A new book contained facts, figures and information about children and families in the United Kingdom. It covered topics such as health, poverty and social exclusion, homelessness, offending, child protection, care, and education.
Source: Claire Horton (ed.), Working with Children 2006-07, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Summary | NCH press release
Date: 2005-Dec
A report said that both local authority professionals and school staff members perceived that the national free fruit in schools initiative had been very successful.
Source: Andy MacGregor and Christine Sheehey, Evaluation of Free Fruit in Schools Initiative, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Date: 2005-Dec
The government announced (following consultation) changes to the inspection arrangements for services relating to children, young people and adult learners. The existing education inspectorate (Ofsted) would be enlarged to become the (provisionally named) Office for Standards in Education, Children s Services and Skills, bringing together the children/young people remits of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Court Administration, and Adult Learning Inspectorate.
Source: A Single Inspectorate for Children and Learners, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | Hansard | DfES press release | ALI press release
Date: 2005-Dec
An article examined the importance of using a gendered perspective to engage adequately with the causes and consequences of child maltreatment. It made recommendations for strengthening the gender analysis in the Green Paper on children s services in England.
Source: Brigid Daniel, Brid Featherstone, Carol-Ann Hooper and Jonathan Scourfield, 'Why gender matters for Every Child Matters': Subtitle, British Journal of Social Work, Volume 35 Number 8
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Dec
A report examined the needs of three groups of children not accorded the full protection of the Children Act 1989 - unaccompanied asylum-seeking children; disabled children at residential special schools; and children who were privately fostered or who lived with relatives other than their birth parents.
Source: Jenny Morris, Children on the Edge of Care: Human rights and the Children Act, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Date: 2005-Nov
A report examined the issue of female sex offenders. Offences committed by females could be difficult for child welfare professionals to identify, because they were sometimes carried out under the guise of childcare.
Source: Lisa Bunting, Females Who Sexually Offend Against Children, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (0207 825 2500)
Links: Summary | NSPCC press release
Date: 2005-Nov
A collection of essays examined ways of prioritizing the needs of children and young people in the design of neighbourhoods.
Source: Play, Participation and Potential: Putting young people at the heart of communities, Groundwork UK (0121 236 8565)
Links: Report | Groundwork press release
Date: 2005-Nov
An article examined the role of neighbourhood effects in childhood injury. It said that reducing inequalities in injury rates might be achieved more effectively by focusing prevention on families rather than neighbourhoods: but in practice interventions at both levels were likely to be necessary.
Source: Denise Kendrick, Caroline Mulvaney, Paul Burton and Michael Watson, 'Relationships between child, family and neighbourhood characteristics and childhood injury: a cohort study', Social Science & Medicine Volume 61, Issue 9
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that parents felt increasingly out of control of how their children were exposed to marketing messages, and were prepared to punish companies whose approaches they considered inappropriate.
Source: Responsible Marketing to Children: Exploring the impact on adults attitudes and behaviour, Business in the Community (0870 600 2482)
Links: Report | BiC press release
Date: 2005-Nov
A new book examined the contribution of play in childhood.
Source: Marjatta Kalliala, Play Culture in a Changing World, Open University Press (01280 823388)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Nov
A study examined children who had been identified as suffering from, or likely to suffer from, significant harm. It recommended that such children have access to a range of services on a long-term basis.
Source: Marian Brandon, June Thoburn, Sacha Rose and Pippa Belderson, Living with Significant Harm: A follow up study, Centre for Research on the Child and Family/University of East Anglia (01603 592057)
Date: 2005-Nov
An article examined trends in childhood obesity in England between 1974 and 2003, and assessed whether these related to parental social class and household income. Childhood obesity was increasing rapidly, and the increase was more marked among children from lower socio-economic strata. There was an urgent need for action to prevent a further increase in obesity among children.
Source: E. Stamatakis, P. Primatesta, S. Chinn, R. Rona and E. Falascheti, 'Overweight and obesity trends from 1974 to 2003 in English children: what is the role of socioeconomic factors?', Archives of Disease in Childhood, Volume 90 Number 10
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
A report said that the Children's Food Bill (a private member's Bill designed to restrict the promotion of junk food to children) was needed to improve children's current and future health, in view of the weakness and ineffectiveness of voluntary approaches over many years.
Source: Children s Food Bill: Why we need a new law, not more voluntary approaches, Sustain (020 7837 1228)
Links: Report (pdf) | Sustain press release
Date: 2005-Oct
A report presented the first findings from the Millennium Cohort Study (tracking almost 19,000 babies born in 2000 and 2001). 85 per cent of babies were born into families where both parents lived together. 22 per cent of babies were delivered by caesarean section. More than one-third of first-time mothers were over 30. The most common form of childcare for employed mothers was grandparents (45 per cent), followed by partners (31 per cent). Babies in minority ethnic groups were more likely to be breastfed, and less likely to have mothers who smoked, than white babies.
Source: Shirley Dex and Heather Joshi (eds.), Children of the 21st Century: From birth to nine months, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Oct
A report recommended redesigning school menus to reflect new minimum standards for food in schools, and to ensure pupils got essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Source: School Meals Review Panel, Turning the Tables: Transforming school food, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | DfES press release | BHF press release | CPAG press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Oct
A report examined possible reasons for the high rate of child road casualties in the United Kingdom relative to other European countries.
Source: Phil Bly, Kate Jones and Nicola Christie, Child Pedestrian Exposure and Accidents: Further analyses of data from a European comparative study, Road Safety Research Report 56, Department for Transport (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
A report criticized the absence of a national system for recording the disappearance of children.
Source: Every Five Minutes: A review of the available data on missing children in the UK, PACT (Parents and Abducted Children Together) (020 7627 3699)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Oct
A survey found that many parents did not report their missing
children to the police, and thousands of runaway children were being harmed on the streets.
Source: Gwyther Rees and Jenny Lee, Still Running II: Findings from the second national survey of young runaways, Children s Society (020 7841 4415)
Links: Report (pdf) | Children's Society press release
Date: 2005-Oct
An evaluation of the School Fruit and Vegetable pilot found that children ate significantly more fruit while participating in the scheme.
Source: Sandie Schagen et al., Evaluation of the School Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Scheme: Final report, Big Lottery Fund (020 7211 1800)
Links: Report (pdf) | NFER press release
Date: 2005-Sep
The government announced that it would ban 'junk food' from school canteens and vending machines in England by September 2006.
Source: Press release 28 September 2005, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: DfES press release | RCN press release
Date: 2005-Sep
A new book described innovative interventions designed to nurture children's health and welfare. It analyzed which types of programmes were most effective, and why.
Source: Jane Scott and Harriet Ward (eds.), Safeguarding and Promoting the Well-being of Children, Families and Communities, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (020 7833 2307)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Sep
3,221 people were killed on Britain's roads in 2004, 8 per cent fewer than in 2003.5 fewer children were killed, a fall of 3 per cent.
Source: Road Casualties Great Britain: 2004 annual report, Department for Transport (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report (pdf) | DT press release
Date: 2005-Sep
A pamphlet said that children were missing out on the thrill of exciting playground equipment, including high slides and roundabouts, because of safety fears based on myths.
Source: Rob Wheway, Urban myths about children's playgrounds, Child Accident Prevention Trust (020 7608 3828)
Links: Pamphlet (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Aug
A survey found that almost 40 per cent of children said that they did not play outside as much as they would like, with nearly 20 per cent playing outside for only an hour a week or less.
Source: Press release 3 August 2005, National Children s Bureau (020 7843 6029)
Links: NCB press release
Date: 2005-Aug
The second edition of a book examined the importance of play as a tool for learning and teaching.
Source: Janet Moyles (ed.), The Excellence of Play, Open University Press (01280 823388)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Aug
A survey report described the prevalence of mental disorders among children and young people in Great Britain aged 5-16 in 2004, and noted changes since the previous survey in 1999. In 2004, 1 in 10 of those concerned had a clinically recognizable mental disorder.
Source: Hazel Green, Aine McGinnity, Howard Meltzer, Tamsin Ford and Robert Goodman, Mental Health of Children and Young People in Great Britain, 2004, Office for National Statistics, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
An article evaluated criticisms of the principle in section 1 of the Children Act 1989 that the welfare of the child should be the courts' paramount consideration in resolving disputes over a child's upbringing. It said that these objections were not as strong as might at first appear.
Source: Jonathan Herring, 'Farewell welfare?', Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law, Volume 27 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jul
A study examined the views of over 100 children on the role that religion played in their lives.
Source: Greg Smith, Children's Perspectives on Believing and Belonging, National Children?s Bureau (020 7843 6029) for Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: JRF Findings 0375
Date: 2005-Jul
A report examined the issues affecting children with terminal conditions, and their families. The effect of these conditions on children was profound, especially if the condition was neurological. The lives of their families also became extremely stressful and complicated. Over half of mothers with a life-limited child had significant mental health problems.
Source: Iona Joy, Valuing Short Lives: Children with terminal conditions and their families, New Philanthropy Capital (0207 401 8080)
Links: Report (pdf) | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Jul
A report said that children's play opportunities could be constrained by education inspectors with limited or no understanding of play provision, especially where the providers were unable or too timid to articulate an understanding about play and the objectives of play provision.
Source: Bernard Spiegal, Promoting Positive Outcomes, Playlink (020 7720 2452)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A report said that volatile substance abuse was responsible for more deaths among children aged 10-16 than illegal drugs: yet the problem remained hidden owing to prejudice and a lack of public awareness.
Source: Simon Blake, Dangerous Highs, National Children?s Bureau (020 7843 6029) and ChildLine
Links: Summary | Young People Now report
Date: 2005-Jun
A private member's Bill was introduced to improve children?s current and future health, and prevent diseases and conditions (such as childhood obesity) linked to unhealthy diets.
Source: Mary Creagh MP, Children's Food Bill, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill (pdf) | RSPH press release | SUSTAIN briefing (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
A report on childhood obesity said that school meals should adhere to strict guidelines on sugar and fat content, all unhealthy food and drinks vending machines in schools should be banned, and there should be no junk food advertising or sponsorship.
Source: Preventing Childhood Obesity, British Medical Association (020 7387 4499)
Links: Report (pdf) | BMA press release
Date: 2005-Jun
The number of people killed on Britain's roads in 2004 was the lowest figure since records began in 1926. The number of children killed or seriously injured was 43 per cent below the baseline for a targeted 50 per cent reduction by 2010.
Source: Road Casualties Great Britain: Main results 2004, Transport Statistics Bulletin 05/26, Department for Transport (020 7944 3098)
Links: Bulletin (pdf) | DT press release (1) | DT press release (2)
Date: 2005-Jun
A report focused on children s health-related concerns about parents and significant others. It said that children with problems at home turned most often to friends: but many children felt unable to confide in anyone.
Source: Sharon Ogilvie-Whyte, Kathryn Backett-Milburn, Sarah Morton, Anne Houston and Alison Wales, Children s Concerns About the Health and Wellbeing of Parents and Significant Others, Centre for Research on Families and Relationships/University of Edinburgh (0131 651 1832) and ChildLine Scotland
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | University of Edinburgh press release
Date: 2005-May
A new book sought to explore sex offenders' perspectives of the way they were treated and managed.
Source: Kirsty Hudson, Offending Identities: Sex offenders' perspectives on their treatment and management, Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-May
A study examined the relationship between income and healthy behaviour over the generations, by studying the association between parental income and children s prevalence to smoke using data from the British Household Panel Survey and British Youth Survey.
Source: Laura Blow, Andrew Leicester and Frank Windmeijer, Parental Income and Children's Smoking Behaviour: Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey, Working Paper 05/10, Institute for Fiscal Studies (020 7291 4800)
Links: Working paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
An evaluation of government-funded projects working with young runaways found that a lack of accommodation for children aged 14-15 was a major obstacle to resolving their cases.
Source: Working with Young Runaways: An evaluation of 19 Young Runaways Projects 2003-2004, Children s Society (020 7841 4415)
Links: Young People Now report | Children Now report
Date: 2005-May
The government announced plans (in the Queen's speech) for a Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill. The Bill would (following the Bichard inquiry) prevent those who were deemed unsuitable to work with children and young people from doing so.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 17 May 2005, columns 29-31, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2005-May
A government report set out a national digital strategy. It included a scheme to give more secondary school pupils the opportunity to access computers at home, and new ways to fight against internet crime - including a new multi-agency child internet safety centre to protect children.
Source: Connecting the UK: The digital strategy, Strategy Unit/Cabinet Office (020 7276 1881) and Department of Trade and Industry
Links: Report (pdf) | DTI press release | Home Office press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
An independent evaluation report was published on a project (in Glasgow) to improve child health by a programme of early interventions. A significantly lower rate of depressive symptoms was found at 6 months for intervention mothers, but not at 18 months. There was no improvement in the quality of the home environment at 6 months, but some at 18 months.
Source: Mhairi Mackenzie, Jon Shute, Kathryn Berzins and Ken Judge, The Independent Evaluation of 'Starting Well': Final report, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Apr
Between 1995 and 2003, the prevalence of obesity among children aged 2-10 rose from 9.9 per cent to 13.7 per cent.
Source: Dhriti Jotangia, Alison Moody, Emmanuel Stamatakis and Heather Wardle, Obesity Among Children Under 11, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A think-tank pamphlet identified a "hidden army" of at least 175,000 school-age children who worked caring for family members.
Source: Young Carers, The Education Network (020 7554 2800)
Links: Pamphlet (pdf) | TEN press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A report examined what was meant by the 'best interests' of the child, in both private law and public law contexts. It discussed the ways in which judgements were necessarily affected by knowledge and by social understanding.
Source: Relative Values: The best interests of the child, Grandparents Association (01279 428040) and Children Law UK
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Mar
A report said that children who ran away from home were being forced into prostitution, drugs and crime to survive on the streets. It highlighted the dangerous survival strategies used by children as young as 9 who had run away from home for longer than four weeks. Some disappeared for years, while others never returned.
Source: Emilie Smeaton, Living on the Edge: The experiences of detached young runaways, Children s Society (020 7841 4415)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Children's Society press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
A new book provided an introduction to the key concepts, issues, policies and practices affecting child welfare, with particular emphasis on the changing nature of the relationship between child welfare and social policy.
Source: Harry Hendrick (ed.), Child Welfare and Social Policy: An essential reader, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Mar
A discussion paper attempted to build a picture of levels of confidence in Scotland. It included information on the impact of low confidence on children and young people. Low self-esteem was found to be a risk factor for adolescent eating disorders, teenage pregnancy, suicide and depression.
Source: Confidence in Scotland: A discussion paper, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Discussion paper
Date: 2005-Mar
A report drew together information on a wide range of indicators of the well-being of children - including their health, lifestyle, education, housing, care, and experiences of crime. There had been recent improvements in some areas of children s lives, but a significant deterioration in others. Educational attainment was higher, child poverty rates were declining steadily, and there were some signs that youth crime was decreasing. However, there was cause for concern in other areas. The United Kingdom continued to have the highest number of children in workless households in the European Union, school exclusions were increasing, and homelessness for families with children seemed to be going up. (The report updated and expanded the first edition published in 2002.)
Source: Jonathan Bradshaw and Emese Mayhew (eds.), The Well-being of Children in the UK (Second edition), Save the Children, available from NBN International (01752 202301)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Save the Children press release
Date: 2005-Mar
The Big Lottery Fund announced a new 155 million programme to support children s play facilities in England.
Source: Press release 30 March 2005, Big Lottery Fund (020 7211 1800)
Links: BLF press release | NCB press release
Date: 2005-Mar
An inspectorate report examined the effectiveness of child protection arrangements within the police service in England and Wales. All forces had an identified senior officer with specific strategic responsibility for child protection issues: but 41 per cent said that child protection was not included in their most recent policing plan.
Source: Keeping Safe, Staying Safe: Thematic inspection of the investigation and prevention of child abuse, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (01527 882000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Mar
A report said that the government needed to take urgent action to bring about a cultural change in the way society dealt with children who offended, in order to prevent a further rise in the number of children inappropriately ending up in prison.
Source: A Better Alternative: Reducing child imprisonment, National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (020 7582 6500)
Links: NACRO press release | Young People Now report | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Feb
A series of articles examined the impact on children of maternity leave and mothers' early returns to work - in terms of health, infant mortality, development outcomes, and early learning.
Source: Economic Journal, February 2005, Royal Economic Society (0117 983 9770)
Links: Articles (links)
Date: 2005-Feb
A report said that the idea that childhood obesity was at epidemic levels, and that it was rising exponentially, were no more than 'unsupported speculation'.
Source: Obesity and the Facts: An analysis of data from the Health Survey for England 2003, Social Issues Research Centre (01865 262255)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | HDA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Feb
A survey found that 1 in 3 (33 per cent) of social care workers (such as social workers, health visitors and school nurses) had been unsure how to act on concerns about a child outside of their professional life. Almost half (44 per cent) wanted better information as members of the public about how to report possible child protection concerns in the future.
Source: Barriers to Action, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (0207 825 2775) and Careandhealth magazine
Links: Report (pdf) | NSPCC press release
Date: 2005-Feb
A report said that there was an urgent need to rethink how play was provided for in public. It called for a more imaginative approach to the creation of play spaces and public space, one founded on understanding the needs and wishes of children.
Source: Sandra Melville, Places for Play, Playlink (020 7720 2452)
Links: Children Now report
Date: 2005-Feb
The government announced that new minimum health specifications for processed foods - such as beefburgers, sausages and cakes - would be introduced in schools from September 2005, in order to reduce their fat, salt and sugar contents - ahead of the introduction of tougher standards for school meals in 2006.
Source: Press release 10 February 2005, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: DfES press release | CPAG press release | NCH press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Feb
A new book provided an account of the nature and extent of sex crime and offending, and the policies and legislative actions taken to combat it.
Source: Terry Thomas, Sex Crime: Sex offending and society (second edition), Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Feb
The government said it had scrapped plans to introduce a registration scheme for all those working with children, because it would be 'prohibitively costly and impractical to implement'. (The database was one of 31 recommendations made in the Bichard report into the failures surrounding the Soham murders case.)
Source: Bichard Inquiry Recommendations: Progress report, Home Office (0870 000 1585) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 11 January 2005, columns 11-12WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Progress report (pdf) | Bichard report (pdf) | Hansard | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jan
A study identified problems that prevented paediatricians, pathologists, police and other professionals from working together to conduct improved investigations when a baby died suddenly and unexpectedly.
Source: Anne Livesey, 'A multi-agency protocol for responding to sudden unexpected death in infancy: descriptive study', British Medical Journal, 29 January 2005
Links: Article | FSID press release
Date: 2005-Jan
A survey found that risk factors were significantly related to problem behaviour among children aged 4-12, and that multiple interventions with young people and their families were likely to impact positively in reducing risk and the likelihood of offending.
Source: Derrick Armstrong et al., Children, Risk and Crime: The On Track Youth Lifestyles Surveys, Research Study 278, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A report said that deprivation was a factor impacting on a range of health issues among children in Scotland - such as teenage pregnancy, and the number of children admitted to hospital for unintentional injury, asthma, and diabetes.
Source: Health Indicators Report: A Focus on Children, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (0131 623 4300)
Links: Report (pdf) | QIS press release
Date: 2005-Jan
A survey found that parents were more worried about sex, drugs, smoking, strangers and bullying than about alcohol misuse by their own children. A significant number of parents questioned the need for specific education about alcohol.
Source: Research Works Limited, Mind the Gap: Alcohol education and the role of parents, Portman Group (020 7907 3700)
Links: Report (pdf) | Portman Group press release
Date: 2005-Jan
Researchers described early evidence from a national evaluation of the Children s Fund. They said that the Fund had been a major player in initiating cultural change in the development of preventative services in some areas, developing more responsive practice and extending collaborative working.
Source: National Evaluation of the Children s Fund, Prevention and Early Intervention in the Social Inclusion of Children and Young People, Research Report 603, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
The government responded to an official review of children's play. It acknowledged how important play was to young people's development, and stated that it expected 200 million of national lottery money to be spent on new and improved play opportunities. But a children s organization expressed disappointment that the money would not be ring-fenced for children s play.
Source: Press release 20 January 2005, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (020 7211 6200) | Press release 20 January 2005, National Children s Bureau (020 7843 6029)
Links: DCMS press release | Text of letter and response (pdf) | NCB press release (1) | NCB press release (2)
Date: 2005-Jan
A report looked at some of the most difficult issues that continued to face the children with whom the Barnardo s charity worked - including sexual exploitation, poverty, crime, disability, drugs and alcohol, and mental health problems - and compared the situation with that a hundred years previously when the charity was founded.
Source: Then and Now, Barnardo s (01268 520224)
Links: Report (pdf) | Barnardo's press release (1) | Barnardo's press release (2) | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Jan