Parents worry about their children being bullied online, but what if it is your child who is doing the bullying? That was the question posed by a BBC reader, following a report on how children struggle to cope online. Read more
We often assume that encouraging a child to play a musical instrument or to listen to certain types of music will have a wider impact on more than just their musical taste. Parents, teachers and educators alike often believe that musical aptitude can help a child in other areas of life, and can facilitate the development of cognitive skills. But is this really the case? Read more
Political upheaval, job worries and low self-confidence have left young people anxious and daunted, suggests a UK-wide survey for The Prince’s Trust. Over half (58%) of 2,215 16- to 25-year-olds polled said political events had made them fear for their futures, with 41% more anxious than a year ago. Read more
In 2013, a Unicef report rated Dutch children the happiest in the world. According to researchers, Dutch kids are ahead of their peers in childhood wellbeing when compared with 29 of the world’s richest industrialised countries. Children from the Netherlands were in the top five in each of the categories assessed: material wellbeing; health and safety; education; behaviours and risks; and housing and environment. Read more
In a speech to the Charity Commission, the Prime Minister announced measures to transform mental health support in schools, saying: ‘For too long mental illness has been something of a hidden injustice in our country, shrouded in a completely unacceptable stigma and dangerously disregarded as a secondary issue to physical health. Yet left unaddressed, it destroys lives, it separates people from each other and deepens the divisions within our society.’ Read more
Three-quarters of children between the ages of 11 and 15 believe they would be safer if they had age-appropriate sex and relationship education (SRE) in school, according to a survey by a leading children’s charity. Seven in 10 of the children who took part in the poll, which was commissioned by Barnardo’s and carried out by YouGov, said the government should ensure that all pupils have SRE lessons. Read more