Latest news with #Children'sWellbeingandSchoolsBill
Metro
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Peter Andre reveals strict rule that made Princess and Junior 'kick off'e
Peter Andre has opened up about the no-phone rule that initially left his children, Princess and Junior, 'rolling their eyes'. The 52-year-old TV personality is a father to Junior, 20, Princess, 18, Amelia, 11 with former wife Katie Price and Theo, eight, and Arabella, who is 15 months old, with GP Emily Andre. He recently attended a parliamentary screening – hosted by Lord John Nash and Joe Powell MP – of Fabio D'Andrea's film Another Way, in which he plays the dad to a teenage boy called Josh who attempts to take his own life after being bullied. The movie aims to raise awareness about the dangers of smartphone use among teenagers and has inspired Andre to implement some of the lessons in his own household. Speaking to The Sun at the screening, the Mysterious Girl hitmaker explained that he had now banned phones at the dinner table for his two eldest children. 'It's really interesting about my oldest two having been quite popular on social media [Princess has 758k followers and Junior has 530k on Instagram]. 'And I remember that when social media first started, we had no clue. It just looked like a bit of fun. 'It was again that nice little imagery of this really fun thing, being on your phone and you could play games and you could do all this,' he said about the evolution of the phone. Instead, he said it 'lures you in' and has now become his kids' job, focusing around interactions, followers and brands. After telling his daughter there are 'no phones and no TVs' at dinner, he said: 'At first they rolled their eyes, they kicked off. That lasted all of two days. They never said anything since.' He advocated for the 'little things' parents can do to place boundaries around phone use in the home because 'everyone kicks off about it, but eventually they do it'. Elsewhere, during a discussion about the emotional movie which portrays stark scenes of teenage suicide, the I'm A Celebrity star admitted he felt 'very out of [his] depth' when it comes to protecting his children from their phones. Reflecting on the hypocrisy of his own phone usage and urging parliament to help stem the crisis as well, he shared: 'You can't have a phone or just tell your kids, it's not that easy. We need backup. We need the government's help. We need the schools' help.' The award-winning composer D'Andrea is pushing to ban social media before the age of 16 through an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. 'Social media apps have become breeding grounds for propaganda, false narratives, and online abuse,' the filmmaker said in a statement. D'Andrea is known for his work with high-profile figures to raise awareness about pressing social issues. In the past, he has collaborated with Spice Girls star Mel B on a movie about domestic abuse, Love Should Not Hurt, and mental health with actor Russell Tovey, Something Left To Love – to name a few. More Trending The issue around teenage mental health, violence against women, and the harmful repercussions of unchecked online activity were explored in Netflix's smash hit show Adolescence. The four-episode show, starring Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper, follows a 13-year-old boy accused of the murder of a female classmate as we uncover exactly what drove him to commit this violent crime, and the impact on him and his family. View More » Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed an initiative to make the show freely available to secondary school students in the UK in hopes of 'openly talking about changes in how they communicate, the content they're seeing, and exploring the conversations they're having with their peers'. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Peter Andre's wife Emily reveals she suffered rare complication while giving birth MORE: Katie Price slams 'pathetic' ex Peter Andre after being banned from daughter's birthday
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Children's care crisis as youngster homelessness sparks 'moral failure' warning
The Department for Education has announced a £53million investment to create up to 200 places for vulnerable children in council-run high-quality children's homes Thousands of young people leaving care are ending up homeless, as MPs warn of a 'moral failure' in supporting vulnerable kids. In a devastating report, MPs on the Commons' education committee said a third of children who have been in care become homeless within two years of being looked after. They called for 'urgent action to fix this broken system' amid some 39% of care leavers aged 19 to 21 not being in education, training or employment - at a rate three times more likely than their peers. In a significant breakthrough, the Department for Education has announced a £53million investment to create up to 200 places for vulnerable children in council-run high-quality children's homes. Due to a huge shortage in placements, young people have been placed into accommodation that is not registered with Ofsted, and therefore operating illegally, in recent years. The education committee's report warned of distressing experiences within the care system, including kids being housed in barges, B&Bs and caravans. Children are also being placed far from their local area, which has 'a traumatic and lasting impact on their lives', they said. This is leading to disruption in young people's education, kids being separated from the people close to them and an 'increased risk' of children in care going missing. The Mirror has launched the Missed campaign calling for better support and care for missing people and their loved ones. The crisis has also put huge financial pressures on councils, which have been forking out an estimated £440million a year on unregistered placements, with private providers sometimes siphoning off 20% for private profit. Education committee chairwoman and Labour MP Helen Hayes said: 'It is unacceptable that thousands of young people leaving care are being left to face homelessness, unemployment or barriers to education – it is a moral failure. The system that should be supporting our most vulnerable children is far too often abandoning them at a critical moment in their lives.' Katherine Sacks-Jones, chief executive of Become, a charity for children in care, welcomed the report and said: 'Keeping children close to the people and places that matter to them is essential to good care, as is ending the care cliff and the drop-in support when young people turn 18, sometimes younger.' Children and Families minister Janet Daby said: 'The children's social care system has faced years of drift and neglect, leading to a vicious cycle of late intervention and children falling through the cracks.' The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will give Ofsted stronger powers to impose fines on illegal children's homes and new powers for the Secretary of State to cap provider profits if excessive profiteering is not brought under control.
Evening Standard
09-07-2025
- Business
- Evening Standard
Long road ahead to improve children's social care, MPs warn
Ms Daby: 'Through our Plan for Change and our Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, this Government is enabling every child to achieve and thrive by investing in the places children need, cracking down on profiteering with new laws, and rebuilding family support services so parents and carers get the help they need to keep their children happy and safe in loving homes.'
Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Schools in one UK region ban skirts as all kids must wear 'practical' trousers
Secondary schools in the area have been ordered to follow a new uniform policy which includes the removal of skirts. The trust said the move is more 'practical' An education trust has faced backlash after it announced that schools in one UK region will be forced to introduce a ban on skirts - making the environment more "inclusive". Students across six schools in Teesside have been told that their "uniform will no longer include skirts as an option". The rule change comes from Northern Education Trust - which manages numerous secondary schools in the region. The trust said that swapping skirts out for tailored trousers is more "practical". However, some parents have hit out at the policy, with one mum branding the move as "outragous misogyny". In a letter published online across four of its Teesside secondary schools, the trust says: "From September 2026, the school uniform will no longer include skirts as an option, and all students will be expected to wear tailored school trousers. This decision has been made following careful consideration and feedback from all stakeholders across the trust, where it highlighted the benefits of a more practical, inclusive, and consistent uniform policy. "The move to trousers for all students promotes equality and inclusivity, ensuring all students feel comfortable and supported. Trousers are also more practical for active learning and movement throughout the school day, while simplifying uniform requirements helps reduce costs for families. We understand that this is a significant change, which is why we are providing over a year's notice to allow time for any necessary adjustments." But the change has been met with backlash from some parents. One mum, whose daughter attends a school within the trust, told Teesside Live: "My daughter and many of her friends are upset about it. Many girls choose to wear skirts to express their gender identities. It is outrageous misogyny. There's nothing open, modern and inclusive about this." She claims there was students and parents were not consulted on this, however the trusts says it spoke with a "significant number of students" to ask their opinion. Limit on compulsory branded items In the letter, the trust says these changes are in response to the Department of Education changing its guidance on school uniforms to make them more affordable for families. The key change, the trust outlines, is a limit on the number of branded uniform items schools can require. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will cap the number of branded items to three - with the addition of a branded tie allowed for secondary schools. From September 2026, at the trust's secondary schools, the only compulsory branded items will include a school blazer, school tie, and the PE top - with the trust adding it will no longer allow plain black T-shirts for this propose. All other uniform items, such as trousers, shirts, shoes, and PE bottoms, can be purchased from any retailer, provided they adhere to the school's colour and style guidelines. A spokesperson for the trust said: "Northern Education Trust is extremely mindful of the cost of school uniforms for parents, and has been considering the impact of this for a number of months, and of the forthcoming changes to government legislation. Alongside this, consideration was given to no longer including skirts as an option, and we have spoken to a significant number of students to ask their opinion about this. "As a result of positive feedback to this suggestion, it was decided that all secondary students should wear tailored school trousers from September 2026, as highlighted in the letter to parents earlier this month. The decision to delay implementation of the change until 2026 was to give families plenty of time to prepare so that they could make an informed choice when purchasing items this year, as well as saving costs on having to repeatedly replace tights. "A very small number of parents have raised concerns which have been discussed with individuals, but the vast majority of responses to the notification have been very positive. We cannot comment on individual cases, and we always ask parents to contact us directly to discuss any concerns they have about such changes." The Teesside schools under the Northern Education Trust Dyke House Academy, Hartlepool Freebrough Academy, Brotton The Grangefield Academy, Stockton (letter not published online at time of publication) Manor Community Academy, Hartlepool North Shore Academy, Stockton Thornaby Academy, Thornaby (letter not published online at time of publication)
The National
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
How Reform UK's plans could dismantle the welfare state
According to a report by The Independent, recent YouGov polls suggest that 38% of working-class voters support Reform – despite evidence that the party's policies could actually stand to make them worse off. We looked at four key policy areas – the NHS, free school meals, benefits and employment – and found that, in spite of promoting themselves as the party of the people, Reform have consistently campaigned on policies or voted against legislation that would keep what's left of the welfare state intact. NHS Nigel Farage has hit back at claims from Labour that under a Reform government, the NHS would no longer be free of charge. An independent fact checker found that Labour had quoted Farage out of context. The right-wing leader has never outright said that his party would fully scrap or privatise the healthcare system and that their policy is 'to always keep the NHS free at the point of use'. However, Farage has been clear that he doesn't want the NHS to be publicly funded. The party has also proposed a range of measures including expanding private provision, bringing in tax relief on private healthcare, bringing in weekend operating hours, and fining patients for missed appointments. Their plan also leans heavily on expanding private provision – offering tax relief on private healthcare and introducing NHS-funded vouchers for private treatment when NHS wait times are too long. READ MORE: Labour partially U-turn on benefits cuts in bid to win over rebel MPs Free school meals Free school meals are a devolved issue, but let's take a look at what Reform are proposing for England. In 2020, Farage criticised the Conservative government for voting against providing free school meals for pupils from low income families during school holidays, branding the move 'mean' and 'wrong'. If the government can subsidise Eat Out to Help Out, not being seen to give poor kids lunch in the school holidays looks mean and is wrong. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) October 22, 2020 However, Reform's official policy documents contain zero proposals regarding the provision of free school meals. Farage also abstained from voting on the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill at its third reading. The bill proposes that primary schools in England must provide free breakfast for pupils and limit the number of branded items required for uniforms to support families and reduce inequality around hunger and clothing. Reform's four other MPs (excluding Rupert Lowe, who has been suspended by the party) voted on the bill as follows: Lee Anderson: No James McMurdock: No Richard Tice: No Sarah Pochin: No available information The provision of free school meals helps improve pupils' concentration in the classroom, as well as helping to tackle poverty, food insecurity and improving children's overall wellbeing. The Scottish Government, on the other hand, recently expanded eligibility for free school meals, as well as wiping millions of pounds worth of lunch debts for pupils across the country in a bid to tackle the cost of living crisis. (Image: Supplied)Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer said: 'Children can't learn if they are hungry and we know that free meals can have a transformative impact on their success at school.' Benefits Reform UK wants to overhaul the 'bloated' benefits system to make work more attractive and stop more people falling into the 'benefits trap'. Their 2024 manifesto states the party would raise the income tax threshold to £20,000 and focus on getting up to 2 million people, especially 16–34-year-olds, back into work. Jobseekers would have to accept a job after two offers and find employment within four months or risk benefit sanctions. Disability benefit assessments would be face-to-face with medical proof required, though exemptions would apply for severe cases. They'd also push to end so-called 'health tourism' by restricting access to benefits for new arrivals until they've lived and worked in the UK for five years. READ MORE: No changes to council tax 'in this decade', says Scottish Government Reform's benefit proposals risk punishing the vulnerable rather than addressing the root causes of unemployment. Raising the income tax threshold may help some, but it doesn't address those whose wages are too low to meet the bar in the first place, and does little to improve job quality or security. Forcing people to accept jobs under threat of losing benefits – the 'two-strike' policy – risks pushing individuals into unsuitable, low-paid, or exploitative work. Disability campaigners have also long criticised the dehumanising benefits assessments, especially for those with hidden or fluctuating conditions. Increasing the number of assessments required to receive payments is likely to do nothing but cause distress and further alienate disabled people. As it stands, and unlike myths peddled by the far-right, asylum seekers in the UK are not actually entitled to any mainstream benefits such as Universal Credit. Instead, they are granted £49.18 per person, per week, to cover essentials like food and clothing. If an asylum seeker is placed in accommodation that provides food, the weekly payment is then slashed to £9.95 per person. However, Reform MPs were largely against Labour's welfare cuts. Farage, Tice, McMurdock and Pochin all voted no at the "chaotic" second reading of the bill, whilst Anderson did not vote at all. Employment Outside overhauls to the benefits system, Reform's proposed employment policies are mostly based on removing EU regulations. Their manifesto mentions '[slashing] red tape to boost industry', ie scrapping EU based-employment laws and making it easier for businesses to adopt fire and hire staff members. UK employment law still draws largely from key EU legislations, like the Working Time Regulations 1998 act, TUPE and the Equality Act 2010. Working Time Regulations maintains EU standards on maximum weekly hours (48 hours), rest breaks and annual leave, while TUPE protects employees during business transfers. The Equality Act enforces anti-discrimination and sexual harassment policies in the workplace. READ MORE: 'Bizarre': Question Time called out as Reform councillor joins Scottish panel If Reform were to scrap these policies entirely, there is a risk of gutting workers' rights. Protections like paid leave, rest breaks and safeguards against unfair dismissal could be weakened. Making it 'easier to hire and fire' may sound pro-business, but in reality it could lead to job insecurity, longer hours, and reduced protections for vulnerable workers. Stripping back anti-discrimination laws rooted in EU rules, like the Equality Act 2010, could further erode workplace fairness. Additionally, for a party which claims to be for the people, their voting records on employment rights suggest otherwise. At the third reading for the Employment Rights Bill, Reform MPs voted as follows: Nigel Farage: No Lee Anderson: Didn't vote James McMurdock: Didn't vote Richard Tice: Didn't vote Sarah Pochin: No information available When asked by ITV about youth unemployment, Farage said: 'There's a lot of young people not working who could be. It's almost as if the culture's gone wrong.' The Reform leader attributed the number of youngsters out of work to 17-and-18-year-olds not being pushed to work, while failing to cite rising retirement ages, gaps between education and employment, a lack of local jobs and health, work experience and education inequalities caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The party has provided no substantial pathways to decreasing the number of unemployed young people, other than vague promises to 'get more young people into farming', recruiting 30,000 for the armed forces and taxing foreign workers to pay for undefined apprenticeships.
