Researchers from King’s College and UCL, UK, have studied the associations between autistic and ADHD traits in childhood to later eating behaviours in adolescence. The study made use of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, using data from 7,572 respondents living in the Southwest of England. Neurodiverse traits were recorded by parents when their child was aged 7, focusing on autism and ADHD. Parents were also asked to complete a survey to access…
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Bridgit Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, says schools should be phone-free for the entire day – there are to be no exceptions for research or calculator usage amongst pupils. This statement comes after the Department for Education published guidance for local authorities, academies, and further education providers, and the House of Lords has now backed that. In the report, the advice to schools states that pupils are not to use their devices at any point, including during…
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Advice to parents on screentime for babies and toddlers is set to change in the UK. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson is in support of new guidance, which coincides with research linking screentime to language delays in children under two. “Parents, teachers and nursery workers talk about children arriving at nursery and school and finding it harder to hold conversations, focus, or engage in learning”. A study of 4,758 parents found children with high levels of screentime, nearing…
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What is the experience of young people with special educational needs (SEN) who attend school in England? Researchers drew on findings from a 2021-2022 Office for National Statistics study to answer this question. Participants included 62 young people aged 11-16, each of whom had either a SEN diagnosis, or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). They were educated at mainstream schools, pupil referral units, special schools, or elective home education. To understand the provision they…
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Using data from 108 young people in the UK, researchers at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, have investigated the link between cognitive control and risk-taking behaviours. To test cognitive control, researchers tested respondents’ memory, as well as self-control and how flexible their thinking was. All data was collected through an online survey with 12–18-year-olds, with parents providing consent and demographic information for those under 16 years old. The survey collected demographic information, with young people…
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Researchers at the University of Cambridge, UK, have conducted quantitative research and analysis into the links between mental health, wellbeing, and social exclusion. The research focused on 15-19 year olds, a period of adolescence that can leave young people vulnerable to experiencing both negative mental health and instances of social exclusion. Interviewing 18,800 Australian young people through the ‘Mission Australia 2022 Youth Survey’, the research sought to understand mental health and exclusion amongst 15-19 year…
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Research from UBE (University of the West of England, Bristol, UK), suggests that pupils who report they are having a hard time academically are more likely to have encountered negative experiences from their smartphones. The research included 3,721 pupils from 6 secondary schools, 1,595 parents and 352 secondary school teachers from schools in inner city, suburban and rural settings in and around Bristol. Looking at the pupil data, the research found pupils describing themselves as…
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Research from the University of Exeter Born in Bradford research programme finds that 1 in 3 children in England do not play outdoors after school. The study, which tracks the health, development and wellbeing of children and parents, interviewed 2,500 parents with children aged 7 – 12. Researchers found that when children did play outdoors there was a positive impact on their social and emotional skills such as being able to understand and regulate their own…
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The UK government has announced that the voting age in the UK will be lowered from 18 to 16 in time for the next general election. The government has said that this would make the system fairer for 16- and 17-year-olds who already work, or are members of the armed forces, but currently do not have a say on how their taxes are spent. The minimum voting age is currently 16 for local council elections…
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2026 will officially be known as the National Year of Reading. The idea comes from the Department for Education (DfE) and is part of a wider campaign supported by the National Literacy Trust. The overall goal is to encourage reading among new audiences, and to change the national culture around reading, especially for children and young people. Key findings from the 2025 Annual Literacy Survey finds only 1 in 3 children and young people aged…
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