Latest News
14 July 2025: School suspensions rise to nearly a million in England
The number of school suspensions and exclusions in England has reached its highest level since 2006, Department for Education figures show.
8 July 2025: Children living in ‘Dickensian’ poverty, says commissioner
Some children are living in “Dickensian” levels of poverty, England’s children’s commissioner has said.
7 July 2025: ‘We have no support’: foster carers take employment rights fight to UK supreme court
Foster carers describe financial struggles and ‘lack of respect’ in ‘broken model’ propped up by benefit system
7 July 2025: Government faces battle over Send overhaul as campaigners voice fears
MPs and parents worry shake-up may abolish vital education, health and care plans that SEN children rely on
7 July 2025: Children should not be strip-searched or detained unless a last resort, say MPs
Parliamentary reports include harrowing testimonies from children in England and Wales about their treatment
7 July 2025: Police to collect ethnicity data for all cases of child sexual abuse
Requirement made as review finds ‘over-representation’ of Asian men among grooming gang suspects
6 July 2025: How Prevent is tackling young extremism 20 years after the 7/7 bombings
Over the last six years, 50% of referrals to the deradicalisation programme Prevent have been children under the age of 18, with 11 to 15-year-olds being the largest age group to get referred.
6 July 2025: Family hubs to open in every council in England
Family hubs offering parenting support and youth services will be rolled out across every local authority in England, the government has announced.
6 July 2025: People with learning disabilities meet 999 crews
Adults with learning disabilities have been encouraged to ask emergency services for help when they need it at a special event.
6 July 2025: ‘Widespread failings’ in Torbay SEND services
Significant concerns have been raised by inspectors over special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in part of Devon.
6 July 2025: Nearly one in eight young women and girls have attempted suicide, figures show
Almost one in eight 16– to 24- year-old girls and women have attempted suicide, the most of any group, according to NHS figures.
(Source: Children and Young People Now)
6 July 2025: Munro: children’s social care reforms ‘very likely to fail’ due to scale of change and lack of testing
Leading social work academic questions overhaul of child protection conference chair role and raises concerns about non-social work qualified staff taking on child in need cases
6 July 2025: Nearly a quarter of foster places in England provided by private equity-backed firms
Experts raise alarm over ‘commodification’ of vulnerable children as independent fostering agencies make millions in profit.
3 July 2025: Campaigners warn over impact of benefit cuts to care leavers
Thousands of care leavers could be at risk of benefit cuts under the government’s watered down welfare reforms, according to campaigners.
(Source: Children and Young People Now)
3 July 2025: Children In Police Custody
Miranda Bevan, King’s College London, guest blogs on new research from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Children in Police Custody.
1 July 2025: Parental leave and pay for new parents to be reviewed
The amount of time off and pay new parents can get after the birth of a child will be looked at in a “landmark” review, the government says.
1 July 2025: Youth voices ‘critical’ to £5m employment plan
A new youth forum is being set up in a county where data shows economic inactivity among young people is at a record high.
30 June 2025: Group helps young people get into fishing industry
A new Devon community interest company (CIC) is hoping to help with the future of the fishing industry by bringing in new recruits.
30 June 2025: Childminder decline shows no sign of slowing down
The long-term decline in childminders has continued over the past year, latest Ofsted figures reveal.
(Source: Children and Young People Now)
30 June 2025: ‘Family breakdown’ behind 25% rise in young rough sleepers
The number of young people sleeping rough in London has soared by 25% in the last year and by nearly 70% in five years, according to official data.
Upcoming Events
Attend the Tackling Modern Slavery Conference 2025, where policymakers, law enforcement, NGOs, and community organisations will share their insights on tackling modern slavery. You will hear national updates on government approaches to modern slavery, best practice examples for preventing exploitation, and effective strategies for providing essential support to victims.
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From 1st August 2025, all universities and colleges will be required to meet a new condition of registration on harassment and sexual misconduct. Now is the time for higher education institutions to update their policies and processes to better protect students and deal with incidents effectively. Following the introduction of the new OfS condition, join Westminster Insight’s Tackling Harassment in Higher Education Conference to ensure you are meeting the requirements.
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Cracking down on anti-social behaviour (ASB) in communities is a key priority. Join this timely, half-day conference to discuss the next steps for preventing and tackling ASB across the country. The Crime and Policing Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, is set to introduce major provisions to help stamp out anti-social behaviour and deal with perpetrators, including new Respect Orders.
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The evidence is clear that every day at school counts. School absence was at 7.1% last academic year, a reduction from 7.4% in 2022/23, but still significantly higher than pre-pandemic rates (4.7% in 2018/19). Particularly concerning is that one in five children are now persistently absent (missing more than 10% of school days) and severe absence (missing more than half of school) has more than doubled since the pandemic.
From £279.00
With an estimated 14,500 children at risk or involved in county lines criminal exploitation, the urgency to act has never been greater. Chaired by Steph Roberts-Bibby, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board, Westminster Insight’s timely Tackling County Lines online conference will explore the latest developments in policy, prevention, and protection.
From £279.00