• In Focus

    Strengthening family life in England: Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households

    In April 2023, the Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households published a report entitled ‘Love matters’. The commission examined how families and households in England could best flourish and called on the government and other institutions to put families at the centre of their thinking. In addition to proposals for Church of England action, the report included 29 recommendations for the government. These included supporting family hubs and developing high-quality marriage preparation.

  • In Focus

    Safeguarding in schools

    Staff and governing bodies in English schools have responsibilities to protect children from harm and help them to have the best outcomes. This is termed safeguarding. The government provides detailed safeguarding guidance for staff and governors that schools are required to follow. The government has updated this guidance in response to an increase in reports of child-on-child sexual violence and sexual harassment in recent years, which has occurred in the context of the widespread use of social media. The most recent guidance was issued in September 2023.

  • In Focus

    Free NHS prescriptions: Eligibility for benefit claimants

    In England, individuals in receipt of certain benefits or who meet specific criteria are eligible for free NHS prescriptions. The government have announced that they plan to terminate certain universal credit claims, and consequently revoke benefits such as free prescriptions, for those who fail to meet employment requirements. This has led to fears about its potential adverse impact on the health and wellbeing of affected individuals.

  • In Focus

    The 75th anniversary of the NHS: How is it doing?

    This briefing considers the performance of the NHS as it passes its 75-year anniversary. It includes statistics on waiting times, information on recent government policy, and commentary on suggested measures to improve NHS performance. It also contains a brief history of the NHS and links to further reading.

  • In Focus

    Early years education: Trends, issues and the impact of Covid-19

    Early years refers to the education and care a child receives between birth and five years old. In March 2023 there were over 63,000 registered childcare providers in England. Most were rated by Ofsted as either good or outstanding. However, the number of providers has been steadily declining since 2015. The sector is also characterised by high childcare costs for families, financial pressures for providers and issues recruiting and retaining high quality staff.

  • In Focus

    Life beyond Covid-19: Lords Covid-19 Committee’s recommendations for long-term resilience and wellbeing

    In a report published in early 2022, the House of Lords Covid-19 Committee called for a “reset” of the state through a new emphasis on governing for the long-term and a new focus on wellbeing. The committee’s recommendations spanned a range of policy areas, from addressing health disparities and supporting families through to expanding devolution and improving public service resilience and preparedness. The government responded to the committee’s recommendations in July 2022.

  • In Focus

    Educational technology: Digital innovation and AI in schools

    The usage of educational technology in UK schools is already growing and likely to increase significantly in coming years, particularly as a result of the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Many commentators suggest that these technologies present significant opportunities but also substantial risks. This briefing examines these issues ahead of a forthcoming debate in the House of Lords.

  • In Focus

    Agricultural fungicides: Impact on long-term food and biological security

    Agricultural fungicides are pesticides which are used to prevent or control plant disease caused by fungi. They can help ensure food availability, affordability and safety. However, they can also have negative environmental effects and exposure to chemical pesticides has been linked to a higher risk of chronic disease in humans. The government is due to publish a revised national action plan on the sustainable use of pesticides by the end of 2023.

  • In Focus

    Long-term segregation in mental health hospitals

    The Independent Care (Education) and Treatment Review (IC(E)TR) programme, chaired by Baroness Hollins, reviewed the care and treatment of 191 people who were detained in long-term segregation between November 2019 and March 2023. On 8 November 2023 a report outlining the review’s findings was published highlighting concerns about the practice of long-term segregation, including a lack of therapeutic benefit. The government’s response to the report was published on the same day. This briefing considers the findings ahead of a debate in the House of Lords.

  • In Focus

    Mental health support for children and young people

    Over recent years there has been a decline in the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. There has also been an increase in demand for mental health services. The government and NHS England have committed to a number of policies intended to increase the availability of these services and improve the quality of care. This article considers the types of care provided and the reaction to these recent policy announcements.

  • In Focus

    King’s Speech 2023: Welfare

    The government has not signalled a specific welfare bill for the upcoming King’s Speech. However, it has committed to make some reforms to the benefits system that may require legislation. These include measures to reduce benefits fraud and error, and changes to the enforcement of child maintenance payments.

  • In Focus

    King’s Speech 2023: Pensions

    The chancellor’s Mansion House speech in July 2023 included a range of reforms to private pensions that may require primary legislation. These included initiatives to consolidate the defined contribution and defined benefit pensions sectors, and to encourage greater investment by pension funds in UK companies.

  • In Focus

    King’s Speech 2023: Levelling up, housing and communities

    The King’s Speech is set to take place on 7 November 2023. This briefing considers the possible measures the government may announce relating to levelling up, housing and communities. This includes introducing legislation to reform the leasehold system. In addition, carry-over motions agreed in the previous parliamentary session will see the continuation of the Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, Holocaust Memorial Bill and Renters (Reform) Bill.

  • In Focus

    King’s Speech 2023: Education

    There have been a number of high-profile announcements regarding education in the last year, such as proposed changes to A-levels and T-levels announced in October 2023. However, it is unclear when these measures will be introduced. Elements of the Schools Bill, abandoned during the 2022–23 parliamentary session, will likely be included in the 2023 King’s Speech. Notably, the government has indicated it intends to introduce a register of children not in school.

  • In Focus

    King’s Speech 2023: Health and social care

    The government will set out its legislative programme for the new parliamentary session in the King’s Speech set to be delivered on 7 November 2023. The speech and accompanying briefing notes are expected to detail certain health and social care-related initiatives, including measures to restrict the sale of tobacco products to young people and a draft Conversion Therapy Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny in the new session.

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