Latest news with #Children'sAlliance
STV News
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- STV News
'Water babies' dive in to swimming fundraising challenge
Hundreds of babies and toddlers in the north-east of Scotland have been making a splash to raise money for charity. Sponsored challenges have been held at 'Water Babies' classes in Aberdeen and Dundee as part of a UK-wide fundraising drive. Some 37,000 babies are taking part across the country in a bid to raise £650,000 for two charities – the Children's Alliance and Tommy's, which carries out research into the causes of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. STV News The themed classes have been raising money for the Children's Alliance and pregnancy and baby charity, Tommy's STV News The theme for this year's Splashaton event was 'Splash Across the Seven Seas', with teachers, parents and babies dressing up as pirates, mermaids and sea creatures. Jenni Whyte, of Water Babies Scotland North-East, said: 'Last year, as a region, we raised over £46,000, so we've been trying to match that this year. STV News Jenni Whyte, co-owner of Water Babies Scotland North-East STV News 'We have been able to donate towards specialist buildings and research projects and things that will affect so many families across Scotland. 'We're all dressing up as pirates and hunting for treasure and having lots of fun while we do it.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Rhyl Journal
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Splashathon in aid of Tommy's and the Children's Alliance
Children from Water Babies classes, including Abergele, Colwyn Bay, Wrexham and Flint, will be showcasing their superstar swimming skills during the week of June 30 to July 6, with a Splashathon fundraiser for charities Tommy's and the Children's Alliance. Little ones will be sponsored to complete swimming challenges in pirate and sea creature fancy dress at venues across North Wales. Together with 47,000 Water Babies from across the UK, the North Wales event aims to raise £650,000 for pregnancy and baby charity Tommy's, and Water Babies charity the Children's Alliance. This could fund a Tommy's research centre for eight months, investigating the causes of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. It could also help the Children's Alliance fund key projects to make sure every child has safe and enjoyable access to water, fostering their physical development and wellbeing. Babies and children are at the heart of this special charity partnership. Lizzy Hughes from Water Babies North Wales said: "All of us at Water Babies are really excited to be taking part in Splashathon. We aim to raise as much money as possible locally, and of course give the children a really exciting class, whilst they fundraise to give every child a better, brighter future." Tommy's CEO Kath Abrahams said: "Splashathon is a fabulous way for children to have fun in support of a vital cause. We're grateful to every family taking part and everyone who's working hard to make it happen at swimming pools around the UK." Tamsin Brewis at Children's Alliance said: "We can't wait for Splashathon and to watch families come together in their swimming lessons for this special sponsored event. We're so appreciative of every water baby taking part, who will be helping us to give better starts and brighter futures to children across the country."
Leader Live
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Splashathon in aid of Tommy's and the Children's Alliance
Children from Water Babies classes, including Wrexham and Flint, will be showcasing their superstar swimming skills during the week of June 30 to July 6, with a Splashathon fundraiser for charities Tommy's and the Children's Alliance. Little ones will be sponsored to complete swimming challenges in pirate and sea creature fancy dress at venues across North Wales. Read more: Airbus Broughton team's Three Peaks test for children's hospices Together with 47,000 Water Babies from across the UK, the North Wales event aims to raise £650,000 for pregnancy and baby charity Tommy's, and Water Babies charity the Children's Alliance. This could fund a Tommy's research centre for eight months, investigating the causes of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. It could also help the Children's Alliance fund key projects to make sure every child has safe and enjoyable access to water, fostering their physical development and wellbeing. Babies and children are at the heart of this special charity partnership. Read more: Buckley Mystery Machine's animal charities fundraising farewell Lizzy Hughes from Water Babies North Wales said: "All of us at Water Babies are really excited to be taking part in Splashathon. We aim to raise as much money as possible locally, and of course give the children a really exciting class, whilst they fundraise to give every child a better, brighter future." Tommy's CEO Kath Abrahams said: "Splashathon is a fabulous way for children to have fun in support of a vital cause. We're grateful to every family taking part and everyone who's working hard to make it happen at swimming pools around the UK." Tamsin Brewis at Children's Alliance said: "We can't wait for Splashathon and to watch families come together in their swimming lessons for this special sponsored event. We're so appreciative of every water baby taking part, who will be helping us to give better starts and brighter futures to children across the country."
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington stuck mid-pack in national education ranking
(Photo by) Washington's K-12 education system slipped slightly in national rankings released Monday. The state ranks 27th, down one spot from last year, according to an analysis from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Ten years ago, Washington was 20th. Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal's office took issue with the rankings, arguing that the National Assessment of Educational Progress data the report is based on shouldn't be used to construct such lists. More than two-thirds of the state's 4th graders failed to meet reading standards, and 70% of 8th graders weren't proficient in math last year, right around the national average — and where Washington pupils stood in 2022. For two decades, reading proficiency has remained largely unchanged in Washington. In 2005, 64% of the state's 4th graders failed to meet reading standards. The number improved, falling to just 60% in 2013 and 2015, but last year climbed to a new high of 68%. Math proficiency among 8th graders dropped over the past decade, from 58% not meeting standards in 2013, to 70% last year, largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and its toll on student learning and a rise in chronic absenteeism nationally. A spokesperson for Reykdal pointed to state data showing 'robust' improvement since the pandemic. The percentage of students on track in reading and math was up in the 2023-24 school year from the pandemic era, according to state data. 'Our performance in reading is strong, and OSPI and Superintendent Reykdal understand the need for increased focus on and funding for mathematics, particularly in late elementary and middle school,' spokesperson Katie Hannig said in an email Monday. 'This is one of the Superintendent's top priorities moving forward.' One worrisome data point shows Washington's youngest learners are missing out on school. Of 3- and 4-year-old children, 57% weren't enrolled in school from 2019 to 2023, slightly worse than the national average. Stephan Blanford, executive director of the Children's Alliance based in Seattle, said this lays the groundwork for below-average on-time graduation rates. The alliance is the foundation's partner in Washington on the report known as the Kids Count Data Book. Sixteen percent of Washington students didn't graduate on time in 2021 and 2022, the report says, below the 13% national average. 'The fact that our state has made such significant cuts in early education as a result of the last legislative session means it's pretty easy to predict that these numbers are on the way downward,' said Blanford, speaking broadly about education trends. 'There was so much work that was done in order to get them to their current level.' 'Our slide is going to be precipitous,' he added. State lawmakers agreed this year to delay previously approved expansions to state-paid early learning in the face of a hefty budget shortfall. And the Trump administration has put the federal Head Start early learning program for low-income families in its crosshairs. These programs help students learn to manage their feelings, and kids who participate are more likely to go on to college and earn more money as adults. Blanford voiced disappointment that state leaders, particularly Gov. Bob Ferguson, couldn't reach agreement this year on new revenue options to better fund education. Ferguson's office didn't respond to a request for comment Monday. Meanwhile, school districts are grappling with tough budget decisions of their own as federal aid provided during the pandemic has dried up, and as enrollment is down in many places. State funding is linked to student headcounts. Hannig, from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, said the state budget cuts 'cause OSPI concern, and we are exploring options to keep our preschool-age learners learning, despite these reductions in funding.' Still, she noted state data shows 53.6% of Washington's students entered kindergarten ready this school year, a figure that has risen consistently in recent years. The Kids Count Data Book also tracks family, health and economic data trends. For example, in 2023, just 3% of Washington children lacked health insurance, better than the national average of 5%. And only 12% were impoverished, also better than the average. As for child well-being, Washington ranks 16th, down from 14th last year. The state's Healthy Youth Survey, however, has indicated improving mental health and decreased substance use among Washington's young people in recent years.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Push for social media safeguards to protect children derails in Washington House
(Photo by SDI Productions via Getty Images) A bill that gained bipartisan support in the Washington state Senate to strengthen online safety for children has failed to move forward in the House. Senate Bill 5708 came at the request of Attorney General Nick Brown's office and would have prevented social media companies from pushing addictive feeds and sending notification alerts during certain hours to children under age 18. Gov. Bob Ferguson also backed the bill. It passed the Senate with bipartisan support, with eight Republicans joining Democrats, but failed to receive a hearing in the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, said she knew the bill needed more work, but was disappointed it didn't receive a public hearing in the House. 'It felt like a pretty abrupt end,' she said, adding that supporters had 'already compromised quite a bit' on the bill. Likewise, Brown said he was disappointed the bill didn't get a House hearing, calling the proposal a 'commonsense' step to improve youth mental health. 'Compulsive social media use has demonstrably harmful impacts on young people. It's disappointing not everyone is treating this crisis with the urgency it deserves,' he said. The bill was also backed by the Washington Children's Alliance, an advocacy organization, after conversations with educators and health officials raised alarm about how social media can negatively affect children. Since the pandemic, there's been an increase in depression and anxiety among children. In a 2023 advisory, the U.S. Surgeon General recommended that policymakers pursue policies to limit children's access to social media to reduce the risk of harm. 'The root cause of so much of the depression and anxiety that we see all across the nation for kids is because they all have access to phones and are getting pumped with all of these really harmful feeds that are coming at all hours of the day and night,' said Stephan Blanford, executive director of the Children's Alliance. The lack of federal legislation has led to states taking action to address online safety for children and the behavioral problems it poses. California approved laws along these lines in 2022 and 2024 that industry-backed lawsuits have tied up in court. Frame's bill contains similar provisions to the California legislation. However, she said that many of the criticisms around the bill were distractions and that the attorney general was aware of the lawsuits and that the bill was designed to avoid traps seen in other states. 'It's a complicated bill,' she said, adding it was easy for the tech industry to highlight the flaws the bill initially had. Blanford said the Children's Alliance worked with the attorney general's office to draft the legislation and ensure it was constitutional and that the bill was designed to address some of the patterns that can leave children addicted to social media feeds. 'Technology companies have a huge incentive, financial incentive, to addict our children to their products,' Blanford said. Rep. Amy Walen, D-Kirkland, the chair of the Consumer Protection and Business Committee, said concerns about the constitutionality of the bill and privacy violations for youth led to her decision not to hear it this session. 'It felt like it wasn't ready and that's what I kept hearing from people,' Walen said. Walen rejected suggestions that her decision had to do with Microsoft being located in her district. 'I work for the people,' Walen said. 'The 48th legislative district, that's who I work for.' Instead, Walen said she hoped to explore the issue further and work with technology companies to see how to refine the bill ahead of the next session. Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro Wooley, one of the cosponsors, said he supported the intent of the bill but still thinks it needs more work and that lawmakers need to engage further on it with tech companies and wait until the California litigation is resolved. Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, was the only Democrat who voted against the bill when it passed the Senate. She said Tuesday that regulating technology can be a challenge. 'I actually think it needs to wait a year or wait until some of those other states have resolved it so we have more clear direction on where we need to go,' Dhingra said.
