Facebook’s first ever drop in daily users prompts Meta shares to fall

  • Facebook shares fell by 25% yesterday following a report of a drop in daily users.
  • Daily active users on the platforms fell by approximately 1 million, for the first time in 18 years.
  • The drop in users is thought to be due to competition from social media apps like TikTok.
  • You can read the full story through the Guardian.

Record number of children referred for specialist care

  • Around 409,347 under-18s were referred to NHS specialist care for serious mental health problems including self-harm and eating disorders.
  • That is 77% higher than between April and October in 2019.
  • There were 349,449 children in touch with NHS child and adolescent psychiatric teams at the end of October 2021, which is the highest on record.
  • You can read the full story through the BBC.

Warning over gaps in support for child victims of domestic abuse

  • Early intervention experts are calling for improvements in support for young survivors of domestic abuse amid a rise in related child protection referrals.
  • Figures by the NSPCC shows that protection referrals have risen by 8% over the last year.
  • Jo Casebourne, from the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF), claims that figures highlight the need for support for families, especially to tackle long-term problems.
  • You can read the full story through Children & Young People Now.

County lines dealing in pandemic behind cocaine seizures trebling in a year

  • Cocaine seizures nearly tripled in size last year as police uncovered scale of organised crime, gang trafficking and county lines dealing during the pandemic.
  • County lines drug dealers became more exposed as they were forced into the open during the pandemic.
  • If you want more information about County Lines, read our article.
  • You can read the full story through the Telegraph.

Parents in England who fail to register home schooling could face sanctions

  • Parents who choose to home educate but fail to register their child with the local authority in England are likely to face sanctions.
  • This follows new plans for a compulsory national register of children who are not in school.
  • Local authorities will also have a duty to support families educating their children at home, offering general advice and examination support if requested.
  • You can read the full story through the Guardian.