16-24 in England and Wales in 2000, 29 per cent reported doing so.
Source: Press release 25 July 2002, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: DH press release
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/2, Digest 122, paragraph 6.6
Date: 2002-Jul
The first in a new series of official reports examined children's social circumstances, education, health and lifestyle. About 20 per cent of children in Britain lived in a lone parent family in 2001, compared with 12 per cent 20 years earlier.
Source: Social Focus in Brief: Children, 2002, Office for National Statistics (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release
Date: 2002-Jul
A committee of MSPs backed the establishment of a Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland.
Source: Report on Proposed Commissioner for Children and Young People Bill, 11th Report 2002, SP Paper 617, Scottish Parliament Education, Culture and Sport Committee, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/4, Digest 124, paragraph 5.2
Date: 2002-Jul
A cross-cutting review of children at risk (under the 2002 Spending Review) found that, despite significant investment in children's services, most initiatives fail to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged. It found that local schemes to help children were poorly developed, and there was no overall strategy to pull these services together to ensure that young people receive appropriate support.
Source: Opportunity and Security for All: Investing in an Enterprising, Fairer Britain: New Public Spending Plans 2003-2006, White Paper Cm 5570, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: White Paper | Press release | Hansard
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/1, Digest 121, paragraph 5.3
Date: 2002-Jul
Researchers found that self-injury is often used by young people as a way of relieving emotional distress and preventing suicide.
Source: Paul Bywaters and Alison Rolfe, Look Beyond the Scars: Understanding and Responding to Self-Injury and Self-Harm, NCH (0845 7626579)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2002-Jul
A government report reviewed action taken to protect children from harm, and to improve the life chances of vulnerable children.
Source: The Children Act Report 2001, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/2, Digest 122, paragraph 5.3
Date: 2002-Jul
A report said that Asian runaway children were at more risk of violence and abuse than others, because support services did not understand their needs.
Source: Shamin Akhtar, No One's Asked Us Before: Evaluation of current systems for dealing with Asian young people who run away, Children's Society (020 7841 4415)
Links: Report (pdf)
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123 (paragraph 5.2)
Date: 2002-May