“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence”
Events this week:
February 24th- Emotional Health Day 2025
February 24th- March 2nd- Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2025
March 1st- Self Injury/Harm Awareness Day 2025
March 1st- March 31st- Brain Injury Awareness Month 2025
Legislation/Regulation of the week
What the Online Safety Act does
The Online Safety Act 2023 (the Act) is a new set of laws that protects children and adults online. It puts a range of new duties on social media companies and search services, making them more responsible for their users’ safety on their platforms. The Act will give providers new duties to implement systems and processes to reduce risks their services are used for illegal activity, and to take down illegal content when it does appear.
The strongest protections in the Act have been designed for children. Platforms will be required to prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content and provide parents and children with clear and accessible ways to report problems online when they do arise.
The Act will also protect adult users, ensuring that major platforms will need to be more transparent about which kinds of potentially harmful content they allow, and give people more control over the types of content they want to see.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Please remember to review this in your policy/legislation review workbook)
Videos of the week
The Disastrous Reveal Of Britain's First Trans TV Star | Miriam: Death Of A Reality Star
In 2003 a British reality show firebombs the life of beautiful model Miriam Rivera. The story of one of the most controversial TV events of the last 25 years and the questions that remain unanswered. As the dating show with a twist reaches its controversial climax, Miriam reveals her 'secret'. Miriam's family talk about her troubled past and growing up trans.
Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 60 mins)
Event of the week/month
Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2025
You probably know someone living with an eating disorder – but you may not realise it.
Right now, at least 1.25 million people in the UK are living with an eating disorder. That’s more than 1 in 50 people – but the real number could be even higher. Eating disorders like ARFID, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder and OSFED are complex mental health conditions which are often misunderstood, mislabelled or undiagnosed which can prevent people from reaching out for help.
Eating disorders don’t just affect the person with the condition, friends and family often become carers – feeling helpless and heartbroken, as they watch their loved one struggle. Eating disorders are one of the biggest mental health challenges of our time and they can affect anyone at any time.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Safeguarding & ED & I
Child criminal exploitation and cuckooing to be criminal offences
Children and vulnerable people who are exploited by gangs for criminal purposes will receive greater protection, with two new criminal offences set to be introduced by the government next week.
Landmark legislation will be brought forward to ban cuckooing, a highly exploitative practice where criminals seize control of a vulnerable person’s home without consent to conduct illegal activities like drug dealing.
Another new offence will be created against adults who use a child to commit criminal activity. Both of these measures will be part of the government’s landmark Crime and Policing Bill, which is set to be introduced in Parliament next week and forms a key part of the government’s Plan for Change.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/child-criminal-exploitation-and-cuckooing-to-be-criminal-offences
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 50 mins)
About the DBS Service
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions each year by processing and issuing DBS checks for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. DBS also maintains the Adults’ and Children’s Barred Lists, and makes considered decisions as to whether an individual should be included on one or both of these lists and barred from engaging in regulated activity.
Our disclosure teams carry out DBS checks (previously known as CRB, or criminal record checks).
There are four types of DBS check, and each type results in a DBS certificate being issued to an individual. Employers can then ask to see the certificate to ensure that they are recruiting suitable people into their organisation.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Preventing Young Gamblers
Young people are growing up just a few clicks away from the vast world of gaming and gambling, along with the online safety challenges that come with it.
Those in positions of care or influence over children and young people have a unique opportunity to take meaningful action to protect and support them. We’re here to provide them with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to make a real difference.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Early Action Together ACEs learning network
The Early Action Together ACEs learning network provides helpful information for the public, professionals and Police about the Early Action Together programme and its work in relation to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The aim is to share useful information and research about ACEs as well as best practice and resources.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Huge instability for children and young people in care as foster carers report significant burnout
Significant burnout and poor wellbeing among foster carers are leading to more instability for children and young people in the care system, according to new figures from the UK’s leading fostering charity.
As the number of young people in care across the UK exceeds 100,000, and foster carer numbers continue to drop, The Fostering Network’s State of the Nations’ Foster Care 2024 report lays bare the immense challenges facing foster carers, and the serious impact this is having on children and young people.
The survey of 3,000 foster carers, former foster carers and fostering services found that the whole sector is calling for urgent change and more investment. Foster carers report feeling less supported and valued, experiencing high levels of burnout and poor wellbeing. Social worker turnover and service pressures are impacting on delivery.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Health & Safety
8 common health symptoms you should never ignore
Listening to your body means more than reacting to obvious signs of illness. You should also pay attention to subtle signals that often go unnoticed. If ignored or left untreated, these quieter signs may worsen over time and jeopardise your health. On the other hand, they could be harmless - so staying tuned in to your body is important for both your health and peace of mind.
Symptoms of underlying health conditions can be subtler than you think. Many common medical issues may not cause obvious or severe symptoms but can still significantly impact your wellbeing.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Working safely with display screen equipment
Employers must protect your workers from the health risks of working with display screen equipment (DSE), such as PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations apply to workers who use DSE daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more. We describe these workers as 'DSE users'. The regulations don't apply to workers who use DSE infrequently or only use it for a short time.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Chemical eye burns
Splashes of chemical substances to the eye can cause a serious injury if not treated quickly. These may occur with household products and in the workplace. Some chemicals can damage the surface of the eye and result in scarring or even blindness.
You will need to wash out the eye straight away to dilute and disperse the chemical. Make sure the contaminated water does not splash you or the casualty. If they are available, put on gloves to protect yourself before treating the casualty.
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Wider Curriculum
Government launches vaping study and social media campaign on dangers
The government has launched a £62 million study to examine the impact of vaping on young people, amid the trend which has “skyrocketed” in recent years.
The government said the “landmark” research would investigate long-term effects including on adolescent health and wellbeing.
The project, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will track 100,000 young people over a decade, between the ages of eight to 18 years, collecting data on behaviour and biology.
With a quarter of 11- to 15- year-olds having tried vaping, the government said use among teenagers has “skyrocketed”.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Work scheme for young people at risk of violence to expand
An employment programme, inspired by initiatives in the US to offer paid work placements to young people at risk of violence, is to expand across England and Wales.
The Summer Jobs Programme is run by the charity UK Youth and initially took place in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and London last year. This saw 428 young people aged between 16 and 20 gain paid work placements with employers including Timpson, Burger King and Veolia.
It will now be expanded in South Wales, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Sheffield and Doncaster.
This first year of the programme received £1.5 million in funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It was also supported by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) and Youth Futures Foundation, who will continue to fund the programme for the next two years as part of its expansion.
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Race Equality Foundation - Promoting equality in health, housing and social care
The Race Equality Foundation tackles racial inequality across public services by:
· Exploring what is known about discrimination and disadvantage
· Developing evidenced-based better practice to promote equality
· Disseminating better practice through educational activities, conferences, written material and websites
· Working with national and local partners from the community, voluntary, statutory and social enterprise sectors
Key areas of our work span health and social care, housing, communities, children and families and more. Find out more about each area of work.
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Sustainability
Simpler recycling: workplace recycling in England
From 31 March 2025 (or 31 March 2027 for micro-firms), all workplaces (businesses and non-domestic premises) in England have a legal duty to present the following wastes separated in accordance with the arrangements with their waste collector:
· dry recyclable materials - plastic, metal, glass, paper and card (more information on separating recyclable material is in the ‘Separating recyclable waste’ section)
· food waste
· black bin waste (residual waste)
· Workplaces that generate garden waste have a legal duty to manage it in accordance with the waste hierarchy and arrange for it to be recycled or composted if it delivers the best environmental outcome.
Workplaces can decide on the size of containers and frequency of collections based on the volume of waste they produce. You do not need to provide bins for your customers, however, if you provide bins, you will need to separate dry recyclable waste, food waste and black bin waste.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
From Baywatch to toxic waste - LA's iconic beaches unrecognisable after fires
With its sun-drenched lifeguard towers, bronzed surfers and bikini-clad volleyball players, Will Rogers State Beach is one of the most recognizable stretches of sand in the world thanks to the global cult classic "Baywatch".
But now the iconic beach is surrounded by the ruins of burned homes and palm trees, its parking lot a sorting ground for hazardous waste from the wildfires. The beach babes have been replaced by Environmental Protection Agency crews in hazmat suits sifting through melted electric car batteries and other hazardous waste before it's trucked away to landfills.
The Palisades and Eaton fires generated a staggering amount of debris, estimated to be 4.5 million tonnes. In comparison, the devastating Maui fires of 2023 generated about 400,000 tonnes, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
An Idiot’s guide to change the world- Accessibility should be a right not a privilege
Our cities are inherently unequal by design. They were often designed by tall, white, able bodied men. So what have they overlooked? Can we reduce inequality by designing a better world? In this episode Gail and Loyiso explore the Global Goal to reduce inequality (Goal 5) and are joined by famous youtuber Molly Burke, who happens to be blind and has a load of helpful tips for designing better accessibility offline and online. And architect turned big thinker Indy Johar calls for a fundamental overhaul of an old system that perpetuates inequalities in all its forms.
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 60 mins)
Comentarios