Infants: learning from case reviews

Source: NSPCC Learning 

Date: 22 March 2023

NSPCC Learning has published a learning from case review briefing around Infants. The briefing takes key issues and learning for improving practice from case reviews featuring children under two who have been seriously harmed or killed between 2018 and 2022. The case review briefing highlights the inherent vulnerability of infants, and looks at key issues including the dangers of unsafe sleeping and identifying when parents may be struggling to meet their infant’s needs. Learning includes the need for training and support to help professionals understand and recognise infants’ lived experience.

Read the briefing: Infants: learning from case reviews

Mental health services

Source: Children's Commissioner

Date: 08 March 2023

The Children’s Commissioner has published a report on children’s access to mental health services between 2021-22 in England. Findings include: the data that could be collected on children in inpatient settings is limited; how the average waiting time to start treatment increased from 32 days in 2020-21 to 40 days in 2021-22; and that children in inpatient mental health settings wanted earlier intervention to prevent crisis admissions. Recommendations include how the Government’s Major Conditions strategy should focus on the needs of children.

Read the press release: Children’s mental health services 2021-2022
Download the report: Children’s mental health services 2021-22 (PDF)

Source: DfE
Date: 24 February 2023

The Department for Education (DfE) has published a blog which looks at the importance of school attendance. The blog explains the risks to children of missing out on school and discusses the effects on children's wellbeing and wider development.

Read the blog: Why is school attendance so important and what are the risks of missing a day?

Online safety

Source: NSPCC

Date: 22 February 2023

The NSPCC has published a news story on online child sexual abuse in the UK. Findings from a Freedom of Information request show a 66% increase in child abuse image offences recorded by UK police in the past 5 years. The news story reports that in 2021/22 Snapchat, was the most commonly named site being used to share child abuse images, mentioned in 43% of cases where this information was recorded. The NSPCC is calling on the government to create a statutory child safety advocate to put children’s experiences at the front and centre of decision making.

Read the news story: We’re calling for effective action in the Online Safety Bill as child abuse image crimes reach record levels