NHS unable to treat every child with eating disorder as cases soar

  • The NHS is unable to treat every child with an eating disorder following a rise in hospital admissions.
  • NHS data shows that there were 23,302 admissions for eating disorders among all age groups.
  • This represents a 13% increase from 2019/20 and a 21% increase from 2018/19.
  • Data for April to October 2021 showed 15,941 admissions for all year groups in England.
  • The provisional data shows that 4,238 hospital admissions were children aged under 17, up 41% from the year before.
  • Full story, here.

 
UK web traffic to incel websites sees huge rise

  • The Centre for Countering Digital Hate found a six-fold rise in UK web traffic to websites promoting ‘incel’ ideologies.
  • Three of the largest “incel” sites have grown from 114,420 monthly visits to 638,505 between March and November 2021.
  • In December 2021, the Law Commission recommended that existing hate crime legislation should be extended to cover hatred on grounds of sex or gender.
  • For more information on ‘incels’ check out our blog.
  • Full story, here.

 

Essex brothers face sentences for exploiting seven teenage girls

  • Two men from Essex will be sentenced next month after being convicted of sexually exploiting seven teenage girls using dating apps.
  • The men used apps to create fake accounts and offer ‘sugar daddy’ arrangements with girls aged between 13 and 18 in 2016 and 2017.
  • John Bancroft was found guilty of multiple charges including four counts of rape and meeting a child following sexual grooming.
  • Full story, here.

New advice for ‘combining classes’ to keep pupils in school

  • The Department for Education (DfE) has advised headteachers to consider combining classes.
  • This is in effort to ensure pupils remain in the classroom during periods of staff shortages due to COVID-19.
  • The advice also outlines that in the event of remote learning, live streaming of lessons is the “preferred method”.
  • Teachers have expressed concern that this would disrupt classes further and increase risk of spreading COVID-19.
  • Full story, here.

 

Heads warn of weeks of Omicron disruption in English schools

  • School leaders in England are warning of weeks of disruption owing to high levels of staff COVID-19 absences.
  • Heads warns that it may be inevitable that some classes and year groups would be sent home to learn remotely.
  • This follows new DfE advice to combine classes in the event of staff shortages.
  • Full story, here.

 

Scottish Government vow to ‘closely monitor’ schools return

  • Shirley-Anne Somerville, the Education Secretary has made keeping schools open an “absolute priority” and vows to monitor school return closely.
  • Students have been advised to test at home before heading back to school amid soaring COVID-19 cases.
  • This follows a statement from NASUWT teacher’s union claiming its members want immediate action to avoid further disruption.
  • Safety guidance for schools was updated in December, with mitigations including physical distancing, one-way systems, and correct use of face coverings.
  • Full story, here.