15th June

Inflation hits poorer families hardest
Poor families are being hit harder by inflation, a study has found.

A report commissioned by Consumer Focus and carried out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), found poorer households have experienced higher inflation on average than richer households over the past decade with the difference especially marked since 2008 – during the recession.

The poorest fifth of households faced an average annual inflation rate of 4.3 per cent between 2008 and 2010, while the richest fifth experienced a rate of just 2.7 per cent a year over the same period. 

The study is likely to fuel concerns that child poverty could increase as a result of the recession.

Researchers found that during the period of the recession, dramatic cuts to interest rates reduced mortgage payments, which helped richer households.

But at the same time, the prices of gas, electricity and food increased and this hit poorer households harder on average.

IFS research economist Peter Levell said "Over the past few years relative price changes have tended to hit poorer and older households harder.

"Of course this pattern may well change in the future, but it does mean that poorer households will have fared worse over the period of the recession than poverty and inequality statistics, which don’t account for these differential inflation rates, would suggest."

source: Neil Puffett, Children & Young People Now

13th June

Informal childcare is 'biggest competition to professional providers'
Growing use of informal childcare poses the biggest threat to daycare settings, latest research is expected to show.

Market intelligence provider Laing & Buisson has revealed the latest trends in the childcare market ahead of the full publication of its annual Children's Nurseries — UK Market Report 2011 in July.

Revealed at the National Day Nurseries Association annual conference, figures collected from a survey of providers in March show that the supply of places has increased by 60 per cent since 2002 while demand for places or occupancy has grown just 38 per cent. Statistics also show that the weekly price of childcare has not increased in real terms.

But Philip Blackburn, an economist at Laing & Buisson, told the conference that in future, informal childcare would pose the biggest competition to providers.

"Informal childcare is already a giant sector," he said. "Statistics show that already half of households use family and friends for childcare and more than a third use grandparents. The average use of informal childcare is around 10 hours a week."

He said that while occupancy rates at nurseries are expected to rise, more flexible working practices will contribute to a higher numbers of parents relying on family and friends.

"More flexible working practices mean parents and grandparents are going to be able to provide more childcare themselves," he said. "I'm also seeing evidence that more parents believe that informal childcare options can be a better experience for their children."

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now

10th June

Government set to review early years workforce development, reveals Teather
Children's minister Sarah Teather has admitted more should be done to raise the status of early years professionals (EYPs), revealing that the government is poised to start developing a long-term strategy for the workforce.

Addressing delegates at the National Day Nurseries Association conference, Teather said that following the publication of the joint Department for Education and Department of Health early years policy paper in the summer, the government will be looking at workforce development for the next five years.

As well as responding to some of the recommendations put forward by Dame Clare Tickell in her review of the Early Years Foundation Stage, Teather said the workforce review will examine "whether the current qualifications [in the early years sector] are right, whether training includes all the right things and whether funding for qualifications should change in the future."

One delegate, Claire Richmond, manager of a Coventry nursery, raised concerns about the future funding of the early years professional status.

"We only have 20 EYPs in Coventry and we have 220 nurseries, by 2015 there won't be enough qualified," she said.

In response, Teather said the government has committed funding for the next year but is examining all qualifications. "We are absolutely committed to graduates in the early years sector and we have committed to funding the programme for the next year," she said. "These are difficult issues and, to be fair to the last government, ones they also grappled with; in some areas they made progress in some areas they didn't.

"I am struck that while EYPs were intended to raise the status of professionals to the same level as teachers, it hasn't quite done that. This is precisely the reason why we need to have a long-term think about our strategy."

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now

7th June

Ofsted plans tougher inspections for adoption and fostering
Fostering and adoption agencies are to face tougher inspections under measures being proposed by Ofsted.

In its consultation, Putting the Needs of Children First: Ofsted Consultation on Inspection of Adoption and Fostering Agencies, the inspectorate is proposing to slash the notice period for inspections to just 10 days.

Currently adoption agencies are given eight weeks’ notice and fostering agencies get six weeks’ warning.

Plans to focus inspections on poor performing agencies with visits to those classed as "outstanding" carried out less frequently are being considered.

Ofsted also wants to put a greater focus on the quality of services beyond their statutory duties and also reflect new minimum standards that were introduced in April this year. How well services promote equality will be another emphasis of the new inspection process.

In a statement the inspectorate said: "Inspection will continue to make sure that adoption and fostering agencies comply with regulatory requirements but it will have an increased focus on the quality of services and the difference these make to children’s lives in supporting them to grow up in secure and loving families."

For adoption services Ofsted wants to involve children more in the inspection process and focus more on the speed and effectiveness of targeting and placing children for adoption.

Ofsted chief inspector Christine Gilbert said: "Ensuring children are placed with families and carers who meet their needs is vitally important to help them feel settled, secure and loved."
 
Other proposals include inspecting council-run adoption and fostering inspections separately to reduce the workload involved for local authorities.

The British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) welcomed the consultation. It said in a statement: "BAAF both understands and values the importance of robust and effective inspection in helping to ensure high-quality adoption and fostering services.

"It is in the interests of everyone, but particularly of children, that the inspection process is the best it can be. We look forward to responding to the consultation in due course."

The deadline for responses is 31 August. Ofsted will also be carrying out a series of pilot inspections using the proposed model before the changes are due to come into force in April 2012.

source: Joe Lepper, Children & Young People Now

6th June

Young Dads.TV to be launched officially on 9th June
For those who don’t know it, YoungDads.TV is an exciting new project to support and empower young dads.

YoungDads.TV is the authentic voice of young fathers. Using digital and social media, the YoungDads.TV team are working with young dads below the age of 25 to create a positive and relevant online hub of news, advice, opportunities and support that champions young dads in their roles as fathers. Young dads know what they need best and have co-designed the project with ongoing input, either making the content for the site or signposting media that interest them.

Despite the popular negative preconceptions about young fathers, many want to be involved in their children’s lives but don’t feel supported in that choice. Research has shown that children with fathers have improved life chances, and that being a parent can be a powerful catalyst for positive change amongst young men leading chaotic lives. YoungDads.TV supports young dads to take part in the lives of their children by giving them a chance to explore a more positive future, discover their strengths and make better decisions.

What's on Young Dads.TV?

The channel features videos made by young dads, as well as opportunities and services for young dads. Currently you can see:

• gardening tips from young dads in Brixton (white trainers bad, wellies good!)
• a profile of Dads Space
• YoungDads.TV being featured in The Big Issue, and
• a video about life as a young dad with a one month old baby.

So why not visit www.youngdads.tv to find out more about the project.

Children pressured by desire to 'not look poor'
A desire to fit in and not look poor is placing children under pressure to buy expensive goods, a survey by the Office of the Children's Commissioner has found.

The survey, which has fed into Reg Bailey's review of Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood, was led by Amplify, the children's commissioner's children and young people advisory group.

The young people developed a survey after feeling that not enough had been done to consult children in previous reviews that had examined the impact of commercialisation.

Of the 552 children and young people aged eight to 18 who responded to the questionnaire, 85 per cent said they felt under pressure to buy certain items. The most common reason cited by children was the pressure to fit in, while others said peer pressure, bullying and not wanting to look poor affected them.

Mobile phones, clothes and electrical gadgets were items most sought after by the young people.

A further 72 per cent of the respondents said they believed adults were concerned about the pressure on their children to own certain things.

Around one in five felt the main reason for parents’ concern is the financial implications, with some respondents saying parents worry that they cannot afford for their children to have such items.

The report by the young people accompanies Reg Bailey's review into sexualisation and commercialisation of children which has called for greater regulation of music videos and better protection for children against online pornography.

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now

3rd June

Disabled young people explain their rights
Health minister Maria Millier has been quizzed about the challenges faced by young disabled people.

Six young ambassadors for charity Whizz Kidz have produced a video explaining three articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by describing their experiences of discrimination.

Referring to the right to go to school and not be excluded from education, George, a 13-year-old from York, said he had been excluded from practical science lessons because he was not allowed to use a Bunsen burner due to health and safety reasons.

"I can do all the practicals now because I have a different teacher who is nicer," he said. "She doesn’t mind my partner getting all the equipment and setting it up so I can do the experiment, which is more fun that sitting in the corner and watching everybody else doing the work."

Nineteen-year-old Lucy from Leicester also described being excluded because of her disability. "I wanted to take French lessons at school but because the class was upstairs and the teacher refused to bring it downstairs, I was told to drop the subject," she said. "The school should have met my needs; I had a right to take French lessons."

The young people also interviewed Miller about the challenges they face. Responding to a question which cited an Office for Disability Issues report that found 28 out of 100 disabled children could not take part in as much education as they liked, Miller said: "I don’t think it’s good enough that so many young people don’t feel they can take a full part in education. This hints at a lot of problems that young people may have accessing after-school activities; the full curriculum within their schools; leisure facilities and higher education. This means that we are not realising the true potential of young disabled people in this country today. This gives an enormous opportunity and obligation on the government to review how we are supporting young people through our education system so they can participate in full."

The children also talked about the right to take part in arts and sports and fun activities without discrimination by describing both good and bad experiences.

Speaking about her right to participate in making sure the rights of disabled people are respected, 15-year-old Sophie from Leeds said: "When I met my MP I really felt that something was going to be done. Even if nothing was done I felt like I was listened to and not just shoved in a corner."

The young people said they hope to inspire viewers to stand up for their right to participate equally in education and in wider society, and to have a say in decisions that impact on their daily lives.

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now