Teens addicted to TikTok experience increased depression and anxiety 

  • A study among TikTok users found that those who showed addictive tendencies towards the platform had a reduced working memory capacity, alongside increased depression and anxiety.
  • The study has shown that problematic use of smartphones can weaken a user’s working memory.
  • For example, users who scored high for TikTok use disorder performed worse when recalling number sequences.
  • To read more on this, visit the PsyPost website under the section ‘Mental Health’.

Teacher wellbeing ‘on a knife edge’ after stress of the pandemic  

  • The Evening Standard reports that lost confidence and unmanageable workloads are impacts the pandemic has had on the wellbeing of teachers.
  • In the UK, 67 per cent of teachers said their workload was not manageable, compared to 36 per cent across the rest of the world.
  • Following on from this, 38 per cent of school staff in the UK feel confident in their roles, compared to 79 per cent last year.
  • To learn more, visit the Evening Standard’s website, under ‘Education’.

Child dies after neck got trapped in stair gates 

  • A four-year-old boy, named Draco Chapman, tragically died after his neck became trapped between two stair gates that had been positioned one above the other, an inquest has heard.
  • A serious case review conducted by Norfolk Children Safeguarding Partnership has recommended that all stair gates should come with a mandatory warning for them not to be fitted one on top of the other.
  • The serious case review referred to videos on YouTube about using double stair gates.
  • To read the full story, visit the BBC News website.


Bradford’s children services to be placed into independent Trust  

  • Bradford’s children’s social care is to be lifted into a Trust following recommendations made by the Children’s Services Commissioner in Bradford.
  • The trust will have a new independent chair and Board of Directors, but will still be owned by Bradford Council, who have voluntarily agreed to the move.
  • This model has been used in other areas, one example being Sunderland, where services went from inadequate to outstanding in three years.
  • To learn more, visit the Government website under ‘Support for children and young people.’