A literature review summarised published information, recent research and unpublished work on the promotion of emotional and mental wellbeing in young people; and on positive interventions for young people within the school context, primarily between the ages of 12 and 18.
Source: Lynne Edwards, Promoting Young People's Wellbeing: Review of research on emotional health, Research Report 115, SCRE Centre/University of Glasgow, available from Reports Express (01904 431213)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
A report on adolescent health examined nutrition, exercise and obesity; smoking, drinking and drug use; mental health; and sexual health. It outlined some of the ways in which problems in these areas could be tackled. It called on the government to invest in services that specifically targeted the health needs of adolescents.
Source: Adolescent Health, British Medical Association (020 7383 6244)
Links: Report (pdf) | BMA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Dec
The Northern Ireland Executive published a progress report on the development of a ten-year strategy for children and young people. Ten task groups were proposed, grouped under the three themes of the United Nations convention on children's rights; participation; and protection and provision.
Source: The Next Step: Developing a Strategy for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland - Working paper on the emerging strategy, Children and Young People s Unit/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIE press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A report looked at the multiple identities of young lesbians, gay men and bisexual people in Northern Ireland, and at how these affected their access to healthcare. The young people concerned were often exposed to prejudice and to physical and emotional violence, and were made to feel 'invisible and isolated'.
Source: Christine Loudes, Learning to Grow Up: Multiple identities of young lesbians, gay men and bisexual people in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (028 9024 3987)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
A study mapped all discharges of young people under 19 from healthcare settings, and examined their experiences of long-term healthcare.
Source: Kirsten Stalker, John Carpenter, Rena Phillips, Clare Connors, Charlotte MacDonald and Janet Eyre, Care and Treatment? Supporting children with complex needs in healthcare settings, Pavilion Publishing (01273 623 222) for Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: JRF Findings 633
Date: 2003-Jun
A report said that school nurses played an increasingly active and important role in health promotion work with young people but that the service was becoming over-stretched. The report was based on research carried out with around 3,000 pupils in England, who were asked about their health needs and where they would turn for help and advice. School nursing managers and practitioners were also interviewed.
Source: Nicola Madge and Anita Franklin, Change, Challenge and School Nursing, National Children s Bureau (020 7843 6029)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Jun
A report evaluated the effectiveness of a range of initiatives to prevent homelessness among young people. Young people responded best to services specifically designed for them. Flexible services, where young people could access support on a range of issues under one roof, were also found to be effective.
Source: Greater London Authority, Preventing Youth Homelessness, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 3000)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Jun
A follow-up to a 1999 study of the mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain found that the persistence and onset of child mental disorders were linked to child, family, household and social characteristics. Some 25 per cent of children who had an emotional disorder when first interviewed, and 43 per cent of those with a conduct disorder, were also assessed as having a similar disorder three years later. The persistence of emotional disorders was particularly linked with mothers' poor mental health, whereas the persistence of conduct disorders was associated with the child having special educational needs, being frequently shouted at, and mothers' poor mental health.
Source: Howard Meltzer, Rebecca Gatward, Tania Corbin, Robert Goodman and Tamsin Ford, Persistence, Onset, Risk Factors and Outcomes of Childhood Mental Disorders, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jun
A report said that the views and needs of young people should be taken into account at all stages of the planning and delivery of health services for adolescents; and that health strategies should address the particular needs of adolescents, especially in relation to sexual health, substance abuse, mental health and accident prevention.
Source: Intercollegiate Working Party On Adolescent Health, Bridging the Gaps: Health care for adolescents, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (020 7307 5600)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jun
Research examined the experiences of young people aged 16-25 who had experienced physical and sexual abuse either in local authority care or within their families. It was found that, although some had been helped to overcome their childhood experiences, many professionals (such as doctors, teachers and social workers) repeatedly failed to offer them the help they needed.
Source: Bob Broad and Maddy Monaghan, Talking Sense: Messages from young people facing social exclusion about their health and well being, Children s Society (020 7841 4415)
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-May
A report argued that the government needed to do more to support parents of troublesome teenagers. It said that family policy focused too heavily on the issues of raising younger children, at the expense of the challenge presented by adolescents.
Source: Amanda Allard, The End of My Tether, NCH (020 7704 7000)
Links: Report (pdf) | NCH press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Apr
A report described a project which looked at the backgrounds of 55 young women aged 13-18 at risk of, or experiencing, sexual exploitation and/or prostitution. It was found that education services could lead in identifying young women at risk of sexual exploitation: but that support was needed from other social work professionals and local drug and domestic violence project workers.
Source: Jenny Pearce with Mary Williams and Christina Galvin, It s Someone Taking a Part of you : Study of young women and sexual exploitation, National Children's Bureau (020 7843 6029) for Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: JRF Findings 513 | NSPCC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Apr
Research found that 10 per cent of teenagers aged 15-16 have deliberately harmed themselves at some stage.
Source: Youth and Self harm: Perspectives, Centre for Suicide Research/University of Oxford, available from Samaritans (020 8394 8300)
Links: Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Mar
The government announced that, following consultation, care homes which existed before 1 April 2002 would no longer be required to make changes to meet some of the physical environmental standards which came into force on that date. Higher standards would still apply to new care homes. Campaigners expressed 'extreme disappointment' at the moves.
Source: Care Homes for Older People: National Minimum Standards, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Care Homes for Adults (18-65) and Supplementary Standards for Care Homes Accommodating Young People Aged 16 and 17: National Minimum Standards, Department of Health, TSO | The Care Homes Regulations 2001 (updated), Department of Health, TSO | Press release 18.2.03, Department of Health (020 7210 4850) | Press release 18.2.03, Age Concern England (020 8765 7200)
Links: Standards (Homes for Older People) (pdf) | Updated regulations (pdf) | DH press release | Age Concern press release | NCSC press release
Date: 2003-Feb
A survey found that seven out of ten young people questioned in England consider themselves to be a sporty type of person and like to participate in sport or exercise - averaging 8.1 hours a week in 2002 outside school lessons, compared with 7.5 hours in 1999 (the previous survey). But the proportion not taking part in any sport during school time increased from 15 per cent in 1994 to 18 per cent in 2002.
Source: Young People and Sport in England 2002: Trends in participation 1994-2002, Sport England (020 7273 1500)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Feb