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CYP Now •

Children's social media consultation - as Lords back ban, how would restrictions work? - CYP Now

The government’s announcement that a consultation will be held on an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s has revealed a divide in the children’s sector about the best course forward. 
On Monday, ministers said they would launch the consultation as part of a wider set of measures to improve children’s online safety.
Then on Wednesday, peers in the House of Lords voted 261 to 150 in favour of an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would ban social media for unde...
CYP Now •

Stronger protections and employment rights key to reversing foster carer decline, say campaigners - CYP Now

The government has pledged to "radically accelerate" foster carer recruitment, amid calls for stronger protections and working rights for those fostering to stem declining numbers in England. 
Reforms set to be announced early this year will aim to increase the amount of available foster places and halt the long-term decline in carers - latest Ofsted figures show there has been a 7% drop in fostering households since 2021.
The Fostering Network has highlighted a shortfall of 6,000 foster carers...
South West Londoner •

Council funerals more than double in Lambeth as cost of dying soars across London | South West Londoner

Council-organised funerals have more than doubled in Lambeth — raising concerns about deprivation and the soaring cost of dying in the capital.


‘Public health funerals’ are carried out by local authorities when no prior arrangements have been made and there are no relatives willing or able to pay for a service.


According to data on Lambeth Council’s website, the number of public health funerals has risen from 55 in 2022-23 to 114 in 2023-24.


The increase forms part of a wider growth in...
CYP Now •

What is Erasmus+ and what does rejoining it mean for Turing Scheme? - CYP Now

The government announcement that the UK is to rejoin Erasmus+ the EU's study programme from 2027 has been welcomed by the youth sector, but how does the scheme operate and what impact will the decision have? Erasmus+ is a European Union programme that offers opportunities for participants to study, work, volunteer, teach and train in Europe. The programme is also the main EU fund for youth groups and services.It is aimed at schools, further and higher education institutions, vocational and adult...
Brno Daily •

Review: Bob Dylan in Prague

What, exactly, should one be hoping for while on their way to a Bob Dylan concert in 2024?


Historically, the safest bet has been to prepare for disaster. The 83 year-old has long harboured a reputation for putting on shows incomprehensible to even the most loyal followers, bizarre rearrangements of old songs paired with an indifference bordering on disdain for his audiences. Generations of bewildered fans have left concerts echoing the words of the critic Greil Marcus, who, after listening to...
South West Londoner •

Waiting lists for London social housing more than double in some boroughs | South West Londoner

The number of people on social housing waiting lists has increased by more than 150% over the past decade in some London boroughs, amid an investigation into how local councils allocate their housing stock.   


The London Assembly Housing Committee is seeking to understand variations in social housing allocation policies, and whether they are applied fairly and make best use of current supply.  


Chair Zoë Garbett said the committee chose to examine allocation policies following discussions...
CYP Now •

Budget 2025: Sector welcomes scrapping of benefit cap – but calls for government to go further - CYP Now

Reeves said the policy had pushed "hundreds of thousands of children into poverty since it was introduced” and that scrapping it would lift 450,000 children out of poverty.The policy was introduced by former Chancellor George Osbourne as part of the Conservative government’s austerity programme, designed to make savings in the welfare system. While today’s announcement was widely welcomed, many in the sector called for it to be a first step in a more comprehensive strategy to tackle child povert...
CYP Now •

Youth sector celebrates UK decision to rejoin Erasmus EU study scheme - CYP Now

Young people and youth practitioners will be able to join the EU-wide scheme from 2027/28 under the agreement, with the government claiming that over 100,000 young people could benefit from the scheme in the first year alone. The move will allow British students to participate in study abroad placements on the continent, as well as further education students and adult learners. The government says the move will “widen opportunities for young people from all backgrounds”. The cost of re-entry to...
CYP Now •

Covid-19 Inquiry: former PM and medical chief give evidence on pandemic's impact on children - CYP Now

Evidence from former Prime Minister Boris Johnson dominated proceedings on Tuesday. He told the inquiry that children had paid a “huge price” for the pandemic, calling the closure of schools a “nightmare idea” that was deemed necessary to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus. However, he refuted previous evidence from former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson that there had been no preparation for closing schools, adding that by mid-March “a great deal of thought and care” had been put int...
CYP Now •

MP calls on government to ensure stronger protections for youth services - CYP Now

Labour MP for Croydon East Natasha Irons, who is chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Youth Affairs, said existing guidance governing youth services is insufficient and that increased investment must go hand-in-hand with stronger protections. Speaking at a summit organised by the National Youth Agency (NYA) as part of its Youth Work Week, Irons welcomed initiatives such as the Young Futures programme and the upcoming National Youth Strategy as evidence that the government was ‘at...