NEOS
The first NEOS conference took place in June, at the Bethany Christian Centre in Houghton-le-Spring. The event, organised by the team behind Spring Harvest and Youthwork the Conference, saw Gavin Calver and Rob Parsons speak to over 250 attendees at a one-day conference aimed at those working with children and young people.
OFSTED Call for e-safety
The new framework for Ofsted’s school inspections will require schools to teach e-safety in order to achieve a good or outstanding grade. This is part of an effort to ensure that schools keep up with the ever-changing digital world and recognise the importance of safe online behaviour.
Junk TV
Children’s television is ‘skewed’ towards unhealthy food, according to new research. While adverts for junk foods are restricted during kids TV, 48 per cent of appearances of food in these shows were ‘unhealthy’ foods, such as sweets or chocolate. The study from the University of Limerick also showed that a quarter of drinks shown were sugary. Prof Clodagh O’Gorman, from the University of Limerick, said: ‘We were startled by how much food there was and surprised at the type of food consistently represented. Programmes have teenagers after school going to a coffee shop or fast-food outlet, having lots of sugary or high-fat foods and they’re all thin and happy, and that’s not realistic.’
PM’s call to end FGM
Prime Minister David Cameron has called for female genital mutilation (FGM) to be stopped worldwide ‘within this generation’, while pressing for a similar end to forced child marriage. Cameron said that Britain has no ‘special magic’ to prevent the practice, and called for global action. Speaking at a global summit, the PM also unveiled measures to deal with FGM in England and Wales; one measure is that parents will face prosecution if they fail to stop their daughters having FGM.
Cost of child abuse revealed
A report from the NSPCC has estimated that child abuse ‘cost’ the UK £3.2bn in 2012. This cost comprises of health (including mental health), criminal justice services (including both the offenders and victims who later become involved with criminal activity), social care and loss of productivity to society. This figure remains an estimate as the NSPCC does not know exactly how many children in the UK experience sexual abuse.
Call for mandatory reporting of abuse
The CCPAS (Churches Children Protection Advisory Service) has called for the mandatory reporting of abuse to be made law, placing a legal obligation on those within organisations and churches to report known or suspected abuse to authorities. Simon Bass, CEO of CCPAS, said: ‘It is quite straightforward. The government needs to change the law as soon as practically possible to introduce mandatory reporting. Inquiries into abuse by celebrities and into practices in residential institutions show concerns were not reported. Mandatory reporting can be a catalyst to change the entire culture of safeguarding in this country.’
Michael Gove finishes education
Michael Gove has been moved out of his role as Education Secretary in a government reshuffle. The Conservative MP angered some teachers with the measures he brought in, such as a reported ban on US authors and books such as
To Kill a Mockingbird. The move, which was welcomed by many teaching unions, will see Gove become Chief Whip. Nicky Morgan MP will move from the Treasury to take Gove’s role as Education Secretary.
Everything is awesome
Lego has unveiled a new range of toys featuring, for the first time, a female scientist. The move follows a letter written by seven year-old Charlotte Benjamin to Lego which went viral. The letter said that while she loves Lego she noticed that ‘there are more Lego boy people and barely any Lego girls’. She continued: ‘All the girls did was sit at home, go to the beach and shop, and had no jobs,’ while the boy figures, ‘went on adventures, worked, saved people, and had jobs, even swam with sharks’. She ended by saying: ‘I want you to make more Lego girl people and let them go on adventures and have fun, ok!?!’
