Health News Summary 7 October 2008

7 Oct 2008
Headlines include: FRANK helpline reaches two million milestone; Brook uncovers public ignorance over teenage pregnancy; and Committee to judge UK's treatment of 13m under-18s.

Healthy Lifestyle

Children and young people still exposed to bad food ads

Hundreds of thousands of children and young people are watching TV adverts for food high in fat, salt and sugar despite measures designed to prevent them doing so, according to the consumer watchdog Which? In a spot check on children's viewing, it found that only four of the 20 programmes with the largest under-16 audiences were covered by rules from broadcasting regulator Ofcom. Guardian article >>

Free school meals pilot scheme announced

Pupils in two areas of the country will be offered free school meals in a £20 million pilot announced by Health Secretary Alan Johnson. If the scheme is proved to improve health, standards at school, pupils behaviour and take-up of school meals it could be expanded to every local authority. Guardian article >>

DSA re-launch Arrive Alive Programme for Young People

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is updating part of its national award-winning campaign Arrive Alive. The scheme sends driving examiners into schools and colleges, young offenders units, prisons and other youth groups within the 16 to 19 target age range to deliver important safe driving messages to young people. The aim is to improve attitudes towards learning to drive, the driving test and the longer term skill of safe driving for life. DSA press release >>

Local authorities dive in for £140 million free swimming fund

296 local authorities have expressed their interest in claiming their share of a £50 million fund being made available to offer free swimming to under-16’s which will be invested between 2009 and 2011. The initiative is part of a £140 million government investment in the sport that also includes free swimming for those aged over 60 and capital for local authorities to upgrade pools. DCMS press release >>

Government launches new UK council for child internet safety

The government has announced the launch of a scheme designed to keep children and young people safe online. The UK Council for Child Internet Safety will bring together over one hundred organisations from both the public and private sectors to develop a national strategy on safety on the internet and deliver the recommendations from the recent report by Dr Tanya Byron, ‘Safer Children in a Digital World’. It will include the introduction of a voluntary code of practice and offer advice to parents about security controls. DCSF press release >>

National Child Measurement Programme results published

Statistics from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) for 2006/7 are now available online. The programme was established as part of the government’s obesity strategy and weighs and measures children aged 4 to 5 years and 10 to 11 years to assess overweight and obese levels. In 2006/7, 876,416 primary school children were measured (80 per cent of those eligible). Further information >>
NCMP online results >>

Healthy Relationships and Sex

Brook uncovers public ignorance over teenage pregnancy

Sexual health charity Brook has revealed statistics that show the extent of the general public’s misunderstanding of the UK’s teenage pregnancy rate. 95 per cent of people over-estimate the rate of under-16s who get pregnant each year and the same amount are unaware of the significant drop in this figure over the last decade. Young people themselves thought that the rate of under-16s getting pregnant each year was particularly high. 23 per cent of 15 to 24 years olds thought the rate was over 40 per cent, compared with 16 per cent of people aged 25 or over. Currently the teenage pregnancy rate for under-16s is less than one per cent. Brook press release >>

Alcohol and Substance Use

FRANK helpline reaches two million milestone

The FRANK drugs advice helpline has received its two millionth phone call. It was launched in 2003 to offer confidential, non-judgmental drugs advice and to provide people of all ages with information and support about illegal substances. Trends from the past five years of calls to the helpline reveal a change in the nature of calls received and the demographic of those seeking advice. Callers are getting younger with most calls now coming from 16 to 25 year olds. drugs.gov.uk press release >>

Picture warnings on cigarette packets from 1 October 2008

On 1 October the UK was the first country in the EU to introduce graphic picture warnings on cigarette packets. The new warnings, which include pictures of rotting teeth and lungs, throat cancer and a 'flaccid cigarette', replaced written warnings on packs which were introduced in January 2003. By 1 October 2009 all cigarette packs sold in the UK must feature the warnings. This is to allow enough time for introducing the new warnings and sell-through of existing stock. Picture warnings will start appearing on all other tobacco products from 1 October 2010. DH press release >>

Revealed: the nine types of heavy drinker

The Guardian reports that Department of Health (DH) has announced research findings identifying nine types of heavy drinker; those regularly drinking at least twice the recommended guidelines of 35 units a week for women and 50 a week for men. DH commissioned the research in order to develop targeted social marketing campaigns to help reduce the harm caused by heavy drinking. The 9 personality types of heavy drinker were summarised in the Guardian newspaper. Guardian article >>

Guardian supplement on alcohol

A recent Guardian supplement sponsored by Diageo a leading drinks manufacturer covered a range of alcohol issues facing the UK, including education, young people, health and the history of alcohol consumption and legislation. Much of the supplement focused on the issues facing young people; one report looked at a number of initiatives that have been raising awareness of alcohol issues amongst young people including theatre projects and the success of specific intervention programmes looking at issues such as family problems. Another report surveyed teenagers on alcohol and binge drinking. Guardian alcohol supplement - articles >>

Children allowed to drink at home more likely to develop alcohol problems, study suggests
A US study claims that drinking alcohol when young can lead to alcohol dependency in later life. The research claims that parents introducing their children to alcohol at home to encourage responsible drinking may not be a positive move. Telegraph article >>

One in five children thinks their parents have tried drugs - survey

One in five young people say they think their parents have taken drugs and of those, one in ten say they think their parents still take drugs, according to a survey published by drug and alcohol charity Addaction,. The survey found that overwhelmingly young people describe themselves as being ‘against’ drugs (90 per cent) and only one in ten think celebrities make taking drugs seem ‘cool’. The survey, which questioned 500 young people selected at random in England and Scotland about their attitudes towards drugs and alcohol, reveals signs that the generation gap is closing between parents and their children on drugs.
Addaction press release >>
Addaction report >>

Alcohol ban for under-21s leads to drop in crime rates

A pilot scheme in Scotland banning the sale of alcohol to under-21s has led to a drop in crime and anti social behaviour, new figures suggest. 18 off-licences at Larbert and Stenhousemuir, in the Central Scotland Police area, have been restricting alcohol sales to people aged over 21 at key times, such as Friday and Saturday nights. Figures released by the Scottish Government show calls to the police about anti social behaviour fell 40 per cent after the voluntary Stop the Supply project began in April. Aberdeen Press and Journal article >>

Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

Disabled young people 'miss out on fun'

Campaign group Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) have published a report in which they claim that negative attitudes from other children and lack of access to play equipment mean that children and young people with disabilities miss out on the fun and activities which others typically enjoy. The organisation wants the government to deliver on promises made in its Play and Youth strategies. BBC article >>
EDCM Going Places web page >>

Child mental health care warning

Mentally ill children and young people are still being failed by the NHS in England, the children's commissioner says. Sir Al Aynsley-Green acknowledged progress since his audit 18 months ago but said there was a ‘long way to go’. By 2010, the government wants under-18s on adult wards only if appropriate. Of over 200 NHS trusts surveyed, just 15 per cent had all children on the right wards. The government said an extra £1.2 billion towards mental health services meant care was improving. Sir Al's report ‘Pushed into the Shadows’, published in January 2007, criticised the ‘national scandal’ whereby many children and young people were being treated on adult psychiatric wards because of a shortage of beds. BBC Article >>

Hi-tech help for children at risk

At-risk children and young people will soon be able to contact the NSPCC's ChildLine via text messages and the internet. Although thousands of people contact ChildLine every day the organisation still struggles to answer every call. Currently about 67 per cent of calls get answered and just 40 per cent of children who need counselling receive it. BBC article >>

Doctors call for warnings on caffeine drinks

Performance-enhancing energy drinks should carry prominent health warnings to protect young people from overdosing on caffeine, doctors have said. The warning follows research into 28 energy drinks that found some had up to 14 times the caffeine as a can of cola, or the same as seven cups of strong coffee. Guardian article >>

Committee to judge UK's treatment of 13m under-18s

The United Nations Commission on the Rights of the Child's report on the UK is likely to express concern about Britain's record of eradicating child poverty, its relatively low age of criminal responsibility, the use of ASBOs on children and the provision of health services for adolescents. Guardian article >>

Children and Young People’s Services

Learning outside the classroom

The Department for Children, Schools and families (DCSF) has launched a series of initiatives supporting learning outside the classroom, including the Out and About package comprising resources and training to support learning outside the classroom opportunities. The Quality Badge scheme, which is currently being piloted, will go live in early 2009. The new Council for the Learning Outside the Classroom will act as the awarding body, assessing each organisation against quality and safety criteria. DCSF press release >>

NHS guidance to help young people with drug problems

New guidance for councils and health trusts to enable them to better plan services for young people with drugs problems has been issued by the NHS's National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA). The guidance offers advice on carrying out an assessment of local needs ands emphasises the importance of trusts and councils working in partnership to ensure that hard-to-reach young people with drugs problems are pinpointed and targeted with support. It also calls for an expert group to be set up to spearhead the work, involving groups such as child and adolescent mental health services and young offending teams. The guidance also outlines the importance of a smooth transition between children's and adult services when dealing with young people who have drug problems. NTA guidance web page >>

Funding

Young people urged to get their skates on for funding

As the application deadline for the Young People’s Fund 2 Local Grants programme approaches, young people are being urged to bid for funding. The programme supports projects that put young people at the heart of planning, developing and running activities and services that can improve their lives. Initial outline proposal forms for the Big Lottery Funded programme need to be received by 16 October. Big Lottery Fund press release >>

Participatory budgeting

Communities and Local Government (CLG) has announced twelve 'participatory budgeting' or 'community kitties' pilot areas, actively engaging with local people in how public money is spent. The pilot areas will work with the help and guidance of the Participatory Budgeting Unit, letting their communities choose from 'dragon's den' style pitches for council cash. Different local groups can make proposals for a portion of public budgets, and local people can consider which ones they feel will best meet the area's priorities and needs - such as recycling projects, health projects, local environmental issues or children's services.
CLG press release >>

Events/Training

Children and Young People Now Health and Wellbeing Conference
17 November 2008 London

Children & Young People Now’s inaugural health and wellbeing conference will explore practical implementation strategies for multi-agency working success in children and young people’s health & wellbeing. It will feature case studies, roundtable discussions and a youth panel. The day focuses on the following key issues: sexual health and teenage pregnancy; substance misuse; emotional literacy; integrated working and healthy weight. Further information >>

Practice

Staying Positive - Young People's Workshops

Staying Positive Workshops are a series of three one-day workshops delivered over a period of approximately three months for young people aged 12 to 18 years who are living with a long-term health condition. Supported by the Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company, the workshops give young people the skills to improve the management of their condition from both a health perspective and a social perspective. The programme was developed as a result of direct consultation with young people as to what the format and content should be. Workshops are facilitated by trained young people aged between 14 and 25 years who are themselves living with a long-term condition. Further information >>

Resources

Grapevine Game updated as SEXplanation!

An updated version of the bestselling sex and relationships resource The Grapevine Game will be available soon. Now re-titled SEXplanation! and given a 21^st century makeover, the board game will be a vital resource for those working with young people, opening up honest discussion about sex and relationships. First produced in the early 1990s, the game will still be promoted under the same slogan – ‘when it comes to sex, what’s the safest, most reliable and most satisfying way…of talking about it?’ SEXplanation! costs £40 plus postage and packaging. For more information visit www.nya.org.uk/sexplanation or email Vicky West

Youth Work Week – Information Pack available

The National Youth Agency has published the information pack for Youth Work Week 2008 which runs from 1 to 7 November 2008. The document is full of useful material linked to the theme of Promoting the Voice and Influence of Young People including cases studies, ideas for the week and summaries of public policy relating to voice and influence. The pack can be downloaded from Youth Work Week Information Pack >>

New guide from DrugScope

DrugScope has published ‘The Essential Guide to Working with Young People about Drugs and Alcohol’, aimed at a broad range of professionals who work with young people who are misusing drugs and alcohol or who are at risk of doing so, including teachers, youth workers, drug treatment workers, Youth Offending Teams and Connexions personal advisors. In eleven easy-to-digest chapters, the book's contributors including Richard McKie from NYA’s Youth Work for Health (YW4H) team, provide practical advice and information and explain the latest government policies and strategies around young people's substance misuse. DrugScope press release >>
Further information >>

The YOT Health Practitioner: identifying and sharing good mental health practice

Mental health issues have become an increasingly important area of health practitioners’ work as their role has evolved, particularly since the provision of separate funding for drugs workers within Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) was established. A new guide from Nacro provides information on the role of YOT health practitioners, their supervision, where they should be based, service delivery and other crucial issues such as working together and sharing information. It incorporates good practice models as a means of illustrating how YOT health practitioners can improve practice in their mental health work with this important client group. Further information >>

Consultation/Research Proposals

Safe, Sensible, Social – consultation on further action

Professionals and the public are being urged to submit responses to the ‘Safe. Sensible. Social’ industry consultation proposals. Two key documents, ‘Safe Sensible Social - consultation for further action’ and a supporting impact assessment are available on the Department of Health website Alcohol Concern however has released a short online tool to allow people to respond quickly by answering up to 6 questions relating to the proposals. The deadline is 14th October. DH press release >> 
Alcohol Concern online survey tool>>

Improving care for children with long term health needs

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