Parents Cafe » Child Care

Self-harm is a rapidly growing problem for children says YoungMinds

Alan — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:30:35 +0000

By 2020, there could be as many as 100,000 children and young people being hospitalised each year due to self harming. This is according to new figures just revealed by YoungMinds, the leading children’s and young people’s mental health charity in the UK.

The figures were made public by Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem MP. Showed that in the past decade admissions to hospital caused by self harming has risen by 68% amongst young people. In just 2010 alone, the inpatient admissions for the under 25′s who had self harmed rose by 10% and the increase in admissions of young women under 25 has risen by a shocking 77% due to self harming over the past 10 years.

Lucie Russell Director of Campaigns, Policy and Participation, YoungMinds said:

“These shocking statistics should act as a wake-up call to everyone who cares about the welfare of young people. More and more children and young people are using self-harm as a mechanism to cope with the pressures of life and this just isn’t acceptable. Self harm is often dismissed as merely attention seeking behaviour but it’s a sign that young people are feeling terrible internal pain and are not coping.

“Young people today are growing up in a harsh environment with ever increasing stress to perform at school, next to zero job prospects and the constant pressure to keep up with the latest consumer trends. Social networking although creating ever greater circles of ‘friends’ often leaves young people feeling even more isolated and alone.

“Everyone should take responsibility for the next generation if we don’t want these projected figures to become a reality, parents need the tools to give their children the necessary support, schools need to place much more emphasis on teaching emotional resilience and coping skills and services that intervene early when mental health problems first arise need to be given much greater priority and appropriate investment.

Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrat MP for East Dunbartonshire said:

“Worryingly these figures are only the tip of the iceberg as they only record hospital inpatient admissions. The true figure of how many children and young people are self-harming is likely to be far far higher.”

“The Government has rightly recognised the importance in the new mental health strategy of supporting children and young people when problems first arise but we need to make sure that this is happening at a local level.

“We must look as a society at what pressure we put young people under. The constant pressure to look and act in a certain way in order to be accepted is greatly affecting children and young people today.”

Any parent or carer who is worried that their child might be self-harming should call the YoungMinds Parents’ Helpline on 0808 802 5544.

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Raising a child when you have depression

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:27:22 +0000

An Advertorial Feature

Your friends keep popping out kids like there’s no such thing as global overpopulation. Your partner’s mum keeps showing you toddler shoes whenever you’re all out shopping, confidentially whispering “aren’t these cute?”, as if to gauge your readiness to extend the family. But you face a conundrum that most of your friends do not; all your depression help sources recommend that you focus on your own needs, & avoid taking on new responsibilities until you’ve learnt to manage the condition. Having a child is one of the most selfless & potentially exhausting acts you can possibly undertake – so is it wise when you’re living with depression?

If you’ve only just been diagnosed, it’s certainly worth avoiding pregnancy while you get to grips with this new aspect of yourself. However, with a little work, you can recover, or at least optimise your periods of remission. There’s no reason for depression to dictate your life choices in the long run.

You can’t ignore it, though. In fact, ignoring your depression is likely to make it demand attention even more firmly than before. And it deserves attention. As soon as you acknowledge an illness, you begin to learn what it needs in order to heal. The web is full of advice on how to “beat” depression, but that’s such an aggressive word. Depression isn’t evil. It doesn’t deserve to be “beaten”. There’s nothing wrong with having it – it’s just an illness. Learn to accept & work with it, & you’re far more likely to heal than when you’re trying to hide it, beat it into submission, drown it out.

So when it comes to having a child, your key to success is honest, open communication, with yourself, your partner, family & ultimately, if you decide to have one, with your child.

Many parents say that the love they feel for their kids is like nothing they’ve ever felt before, & that watching their kids grow up is truly rewarding.

But there’s tension, too. Pregnancy & childbirth can be mind-blowingly tough on a woman’s body. Post-partum depression is always a possibility. Hormones can shift after the birth & pre-menstrual syndrome can develop. Childcare decisions can put strain on your family relationships.

Having a child needn’t cost as much as some people claim (especially if you’re well supplied with gifts & hand-me-downs) but it’s still a financial obligation that you can’t take back to the shop if you decide you can’t afford it.

This isn’t an exercise in negativity – these are all just possibilities – but you should consider how they might affect you & your family. Being aware of them will help you work to avoid them, or recognise & manage them effectively if they do come up. If you’re at all concerned, sit down with your family (& close friends) & be honest about it. Hopefully, they’ll step up with offers of support wherever necessary.

You will also need to communicate openly with your child about your depression as s/he grows up. Your depressive symptoms can be taken personally by someone who doesn’t understand them. If you explain to your child that you’re unwell, they may want to help. Rather than implying powerlessness by saying “there’s nothing you can do”, have a good think & come up with a few simple things that they can do, like making pictures or a simple meal once a week. Although don’t take it personally if they sometimes forget! This particular brand of “helping Mummy/Daddy” should be something they do willingly!

Suzie Saw* has experienced episodes of depression since her early teens, & now manages it using a carefully honed blend of cognitive behavioural therapy, meditation, excellent friends, plants & flowers, lots of vegetables, & Star Trek.

* A writer, not a psychiatric professional. Please seek medical advice if you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from depression.

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Getting kids to take care of their teeth

Alan — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:34:30 +0000

Getting your child to practice good nutrition and dental care is vital through their teens. These are very challenging years for both the teen and the parent, and they must eat healthily and have a good dental hygiene routine in order to keep their teeth and gums healthy and preserve their teeth for the future.

Periodontal disease and cavities can be serious threats to teens as well as small children and adults. Many surveys have revealed that bleeding gums are most common in adolescents and that 75% of 13 year olds have bleeding gums. There are a few helpful tips that can ensure teenagers maintain good dental health.

Wherever possible, brush the teeth after every meal and also floss. A good diet is vital to the maintenance and preservation of teeth, so unhealthy snacking should be avoided, as should those sticky treats that cling to the teeth. Always use a fluoride toothpaste as it is known to inhibit dental decay, it can also be found in mouthwashes and some foods.

If your child is having to wear a custom made item such as a brace, ensure that they clean properly between the teeth and the archwires and use orthodontic toothbrushes and floss threaders specially designed to make dental health a lot easier if you have a brace. If your child takes part in any physical sports, try and get them to always wear a mouthguard to prevent any damage to their teeth.

Once our second teeth come in that’s it, there no more, so we have to get our kids into a good routine early and make sure they stick with it and thus have bright, healthy smiles for many years to come.

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Changes to childcare tax credits a real concern

Alan — Tue, 24 May 2011 08:57:37 +0000

The changes made to the childcare tax credits due to be in force in 2013 could cause some parents to lose 94p for each additional pound they earn, says a report from the Resolution Foundation. The injustice of low-paid, by working extra hours, losing out was promised by Mr. Cameron to be ended. A spokesman for Mr. Cameron said the policy was still in the works.

The governments plan to change the complex benefit system in Britain and include a single Universal Credit for lone parents. This flagship policy is meant to eliminate the benefit trap and make your pay packet worthwhile. In his speech to the Conservatives he said the plan was end the injustice once and for all of single mothers who are low paid losing close to 96p for each extra pound earned.

But the Resolution Foundation report casts a doubt on his claims suggesting the government will fail its own litmus test for on the welfare reform by putting people off. This would be another blow to already difficult living standards and would further hit working families hard. Only £3 a week more would be earned by a single parent on minimum if they were to work four days instead of three.

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Childcare Website Membership Hits 80,000

Alan — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:00:23 +0000

Childcare Website Membership Hits 80,000

The CEO of Findababysitter.com credits the rapid expansion to their business to the easy access to the location and address. The child care website this week hit the 80,000 member mark. The company uses postcodes and geographic data to help parents locate the nearest registered nanny.

They use the data which is available from ‘postcode anywhere’ to power their search engine, and this makes it easier for parents to find their child care without the need to involve an often costly agency. The contacts listed in the database include nannies, au pairs, babysitters, housekeepers and child minders.

This new and improved service, which had a major relaunch in July 2009, has also greatly increased its database of professionals offering their services. From an initial 25,000 local housekeeping and childcare candidates there are now over 40,000.

Tom Harrow, CEO of Findababysitter.com, said: “Findababysitter.com is a one-stop resource for finding childcare and domestic help. The site was established to help people looking for a housekeeper, cleaner, or anything related to childcare – not just babysitters.

“I started the business with my wife Vanessa in 2006. She’d set up a nanny agency, now established with 15 staff. The website empowers people to do the search themselves. With a subscription fee of £30 per month, it can be a very cost-effective way to find childcare.

“We have 40,000 candidates and have just hit 80,000 members, with some more big milestones on the way. We already had a massive database of postcodes and it was just a case of fine-tuning it. Now people can search across London and the rest of the UK using full or part postcodes.

“We get more than 100 registrations a day. When someone registers with us, we validate their address using Postcode Anywhere. It’s very important to us to get the details right as they’re being entered. As with the geo-coding behind the “where’s my nearest?” tool powering the website, our whole business relies on the integrity of our data. Get it wrong, and this falls down.

“We did go through a process to see who would suit our needs best. We narrowed it down to three vendors, looking at price, track record, and by trying to get a feel for uptime levels. In the end, we chose Postcode Anywhere, because it ticked all the boxes.

“We’ve had zero downtime too, which is really very important to us – and to tell the truth, we’d happily pay a lot more for the quality of service we receive from Postcode Anywhere.

“If you want a full host of the postcode and geographic data it’s out of the question for a small business. But access to the data is essential for our business model. Why bother building the service yourself when it’s far more cost-effective and reliable to use an established supplier like Postcode Anywhere?”

The service enables childcare givers to actively search and find local childcare work by applying to jobs posted by families and inviting parents to view their profile page.

Findababysitter.com is free for child carers to sign up and search for local nanny or babysitting jobs. For more information, please visit www.findababysitter.com.

To find out more about Postcode Anywhere’s range of services for small businesses, please visit www.postcodeanywhere.com.

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Acorn Childcare Training launches pilot courses in Hampshire

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:25:37 +0000

As Government cutbacks squeeze budgets, Acorn Childcare Training, the UK’s largest provider of childcare short courses, is taking the pressure off Local Authorities and launching statutory and specialist early years ‘open’ courses across Hampshire for individuals and organisations.

The innovative pilot will mean affordable, essential training is available to childcare professionals in the area, independent of Local Authority funding, so that the standard of care, knowledge and skills remain high in the county.

The courses available include; Level 2 Award Food Safety, First Aid in Childcare, Implementing Health and Safety in a Childcare Setting, Manual Handling for Childcarers, Preparing for OFSTED, Pirates and Princesses (planning for different genders), Differentiating Activities and the EYFS, Using Schemas in the Early Years, Assertive Communication, Performance Coaching & Leadership and Management in Childcare.

Doral Hayes, Operations Director for Acorn Childcare Training, said, “We understand that the Government is working to rescue the UK economy, but as a consequence an increasing number of budgets are being squeezed and essential training is being cut. However, if training isn’t delivered, staff won’t be learning and developing and neither will the children in their care, which is unacceptable for everyone concerned”.

She added, “These open courses provide the skills and deeper levels of understanding for employees in the childcare industry and are intended to complement the existing offerings from Local Authorities, not replace them. They’re tailored and affordable so people can still access the quality training they need and the skills they require to do the best job possible. We’re dedicated to making this a success in Hampshire and if all goes to plan we intend to roll it out across the UK”.

A full list of courses and venues can be seen at http://childcaretraining.co.uk/services/open-course-list.aspx

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Scarves pose serious threat to toddlers

Alan — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 03:59:51 +0000

Here’s a thought for parents who wish to dress their toddlers in the latest fashion: beware the scarf. Scarves are wonderful; they are great accessories, they are comfortable to wear, they’re hugely stylish during some trends, and they’re lovely warm in the winter, but they are also not fit for toddlers.

Youngsters tottering around as they learn to walk or run can get into a lot of things they can’t get out of, at least not with a length of fabric around their throats. Free-flying fringes may look adorable, but not when they’re falling under little feet to trip them up, or God forbid in the spokes of a passing bicycle.

If you want to make sure your little one’s head is warm, get a cute woolly hat, or a nice furry hoodie, but for heaven’s sake don’t wind a potential garrotter around his or her neck. You will see quite a range of designer scarves just for kiddies if you go looking, but skip them. Get one for yourself instead.

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How to Keep Your Child Safe on the Internet

admin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:05 +0000

This been provided by BullGuard Internet Security who provide an all in one antivirus and internet security solution.

There are a number of things you can do to help keep your child safe when they go on the internet, and to prevent them from seeing content which is of an adult nature.

Learn to Surf for Yourself
If you don’t know what’s out there, it is going to be difficult for you to know how best to protect your child, so get yourself onto the internet and learn how it works for yourself. There are plenty of adult education classes available around the country where you can take lessons if you aren’t sure where to begin.

Parental Controls
Set in place parental controls on all equipment that can be connected to the internet. This means that you lock out any sites that you do not wish your child to see, and create rules that control which sites they can gain access to according to its content. Some ISP’s also offer child safety measures so it’s always worth asking what they provide.

Take Control
Put the computer in a family room where its screen is visible to you. Set up passwords so that your child cannot access the internet when you are not there, and learn to use the ‘history’ on the computer to see what sites your child is accessing when they do surf the internet.

Get Your Child Involved
Kids generally react better to rules if they understand why they are in place, so involve your child. Explain to them that the internet has content that is suitable for everyone and some that isn’t. Talk to them about safety on the internet just as you would talk to them about safety in the street. Let them know that certain things are ok and certain things are not, and help them to understand that the boundaries you set are there to keep them safe.

Personal Information
Explain to your child why it is important to keep personal information safe, and why they shouldn’t share details about themselves with strangers. They should be aware that personal information that they give out can be used to for unlawful reasons which could involve the police if the wrong person steals and uses this information.

Make sure they understand that they must not:

Give out personal information such as name, address, phone numbers, passwords, pin numbers and bank details.
Arrange to meet an online friend without your full knowledge, permission and/ or presence.
Register with any websites without your permission
Give any indication of their age, name, sex or other personal information in their screen name or online persona.
Upload or download anything from the internet without your permission including pictures.

Teach Them to Tell You
If your child ever comes across anything which; they don’t understand, frightens or worries them, or; if they are bullied online, if anyone says anything that is inappropriate or tries to get them to do anything you’ve said they shouldn’t then they should tell you immediately. Make sure that they are not afraid of your reaction, and let them know that you understand sometimes people come across things accidentally and they won’t be the ones in trouble.

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NSPCC say spending cuts leading to child welfare crisis

Alan — Wed, 19 May 2010 09:50:50 +0000

Yet another surge of shock and dismay hit the British population this week after a woman in Bexleyheath was convicted of murdering her son. The child was less than two years old, and had suffered what appeared to be continuous abuse.

The mother, Collette Harris, repeatedly excused his injuries, to doctors and to child welfare agencies, as due to his clumsiness or banging his head on the crib. Only after the child died, in December of 2008, did the extent and nature of the injuries become known and acknowledged.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and Action for Children are two of the organizations lobbying for more efficient and far-reaching action on the part of the new coalition government.

Their concern is partly due to the spending cuts that have been proposed as a means of reducing the national debt. Some of these cuts would be in the realm of children’s benefits, presumably including those directed towards prevention of abuse.

NSPCC is hoping to get the government to establish some form of cross-departmental structure or a specific department in the Cabinet to deal specifically with child abuse. Head of campaigns and public affairs and NSPCC, Diana Sutton, said that child services must be a priority and funds should be made available regardless of spending cuts.

Of utmost importance is the prevention of abuse, rather than trying to “pick up the pieces” after the fact. This approach, says Helen Donohoe of Action for Children, would be much more effective in the long term. Ms Donohoe believes that early intervention through working with families is the best means of reducing if not eliminating the abuse of children.

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Childcare costs going up much faster than inflation

Alan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:14:45 +0000

A new report published by the Daycare Trust found that nursery placement costs for children that are over the age of two have increased by double the rate of inflation over the course of 2009, and that on average childcare costs half the gross earnings of most parents who work full time in England.

The findings of the national childcare charity also show that even though the recession has decreased the earning power of many people, nursery fees have increased by about five percent with most parents spending around £4,500 every year for childcare. The situation is even worse in London where parents on average spend about £11,000 per year or about £212 per week for 25 hours of nursery use.

Other areas in England also saw large increases in the cost of childcare with Yorkshire and the East Midlands reporting an increase of about 24% and Humber showing an increase of about 13%.

According to the charity, the results show how parents are struggling as they face pay cuts, retention, and hour reduction at the same time they face rising childcare costs.

Chief executive of the Daycare Trust, Alison Garnham, stated that the figures are shocking to see and that the government should extend the promise of free nursery care to all children in the country that are over the age of two.

Currently, only children over three qualify for government funded childcare for 12.5 hours although in the future this will be increased to 15 hours per week.

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