The University of Bedfordshire has published a briefing on young people’s views on their mental health and wellbeing following sexual abuse in adolescence.

Ofsted will carry out a review of safeguarding policies in state and independent schools and colleges in relation to sexual abuse.

The hub includes: online safety and wellbeing tips; and advice and activities specifically for parents and carers of children with SEND.

People visit schools for a range of reasons. Health professionals, counsellors, music examiners, building contractors and parents are just some of the people who play an important role in schools and can enhance children and young people’s learning.

Sharing the Science (now known as Sharing the Brain Story) is a programme that aims to help professionals and families understand child brain development and how it can be affected by early adversity.

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a new helpline to support potential victims of sexual harassment and abuse in education settings.

Today see’s the launch of Bedfordshire Against Violence and Exploitation (BAVEX) campaign, bringing together different agencies across the county to speak out with one voice against exploitation and organised crime.

Researchers at the universities of Essex, Surrey and Birmingham have published findings from a Nuffield Foundation funded study looking at the role of school closures in England on the emotional and behavioural wellbeing of children aged 5-11. The study found a significant rise in emotional and behavioural difficulties among primary school children following the 2020 spring and summer term school closures, and that this rise was greater for children who were not prioritised to return to school for six weeks before the summer holiday.

The Ministry of Justice has announced the Positions of Trust law, which currently applies in England and Wales to roles like teachers and social workers, will be extended as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to protect teenagers from abuse by making it illegal for sports coaches and religious leaders from engaging in sexual activity with 16 and 17-year-olds in their care.

Domestic Abuse is often a hidden crime and your role in spotting the signs supporting safety is important. This free webinar aims to bring together practitioners from both children and adults services to share learning from Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR), Pan Bedfordshire Case Audits and Serious Case Reviews (SCR).

Attendees will hear from local professionals describing the impact and complexities of Domestic Abuse along with referrals, resources and support for those experiencing abuse and for the professionals working with them.

Young people have been uniquely impacted by the pandemic and lockdown, with NHS research suggesting 1 in 6 may now have a mental health problem, up from 1 in 9 in 2017.

If you yourself are experiencing struggles with your own mental health, or if there is a young person in your life who isn’t coping (be it a family member, friend or colleague), there is support available.

This morning we ran our 'Safeguarding Children in a Digitial Age' training session.

Attendees spoke about the speed that technology has developed and the challenges for professionals and parents to stay up to date with social media trends, apps and language.

If you work with children, young people and/ or families in Bedfordshire and would like to stay up to date with our latest training offer, please sign up to our mailing list.