Daily roundup: Youth volunteers, social work, and safety campaign
Laura McCardle
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Initiative to highlight examples of youth volunteering; social worker suspended for falsifying records; and parents warn of the dangers of water to children, all in the news today.
A group of 60 young people are working with the government to highlight exceptional examples of volunteers. The Cabinet Office and Step up to Serve have set up the Young Social Action Ambassadors network as part of efforts to inspire more young people to volunteer.
A social worker who falsified records whilst working with vulnerable children at Essex County Council has been suspended. The BBC reports that Andrew Mills worked for the authority’s children in care team when he created a false assessment and falsely claimed to have visited another child in care.
Bereaved parents have created a short film about the dangers water poses to young children. ITV reports that The Danger Age is inspired by the story of Simon Martyn, whose three-year-old son Conwy died in a drowning accident. Lorna Else also worked as a consultant on the film after her two-year-old son Oliver died in a swimming pool accident in July 2010.
According to The Prince’s Trust and HSBC report, based on interviews with 616 UK business leaders, 72 per cent believe that the recruitment of young people into the workforce is vital to avert a skills crisis. The research found 43 per cent are experiencing skills gaps within their organisations and over half are currently facing difficulties filling vacancies. With a third of organisations reporting skills shortages at entry level, the Trust is calling on employers to invest in vocational training for unemployed young people to avoid future skills shortages.
A south London children’s charity has launched an appeal asking local businesses to support a holiday club for 500 vulnerable three- to 11-year-olds. Kids City, based in Brixton, is seeking financial donations, as well as donations of food, and is encouraging businesses to host fundraising events.
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust is to spend £2 million refurbishing a ward at Coalville Hospital to create a child and adolescent mental health inpatient unit, after the sale of its current base in Leicester to developers. The Leicester Mercury reports that the move is to go ahead despite concerns being raised that it will take services further away from young people and their families. The trust said the more was a temporary measure until a permanent solution is found.
