News

7 Aug 2008 Talking to your child about sex and relationships - new report published UK teenagers are eager to talk to their mums and dads about sex and relationships - but many parents are just too embarrassed, according to new research.
31 Jul 2008 Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) to be changed From November 2008, SENDIST will be split into two levels of tribunal in a bid to improve the current system of claims and appeals.
31 Jul 2008 Have your say on video game age ratings A consultation on ways to improve and modernise the classification of video games has been announced by Culture Minister Margaret Hodge.
21 Jul 2008 Moving Up A new magazine has been launched for Year 6 pupils to help them as they make the move from primary to secondary school.
24 Jun 2008 Child Safety Week This year's campaign providing help on tackling dangers in the home for the under-fives is taking place between 23 and 29 June.
17 Jun 2008 School admissions consultation Have your say on proposed plans to make the school admissions process for parents as fair and straightforward as possible.
12 Jun 2008 Television ad campaign launched to encourage fathers to read with their children Independent charity Booktrust is launching a TV campaign to raise awareness among fathers of Bookstart - the national, free book-gifting programme - and of the importance of reading to young children.
12 Jun 2008 Television campaign launched to encourage fathers to read with their children Independent charity Booktrust is launching a TV campaign to raise awareness among fathers of Bookstart, the national, free book-gifting programme and of the importance of reading to young children.
12 Jun 2008 TV campaign launched to encourage fathers to read with their children Independent charity Booktrust is launching a TV campaign to raise awareness among fathers of Bookstart, the national, free book-gifting programme and of the importance of reading to young children.
10 Jun 2008 National challenge launched to ensure more children get better GCSEs The Government has announced the next phase of plans to transform schools, improve results in English and maths, and tackle underachievement by young people.
10 Jun 2008 Carers to receive more support The Government has launched a new multimillion pound strategy to support, help and improve the lives of Britain’s army of carers.
2 Jun 2008 'Youth Alcohol Action Plan' launched to tackle teenage drinking Steps to cut underage drinking by working with parents, police and the drinks trade are announced.
2 Jun 2008 Youth Alcohol Action Plan launched to tackle teenage drinking Steps to cut underage drinking by working with parents, police and the drinks trade are announced.
20 May 2008 Playspace Ministers today launched a fun, interactive website and poster campaign to encourage children to give their views on play and play areas as part of the first ever national consultation on children’s play.
1 May 2008 Teachers TV Extended Services Week Between 5 and 11 May Teachers TV is showing a range of programmes focusing on extended services provided by schools.
23 Apr 2008 Advice issued for parents on teacher strike The National Union of Teachers is planning strike action on Thursday 24 April. Parents of primary and secondary school children should be aware that some schools may close or partially close.
2 Apr 2008 New guide to school admissions Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls has announced the publication of a step-by-step guide for parents to the school admission and appeals system.
17 Mar 2008 Consultation - have your say on new plans for school admissions The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is currently consulting on draft regulations to extend the period in which objections can be made to the Schools Adjudicator about schools’ admission arrangements.
12 Mar 2008 Budget 2008 The Chancellor gave his 2008 Budget speech to the House of Commons on 12 March.
4 Mar 2008 School place decisions If your child was not offered a place at the school you wanted, you can appeal to an independent panel about the decision.
29 Jan 2008 New plans for healthier living published A £372million strategy to help everyone lead healthier lives has been published by Health Secretary Alan Johnson and the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls.
11 Dec 2007 'Children's Plan' launched Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls has announced the launch of the 'Children’s Plan’ – a ten-year strategy to make England the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up.
6 Dec 2007 Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre Christmas campaign launched CEOP has launched a campaign encouraging parents and carers to register with them and get access to latest online safety information.
26 Nov 2007 Additional funding announced to continue tackling antisocial behaviour Children's and Young People's Minister Beverley Hughes has announced that 58 local areas in England will receive funding of £12.9m over the next three years to continue dealing with the problem of antisocial behaviour and support young people.
19 Nov 2007 National Anti-Bullying Week 2007 The theme of this year’s Anti-Bullying-Alliance (ABA) campaign, which runs from 19 to 23 November, is based around schools and the community.
15 Nov 2007 Teachers TV Anti-Bullying Week Between 19 and 25 November, Teachers TV will be showing a series of programmes demonstrating how simple measures like reducing prejudice and misconceptions can go a long way to preventing bullying.
5 Nov 2007 Special Educational Needs Week on Teachers TV Between 5 and 11 Novermber, Teachers TV will be airing a special week of programmes, exploring the different ways of engaging with and including children with special educational needs.
25 Oct 2007 The Byron Review: Children and New Technology Help your children have their say about using the internet and video games safely.
15 Oct 2007 'In work, better off' Department for Work and pensions Q&A On Monday 15 October Caroline Flint, Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform, took part in an online Q&A session about helping single parents find work.
2 Oct 2007 'Get online day' Friday 12 October sees the launch of a new campaign to help parents and children get online and find out what they can get out of the internet.
28 Sep 2007 Time to Talk consultation The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is asking parents nationwide for help in improving the lives of disadvantaged children and young people through a new consultation, Time to Talk.
12 Sep 2007 Parents urged not to take children out of school for holidays New research shows that more than 5.4 million school days were lost due to holidays during the Autumn 2006 and Spring 2007 terms.
5 Sep 2007 Parents’ help sought to manage bad behaviour New rules are being introduced this week making parents responsible for ensuring their children are kept indoors if they have been excluded from school. Parents will also have a responsibility to work with their child’s school to improve their behaviour.
16 Aug 2007 Help after exam results If your child's A level, GCSE or other exam results aren't what they were expecting, they can get expert advice by phone.
2 Aug 2007 Is your child’s school causing you concern? From April 2007 Ofsted received new powers to consider complaints by registered parents and carers about their child’s school as a whole.
27 Jul 2007 Keeping children safe during a flood Flood waters present a serious threat to personal health and safety, and children can be particularly at risk. Follow these simple rules to make sure your children remain safe.
28 Jun 2007 New Cabinet sees changes to education department Two government departments are now responsible for different areas of education and skills.
13 Jun 2007 Countdown to Uni An online guide has been launched providing comprehensive information about how to prepare for university.
6 Jun 2007 Parents' internet wish list revealed No-show alerts, video playback of lessons and finding holidays relevant to the curriculum are just some of the services that parents in the UK would like to have access to online, according to research released today.
1 Jun 2007 Celebrating early learning and childcare in June and July Throughout June and July thousands of nurseries, pre-schools, playgroups, breakfast clubs, childminders, Sure Start Children’s Centres and extended schools will be holding special celebratory events in local communities.
22 May 2007 ‘Struggling with the pressures of modern parenting?’ webchat On 14 May 2007 Deputy Chief Executive of UK charity Parentline Plus Jan Fry participated in a Question and Answer session about important issues facing parents today.
17 May 2007 Know IT All for Parents Children’s internet charity Childnet International has launched the latest ‘Know IT All’ guide aimed at helping parents better support their children’s internet use.
12 Apr 2007 ParentsCentre forum temporarily closed Due to local elections in England and Scotland the ParentsCentre forum will be closed from Thursday 12 April until Thursday 3 May.
22 Mar 2007 Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16 The Government has published a Green Paper proposing that, from 2015, all young people will be required to remain in education or training until their 18th birthday.
22 Mar 2007 Budget 2007 Read about the Chancellor's announcements, including changes relevant to parents and carers.
15 Mar 2007 Every Parent Matters A new guide has been published outlining the vital role of parents in shaping their child’s development and the role the Government will play in supporting them.
2 Mar 2007 DirectgovKids March sees the launch of a new website which aims to help young children understand their world and the world around them in a fun and interactive way.
1 Mar 2007 World Book Day 2007 Thursday 1 March marks World Book Day, the biggest annual celebration of books and reading in the UK and Ireland, organised by the Booksellers Association.
22 Feb 2007 Every Lesson Counts February 2007 saw the launch of a new campaign designed to encourage better attendance at school.
8 Jan 2007 Child Trust Fund Week 2007 Monday 15 January saw the launch of an annual campaign to raise parents’ awareness about the benefits of the Child Trust Fund (CTF).
2 Jan 2007 Family Reading Campaign Monday 15 January saw the launch of a campaign to encourage parents and children to find more time to read together.
4 Dec 2006 Premium rate services regulator launches new website Premium rate services regulator ICSTIS is urging children to start logging on to a new site developed to help them make educated choices about the growing number of premium rate services they encounter in their day-to-day lives.
28 Nov 2006 New measures announced to encourage extra-curricular learning The Government has launched a manifesto which aims to help children extend their education outside of the classroom.
21 Nov 2006 Parents to get support to counter the problem of antisocial behaviour The Government today announced plans for a £4million boost in funding to enable dedicated parenting experts to be established in 77 areas across England.
31 Oct 2006 National Anti-Bullying Week 2006 The theme of this year’s Anti-Bullying-Alliance (ABA) campaign, which runs from 20 to 24 November, is ‘Bullying: See it. Get help. Stop it.’
16 Oct 2006 List 99 and Childcare Disqualification Regulations – Consultation Draft regulations for consultation have been announced which will mean that individuals cautioned, as well as convicted, for sexual offences against children will automatically be entered on List 99 and barred from working in schools.
10 Oct 2006 ‘Extended schools and children’s centres’ webchat On Thursday 12 October Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes participated in an online question and answer session on the subject of extended schools and children’s centres.
25 Sep 2006 ThinkuKnow The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre has launched an online campaign to crack down on child sex abuse.
18 Sep 2006 New child car seat law comes into effect From Monday 18 September new regulations for child car restraints become law in an attempt to cut the number of child deaths and injuries each year.
13 Sep 2006 School Admission Consultation The Secretary of State recently launched a consultation on a new School Admissions Code and other measures that will create a system that ensures all children, regardless of their background, have fair access and opportunities to gain a place at the school they want to attend.
8 Sep 2006 'Admissions' webchat with Neil Lawson On Tuesday 12 September Neil Lawson - one of the team leaders of the School Admissions and Class Size unit at the DfES - answered questions on the subject of school admissions.
4 Sep 2006 New standards for school meals As children return to school this week, guidelines announced earlier this year to improve the quality of food in schools and tackle obesity come into effect.
29 Aug 2006 Obesity warning A report has been published outlining the likely levels of obesity in England in 2010 if the current trend of poor diet and lack of exercise continues.
17 Aug 2006 The national exams results telephone helpline Clear and impartial information and support regarding post-exam options.
10 Aug 2006 Family Court Hearings Proposals have been announced by the Government to help restore public confidence and trust in the family court system.
3 Aug 2006 'GCSEs and A Levels' webchat On Friday 18 August and Friday 25 August, DfES Director of 14 to 19 Reform Jon Coles answered your questions on GCSE’s and A Levels in a live webchat.
25 Jul 2006 New measures announced to tackle the problem of 'cyberbullying' The Government has published guidelines to help children, parents and schools to deal with bullying and abuse over the internet and on mobile phones.
20 Jul 2006 FRANK launches new leaflets for children and young people Drugs information site continues its mission to educate parents and their children about the dangers of drug abuse with two new leaflets.
12 Jul 2006 Childcare Bill becomes Childcare Act The Government’s flagship Childcare Bill has received Royal Assent, guaranteeing changes that will give all children the best start in life and parents far more flexibility.
21 Jun 2006 Literary Long Weekend, 23 to 25 June 2006 As part of her 80th birthday celebrations, the Queen will be holding a special children's party in the gardens of Buckingham Palace on Sunday 25 June to celebrate British children's literature.
15 Jun 2006 Fevers and fits ParentsCentre's expert Dr Stuart Flanagan continues his series of articles with a piece on how to deal with fevers and fits in children.
14 Jun 2006 ‘Benefits of sports and activities for children, schools and communities’ webcast ParentsCentre is showing an interview with Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, on the subject of the benefits of sport.
14 Jun 2006 Children who cannot swim by age 11 to be given additional lessons A scheme has been launched to ensure that all schoolchildren will be able to swim the National Curriculum standard of 25 metres by the end of Key Stage 2.
1 Jun 2006 National Sure Start Month 2006 This year’s National Sure Start Month gets underway on 5 June, kicking off with National Childcare Week.
19 May 2006 New standards set for school meals Education Secretary Alan Johnson today unveiled new minimum nutrition standards for food in schools to encourage healthier eating in children.
16 May 2006 'Helping children to communicate' webcast ParentsCentre is now showing an interview with Mary Hartshome, Head of Professional Standards at UK Charity I CAN, on the subject of children's communication skills.
11 May 2006 School Profile The School Profile is a new search tool enabling parents to access a wide range of key information about individual schools. As schools are still in the process of uploading their information, we regret that some search results will not be exhaustive.
27 Apr 2006 Film Street initiative launched to inspire young film-makers A website has been created to introduce both the fun and educational value of film to six to nine year olds.
26 Apr 2006 'Family finances' webcast From 8 May ParentsCentre will be showing an interview with financial adviser Lawrence Gold on the subject of family finances.
8 May 2006 ‘Family finances’ webcast ParentsCentre is now showing the video of an interview with financial adviser Lawrence Gold.
25 Apr 2006 Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre launched The Home Office has launched a new unit specialising in cracking down on child abuse and online child abuse images.
30 Mar 2006 New study identifies different levels of post-natal depression The results of a recent study suggest new mothers may be wrongly dismissing feelings of anxiety that could represent post-natal depression (PND).
27 Mar 2006 Cot death/Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) ParentsCentre's expert Dr Stuart Flanagan continues his series of articles by looking at the potential causes of cot death and the guidelines for parents on reducing the risks.
9 Mar 2006 Careers in sport for school leavers Sainsbury’s and jobswithballs.com - the UK’s only sports-specific job search resource - have teamed up to create a campaign which encourages children and young people to consider a career in the sports industry.
2 Mar 2006 What the Schools White Paper means for you and your child Following the announcement in October 2005 of plans to make parents central to the future of schools and their children’s learning, a leaflet has been launched to highlight and explain the plans in more detail.
2 Mar 2006 World Book Day 2006 Thursday 2 March marks the eighth World Book Day, the biggest annual celebration of books and reading in the UK and Ireland, organised by the Booksellers Association.
1 Mar 2006 Radical overhaul for the system of vetting those who work in schools Plans have been outlined in a new bill to bar from working in schools any individual cautioned or convicted for sexual offences against children.
24 Feb 2006 ‘Gaming’ webcast ParentsCentre is now showing an interview with Michael Rawlinson from the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) on the subject of console, mobile and computer gaming.
24 Jan 2006 View the 'Time to talk' webchat On Tuesday 7 February, Jan Fry from Parentline Plus participated in a live online Question & Answer session here on ParentsCentre on the subject of sex and relationship education for pre-teens and teens.
19 Jan 2006 Radical overhaul for the system of vetting those working in schools Education Secretary Ruth Kelly has outlined plans to bar child sex offenders from working in schools.
3 Jan 2006 ‘Support for children with disabilities and health conditions’ webcast ParentsCentre is now showing an interview with Mark Robertson, National Advice & Information Manager at Contact a Family.
30 Dec 2005 Overhaul for adoption law Changes to the law mean that unmarried and same-sex couples now have the right to adopt together.
7 Dec 2005 View the 'Positive parenting' webcast ParentsCentre is now showing an interview with Parenting Advisor for the NSPCC Eileen Hayes on anger management.
6 Dec 2005 'Internet safety' hotseat At 3.00pm on Monday 12 December 2005, Chair of the UK’s Children’s Charities’ Coalition on Internet Safety John Carr participated in a live online Question & Answer session, here on ParentsCentre.
1 Dec 2005 View the recent 'Bullying at school' hotseat On Tuesday 22 November, Jan Fry from Parentline Plus participated in and online Q&A on the issue of bullying at school.
29 Nov 2005 Positive parenting webcast From 3.00pm on Wednesday 7 December 2005, ParentsCentre will be showing an interview with Parenting Advisor for the NSPCC Eileen Hayes on anger management.
21 Nov 2005 National Anti-Bullying Week 2005 The theme of this year’s campaign, which runs between 21 and 25 November, is the involvement of children and young people in taking action against bullying.
17 Nov 2005 The National Anti-Bullying Poetry Anthology As part of the building up to the recent National Anti-Bullying Week, a poetry book was launched.
15 Nov 2005 Every Lesson Counts campaign The Government has joined forces with the UK travel industry to launch a new campaign aimed at increasing attendance at school.
8 Nov 2005 Breast vs bottle ParentsCentre's expert Dr Stuart Flanagan continues his series of monthly articles by outlining some advice on breastfeeding.
8 Nov 2005 'Bullying at school' hotseat On Tuesday 22 November 2005 at 3.00pm, Jan Fry from UK charity Parentline Plus participated in an online Question & Answer session on ‘Bullying at school’.
31 Oct 2005 Child Trust Fund Planning for your child's financial future.
28 Oct 2005 ‘Getting to Know IT All’ internet safety campaign On 1 November 2005, Minister for Children and Families Maria Eagle will be launching a national internet safety campaign.
25 Oct 2005 Schools White Paper published The Government has revealed plans for the future of schools, with a firm focus on parental involvement and parental choice.
24 Oct 2005 Prime Minister declares school system will be opened up to “real parent power” On Monday 24 October - the eve of the Schools White Paper launch - Tony Blair delivered a major speech on the future of schools and education.
21 Oct 2005 Big improvement in GCSE results Provisional figures from the 2005 exams show the biggest increase in students achieving five or more good GCSE grades for a decade.
20 Oct 2005 Parents' Week 2005 The sixth national Parents’ Week is taking place between Wednesday 19 October and Wednesday 26 October.
19 Oct 2005 Maternity and paternity leave to be extended Paid maternity leave is set to be increased to nine months with a view to extending it to a year by the end of Parliament, the government announced today.
12 Oct 2005 Have your say about services for young people Are there things your children want to do where you live but can't?
10 Oct 2005 Complications in pregnancy ParentsCentre's expert Dr Stuart Flanagan continues his series of articles by highlighting how to deal with various health issues you may experience during pregnancy.
7 Oct 2005 ‘Extended schools’ hotseat At 3.00pm on Monday 10 October 2005, Education Secretary Ruth Kelly participated in a live online Question & Answer session on the Guardian website.
3 Oct 2005 Future of school meals proposed Following Education Secretary Ruth Kelly’s announcement at the Labour Party conference on 28 September that junk food would be banned in schools, the School Meals Review Panel has recommended an overhaul of the nation’s school menus to adhere to new minimum standards.
3 Oct 2005 Bookstart is launching two more packs of free books and a range of guidance materials Bookstart, the first national books for babies programme, kicks off National Children’s Book Week by continuing its aim to give a selection of books to every baby in the UK.
28 Sep 2005 'Your child's behaviour at home' hotseat At 3.00pm on Wednesday 28 September 2005, Kim Roberts from UK charity Parentline Plus participated in an online Question & Answer session on the ParentsCentre site.
28 Sep 2005 Junk food to be banned in schools Education Secretary Ruth Kelly today announced that foods high in salt, sugar and fat are to be banned from vending machines and meals in schools.
1 Sep 2005 Common complaints during pregnancy ParentsCentre's expert Dr Stuart Flanagan continues his series of monthly articles by outlining some advice on staying healthy while you are carrying your baby.
26 Aug 2005 Do parenting issues matter to you? If so, you may be interested in participating in some market research.
19 Aug 2005 Childcare standards receive glowing praise After a series of comprehensive reports, education watchdog Ofsted has come to the conclusion that childcare in England is “truly inspirational”.
18 Aug 2005 Teen pedestrian road safety campaign launched A new road safety campaign targeted at 11 to 16 year olds will begin with a television and cinema commercial aiming to raise awareness of road safety.
28 Jul 2005 More money, more choice for student parents Student parents have been promised more money and better childcare choices from September 2005.
26 Jul 2005 Healthy mum, healthy pregnancy ParentsCentre's expert Dr Stuart Flanagan continues his series of monthly articles by outlining some advice on ensuring a healthy pregnancy.
19 Jul 2005 Childcare Legislation Consultation Parents and carers are being invited to provide feedback on a proposed Childcare Bill.
15 Jul 2005 Youth Green Paper launched Education Secretary Ruth Kelly has published Youth Matters, a Green Paper which aims to initiate a radical reshaping of services - such as organised activities and career advice - available to children and young people.
8 Jul 2005 Have an influence on the future of food in schools The ParentsCentre team are inviting parents and carers to contribute their opinions about a new school meals ‘toolkit’.
4 Jul 2005 Preparing for pregnancy ParentsCentre's expert Dr Stuart Flanagan begins a series of monthly articles by outlining some pre-conception guidelines.
14 Jun 2005 Parents and children to benefit from extended school services Schools are to offer high quality childcare and activities from 8am to 6pm all year round in partnership with local providers.
7 Jun 2005 Internet safety campaign launched Childnet International launches campaign to protect children from the hazards of downloading and sharing files on the internet.
6 Jun 2005 National Sure Start Month 2005 This year's campaign was launched with a party at London Zoo on 2 June.
2 Jun 2005 Plans continue to improve the standard of school meals Education Secretary Ruth Kelly has elaborated on plans to improve the nutritional value of food prepared in schools.
23 May 2005 Early nights in early years to combat obesity A report from researchers at the University of Glasgow suggests sleeping patterns in young children are linked to obesity in later childhood.
11 May 2005 Baby Safety Week An annual campaign to raise awareness of sudden infant death syndrome in the UK is running from 9 to 15 May.
9 May 2005 Foster Care Fortnight 2005 Monday 9 May marked the beginning of an annual campaign created to raise the profile of fostering and encourage more people to get involved.
11 Apr 2005 New online initiative launched to combat online child abuse The Virtual Global Taskforce - the alliance of global law enforcement agencies created to make the internet a safer place - has created a new website.
30 Mar 2005 School meals set for major overhaul Education Secretary Ruth Kelly has announced radical plans to improve the standard of school meals.
21 Mar 2005 National Sure Start Month June is fast approaching and with it the fourth annual National Sure Start Month - a month of events celebrating the achievements of childcare and early years practitioners and families in Sure Start early years settings over the last year.
9 Mar 2005 The Believe in Me Awards The Who Cares? Trust and the Department for Education and Skills are to hold an inaugural awards ceremony for professionals nominated solely by young people in their care.
1 Mar 2005 NSPCC launches anger management initiative The child protection charity has launched a campaign to prevent parents from losing their tempers with their children.
1 Mar 2005 Reforms announced over education for 14 to 19 year olds Secretary of State for Education and Skills Ruth Kelly has published a White Paper outlining plans to deliver a more effective education for GCSE and A level-age pupils.