| Resources to support local authorities with commissioning services for those aged 0-19 years PHE has published a number of resources to support local authorities with commissioning services for those aged 0-19 years: - The Best Start in Life return on investment (ROI) tool is an interactive Excel sheet which pulls together the best economic evidence available on public health interventions aimed at young children (0-5 years), and/or pregnant women. Specifically included interventions look to increase breastfeeding uptake and prevent or treat postnatal depression. The ROI tool is accompanied by a user guide.
- The commissioning guidance is a refresh of the current guidance that PHE provides (working alongside partners including the Local Government Association) to support local authorities in commissioning the Healthy Child Programme for 0-19 years. This suite of documents replaces the existing document and includes the latest policy and guidance.
Child health profiles updated PHE has updated the Child Health Profiles interactive tool which present data across 32 key health indicators of child health and wellbeing. The profiles provide an overview of child health and wellbeing for each local authority and CCG in England and are designed to help local organisations understand the health needs of their community and work in partnership to improve health in their local area. Due to delays in receipt of data from third party suppliers, the pdf profile reports for local authorities will receive their annual update at a later date (provisionally in June 2018). We have also published the results of the latest child health profiles user survey. New report looks at creating national indicators for child development outcomes PHE has published findings from work looking to create child development outcomes indicators. The report looks at how data health visitors collect from their use of the ASQ-3 as part of the Healthy Child Programme development review might be used to create indicators at a national level as part of the Public Health Outcomes Framework. A blog has been published alongside the report which summarises the opportunities for such indicators to inform the planning of early years services. PLEASE NOTE, THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE SENT ON 29 MARCH FOLLOWED BY AN UPDATE ON 19 APRIL RESUMING OUR NORMAL SCHEDULE. This eBulletin includes links to content from a range of different organisations. We do not accept responsibility for the availability, reliability or content of the items included in this eBulletin and do not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.
National child measurement programme operational guidance (Public Health England) Guidance for local commissioners, providers and schools on running the national child measurement programme (NCMP). Local transformation plan toolkit: guidance on how to design and deliver mental health services for children who have been abused (NSPCC) The toolkit and guidance follows the annual analysis of local transformation plans looking at how the needs of these children and young people are considered in the commissioning of services. The toolkit aims to help commissioners and other stakeholders understand how their plans can better meet the mental health needs of children and young people who have been abused. Key criteria and best practice themes include: recognising that some groups of children are more vulnerable to mental health problems than the wider population, including children who have been abused and children in care; carrying out a needs analysis of vulnerable groups using a range of sources; providing evidence-based services for vulnerable groups. Safe sleeping – supporting parents. (Public Health England) Blog report from Wendy Nicholson, Nursing Lead for Children, Young People and Families at Public Health England, about helping parents ensure their baby sleeps well and is safe. PHE have teamed up with Lullaby Trust to develop guidance to help new and expectant parents make safer choices when deciding on sleeping products for their baby. The guidance can be downloaded here https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/about-us/safer-sleep-week-2018/ . It aims to provide parents with some key pieces of advice when choosing sleeping products. Alternative provision innovation fund (Department for Education) Funding to deliver projects to improve outcomes for children in alternative provision. The Alternative Provision Innovation Fund is a £4 million grant funding programme launched to support innovative practices that will deliver better outcomes for children in alternative provision. Updated screening standards for Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes (Public Health England) PHE screening blog post which covers recent changes to updated screening standards for the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme. Indecent images of children: guidance for young people (Home Office) This guidance aims to help young people understand the law on making or sharing indecent images of children.
The Home Office have also produced a supporter pack to help educate young men on the law relating to indecent images of children online. To better protect potential victims and reduce demand on the criminal justice system, the campaign aims to prevent offending before it occurs and disrupt the escalation of harmful offending behaviour. The supporter pack includes more information about the campaign and materials you can use such as videos, posters, infographics and social media messages. Mentally Healthy Schools website available nationwide (Place2Be) The Mentally Healthy Schools website, a landmark project from Heads Together to help schools better support children's mental wellbeing, is now available nationwide. Mentally Healthy Schools is a free and easy-to-use website for primary schools, offering teachers, school leaders and school staff across the UK reliable and practical resources to help them support the mental health of their pupils. Created by Heads Together partners Place2Be, the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families and YoungMinds, the site will provide over 600 free, easy-to-use lesson plans, activities, assemblies and more. More info on the aims of the site from the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families here. New booklet empowers young people to understand normal vulva appearance (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology) A new resource aimed at educating young people on normal female anatomy – specifically vulva appearance – has been launched by RCOG/BritSPAG. The resource consists of a booklet titled 'So what is a vulva anyway?' and has been developed in response to an increasing number of girls and women with cosmetic genital concerns requesting surgery despite having normal anatomy. Healthy child programme 0 to 19: health visitor and school nurse commissioning (Public Health England) This service specification is for local authorities commissioning health visitors and school nurses, for public health services for children aged 0 to 19. The guidance from PHE has been republished to reflect new evidence and guidance to support local authorities commissioning 'public health services for children and young people' and in particular delivering the healthy child programme 0 to 5 and 5 to 19. It focuses on the contribution of health visiting and school nursing services leading and co-ordinating the delivery of public health for children aged 0 to 19. The healthy child programme aims to bring together health, education and other main partners to deliver an effective programme for prevention and support. Best start in life: cost-effective commissioning (Public Health England) A tool to help local commissioners provide cost-effective interventions for children aged up to 5 and pregnant women. Domestic violence and abuse (Home Office) Find out about domestic violence and abuse, coercive control, disclosure scheme, protection notices, domestic homicide reviews and advisers. This guidance is offered to coincide with the Domestic Abuse Bill consultation which is now open. Details and how to contribute are available on the consultation page.
The Home Office and Ministry of Justice have also made available social media infographics and animations to encourage engagement with the Domestic Abuse Bill consultation and raise awareness of domestic abuse. Graphic 3 concerns children.
Doctors launch 'game-changing' new eLearning tool to help identify muscle degenerative disorders (Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health) The new eLearning resource, launched by RCPCH, aims to equip health professionals with the information to identify conditions such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy at the earliest opportunity. This will allow treatment to begin much earlier which will in turn, enhance mobility, prolong life and allow family members to be tested to assess the risk of passing the condition on to future generations. Go to RCPCH Compass Online Learning Tool - learn the signs and help improve the quality of a child's life today Doctors say this new resource, aimed at health visitors, GPs, nurses and physiotherapists will void the gap of knowledge that currently exists and will finally enable awareness to catch up with the science. Review of children in need (Department for Education) How the government is reviewing support for children in need in order to support them and improve their outcomes. School exclusions review: terms of reference (Department for Education) Terms of reference for a review of exclusions from school. The terms of reference sets out the objectives and scope for review of exclusion from school, led by Edward Timpson CBE. A report will be available by the end of 2018. School exclusion is when headteachers exclude pupils for a fixed period or permanently for disciplinary reasons. Information and guidance on school exclusions is also available. Creating opportunity for all: our vision for alternative provision (Department for Education) Setting out the government's vision for alternative provision (AP) and outlining reforms to raise standards and improve outcomes for all children in AP. New research by the RCPCH and Nuffield Trust reveals UK lagging behind peers on child health (Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health and the Nuffield Trust) The International comparisons of health and wellbeing in early childhood report is based on analysis of 16 child health measures in 14 OECD countries between the early 2000s and the last year for which data are comparable. It concludes that despite some progress in recent decades, the UK remains a long way short of its stated ambition to be an international leader in fostering a healthy start for children. NCT response: NCT responds to low UK breastfeeding rates report Turning the tide: five years on (Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health) The RCPCH Commission for Child Health Research explored how to build on work that had already been done to establish the importance of child health research. The Commission aimed to detail key recommendations to promote child health research in all relevant sectors, including academia, government, medical research charities and most importantly the public and patients. Five years on, RCPCH have published an updated report, focusing on developments and changes to the UK research landscape and areas where more work needs to be done. Find out more and download Turning the Tide: five years on. Are we listening? A review of children and young people's mental health services (Care Quality Commission) This report describes the findings of the Care Quality Commission's independent review of the system of services that support children and young people's mental health. This report marks the second phase of that review. Read the report from phase one. The report draws on evidence gathered from fieldwork in 10 health and wellbeing board areas in England. CQA press release on their findings and recommendations is available here. Children in need of help and protection: data and analysis (Department for Education) Analysis of the characteristics, experiences and outcomes of children in need. This report offers insights into children in need including:- the characteristics of children in need, overlaps with other disadvantages such as special educational needs, the experiences of children in need through social care and school and outcomes from the early years through education and into adulthood. Improving air quality (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Environmental Audit, Health and Social Care, and Transport Committees) The report from an unprecedented four-way inquiry calls for a new Clean Air Act, a clean air fund financed by the transport industry, a national air quality support programme for councils, and for the Government to require manufacturers to end the sale of conventional petrol and diesel cars earlier than the current 2040 target. Chapter 2 of the report concerns 2 Health impacts, The health impacts of poor air quality, Putting health at the centre of air quality policy, Public health campaign
Commons Select Committee description of the report findings and recommendations.
UNICEF's response to the report findings is here: Toxic air pollution in the UK putting children's lives at risk Obesity risk doubles for teens bombarded with junk food adverts (Cancer Research UK) Teenagers are more than twice as likely to be obese if they can remember seeing a junk food advert every day compared to those who couldn't recall any over a month, according to a report by Cancer Research UK. This included ads on TV, billboards and social media, and is the largest survey of its kind to make a link between these forms of advertising and weight. Obese teenagers were more likely to recall social media adverts than the other mediums, so this platform had the greatest association with obesity. The report was based on a YouGov survey which questioned 3,348 young people in the UK between 11-19 about their TV viewing habits, diet and their BMI. Press release from Cancer Research UK. RCPCH response. NHS must prioritise health of children and young people (BMJ Editorial) Editorial from Russell M Viner, president, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) on how our future health and prosperity depend on the NHS prioritising the health of children and young people. Intervening early to prevent gang and youth violence: the role of primary schools (Early Intervention Foundation) This report explores the extent to which young children at risk of gang involvement or youth violence are supported through evidence-based early intervention, particularly within primary schools. It draws on qualitative interviews with schools, local government officials, police and voluntary sector organisations within the London boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth, and builds on earlier EIF research which indicates that risk factors for gang involvement and youth violence can be spotted as early as age seven.
EIF's research paints a picture of primary school staff who know their children and local families well, and who go above and beyond to try to provide strong, positive role models and to support children's emotional wellbeing. However, there is also a strong sense that some school staff are intensely frustrated and feel unsupported in their efforts to work with vulnerable children. Some staff expressed anger and sadness as they told EIF that they feel unable to change children's outcomes in spite of their best efforts. Using e-Bug to educate young people on infection prevention and control (Public Health England) This Public Health Matters blog concerns how PHE have created a free health resource called e-Bug, consisting of lesson plans, worksheets and multimedia for educators and students from ages 4 to 18 designed to educate students on infection prevention and control. This blog report looks at the research going in to the development of eBug, peer education and getting involved to help prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Progress for Children in the SDG Era (Unicef) UNICEF's report, is the first thematic report assessing performance toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) global targets that concern children and young people. The report warns that 650 million children live in countries where at least two-thirds of the SDGs are out of reach without accelerated progress. Poverty and low pay in the UK: the state of play and the challenges ahead (Institute for Fiscal Studies) The IFS' observation explains that in 1994-95, 22% of children lived in households where no adult was in paid work. The latest figures is 13%. 57% of people in poverty are children or working-age adults living in a household where someone is in paid work; up from 35% in 1994-95. IFS explain that this means that poverty is far more sensitive to the plight of low-earning working households than used to be the case. Further child and maternal health data can be found on Public Health England's Fingertips tool. The child and maternal health section brings together a range of publicly available data, information, tools and resources. Find guidance on using these statistics and other intelligence resources to help you make decisions about the planning and provision of child and maternal health services on.GOV.UK. Children living with parents in emotional distress: 2010 to 2016 (Public Health England) The proportion of children living with at least one parent reporting symptoms of emotional distress, by family type and work status. NDNS: results from years 7 and 8 (combined) (Food Standards Agency and Public Health England) Results of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) rolling programme for 2014 to 2015 and 2015 to 2016. Press release on what the figures show available here: PHE publishes latest data on nation's diet Absence rates by gender, age and free school meal status (Department for Education) Data examining if girls are missing school because they cannot afford sanitary towels or tampons. Examination of school absence data for evidence that disadvantaged girls are not attending school due to 'period poverty'. Infant mortality (birth cohort) in England and Wales: 2015 (Office for National Statistics) Data on infant deaths that have been linked to their corresponding birth record and birth notification for infants born in a given calendar year. The Royal College of Midwives' analysis of these figures is here: Figures show rise in infant mortality rate. Childhood mortality in England and Wales: 2016 (Office for National Statistics) Annual statistics on stillbirths, infant deaths and childhood deaths occurring annually in England and Wales. Also contains data on cause of death, sex and age-group plus analyses by some of the key risk factors affecting stillbirths and infant deaths including age of mother and birthweight. Community services statistics for children, young people and adults November 2017 (NHS Digital) Statistics are published as experimental and data is shown at provider level and at a national/all submitters level. This is a monthly report on publicly funded community services for children, young people and adults using data from the Community Services Data Set (CSDS) reported in England for November 2017.
The CSDS is a patient-level dataset providing information relating to publicly funded community services for children, young people and adults. These services can include district nursing services, school nursing services, health visiting services and occupational therapy services, among others. The data collected includes personal and demographic information, diagnoses including long-term conditions and disabilities and care events plus screening activities.
It has been developed to help achieve better outcomes for children, young people and adults. It provides data that will be used to commission services in a way that improves health, reduces inequalities, and supports service improvement and clinical quality. Youth custody data (Ministry of Justice and Youth Justice Board for England and Wales) Monthly statistics on the population in custody of children and young people within the secure estate. Statistics on women's smoking status at time of delivery: England Quarter 3, October 2017 to December 2017 (NHS Digital) Results and trends from the women's smoking status at time of delivery (SATOD) data collection in England. The Royal College of Midwifes (RCM) analysis of these statistics is here Smoking statistics show wide variation. Maternity services monthly statistics October 2017, Experimental statistics (NHS Digital) October 2017 monthly publication of experimental statistics from the new Maternity Services Data set. The MSDS is a patient-level 'secondary uses' data set that re-uses clinical and operational data for purposes other than direct patient care, such as commissioning and clinical audit. It captures key information at each stage of the maternity service care pathway in NHS-funded maternity services, such as those provided by GP practices and hospitals. The data collected include mother's demographics, booking appointments, admissions and re-admissions, screening tests, labour and delivery along with baby's demographics, diagnoses and screening tests. Working and workless households in the UK: October to December 2017 (Office for National Statistics) Information about households and the adults and children living in them, by their economic activity status. Regional differences across the UK are included. Since 2010, the number of workless households has fallen by 881,000. Around 9 in 10 children live in a household where at least one working age adult is in work. Press release on figures available here. The full versions of some of these resources may only be available with a paid subscription. Contact your local library service or Athens account administrator to see if you are able to access them through your organisation. Is food insecurity associated with maternal health among UK ethnic groups? An exploration of women in the Born in Bradford (BiB) cohort (European Journal of Public Health) Food insecurity is a determinant of maternal health; however, research on the health impact of food insecurity among mothers of varying ethnicities is under-developed. This study assessed the association of food insecurity and health among white British and Pakistani mothers. Abusive alcohol consumption among adolescents: a predictive model for maximizing early detection and responses (Public Health) Objective: To present a predictive model of alcohol abuse among adolescents based on prevalence projections in various population subgroups. Dilution of rice with other gluten free grains to lower inorganic arsenic in foods for young children in response to European Union regulations provides impetus to setting stricter standards (PLOS ONE) There has been an increasing realisation that young infants are exposed to elevated concentrations of the carcinogen inorganic arsenic, relative to adults. This is because many infant food products are rice based, and rice is ~10-fold elevated in inorganic arsenic compared to most other foods. The European Commission (EC) has acted on this concern setting stricter standards for infants, 100 μg of inorganic arsenic per kg of food (100 μg/kg), as compared to adults (200 μg/kg), for rice based foods, a law that was brought into place in 1st January 2016. This study investigated how this law has impacted on inorganic arsenic in baby food products in the UK market, and compare the findings to previous baby food surveys taken before and just after the law came into place. Sexual intercourse, age of initiation and contraception among adolescents in Ireland: findings from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Ireland study (BMC Public Health) Background: The need to tackle sexual health problems and promote positive sexual health has been acknowledged in Irish health policy. Young people's sexual behaviour however remains under-researched with limited national data available. Skipping breakfast, overconsumption of soft drinks and screen media: longitudinal analysis of the combined influence on weight development in primary schoolchildren (BMC Public Health) Background: Regular breakfast and well-balanced soft drink, and screen media consumption are associated with a lower risk of overweight and obesity in schoolchildren. The aim of this research is the combined examination of these three parameters as influencing factors for longitudinal weight development in schoolchildren in order to adapt targeted preventive measures. Prevalence of probable Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms: result from a Spanish sample of children (BMC Pediatrics) Background: The aims of this study were to: (i) determine the prevalence of children aged 4 to 6 years with probable Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in the Spanish population; and (ii) analyse the association of probable ADHD symptoms with sex, age, type of school, origin (native or foreign) and socio-economic status in these children. Prospective associations between sport participation and psychological adjustment in adolescents (Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health) Background: Engaging in sport has been suggested to be mitigate against psychological distress. Using a prospective-longitudinal design, the study examined whether sport participation is associated with reduced psychological difficulties in adolescents and whether associations differ by sport and personal characteristics. Association of nursery and early school attendance with later health behaviours, biomedical risk factors, and mortality: evidence from four decades of follow-up of participants in the 1958 birth cohort study (Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health) Background: Although early life education for improved long-term health and the amelioration of socioeconomically generated inequalities in chronic disease is advocated in influential policy statements, the evidence base is very modest. Aims: To address this dearth of evidence using data from a representative UK national birth cohort study. Reliability and validity of HeartSmartKids: a survey of cardiovascular risk factors in children (Journal of Pediatric Health Care) Introduction: Reliable and valid instruments to measure counselling effectiveness related to eating, activity, and inactivity are lacking. HeartSmartKids (HSK; HeartSmartKids, LLC, Boulder, Colorado) is a bilingual decision-support technology that can be used to assess and counsel families on cardiovascular risk factors in children. The purpose of this study was to establish preliminary test–retest reliability and convergent validity of HSK questions relative to a previously validated questionnaire, HABITS. Effects of a web-based antenatal care system on maternal stress and self-efficacy during pregnancy: a study in Taiwan (Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health) Introduction: Women may experience significant stress during pregnancy, and antenatal care and education provide a means to address this. E‐health, the use of computer and information technology for health care, has been incorporated into antenatal care and education, but e‐health has not been evaluated for its usefulness in addressing stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a web‐based antenatal care and education system on pregnancy‐related stress, general self‐efficacy, and satisfaction with antenatal care. Swimming pool exposure is associated with autonomic changes and increased airway reactivity to a beta-2 agonist in school aged children: A cross-sectional survey (PLOS ONE) Background: Endurance swimming exercises coupled to disinfection by-products exposure has been associated with increased airways dysfunction and neurogenic inflammation in elite swimmers. However, the impact of swimming pool exposure at a recreational level on autonomic activity has never been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how swimming pool attendance is influencing lung and autonomic function in school-aged children. The impact of preterm infants' continuous exposure to breast milk odor on stress parameters: a pilot study (Breastfeeding Medicine) Objective: This pilot study aimed to assess the effect of continuous exposure to the odor of own mothers' breast milk (BM) on the stress parameters of preterm infants. Sleep disturbances, psychosocial difficulties and health risk behaviour in 16,781 Dutch adolescents (Academic Pediatrics) Objective: To investigate the prevalence of adolescent sleep disturbances and their relation with psychosocial difficulties and health risk behaviours researchers analysed data of a province-wide health survey (n=16,781). Smoking during pregnancy and harm reduction in birth weight: a cross-sectional study (BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth) Background: Different studies have shown the advantages of abstinence from cigarette smoking during pregnancy to promote full fetal development. Given that pregnant women do not always abstain from smoking, this study aimed to analyze the effect of different intensities of smoking on birth weight of the newborn. Children's concepts of childhood and adolescent depression (Child and Adolescent Mental Health) Background: Research on adolescent Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is rapidly increasing; however, equivalent research in children is lacking. Exploring children's mental health conceptualisations reveals how their knowledge develops and provides the evidence base for the development of mental health education for younger age groups. Evaluation of a smartphone nutrition and physical activity application to provide lifestyle advice to pregnant women: The SNAPP randomised trial (Maternal & Child Nutrition) The objective was to evaluate the impact of a smartphone application as an adjunct to face‐to‐face consultations in facilitating dietary and physical activity change among pregnant women. Feasibility and acceptability of a text message intervention used as an adjunct tool by WIC breastfeeding peer counsellors: The LATCH pilot (Maternal & Child Nutrition) Breastfeeding rates among mothers in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are lower than for other mothers in the United States. The objective of this study was to test the acceptability and feasibility of the Lactation Advice thru Texting Can Help intervention. Trends in parent- and teacher-rated mental health problems among 10- and 11-year-olds in Great Britain: 1999–2012 (Child and Adolescent Mental Health) Background: Previous evidence indicates that mental health problems are becoming more common for adolescents. Less is known about whether these trends have continued and there has been no study to date which has specifically focused on early adolescents over a sufficiently long period. This study examines changes in parent‐ and teacher‐reported mental health problems among 10‐ and 11‐year‐olds in 1999, 2004 and 2012 in Great Britain. Collaborative youth mental health service users, immigration, poverty, and family environment (Child and Adolescent Mental Health) Background: This article examines the association between immigration, poverty and family environment, and the emotional and behavioral problems reported by youth and their family receiving mental health (MH) services within a collaborative care model in a multiethnic neighborhood. Comparison of accelerometer measured levels of physical activity and sedentary time between obese and non-obese children and adolescents: a systematic review (BMC Pediatrics) Background: Obesity has been hypothesized to be associated with reduced moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and increased sedentary time (ST). It is important to assess whether, and the extent to which, levels of MVPA and ST are suboptimal among children and adolescents with obesity. The primary objective of this study was to examine accelerometer-measured time spent in MVPA and ST of children and adolescents with obesity, compared with MVPA recommendations, and with non-obese peers. GP-diagnosed internalizing and externalizing problems and dropout from secondary school: a cross-sectional study (European Journal of Public Health) Background: Dropout from secondary education is a major concern in many Western countries because it is associated with later adverse consequences at the individual and societal level. Efforts have thus been made to identify precursors for dropout. The aim of the study was to examine the risk for not finishing secondary education by age 20 when mental health problems were diagnosed during general practitioner (GP) consultations. Sex as a moderator of adolescents' weight loss treatment outcomes (Journal of Adolescent Health) Purpose: Weight loss treatments targeting adolescents often occur in mixed-sex contexts and produce variable outcomes. Sex considerations may be of particular importance, especially given differences in social relating. This study aggregated data from two randomized controlled trials of a peer-enhanced intervention compared with a standard cognitive-behavioral weight loss intervention to test the hypothesis that adolescent girls may demonstrate greater benefit than boys from a peer-enhanced weight loss intervention. Maternal sociodemographic characteristics and behaviors as correlates of preadolescent's breakfast habits (Journal of Pediatric Nursing) Purpose: To explore factors affecting skipping breakfast rate, and to identify its perceived reasons among preadolescent students and their mothers in Jordan. Intergenerational transmission of parent encouragement to diet from adolescence into adulthood (Pediatrics) Although previous cross-sectional research has revealed potential harmful outcomes associated with parent encouragement to diet, it is unclear whether these effects are long lasting and whether they are transmitted to the next generation. The main aim of the current study was to examine longitudinal associations between exposure to parent encouragement to diet in adolescence and weight-related and emotional health outcomes in adulthood and to examine whether intergenerational transmission of encouragement to diet occurs. Exposure to childhood adversity and deficits in emotion recognition: results from a large, population-based sample (The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry) Background: Emotion recognition skills are essential for social communication. Deficits in these skills have been implicated in mental disorders. Prior studies of clinical and high‐risk samples have consistently shown that children exposed to adversity are more likely than their unexposed peers to have emotion recognition skills deficits. However, only one population‐based study has examined this association. Birds in the playground: Evaluating the effectiveness of an urban environmental education project in enhancing school children's awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards local wildlife (PLOS ONE) Children nowadays, particularly in urban areas, are more disconnected from nature than ever before, leading to a large-scale "extinction of experience" with the natural world. Yet there are many potential benefits from children interacting with nature first-hand, including via outdoor learning opportunities. Urban environmental education programmes typically aim to increase awareness and knowledge of local biodiversity and to promote positive attitudes and behaviour towards the environment. However, limited research has been conducted evaluating to what extent these interventions achieve their goals. Here, the authors explore and assess the influence of a six-week bird-feeding and monitoring project conducted within school grounds ("Bird Buddies") on individual awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards birds by primary school children. Method of self-harm in adolescents and young adults and risk of subsequent suicide (The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry) Self-harm is common in youth and an important risk factor for suicide. Certain self-harm methods might indicate a higher risk of suicide. The main aim of this study was to determine whether some methods of self-harm in adolescents (10–17 years) and young adults (18–24 years) are associated with a particularly high risk of suicide. A secondary aim was to ascertain how different self-harm methods might affect the probability of psychiatric follow-up. Marketing techniques in television advertisements of food and drinks directed at children in Spain, 2012 (International Journal of Public Health) The objective of the study was to analyse marketing techniques used in television advertisements of food and drinks (AFDs) directed to children, and their nutritional quality. What distinguishes adolescents with suicidal thoughts from those who have attempted suicide? A population-based birth cohort study (The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry) Only one-third of young people who experience suicidal ideation attempt suicide. It is important to identify factors which differentiate those who attempt suicide from those who experience suicidal ideation but do not act on these thoughts. Dietary patterns are influenced by socio-demographic conditions of women in childbearing age: a cohort study of pregnant women (BMC Public Health) Women's health during their reproductive years and whilst pregnant has implications for their children's health, both in utero and during childhood. Associations of women's pre-pregnancy dietary patterns with maternal socio-demographic characteristics and nutrient intake were investigated in ProcriAr cohort study in São Paulo/Brazil, 2012. Characteristics of children 2 to 5 years of age with severe obesity (Pediatrics) As a distinct group, 2- to 5-year-olds with severe obesity have not been extensively described. As a part of the Expert Exchange Workgroup on Childhood Obesity, nationally-representative data were examined to better characterize children with severe obesity. Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity in US children, 1999–2016 (Pediatrics) The objective of this study was to provide updated prevalence data on obesity trends among US children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years from a nationally representative sample. Attachment in infants with cleft lip and/or palate: marginal security and its changes over time (Infant Mental Health Journal) This study examines the attachment quality and how this changed over time among infants who had cleft lip and palate (CLP), by conducting a prospective longitudinal study addressing the effects of this type of perinatal event on the parent–infant relationship and the emotional development of the infants. Mothers' concerns for personal safety and privacy while breastfeeding: an unexplored phenomenon (Breastfeeding Medicine) Preliminary qualitative research in upstate NY shows new mothers are worried about safety while breastfeeding. Little is known regarding prevalence of these concerns and their effect on breastfeeding outcomes. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine frequency of breastfeeding safety and privacy concerns; (2) explore their association with breastfeeding outcomes. Baby-friendly practices minimize newborn infants weight loss (Breastfeeding Medicine) It is accepted that newborns lose weight in the first few days of life. Baby-Friendly practices that support breastfeeding may affect newborn weight loss. The objectives of this study were: 1) To determine whether Baby-Friendly practices are associated with term newborn weight loss day 0–2 in three feeding categories (exclusively breastfed, mixed formula fed and breastfed, and formula fed). 2) To determine whether Baby-Friendly practices increase exclusive breast feeding rates in different ethnic populations. Achieving breastfeeding equity: a study of a national breastfeeding initiative (Breastfeeding Medicine) Equity in breastfeeding could reduce excess morbidity and mortality among children and mothers of color. Few programs that support breastfeeding have been evaluated for their capacity to create equity. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which a diverse set of national breastfeeding programs actively promoted equity. Early regulation in children who are later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A longitudinal study within the Danish national birth cohort (Infant Mental Health Journal) Studies have shown that children later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in their first years of life might show symptoms in main developmental areas and that these signs might be sensed by the parents. This study investigated in a large birth cohort if children later diagnosed with ASD had deviations at 6 and 18 months in areas such as the ability to self-regulate emotions, feeding, and sleeping. Maternal depression and the development of executive function and behaviour problems in Head Start: indirect effects through parenting (Infant Mental Health Journal) This study used a large, nationally representative sample of Head Start children (N=3,349) from the Family and Child Experiences Survey of 2009 (FACES) to examine associations among maternal depression (measured when children were ˜36 months old) and children's executive function (EF) and behavior problems (measured when children were ˜48 months old). Postpartum bonding difficulties and adult attachment styles: the mediating role of postpartum depression and childbirth-related PTSD (Infant Mental Health Journal) Despite decades of research demonstrating the role of adult attachment styles and early mother–infant bonding in parenting behaviors and maternal mental health, these constructs have seldom been studied together. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between attachment styles and specific bonding difficulties of mothers. In addition, as postpartum depression and childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms have been associated with both constructs, their possible mediation effect was explored. Has the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder phenotype become more common in children between 2004 and 2014? Trends over 10 years from a Swedish general population sample (The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry) Studies have reported increases in clinically diagnosed and treated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during the last decade, but it is unclear if this reflects an increase in the underlying ADHD phenotype. This study aimed to clarify if there has been an increase in the prevalence of ADHD-like traits in the general population from 2004 to 2014. Maternal depression impacts child psychopathology across the first decade of life: oxytocin and synchrony as markers of resilience (The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry) While maternal depression is known to carry long-term negative consequences for offspring, very few studies followed children longitudinally to address markers of resilience in the context of maternal depression. The study focused on oxytocin and mother–child synchrony – the biological and behavioral arms of the neurobiology of affiliation – as correlates of resilience among children of depressed mothers. Maternal perceptions of advice on sleep in young children: how, what, and when? (British Journal of Health Psychology) Parental knowledge on sleep hygiene in children may be a contributing factor for sleep difficulties in preschoolers. As sleep is crucial for healthy development, it is important to understand how parental knowledge can be improved. The aim of this qualitative study was to develop an understanding of advice available in the United Kingdom (UK) on sleep in young children. Winging it: maternal perspectives and experiences of breastfeeding newborns with complex congenital surgical anomalies (Journal of Perinatology) The objectives of this study were to describe the experience of breastfeeding (inclusive of breast milk expression/pumping, provision of breast milk via devices, and at-breastfeeding) among mothers of newborns with complex congenital surgical anomalies and the contexts under which pro-breastfeeding behaviors and attitudes are facilitated or compromised. Parental separation and behaviours that influence the health of infants aged 28 to 32 months: a cross-sectional study (BMC Pediatrics) In Western countries, many children are affected by the separation of their parents. The study's main objective was to analyse the parental behaviours potentially influential for preschool children's health by family structure (parents together or separated). A pragmatic controlled trial to prevent childhood obesity within a risk group at maternity and child health-care clinics: results up to six years of age (the VACOPP study) (BMC Pediatrics) Obesity in childhood appears often during the toddler years. The prenatal environment influences obesity risk. Maternal gestational diabetes, the child's diet, and physical activity in the first few years have an important role in subsequent weight gain. A study was conducted to evaluate effectiveness of a primary health-care lifestyle counselling intervention in prevention of childhood obesity up to 6 years of age. Survey of children's social workers (British Association of Social Workers and the Office of the Children's Commissioner) The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and the Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC) are carrying out a survey to assess how much direct time social workers spend with children and families. The survey closes on 03 April 2018. Please click here to complete the survey. Children in need of help and protection: call for evidence (Department for Education) This call for evidence asks what professionals across education, children's social care, health and other specialist services are doing to improve the educational outcomes of children in need. The Department for Education (DfE) want to hear about the support being offered in and out of school so that these children can achieve their potential. DfE have launched the children in need review and published the data and analysis on children in need which shows that overall these children have poorer educational outcomes than other children. There are, however, some children who are able to succeed in spite of the challenges they face.
Children in need are a legally defined group of children, assessed by social workers as needing help and protection as a result of risks to their development or health, or who are disabled.
The consultation online survey is here. The consultation closes on the 1 June 2018. School exclusions review: call for evidence (Department for Education) The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking views and evidence on school exclusion practice in England as part of a review of school exclusions. The review will explore the drivers of exclusion rates and, in particular, the factors that drive the disproportionate exclusion of some groups of pupils including pupils from certain ethnic groups; pupils who are eligible for free school meals, or have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years; those with special educational needs; looked after children; and children in need. The consultation closes on 6 May 2018. The online survey is here. Integrated communities strategy green paper (Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government) A consultation on the government's vision for building strong integrated communities, and actions proposed to deliver this. The green paper sets out an ambitious programme of actions which MHCLG propose to take across government to deliver this vision at the local and national level. The government want to hear from individuals, communities and organisations about the most effective ways to address integration challenges. The Integrated Communities Strategy green paper, includes new proposals (see chapter 3) to ensure young people have the opportunity to mix and form lasting relationships with those from different backgrounds, promotion of British Values across the curriculum and increased take up of the national citizen service.The consultation closes on 5 June 2018. Respond online. Calling all midwives – help us review our screening resource cards (Public Health England) PHE are asking midwives to fill in a short survey about their credit card sized collection of plastic resource cards giving information about screening offered in pregnancy and to newborn babies. This blog sets out what they are asking midwives about and why. Domestic abuse bill: open consultation (Home Office and Ministry of Justice) The Home Office and the Ministry of Justice are consulting on the government's approach to dealing with domestic abuse and are seeking views on the legislative proposals for the draft Domestic Abuse Bill and other measures. The consultation sets out the government's approach to dealing with domestic abuse and includes: improving support services for victims of domestic abuse and their children; ensuring domestic abuse and its impact on children are taken into account in sentencing; and ways to help children and young people learn about positive relationships and educate them about abuse. The consultation closes on 31 May 2018. News story concerning why the government has launced this consultation is here.
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