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January 16, 2024

Energy drinks linked to depression, ADHD, and risky behaviours among children, new study shows 

  • A study by Fuse, a research centre at Teesside University and Newcastle University, has revealed a link between energy drinks and mental health risks in young people.
  • It comes after 40 healthcare bodies demanded the government to enforce a national sales restriction on these drinks for those under 16.
  • Despite most supermarkets banning sales to under 16s, experts argue that the availability in local shops remains a concern.
  • For more, please visit the ITV News website.

First international guideline on AI safety published by UK standards body 

  • The British Standards Institution (BSI) has published guidelines on how to establish, implement, maintain and improve an AI management system, with a focus on safeguards.
  • The guidelines come following the AI Safety Summit, where world leaders and major tech firms discussed safe and responsible development of AI.
  • Scott Steedman, director general for standards at BSI reported: “Consumers and industry need to be confident that in the race to develop these new technologies we are not embedding discrimination, safety blind spots or loss of privacy.”
  • For more, please visit the Independent website.

NSPCC Learning’s Safeguarding in Education Update for January 2024 

  • The NSPCC have released new resources, training and events, including an Online Safety Workshop, on the 7th February 2024 focusing on online gaming.
  • They have also published information on online safety, including harm and abuse, social media and safer recruitment.
  • A Safer Recruitment and Values-Based Interviewing webinar will also be available on 7th February, and you can sign up here.
  • For more, please visit the NSPCC Learning website.

The following stories may be regionalised:

UK council could go bust due to £60m hole in special needs spending 

  • A UK council faces bankruptcy due to a £60 million gap in special education funding.
  • Most councils in England have overspent their budgets on special needs and disabilities (SEND) since 2015.
  • The Local Government Association, have called upon the government to “write off all high-needs deficits as a matter of urgency and ensure councils are not faced with having to cut other services to balance budgets.”
  • For more, please visit The Guardian website.

Why 140,000 pupils are ‘severely absent’ from school in England – and what we can do about it 

  • In 2023, 140,000 students in England are considered “severely absent” from school – an increase of 134% since pre-pandemic.
  • Poverty, according to a teacher who oversees six Harlow schools, is the “single biggest factor stopping our young people from being a success.”
  • Anne Longfield, the former children’s commissioner for England, is aiming to persuade the government to be a “children-first government”, appointing a cabinet minister for children.
  • For more, please visit The Guardian website.