11 MILLION

Progress needed to meet Government’s pledge on children’s mental health

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00 GMT

Primary care trusts and mental health trusts have some way to go if they are to meet the Government’s target to ensure no children or young people are inappropriately placed on adult mental health wards by 2010, the Children’s Commissioner for England today says today.

Fun, friends and freedom

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00 GMT

Children and young people say that freedom, friendship and active outdoor fun are the vital elements of play in a report published today by the Children’s Commissioner for England and Play England. The report, ‘Fun and Freedom’, examines how local authorities have sought children and young people’s views about play.

Statement on Children and Young People with Disabilities

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00 GMT

The European Network of Children’s Ombudspersons (ENOC) issues position statements on children’s rights issues. These are often developed by a working group of members, and then adopted formally at ENOC’s annual meeting.

The UK’s four Children’s Commissioners join forces to assess the reality of children’s lives

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

The UK’s four Children’s Commissioners are set to tell the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child the state of children’s rights across the country.

Download the publication.

Statement on gun and knife crime

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the Children's Commissioner for England, says that children and young people must be at the heart of crime prevention strategies

Sir Al Aynsley-Green comments on the Government's play consultation, Fair Play.

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

Are kids in Tamworth happy and healthy? Be the first to find out what they told the Children’s Commissioner

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

Are kids in Grimsby happy and healthy? Be the first to find out what they told the Children’s Commissioner

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00 GMT

Children’s Commissioner uncovers failings in the care of vulnerable children

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00 GMT

Are Newcastle kids happy and healthy? Be the first to find out what they told the Children’s Commissioner

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00 GMT

Children and young people from North East to tell Children’s Commissioner like it is.

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00 GMT

3,500 ULTRA-SONIC DISPERSAL DEVICES TOLD TO BUZZ OFF

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00 GMT

11 MILLION COMMENT ON THE STAYING SAFE ACTION PLAN

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00 GMT

Children’s Commissioner calls for child-centred approach to mothers in prison

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00 GMT

Children's Commissioner response to the Government’s Obesity Strategy

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00 GMT

Children's Commissioner welcomes Government's trafficking announcement & review of UNCRC

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00 GMT

UN to criticise Labour's record on child rights. (The Daily Telegraph)

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00 GMT

The Committee on the Rights of the Child will deliver its verdict on the Government's progress in improving the quality of life of British children over the past five years. The report is predicted to say that more could have been done, and warn that too many young people are still living below the breadline and being held in custody.

Teenagers who are embarrassed by their parents' dancing or singing may differ from adults in the part of the brain they use to process such emotions, a study has revealed. (The Daily Telegraph)

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

The fact that younger children find such behaviour entertaining while teenagers find it mortifying has long been a source of confusion among social observers.

Doctors urged to stop use of Ritalin for under-fives. (The Guardian)

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Ritalin, the controversial drug used to calm down hyperactive children, should not be routinely prescribed by doctors and never given to the under-fives, experts say today. They also advise that it should be given to older children only if other help has not worked.

Children who use mobile phones are 'five times more likely to develop brain tumours'. (Daily Mail)

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Children who use mobile phones are five times more likely to develop a type of brain tumour, research has suggested.

Most Britons are not eating the daily recommended amount of fruit or vegetables, and most adults are not eating enough fibre, research has found. (The Guardian)

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

The Department of Health advises that people should eat at least five portions of fruit or vegetables a day to help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and other chronic conditions. But a study by the marketing group TNS found that only 12% of the population are adhering to the target, and another 12% eat no fruit and veg at all.

Call for new 'universal' food labelling. (The Independent)

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

A universal system of food labelling which takes into account everything from nutritional information to the product's impact on the environment should be established to guide consumers, according to a food policy analyst.

Children ‘are much less active than parents think’. (The Times)

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Children in England take less exercise than their parents may think, according to a study.

Dominic Handford's parents sell house so they can send him to top ballet school. (The Times)

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

An 11-year-old ballet dancer described as a real-life Billy Elliot took up the offer of a place at Britain’s oldest dance school yesterday after his parents sold their home to pay the £22,000 a year fees

Women who eat too little during pregnancy increase risk of obesity in children. (The Daily Telegraph)

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Women who eat too little during pregnancy increase the risk of their children becoming obese in later life, experts have warned.

Schoolchildren addicted to caffeine because of energy drinks. (The Daily Telegraph)

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

The consumption of too many caffeine-packed drinks, such as Red Bull and Relentless, may leave some pupils suffering chest pains and headaches, it was claimed. They may also be fuelling bad behaviour in the classroom as teachers struggle to control hyperactive children

Playing active computer games 'keeps children fit' and could turn the tide of obesity. (Daily Mail)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

In the fight to keep our children fit they have long been considered a virtual enemy. But now computer games are said to be proving an unlikely ally in the battle of the bulge. Encouraging youngsters to play the latest 'active' computer games could help them keep trim, doctors believe.

Schoolgirls launch cervical cancer vaccination drive. (The Times)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Schoolgirls in four areas became the first to be immunised against cervical cancer in a national vaccination programme. The Cervarix vaccine targets the two main strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV), which are sexually transmitted and cause 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

Stores promoting junk food despite warnings on obesity. (The Times)

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Supermarkets have almost doubled the number of “junk food” items they promote, despite warnings of an obesity crisis, an official watchdog has found.

Plastic surgery for bullied girls. (The Times)

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00 GMT

A plastic surgeon reshaped the nose of a 14-year-old girl who was being bullied and gave breast implants to other girls who had been teased about their appearance, it emerged yesterday. Douglas McGeorge, president of the British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery, said that many teenagers were victims of bullying and just wanted to look normal. “You think about children whose ears stick out. Children are very cruel and there’s a lot of stigma attached to appearance.”

One in seven children never eat fruit, says School Food Trust. (The Daily Telegraph)

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00 GMT

In total, 14 per cent of youngsters do not even touch an apple, orange or a banana ever despite experts recommending that we eat five portions of fruit or veg a day.

Limit families to two children 'to combat climate change'. (The Daily Telegraph)

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The world's population increases by 1.5m each week and babies born in the UK will use more greenhouse gases during their lifetime than those born in the developing world.

Government report: 'Use steamy TV soap scenes to talk to your kids about sex'. (Daily Mail)

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Parents are being advised to watch steamy TV dramas and read teenagers' magazines to help them start conversations with their children about sex. A Government report yesterday said parents share the blame for soaring teenage pregnancy rates because so few talk to their children about the facts of life.

Talk to your 11-year-old about sex. (The Times)

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Parents should talk to children as young as 11 about sex informally and often if they want them to delay sexual experiences and take fewer risks, according to the Government.

Talk to your 11-year-old about sex. (The Times)

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Parents should talk to children as young as 11 about sex informally and often if they want them to delay sexual experiences and take fewer risks, according to the Government.

Mothers shown how to produce flavoured breast milk. (The Daily Telegraph)

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Nursing mothers have been shown how to produce the human equivalent of a banana milk shake from their breasts.

Children will die younger than their parents, minister warns. (The Daily Telegraph)

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The children of today are likely to die at a younger age than their parents as a result of the increasing obesity crisis, a senior Cabinet minister has warned.

Teachers must act as father figures to white working class boys, says Ofsted

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Schools should provide father figures for white working-class boys who lack them at home, according to Ofsted inspectors.

New right to 'flexitime' for 4.5 million parents. (The Independent)

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The government is to encourage more fathers to work part time or flexible hours so that they can spend more time with their children.

Drinks industry 'flouting voluntary code on sales'. (The Guardian)

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The government yesterday threatened the drinks industry with tougher legislation limiting the promotion and sale of alcohol, following a report revealing flagrant breaches of the voluntary code.

Radical plans to ban all alcohol adverts on television before 9pm could be dropped amid fears the move would cripple advertising companies and broadcasters. (The Daily Telegraph)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The Department of Health and the Home Office are set to publish their long-awaited independent review into the link between alcohol prices, promotions and the harm to health caused by alcohol abuse

Almost eight in ten young people in Britain do not feel safe walking the streets, a survey has found. (the Daily Telegraph)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

A poll of 1,000 16 to 24 year olds found they are increasingly affected by violent crime, depression, stress and drugs.

A virulent mould is destroying the magic moments that were captured on audio and VHS cassettes in the 1980s and 1990s. (Observer)

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

A virulent infection is destroying the audio and videotapes once used to capture important moments of family life and great historic events.

Pushy parents to be held back by barriers at junior football to stop them abusing referees . (Daily Mail)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Every proud father may secretly hope his child will play for England one day. But some over-zealous parents take their support a bit too far. Now pushy mums and dads will be held back by barriers at junior football to stop them abusing referees.

Parents to be 'responsible' for child's sentence. (The Times)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Parents could be made legally responsible for ensuring their children complete sentences handed down for youth offending, under government plans published today to tackle criminal behaviour by youngsters.

Eating too many nuts in pregnancy could put babies at risk of asthma. (The Guardian)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Women who eat a lot of nuts during pregnancy may be putting their children at greater risk of asthma, scientists warned yesterday. The finding follows a study of the diets of more than 4,000 expectant mothers and the health of their babies over their first eight years of life.

Youth crime: Parents face fines and prison in government plan to reinforce young offenders' sentences. (The Guardian)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Parents of child offenders who fail to complete their sentence will in future face fines, compulsory parenting orders and possibly even prison under proposals outlined by the government yesterday.

Jack Straw wants shoplifters to pay for stolen Mars Bars . (The Daily Telegraph)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Under the Youth Crime Action Plan, 16 and 17-year-olds will face new Youth Conditional Cautions. The cautions will mean they will either have to apologise and make amends to their victims, or go before the courts.

Families squeezed at their greatest rate for 13 years as inflation soars. (The Daily Telegraph)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Households are getting poorer as inflation outstrips earnings for the first time in 13 years, according to official figures that show inflation has hit a new high. The Consumer Prices Index, the Government's preferred measure of inflation, jumped from 3.3 per cent in May to 3.8 per cent in June. This is the highest level since 1992 and economists were shocked by the sharpness of the jump.

Obesity and binge drinking threaten to overwhelm the NHS. (The Daily Telegraph)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The obesity epidemic and binge drinking are threatening to overwhelm the NHS, a joint report has warned. Action on obesity and alcohol has been too little too late and together they threaten to 'derail' the improvements made in other areas of health.

Cameron: absent black fathers must meet responsibilities. (The Guardian)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

David Cameron joins the bitterly contested argument over family breakdown and race today by praising Barack Obama's warning that too many black fathers have abandoned their responsibilities to their children.

Computer generation losing out on intellectual development. (The Daily Telegraph)

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Spending too much time on computers rather than working with their hands is threatening children's neurological and intellectual development, a report has found.

Girl guides warning: Pressure to be sexy leads under-14s to self-harm. (Daily Mail)

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

A study conducted by Girlguiding UK found that under-14s believe the influence of magazines, websites and friends telling them to look and act sexually is making them unhappy, and driving some of them to self-harm and eating disorders.

'Green' car tax will hit poorest hardest. (The Daily Telegraph)

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

New "green" car taxes will hit hundreds of thousands of the poorest families, new figures show, as Labour backbenchers told the Government it was heading for a repeat of the 10p tax revolt.

Children should learn to speak before they learn to read says review. (The Times)

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The heavy emphasis on teaching children to read and write in nursery and reception classes is preventing teachers from focusing on more important aspects of early childhood development, such as speaking and listening skills, the author of a major government report has warned.

Operation Goodnight in Redruth: the holiday town where teenagers must be indoors by 9pm. (The Times)

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

You see them on street corners in every town: groups of furtive teenagers looking for company but often finding trouble. Fairly or not, they usually get the blame for vandalism, assaults and drunken midnight shouts that shatter the peace in otherwise deserted suburban streets.

Police bring in evening curfew to keep town's under-16s off streets. (The Guardian)

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

A pioneering curfew aiming at keeping children under 16 off the streets at night is being launched in a Cornish town. Police officers and local authority officials, some wearing head cameras to gather evidence, will patrol an area of Redruth and stop all youngsters of 15 and under who are out unsupervised after 9pm, and all under-10s out after 8pm.

Children as young as three should be reported for 'racism', Government-funded group claims. (Daily Mail)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Toddlers should be taught about racism and singled out for criticism if they have racist attitudes, a Government-funded advisory group said yesterday.

A baby's smile can give a mother a natural high, according to scientists. A baby's smile can give a mother a natural high, according to scientists. (The Daily Telegraph)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The sight of a smiling infant can trigger the 'feel-good' part of the brain which deals with sensations of reward and pleasure research has found.

Laura Robson, Wimbledon winner returns to homework and chores

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Britian's teenage Wimbledon winner was the belle of the Champions Ball last night – but today she is returning to a more familiar life mixing tennis practice with studying for her GCSEs and household chores

Social workers urged to be 'flexible' on ethnic minority adoptions. (The Times)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) is concerned that too many ethnic minority children are left in care homes or with temporary foster families while social workers try to find families to match their precise ethnic and religious background. It believes that the problem could be worsening as the ethnicity of children becomes more complex.

Price of healthier school meals too high for many families. (The Times)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

School meals will soar in price or vanish without a significant injection of government funds, parents are to be told today. Sandra Russell, chairwoman of the Local Authority Caterers Association, told The Times that school meal provision was not sustainable because of the credit crunch, rising food prices and declining numbers of children eating school meals

Waste not want not, Gordon Brown tells families. (The Times)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Families facing spiralling shopping bills were told by Gordon Brown yesterday to stop wasting food, as a government report said that Britons were throwing away groceries worth more than £1 billion a year.

Doctors urge film censors to give 'pro-smoking' films an 18 certificate. (The Guardian)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Doctors' leaders called on film censors last night to give an adults-only classification to all films that portray positive images of smoking. The British Medical Association (BMA) said millions of children and young people were encouraged to become addicted to tobacco by the glamorisation of smoking in the cinema and on television.

Wedding 'ruined' after vicar asks for noisy toddler to leave. (The Observer)

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Church officials are investigating a couple's complaint that a vicar threw their two-year-old son out of their wedding ceremony for being too noisy. The vicar, David Cameron, asked for the child to be removed when he kept repeating his father's name. He also ejected a guest who complained, telling her not to 'make a scene'.

Shocking new research into schoolchildren's lunch habits adds to concerns over obesity. (The Observer)

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

A gaggle of schoolchildren at the chip shop is a common scene in Britain's high streets - but it may not be for much longer. The children's minister, Kevin Brennan, has called for secondary pupils under the age of 16 to be locked in school grounds at lunchtime to stop them from stocking up on sweets, fizzy drinks and takeaways.

Boris Johnson claims "obsession" with paedophiles prevents us being sporting champions. (Daily Mirror)

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The nation's "obsession" with paedophiles is stopping us becoming sporting champions, top Tory Boris Johnson said yesterday.

Student William Bowen, 16, goes for broke after finding £2m in his account

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

As student grants go, it was an improbably large sum. But when the cash machine told William Bowen he had £2 million in his account, he could think of no other explanation.

EastEnders to tackle child sex abuse. (Guardian)

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

BBC1 soap EastEnders is to tackle the subject of child sex abuse for the first time in a potentially controversial storyline to be screened later this year, involving Bianca Jackson's stepdaughter Whitney.

Mothers who eat a junk-food diet in pregnancy may seriously damage the long-term health of their child, according to research published today. (The Guardian)

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, was carried out on rats, but scientists say they have every reason to believe that human babies may suffer as much harm as the offspring of rodents from exposure in the womb to high levels of fats, sugar and salt.

Children threatened with ASBOs for playing football in street. (The Daily Telegraph)

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

A group of children were told they face anti-social behaviour orders for playing football in the street

'Top United Nations' investigators are set to fly to Britain to find out just how badly we are treating our children.' (The People)

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Two officials are due here next month to check whether the way we deal with youngsters has improved in the past six years. But our own experts have already warned them MORE British children now live in poverty, MORE are locked up than anywhere else in Europe, MORE drink and have underage sex and MORE are obese. Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the Children's Commissioner for England, said: "We are the worst of the 21 richest countries in the world at children's wellbeing."

Children not acquiring basic moral values as today's adults poor role models. (The Times)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Children are not acquiring basic moral values because today's generation of adults are such poor role models, a leading charity said yesterday.

Stars like Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty 'eroding children's moral values' (The Daily Telegraph)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

The behaviour of pop stars such as Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty and Lilly Allen is fuelling bad behaviour and promoting materialism, according to the report.

Lack of field trips 'leave children ignorant of nature'. (The Daily Telegraph)

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Children are being "left ignorant of nature" because field trips are being cut due to fears of health and safety litigation, a new report warns. The report, by Greg Barker, the shadow environment minister, reveals 92 per cent of volunteer youth leaders think Britain's "risk averse" culture is preventing children from going on educational wildlife and nature trips.

Forty per cent of girls aged 9 or 10 have been on diets, an expert claims. We look at a trend that is also increasing among boys. (The Times)

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Just over a year ago, around the time of his ninth birthday, Zach Hewitt, a Surrey schoolboy, began doing a few exercises. The odd stomach crunch or bicep curl - nothing too extreme. Then one day he looked in the mirror and decided that he had to do much, much more: he had to get serious about fitness.

Rise in teen abortions prompts call for reform of sex education. (The Times)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Half of pregnancies among girls under 18 are now ending in abortions although the number of pregnancies is falling, an analysis by The Times has shown.

The number of under age girls having abortions has risen by 10 per cent in one year, official figures have revealed. (The Daily Telegraph)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

In total there were 205,600 abortions carried out in England and Wales in 2007 a 2.2 per cent rise on the previous year.

Doctors raise fears over new placebo pill for children. (The Guardian)

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

A fruit-flavoured placebo pill that tricks small children into thinking they are getting medical treatment is to be launched in Britain despite concerns from childcare experts.

Telephone manners are dying out as children abandon the traditional greeting of "Hello". (The Daily Telegraph)

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

A third of young people aged 18 to 24 say they answer their mobile phones with greetings such as "hi", "yo" or "what's up".

Two children are learning to live without their mobile phones after becoming so badly addicted to the technology they were admitted to a mental health clinic. (The Daily Telegraph)

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Two children are learning to live without their mobile phones after becoming so badly addicted to the technology they were admitted to a mental health clinic.

Up. Up. Up. Child poverty, pensioner poverty, inequality. (The Guardian)

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Gordon Brown's flagship anti-poverty campaign received a triple blow yesterday with news that a rise in both child and pensioner poverty had left Britain a more unequal country than when Labour came to power in 1997

We're failing in our war on child poverty, ministers will admit. (Daily Mail)

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Labour is being forced to admit that it is not on track to meet its flagship pledge to halve child poverty by 2010.

Children are being failed by councils which are struggling to tackle levels of teenage pregnancy, substance abuse and obesity, according to the Government's watchdog. (The Daily Telegraph)

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Children are being failed by councils which are struggling to tackle levels of teenage pregnancy, substance abuse and obesity, according to the Government's watchdog.

Free swimming for all by 2012 in £130m campaign for a healthier Britain. (The Times)

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Free swimming for all will be promised today in a sports shake-up aimed at making Britain healthier and more successful in international competitions. Charges at 1,600 municipal pools are to be scrapped – initially for 20 million over-60s and under-16s.

Parents' bad habits behind child tooth decay. (The Daily Telegraph)

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Half of under-fives suffer from tooth decay and a quarter of parents do not even think children need to brush their teeth twice a day, a charity has said. Tooth decay in British children is among the worst in Europe, yet many parents are neglecting their child's oral health.

Ed Balls: Giving drink to young may be banned. (The Daily Telegraph)

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Under a law from 1933, adults are allowed to give children as young as five a drink at home. However, as the Government launched its Youth Alcohol Action Plan yesterday to reduce the growing number of teenagers who are drinking at dangerous levels, ministers hinted that the legislation could be changed. Asked if the age could be raised following a review into safe drinking levels for children, Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, said: "Nothing is ruled out."

Ministers put campaign to curb alcohol adverts on hold. (The Guardian)

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Ministers have postponed further curbs on alcohol advertising and cut-price supermarket drink promotions despite police complaints that lager is being sold more cheaply than sparkling water.

Cry for help from debt-ridden middle class. (The Times)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

A debt advice charity is being overwhelmed by demands for help in some of the most affluent parts of the country. Transact, which represents more than a thousand organisations and individuals involved with people suffering financial hardship, said last night that the number of middle-class people wanting advice was rising dramatically.

Now cash-strapped families abandon their pets - because they can't afford to care for them (Daily Mail)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Home-owners are abandoning their pets as they struggle to cope with the rising cost of living.

Stressed pregnant women are more likely to have children with allergies. (Daily Mail)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Women who are stressed in pregnancy, possibly by financial or relationship problems, are more likely to have babies who suffer from asthma and allergies, say researchers.

Veggie sausages contain FIVE TIMES as much salt as a bag of crisps. (Daily Mail)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Many parents regard them as the healthy alternative, but some leading brands of vegetarian burgers and sausages contain higher levels of salt than their meat equivalents.

Thousands of children to get a DOUBLE jab of MMR in 'emergency' move to tackle measles epidemic. (Daily Mail)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Thousands of babies and toddlers are being given two doses of the MMR jab in three months under "emergency" measures to tackle the biggest outbreak of measles for decades.

Universities in backlash against 'soft' subjects now accounting for one in three of all A-levels. (Daily Mail)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Universities are warning that students who take too many 'soft' A-levels run the risk of rejection.

Parents demand Gremlins TV ad probe. (The Guardian)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

The ad watchdog has received several complaints that BT's TV ad featuring Dragons' Den star Peter Jones being harassed by the Gremlins is frightening and distressing to young children.

The Department of Health is launching the first stage of a £10m drive to tackle binge drinking with a TV campaign about the units of alcohol in different drinks. (The Guardian)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Different TV ads in the campaign, which break tonight, will target male and female drinkers.

Report backs expansion of cadet corps in state schools. (The Guardian)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

State school pupils will be encouraged to sign up for military training with the cadet corps under a review of the armed forces which is published today.

Childhood inquiry looks at education policies · Professor points to 'privatisation' effect. (The Guardian)

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

An inquiry ordered by the schools secretary, Ed Balls, into the impact of the commercial world on children is to investigate the government's own policies of encouraging schools to link up to businesses and setting up sponsored academies.

A coalition of Britain's leading medical charities will today urge MPs to approve stem cell research using human-animal hybrid embryos, as the Commons prepares for a landmark vote on the issue.

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00 GMT

The open letter, whose signatories include the Parkinson's Disease Society and the British Heart Foundation, says that allowing the creation of hybrid embryos could lead to crucial advances in the treatment of a range of serious diseases.

Britain's couch potato children are now among the fattest in Europe. (Daily Mail)

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00 GMT

British children are among the worst in a Europe-wide obesity league table, with around a third weighing more than they should.

20 mph limit for urban streets to cut road deaths. (The Times)

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00 GMT

The speed limit on thousands of residential roads will be reduced to 20mph under government moves designed to cut road deaths by a third over the next decade.

Primary school children could soon be undergoing stomach-stapling surgery as Britain's obesity epidemic worsens, a senior medical director has warned. (The Daily Telegraph)

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Steve Ryan, of Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, said "significant numbers" of children aged two and three were being classed as obese. Conditions normally seen in middle age, such as Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea, were increasingly common among teenagers, he warned.

Tesco bans parents from buying alcohol if they are with their OWN children. (Daily Mail)

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Parents shopping with their own children are being refused alcohol by over-zealous supermarket staff - for fear they are supplying drink to minors.

Focus on Fostering (The Independent)

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Foster Care Fortnight

One in eight children aged 11 to 16 has been the victim of a “hot product” theft, including mobile phones and MP3 players, in the past three years, according to a study published today. (The Times)

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00 GMT

The study showed that one in three of victims was listening to music on headphones, talking, texting or playing on a games console when the property was snatched.

A generation of young Britons are growing up in "shameless" families where parents lack the basic skills to raise their children, the Conservatives will warn today. (The Daily Telegraph)

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Chris Grayling, the shadow work and pensions secretary, will claim that in some parts of the country there is no culture of parents instilling discipline and respect in their offspring.

Boris bans booze on buses, trams and Tube in first attack on ASBO culture (Daily Mail)

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Alcohol will be banned on London's buses and Tubes from next month in the first move by new mayor Boris Johnson to purge the capital's transport network of drunken louts.

The average family throws out £610 of perfectly good food every year (Daily Mail)

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00 GMT

The average family throws £610 of perfectly good food away each year, adding up to £10billion of waste across the country.

Learner drivers face new testing hazards (The Times)

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Driving instructors will gain powers to force learners to have extra lessons before taking their tests, under the biggest reform of the driver education system since the driving test was introduced in 1935.

Home secretary wants antisocial youths to be openly filmed and hounded at home (The Guardian)

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00 GMT

Police should be harassing badly behaved youths by openly filming them and hounding them at home to make their lives as uncomfortable as possible, the home secretary will say today.

Binge drinking caused teen's liver failure at 14

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

A teenager has told how her binge drinking caused her liver to fail at the age of 14. Natasha Farnham, who is now 18, is believed to be the youngest person in Britain to be diagnosed with alcohol-related liver failure, claims the charity British Liver Failure. (The Daily Telegraph)

Same-sex couples could create children

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

A scientific technique that could allow same-sex couples to create their own biological child in a laboratory should be allowed under law, a group of influential scientists said on Monday.

Toddlers eat TOO MUCH fruit and veg, say experts

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

In today's health-obsessed society, parents are made to feel guilty if they do not feed their children a diet packed with fibre-rich fruit and vegetables. (Daily Mail)

The price of fame

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

Turning your child into a star will cost £70,000 and more than double the amount of becoming a doctor

Let Dads spend night in ward after birth

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

Fathers should be allowed to stay overnight in hospital after the birth of their baby, according to a senior government adviser on maternity services. (The Times)

Children's lives put at risk by tranquillising drugs

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

New evidence has shown children's lives are being put at risk by a surge in the use of controversial tranquillising drugs which are being prescribed to control their behaviour, the Guardian has learned.

happy_and_healthy

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

What makes you happy?

happy_and_healthy

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

What makes you healthy?

happy_and_healthy

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

What one change could make children and young people feel happier or healthier?

End Child Poverty 'Keep the promise' event

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Sir Al to speak at the Impetus Youth Groups Showcase Event

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Sir Al to speak about 'Valuing children and young people in life' at the Fourth Hansard Lecture

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Sir Al to speak at the Westminster Forum Event 'Respect Outside the School Gates'

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Sri Al to spend a day with Southwark Police Youth Involvment Team

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Happy and Healthy summary report

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00 GMT

11 MILLION has been investigating what makes children and young people in England happy and healthy. This report is a summary of what children and young people have been telling us.

UK Children's Commissioners' Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

The Children's Commissioners from the four nations of the United Kingdom submit their report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The Audit and Risk Committee constitution

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

The Children's Commissioner is advised by an Audit and Risk Committee of four members, whose remit includes advising on all risks, risk management issues, and providing scrutiny over the financial affairs of the office. The members of the Audit and Risk Committee are as follows: Terry Price (Chair); Shujahat Aslam; Christine Barwell; Mark Elridge.

11 MILLION Children Matter no. 5 PART 1

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Find out how you've been helping 11 MILLION change lives this year in part 1 of our summer 2008 publication for children and young people.

11 MILLION Children Matter no. 5 PART 2

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00 GMT

Find out how you can help 11 MILLION change lives next year in part 2 of our summer 2008 publication for children and young people.

Report on children's views on food and drink advertising

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

This paper sets out children's views on non-broadcast food and drink advertising. Their views on this topic have been canvassed by the National Children's Bureau on behalf of 11 MILLION. The views of children informed proposals developed by the Food and Drink Advertising and Promotion Forum to restrict non-broadcast food and drink advertising to children and promote positive food choices.

A report on measuring children’s height and weight in school

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Report commissioned to consult children aged 4-11 years about their views on the implementation of the government's proposals to measure children’s height and weight at primary school.

Bullying Today

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

This report brings together analysis of national and local strategy and frameworks, academic theory and evidence base, and the experiences and views of children and young people to provide a comprehensive picture of bullying today.

CAMHS Review

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

11 MILLION's response to the CAMHS Review: Next Steps to Improving the Emotional Well-being and Mental Health of Children and Young People.

11 MILLION Annual Report 2007/08

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00 GMT

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2008 from the Children's Commissioner for England.

The Draft Revised Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice - a joint response.

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

A joint response from 11 MILLION and the Royal College of Psychiatrists to the consultation on the Draft Revised Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice. This response focuses on the issues relevant to children and young people.

11 MILLION Children Matter No.3 - Happy & Healthy

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

11 MILLION Children Matter no. 3, Jan 08.

11 MILLION Children Matter No. 1 Part 1 - Young Asylum Seekers

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

11 MILLION Children Matter no. 1, part 1.

11 MILLION Children Matter No.2 Part 2 - 'Shout Out' Annual Event

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00 GMT

11 MILLION Children Matter no. 2, part 2.

Annual Review 07/08

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00 GMT

Read about some of 11 MILLION's key achievements over the last year in our Annual Review 07/08.

Fun and Freedom - children's views on play

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00 GMT

Children and young people say that freedom, friendship and active outdoor fun are the vital elements of play in this report published by the Children’s Commissioner for England and Play England. The report, ‘Fun and Freedom’, examines how local authorities have sought children and young people’s views about play. ‘Fun and Freedom’ has been submitted as evidence to the Government’s ‘Fair Play’ consultation on a play strategy for England.

Quarterly Report 6: Sept 08: Takeover Day

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00 GMT

Quarterly Report no. 6, published in Sept 08, features information about 11 MILLION Takeover Day 2008, plus an update on the Gun and Knife Crime project.

Out of the Shadows? (A review of the responses to recommendations made in Pushed into the Shadows: young people's experience of adult mental health facilities )

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00 GMT

A review of the responses to recommendations made in Pushed into the Shadows: young people's experience of adult mental health facilities

Making children’s mental health matter

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00 GMT

This report covers a wide range of aspects of children and young people's mental health services