More than half of teens aged 13-17 have seen violence on social media

  • A survey carried out on behalf of the Youth Endowment Fund asked 2,025 teenagers about their experiences of violence.  
  • It found that 55% of children aged 13-17 had seen real violence on social media in the past 12 months. 
  • It revealed that 14% had skipped school because they feared being a victim of violence.  
  • 65% altered their behaviour, appearance or where they went to keep themselves safe.  
  • The most common forms of violence viewed online were fights, threats to beat someone up, sexual assault and weapon imagery. 
  • For more on this story, please visit the Independent’s website.  

Police Scotland under fire for failing vulnerable children

  • Police Scotland and social services are under fire after a new report disclosed that some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children have been reported missing hundreds of times while at risk of sexual abuse.  
  • The police were forced to publish internal reports and the Scottish Government have been urged to investigate. 
  • One report found that just 16 children in residential or foster care had been reported missing a total of 633 times. 
  • Some of these children exchanged nude images for cigarettes and some engaged in sexual activities for money, drugs or alcohol.  
  • The reports cover a range of time periods between 2015 and 2020 and a total of 113 children were at risk or involved in these incidents. 
  • For more on this story please visit the Scottish Daily Express website.  

Vulnerable children in England waiting months for secure homes

  • Campaigners have warned of a “national child protection emergency” in England with vulnerable children deteriorating for months in unsuitable placements. 
  • According to figures from the Department for Education, the average time a child waits for a secure placement is currently 65 days.  
  • In the last two years, the longest a child had to wait for a secure placement was 211 days. 
  • A spokesperson for the Department of Education has stated “We are investing £259m up to 2025 to provide more high-quality, safe homes for these young people and expand the number of places available.” 
  • For more on this story please visit the Guardian’s website.