Facebook puts tighter restrictions on vaccine misinformation targeted at children

  • Meta, Facebook’s new company name, announced that it is rolling out stricter policies for vaccine misinformation targeted at children.
  • The platform previously placed restrictions on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation in late 2020 but didn’t have policies specific to children and young people.
  • It is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in this effort.
  • Posts promoting vaccine misinformation will be taken down and reminders will be provided in English and Spanish directly in Facebook’s feed.
  • For more information on COVID-19 misinformation, check out our blog post.
  • Full story, here.

 

Four activity centres in England suspended over ‘serious’ safeguarding concerns

  • Ofsted has suspended four holiday activity centres for children in England over “serious safeguarding concerns”.
  • The safeguarding concerns included environmental health, health and safety, and staff conduct, including substance misuse.
  • The sites are Liddington in Wiltshire, Marchants Hill in Surrey, Osmington Bay in Dorset, and Windmill Hill in East Sussex.
  • These four centres are operated by PGL Travel, providing residential breaks and activity holidays for children aged seven to 17 across the UK and France.
  • Full story, here.

 

Twice as many youth services in England’s wealthiest areas

  • Children in affluent areas of England are twice as likely to have access to youth clubs and other out-of-school activities as those in poorer locations.
  • A survey by the National Youth Agency (NYA) involved up to 8,500 organisations providing youth services, including the Boys’ Brigade and Girlguiding.
  • The survey also found that youth buildings are more likely to be shared rather than purpose-built or aimed towards young people in poorer areas.
  • The survey follows official figures showing that approximately 13,000 children in England were identified in 2020/21 as being at risk of criminal exploitation by gangs.
  • Waitlists were longer for providers of all types of services in deprived areas, with those addressing mental health having the highest demands.
  • Chief executive of the NYA calls for more funding and states that “equal access to youth provision shouldn’t depend on postcode”.
  • Full story, here.