The National Youth Agency - Youth Issues News

Youth Issues News

Each weekday The NYA monitors the national press, government press releases, Hansard, parliamentary websites and specialist publications for news and information about young people and youth policy.

This intelligence feeds the work of the Policy, Information and Research team. National press scanned include the Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Times, Independent, Times Educational Supplement, and Voice. Comments and feedback welcome - email: Jo Poultney

2009
2008
- December 2008
- November 2008
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- April

Launch of controversial child database delayed: 29 Aug 2008The launch of ContactPoint, the database containing the details of every person under the age of 18 in the country is to be delayed until January because of technical issues.

Police may be given powers to question child suspects alone: 29 Aug 2008The Home Office is proposing to allow the police to question children and young people without their parents or other relative being present.

Take GCSEs bit by bit then have a year’s rest: 29 Aug 2008Changes to the GCSE qualification have been announced with claims that it will create a modularised system.

Volunteer work could count towards a degree: 29 Aug 2008University students could earn credits towards their degree by volunteering with a charity.

Parents sue over daughter's death: 29 Aug 2008The parents of a 17 year old girl who died of an undiagnosed heart problem after requesting education staff not to inform her parents of a GP’s visit are planning to sue County Durham Education officials.

£36m investment in sport goes nationwide: 29 Aug 2008Sport England today announced a £36 million investment in ‘Sport Unlimited’ - a nationwide initiative to get more children and young people taking part in sports that interest them most outside of school.

Young 'dreaming of living abroad': 28 Aug 2008A survey of 560 UK students aged from 11 to 18 has found that seven out of 10 young people want to live and work abroad one day, but that most do not have a second language.

Online debate on impact of youth justice reforms: 28 Aug 2008The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King’s College London has announced that it has launched an online debate on the impact of the government’s youth justice reforms.

Police terror law used on underage drinkers: 28 Aug 2008Underage drinkers are being arrested by police using laws brought in to combat organised crime, terrorism and identity theft.

Youth curfew hailed as success: 28 Aug 2008A voluntary youth curfew on young people in Redruth, Cornwall, has led to a reduction in anti-social behaviour according to police.

Social injustice cutting life expectancy, UN report says: 28 Aug 2008A major United Nations report has found that social injustice, from being born into poverty to inadequate education and bad housing, is killing on a grand scale around the world and in the UK.

UK has 3 million workless households: 28 Aug 2008Figures from the Office for National Statistics has revealed that there are almost 1.8 million children - one in seven - who live in households in which no one works, with more than 3 million families in total unemployed.

Number of 'inadequate'childminders doubles in a year, says inspectors: 27 Aug 2008A review of childcare and early education provision by Ofsted has found that the number of childminders ranked as 'inadequate' has doubled in the past year, with the situation being worse in the most deprived areas.

Under orders: 27 Aug 2008Fives years ago, seven individuals aged between 15 and 27 were served with one of the most far-reaching asbos ever.

Teach primary school pupils about sex, say MPs: 27 Aug 2008A cross-party group of MPs is calling on the government to make advice on sexual health and relationships mandatory in all schools.

Young people and self-harm: 27 Aug 2008The 12th European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour, held this week in Glasgow, is to include discussion of a Stirling University-led study in which 700 young people aged 15 and 16 in central Scotland were questioned about self-harm.

Young Britons lead cheers for 2012 Games: 26 Aug 2008A Guardian/ICM poll has shown that young people are leading public support for the London 2012 Olympics.

The extra mile: 26 Aug 2008Case study on the Leap project in Lancashire, run in partnership between Rathbone and local secondary schools to help re-engage young people who are at risk of exclusion.

Tories say Labour neglects teenage health: 26 Aug 2008The Conservatives have published a dossier which claims that young people's health has got steadily worse under Labour since 2000.

Let children play in office car parks, says Nice: 22 Aug 2008Draft guidelines drawn up by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) outlines recommendations to increase physical activity amongst young people.

Record A and A* results as schools refine entries: 22 Aug 2008Record GCSE results were reported yesterday with the proportion receiving the highest grades rising at the fastest rate in almost 20 years.

Pensioners outnumber under-16s for first time: 22 Aug 2008Children and young people are outnumbered by people over 60 years old for the first time according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.

The chance to live a full life: 21 Aug 2008Article exploring the limited options available to young people with learning disabilities once they have left school.

Boys break through 60 per cent A*- C barrier: 21 Aug 2008The 2008 GCSE results, released today, show the overall A*-C pass rate has increased by 2.4 percentage points to 65.7 per cent and English has risen 0.7 percentage points and maths 1.1 percentage points compared to last year.

Evaluation of Youth Funds and good practice guidance published: 21 Aug 2008Young people taking part in Youth Fund panels have seen their confidence and social skills soar, their behaviour improve and their standing in the community increased, according to a report issued today by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes.

£4.5 million for positive youth activities and to improve community relations: 20 Aug 2008Children's Minister, Beverly Hughes, has announced £4.5 million funding to support positive youth activities in areas such as adventure, arts, media projects.

Curfew America: 20 Aug 2008Report on nighttime curfew measures being imposed in US cities to tackle new waves of gun violence this summer.

Modern Clubbing for the Kids: 20 Aug 2008Comment piece from Jerry Ward, a youth worker based in Birmingham, on the importance of youth club provision.

'Stopping and searching won't solve the problem': 20 Aug 2008Comment piece on the government's campaign aimed at persuading children not to carry knives and the limits of stop and search laws as a means of addressing the problem.

Poorest children being let down by underfunded schools: 20 Aug 2008Children from the poorest homes are being systematically failed in their education because their schools are not receiving the funding needed to properly support them, according to research undertaken by the End Child Poverty campaign.

What else can a youth worker do?: 20 Aug 2008Careers advice feature for a qualified youth worker who wants a role with more strategic responsibility.

Ministers want doctors to tell police if they treat patients with wounds from knife attack: 19 Aug 2008Guidance drawn up by the Department of Health and the General Medical Council will see accident and emergency doctors informing the police whenever someone goes to hospital for treatment for wounds inflicted in a knife attack.

Intergenerational ties stronger than people think: 19 Aug 2008The Full of Life study, a government initiative designed to celebrate the role older people play in society has found that young people aged 15 - 24 have the widest social circle with two thirds regularly spending time with friends both older and younger than themselves.

Struggling schools risk losing funds: 18 Aug 2008Struggling secondary schools will learn this week if they could be forced to close by the end of the year amid accusations that the government is abandoning them.

Celebration for A-level students - especially if they live in the South: 15 Aug 2008A North-South divide in the performance of teenagers has been exposed by this year's A-level results, according to a regional breakdown produced by the exam board.

More young people end up in hospital as price of heroin and cocaine falls: 15 Aug 2008A growing number of children and young adults are being admitted to hospital after taking illegal drugs, includng more than 1,200 admissions of under-16s last year, according to NHS data for the decade to 2007.

Staying on cuts rates of teenage pregnancy: 15 Aug 2008Increasing the age of compulsory education and training to 18 could help to cut England's persistently high teenage pregnancy rates, according to research looking at rises in participation age in Norway and the United States, published by the Royal Economic Society.

Bling culture turns youths to crime, says minister: 14 Aug 2008Skills minister David Lammy has said that young men are shunning work and turning to a life of crime as Britain develops a "get rich or die trying" culture.

Increased numbers of pupils are passing A Levels: 14 Aug 2008This year's results show that there is an increase in the number of A-level passes.

A-level divide between rich and poor: 14 Aug 2008Research published by the Conservatives claims that fewer than one in eight GCSE students go on to study A-levels in some of the poorest areas of England.

Students under more pressure: 14 Aug 2008With today's A-level results expected to continue the 20-year trend of higher pass rates, this article looks at how this is putting students under more pressure than ever before.

How we watch now: tune in, log on, call up: 14 Aug 2008A new report published by Ofcom has found that although television remains the 'media activity' that British people above the age of 20 say they would miss most, 16-to-19-year-olds say it is the mobile phone they couldn't live without.

Northern England has most dangerous - and least dangerous - places to live: 13 Aug 2008Analysis of crime statistics by consultants Local Futures shows a clear urban-rural divide with the highest crime areas are being in cities.

Average student debt now £4,500 a year: 13 Aug 2008A survey of more than 2,000 stuents by Push.co.uk - the organisation that provides a guide for new university students - has found that student debt levels have greatly increased, with those starting university this year expected to owe more than £20,000 by the time they graduate.

New framework to put Further Education at heart of local communities: 12 Aug 2008The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has published a new framework document which sets out how further education can forge new partnerships to make a stronger contribution to the economic and social health of local communities.

University fees 'have not affected' student demand: 12 Aug 2008Research conducted for Universities UK, which represents higher education institutions, has found that the introduction of top-up fees has had no effect on demand for student places.

Crackdown on underage sale of knives: 11 Aug 2008The Home Office has announced the launch of a scheme today aimed at preventing the illegal sale of knives to anyone under 18.

Brand bullying growing, warn teachers: 11 Aug 2008A poll carried out by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers has found that young people who cannot afford the latest brands and fashions face bullying or exclusion by their peers.

NYA reviews its support services to remain competitive: 11 Aug 2008The NYA is undergoing a review of its support services. Fiona Blacke, Chief Executive, said 'We want to make sure we remain efficient and competitive.

Government launches Manchester search for role models to inspire black boys: 8 Aug 2008The Government launched its Black Boys' National Role Model programme in Manchester yesterday, calling for motivational Black and mixed heritage men to take a lead in inspiring the next generation of Black boys to achieve and succeed.

Gangs take place of parents as role models for troubled teens: 8 Aug 2008A report to be published by the Prince's Trust next week, The Culture of Youth Communities, has found that young people are joining gangs in increasing numbers because they have no adult role model in their lives.

Class effect prevents England from joining world's best educators: 8 Aug 2008A government-commissioned report by McKinsey consultancy has found a strong correlation between pupil performance and their parents' social-economic status.

Rich-poor education gap wider under Labour, claim Tories: 8 Aug 2008The Conservatives have published a position paper on education which highlights the education gap between rich and poor, which they claim has widened under the Labour government.

Schools urged to teach feminism: 8 Aug 2008Academic research has found that girls continue to define themselves in terms of male desire.

National MMR catch up campaign launched: 8 Aug 2008The Department of Health is making extra vaccine and more funds available to help local health trusts put in place a campaign to vaccinate every child up to the age of 18 against measles, to reduce the risk of a measles epidemic.

Only one in 50 teachers is a man: 7 Aug 2008Only one in 50 teachers of the youngest primary school children is a man, according to official figures.

Young People evading the age restrictions imposed by social networking sites: 7 Aug 2008Nearly a quarter of children between the ages of eight and 12 are evading the age restrictions imposed by social networking sites Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, a poll of young people has revealed.

Extra money to help more mums breastfeed: 6 Aug 2008The govermment has announced that an extra £2 million will be invested to help more women in England breastfeed at the start of World Breastfeeding Week.

More school means fewer teenage mothers: 6 Aug 2008New research published in the Economics Journal supports government plans to raise the compulsory education or training age to 18 by claiming that making young people leave school later could reduce the number of young mothers.

Tiny turns in the right direction: 6 Aug 2008A volunteer with Mentoring Plus talks about his experience of mentoring a troubled young person.

Parents to get child obesity warning: 5 Aug 2008Parents of overweight children will be contacted by letter to inform them that their child's weight is well above the healthy norm under plans announced by the Department of Health.

Kids need the adventure of 'risky' play: 4 Aug 2008An ICM research report for Play England says parents harm their children's development if they ban tree-climbing or conkers.

Lad mags 'linked to social ills': 4 Aug 2008Shadow education secretary Michael Gove is expected to say that 'Lad mags' such as Nuts and Zoo encourage irresponsible behaviour among young men and promote a negative image of women.

Record numbers of university students work to pay the bills: 4 Aug 2008A survey by NatWest has revealed that record numbers of students are working their way through university because they are overwhelmed with debt or struggling to make ends meet.

Even 5-year-olds are at risk from self-harm, parents are warned: 4 Aug 2008A national survey by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence into self-harm has revealed that the proportion of young people who self-harm in the UK is now among the highest in Europe.

New report shows national suicide rate at record low: 4 Aug 2008The 2007 Annual Report of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England shows that there continues to be a sustained fall in the rate of suicides among young men aged 20-34, a drop of 7.50 per cent between 2003-05 and 2004-06.

Public is over-concerned by the problem of bullying in England's schools: 4 Aug 2008Some 80 per cent of people surveyed for the Department for Children, Schools and Families thought bullying in schools was a big problem.

60,000 children skipped school in spring term: 1 Aug 2008Almost 3 million school days were lost during the spring term through children missing school, government figures show.