Things in the library 6th May

CAMHS National Summit 2022...

This national conference focuses on transforming mental health services for children and young people, ensuring early intervention, and developing integrated services with clear care pathways from first intervention to crisis and inpatient care. The conference will also look at national developments and learning from the Covid-19 pandemic and how CAMHS has had to adapt and innovate to provide effective care. The conference will address suicide prevention and learning from suicide and also safeguarding and CAMHS. 

Things about eye tests...

A life-saving test that allows doctors to spot a rare form of eye cancer in babies in the womb is being rolled out by the NHS in England this week. Now, thanks to a new NHS test developed at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, babies identified as being at risk of developing retinoblastoma can be monitored and treated sooner – increasing the chance of saving their eyesight and potentially their lives. Symptoms of retinoblastoma are hard to detect and a diagnosis can normally only be made once the tumour has progressed and the eye can’t be saved. The new non-invasive test can detect changes in the genes in DNA and is likely to identify around 50 infants with retinoblastoma each year, in the latest example of the NHS harnessing the power of genomics to diagnose and treat patients faster and more effectively.

Things about language... 

In their article in the BMJ, Caitríona Cox and Zoë Fritz argue that outdated medical language that casts doubt, belittles, or blames patients jeopardises the therapeutic relationship and is overdue for change. According to Fritz "we need to change the language we use so that we don’t (unintentionally!) undermine the therapeutic relationship. We (doctors) are taught phrases like ‘presenting complaint’ and use them unthinkingly. But the patient isn’t complaining- they are telling us about their symptoms."

Things about the Heath and Care Act...

The Health and Care Bill was passed into law in England on 28 April 2022. The new Act establishes 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), which will replace Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) across England from 01 July 2022. Under the new Act ICBs will have to report annually on how well they are delivering their duty to safeguard children and young people. 

Things about Ofsted...

Ofsted has released a five-year strategy detailing its goals to raise standards in education and children’s social care. The strategy sets out the introduction of a more risk-based and proportionate approach to regulation and inspection to help keep children safer. The report highlights a number of areas of concern, including: online harm, the prevalence of peer-on-peer sexual harassment and unregistered settings where children may be cared for in unsafe environments. Ofsted aim to inform safeguarding practices through the measures outlined in the strategy, and identify systemic safeguarding issues.  

Things about food and gaming apps...

How children use meal-delivery apps and the rising popularity of online gaming could be driving obesity across Europe, the World Health Organization has said. Europe's highly digitalised food environments affect what, when and how people eat and should be monitored more closely, the report says. Meal-delivery apps, for example, play a significant role in increasing consumption of high-fat and high-sugar food and drinks. Online gaming, which is hugely popular among children, has also been linked to poorer diet, unhealthy behaviour and more time sitting rather than being active. The report also points out that "obesity is "a complex disease" and much more than the combination of an unhealthy diet and a lack of physical activity".

 Things to make...

I love spring - everything about it. The blossom, the light jacket weather, and the fact that it makes me want to eat green things. This spring veg and lemon broth is a lovely light meal, perfect for this time of year  I sometimes add some chilli flakes for an extra bit of delight.

Things in the library 8th January...

 Happy New Year to you all from the Library Staff

Things about child health...

Below you can find the joint Commissioners’ (England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland) reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Every five years, the Committee examines the whole UK on how well it is meeting its promises under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The reports on this page are submitted to the Committee. They assess how the UK Government and devolved administrations have progressed towards giving every child the opportunities and protections enshrined in the UNCRC.

The “Report of the Children’s Commissioners of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child”, including a “Covid-19 annex”, identifies emerging trends and key issues regarding children’s human rights in the UK. Some of these draw on previous concluding observations while others reflect worrying trends caused by the UK’s departure from the European Union (Brexit) and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report “Are we there yet?” is based on engagement with children and young people in all four nations, and it aims to provide the Committee with children and young people’s voices about their experiences on the delivery of their rights. A summary report goes alongside it.

Things about children and justice... 

This report from the Children's Commissioner looks at the issues around children in the justice system.

The past decade has seen a welcome reduction in the numbers of children getting caught up in the criminal justice system. Since 2010, the numbers receiving a caution or sentence have fallen by 83% and the number of children in custody has fallen by 73% to 571 in August 2020. But there are still hundreds of children ending up in our courts and prisons. By comparison, in 2015, there were only 13 children aged 15-17 in prison in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland and Denmark combined.

We know how and why many of these children end up involved in violence and crime. The blueprint is there for all to see – children growing up in turmoil and experiencing trauma, but not receiving the support and protection they need. Or worse, targeted by those who wish to exploit their vulnerabilities for personal gain. Our under-resourced system of child protection was not designed to safeguard against risks outside the family home and is creaking under the pressure of trying to keep kids safe.

Many of these children have been let down by the systems that should be keeping them safe from harm before they ever set foot inside a police station. Over half (56%) of children sentenced are currently or have previously been a ‘Child in Need’ (assessed as needing additional support from the state) and 7 in 10 have identified mental health needs. 85% of boys in young offender institutions have previously been excluded from school. When compared to their peers, children in residential care are at least 13 times more likely to be criminalised.

At every stage of a child’s journey through the criminal justice system, opportunities are being missed to get to the root causes of offending and put children’s best interests at the heart of the response. When children’s home staff call the police on a child for damaging property, rather than ground them or dock their pocket money as a parent might. Or when they meet a police officer unable to recognise vulnerability and trigger a safeguarding response. Or when the courts remand children to custody before they’ve even been tried – last year almost a third of children in custody were on remand, two thirds of whom never went on to receive a custodial sentence. Ultimately, the system fails to see the child first and the ‘offender’ second, which reduces the opportunity for real change. This appears to be particularly true for Black children, who are over four times more likely to be arrested than White children. Despite accounting for only 18% of the general population, children from BAME backgrounds now make up almost half (49%) of the entire population of youth custody.

The number of children in custody in this country is half the size of a secondary school and yet custodial institutions are failing to even keep children safe, let alone rehabilitate them. Levels of violence are high, and over a third (35%) of children have felt unsafe in Young Offender Institutions and Secure Training Centres. This violence leads to incidences of restraint and a situation where children are spending hours at a time shut in their cells, rather than accessing the education or support they need to turn their lives around.  Too many children are set up to fail when they leave, because not enough is done to find them the right place to live, or get them the treatment or education they need on release.  Is it any wonder that 7 in 10 children released from custody reoffend within a year?

We need a radical new approach to preventing children becoming involved in crime and turning children’s lives around when they have spiralled out of control. This means: stopping gangs from exploiting vulnerable children; identifying children at risk of getting involved in crime and diverting them away from that path; reducing the numbers of children in custody to an absolute minimum and transforming secure care for children so that rehabilitation is at its heart.

This about unhealthy food and drink... 

It was announced in December that promotions on food and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) in retailers will be restricted from April 2022. Offers for unhealthy foods like ‘buy one get one free’ and promotions in prominent locations in stores and online to be restricted from April 2022. Free refills of sugary soft drinks will also be prohibited in the eating-out sector. Restrictions will apply to medium and large stores. The new rules, designed to support the nation to make healthier choices, will prohibit retailers from offering multibuy promotions such as ‘buy one get one free’ or ‘3 for 2’ offers on these products. Unhealthy promotions will also no longer be featured in key locations, such as at checkouts, store entrances, aisle ends and their online equivalents. Promotions often appear to help shoppers save money. However, data shows that these deals actually increase purchases of promoted products by almost 20%. They encourage people to buy more than they need or intended to buy in the first place

Things to attend... 

Our next Reading Group will be on 3rd Feb at 18:30 meeting by Microsoft Teams - please contact us if you want to be added to the mailing list or if you want the link to join a specific group. Our next book is the modern classic by George Orwell Nineteen Eighty-Four. Interesting parallels with our world today I think and 'fake news'.

...and also Journal Club

The next meeting will be on 12th January 13:00 - 14:00pm meeting virtually & physically from the Education & Skills Centre, F Floor Stephenson Wing discussing the paper 'Intracranial injuries on computed tomography head scans in infants investigated for suspected physical abuse: a retrospective review'. Please contact the library fo attending information and a copy of the paper. Bring your own muffins!

Things about eating disorders... 

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is alerting parents and guardians to look out for signs of eating disorders in children and young people.  The College spoke to paediatricians from around the country working in the field allll had seen an increase in cases in the last year, and all put this down to the effects of the pandemic on young people’s lives. 

A number of factors are thought to have contributed to increased stress, deterioration in young people’s mental health and an intense focus for some on eating and exercise during the pandemic. These include: isolation from peers during school closures, exam cancellations, loss of motivating extra-curricular activities such as sports, dance/drama/youth clubs; an increased use of social media with young people concentrating on unrealistic ideas of body image; being forced to quarantine (a particular problem for many students newly arrived at university); worries about families’ economic problems; illness or death of loved ones, and fears about contracting the virus.

Dr Elizabeth Allison, Lead Consultant Paediatrician for eating disorders at Sheffield Children’s Hospital (medical lead in the region for the community eating disorders service): 

“We’ve seen around twice the number of referrals for medical outpatient reviews and around twice the numbers of inpatient medical admissions for patients with Anorexia Nervosa in 2020 compared to 2019 and these numbers appear to be continuing to rise even further since September.  The lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic has created a fertile ground in which eating disorders can flourish. This is maybe due to the confinement away from young people's normal social and educational structure and also perhaps due to the increased exposure to social media influences. We are concerned that we may continue to see this trend continue over the next year or more." 

Things to make...

Our latest Reading group book that was much enjoyed was The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. How much more fun it would have been if we had all had some of this  Apple Cake with Bourbon Honey Glaze to eat along with it (scroll down the page for the recipe). This blog suggests recipes based on various books and I think we should embrace this idea when we can return to physical meetings.

Things in the library 11 Sept...

 Thimgs to hunt down...

Don't forget to enter our 70th birthday quiz and treasure hunt in our online catalogue. Click on this link  entries before 17:00  30th Sept, no-one has found all the treasure yet!

Things changing their time... 

The Reading Group, which continues to meet online every month, is changing the meeting time to 18:30 - 19:30 if this means you might now be able to join us then please email the library to ask to be put on the mailing list for details. Our next meeting is Oct 7th - chatting about 'The versions of us' by Laura Barnett.

Things about child well-being... 

UNICEF have released a report 'Worlds of Influence Understanding What Shapes Child Well-being in Rich Countries'. A new look at children from the world’s richest countries offers a mixed picture of their health, skills and happiness. For far too many, issues such as poverty, exclusion and pollution threaten their mental well-being, physical health and opportunities to develop skills. Even countries with good social, economic and environmental conditions are a long way from meeting the targets set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Focused and accelerated action is needed if these goals are to be met. The report looks at what makes a 'good' childhood in terms of mental and physical health and skills for life.

Things about digital technology... 

A briefing has been published from the Nuffield Trust on the use of digital technology in the NHS during COVID-19. The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the adoption of digital technology in the NHS and changes to the way services are delivered at an incredible pace. So as the health service works hard to get back to something like normality, are all the elements of this sea change in digital practice positive, or do some adaptations need further scrutiny before they become more deeply embedded? 

Things about sport..health..technology...autism... 

Whilst driving to the Northern General this week (to return some items borrowed from their Heritage Centre) I caught this programme on BBC Radio 4 which was really interesting. Steve Haake, Professor of Sports Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University, and Jim al-Khalili discussed how technology transforms sport and the health benefits of Parkrun in the series the Life Scientific. I often find these short programmes fascinating - the previous one was a discussion with Professor Francesca Happé about her research into the the abilities and assets of people with autism and how she recognised autism in women.

Things about menopause... 

Requested by a group in SCH who have been meeting online to chat about the menopause, we have added this book to our Leisure Reading collection recently. If you wish to reserve or request it you can do so via our library catalogue.

Things to eat... 

A vegan/vegitarian smoked spiced veggie rice' this week, a take on a jambalaya.

Things in the library 4th Sept...

Things about treasure... 

As part of our ongoing (and sadly curtailed) 70th birthday celebrations September sees the launch of our library catalogue quiz and treasure hunt...there is a prize for the winner! Quiz entries to be submitted by 17:00 September 30th and the quiz can be accessed here. All the answers can be found on our library catalogue and you don't need to login to find the answers. Although if you are a library user there are additional services open to you in managing your library account if you do login - ask us if you need a PIN. 

Things to read... 

The last book the Reading group read was 'When I had a little sister' which was given a score of 75% and our next read is'The Versions of us' by Laura Barnett on 7th October. One of the themes of the book we have just read related to the isolation of farming families so the report below seemed an interesting one to include in this week's blog.

Things about the countryside... 

Living in rural and remote areas can create distinct challenges for children’s mental health. Poor transport infrastructure, fewer local choices, alienation and isolation, poor digital connectivity, and a lack of opportunities to socialise with peers outside of school can all have an impact on children and their wellbeing.

Children in sparsely populated areas also face significant barriers to accessing support, and years of cuts to public services have made it even harder for local services to offer children the help they need. These difficulties are disproportionately experienced by children living in poverty (which is often more hidden in rural areas), children who have complex needs and children who face other risks of exclusion, alienation and marginalisation (such as young carers, disabled children, children from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, and LGBTQ+ children).

Funded by BBC Children in Need, The space between us explores evidence about the mental health and wellbeing of children aged between 8 and 13 years living in isolated communities across the UK. Half of mental health problems emerge before the age of 14, and therefore opportunities to intervene in the preceding years could make a significant difference by increasing protective factors and minimising risks of poor mental health.

The report calls for action to boost children’s mental health in rural and coastal communities. This includes funding for local councils to improve wellbeing, investment in digital infrastructure in places that have been left behind, and developing promising approaches to supporting children’s wellbeing such as mobile support services, peer support networks and better use of existing community spaces.

Things about patient safety... 

The requirement for NHS organisations in England to identify one or more person as their designated Patient Safety Specialist(s) is a key part of the NHS Patient Safety Strategy. These specialists will work full time as patient safety experts, providing dynamic, senior leadership, visibility and support. In addition, they will support the development of a patient safety culture, safety systems and improvement activity. Specialists will also work in networks with Patient Safety Specialists from other organisations to share good practice and learn from each other, making them fundamental to patient safety across the NHS in England. Ultimately each Patient Safety Specialist will be fully trained in the national patient safety syllabus. A website with more information is available.

Things about food insecurity... 

An article about food insecurity in BMC Public Health seemed timely as more people are being affected by this in the UK. As more people are living with one or more chronic health conditions, supporting patients to become activated, self-managers of their conditions has become a key health policy focus both in the UK and internationally. There is also growing evidence in the UK that those with long term health conditions have an increased risk of being food insecure. While international evidence indicates that food insecurity adversely affects individual’s health condition management capability, little is known about how those so affected manage their condition(s) in this context. An investigation of lived experience of health condition management was undertaken with food insecure people living in north east Scotland. The study aimed to explore the challenges facing food insecure people in terms of:

• their self-care condition management practices 
• disclosing and discussing the experience of managing their condition with a health care professional
• notions of the support they might wish to receive from them. 

Things about child health... 

 The Institute for Public Policy Research states that the UK health has improved radically in the 20th century, but progress has since stalled. The believe the UK now has the opportunity to make another ‘giant leap’ forward; to achieve this, the government will need to address growing levels of ‘health risk’ faced by children. Any progress would be good for health, business and the economy. Their report The Whole Society Approach: making a giant leap on childhood health  is available.

Things about children online... 

Data sits at the heart of the digital services children use every day. From the moment a young person opens an app, plays a game or loads a website, data begins to be gathered. Who’s using the service? How are they using it? How frequently? Where from? On what device? That information may then inform techniques used to persuade young people to spend more time using services, to shape the content they are encouraged to engage with, and to tailor the advertisements they see. For all the benefits the digital economy can offer children, we are not currently creating a safe space for them to learn, explore and play. This new statutory code of practice on age appropriate design looks to change that, not by seeking to protect children from the digital world, but by protecting them within it.

Things about post Covid... 

A report from The Health Foundation Generation 'COVID-19 Building the case to protect young people’s future health'. Emerging evidence on the economic and social impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shows that young people aged 12–24 years are one of the worst-affected groups, particularly in terms of the labour market and mental health outcomes.

Things about a good childhood... 

A report from the Children's Society states that there has been a continued decrease in average happiness with life among 10-15 year olds in the UK. 

• Happiness with friends is in decline.
• 15-year olds in the UK were among the saddest and least satisfied with their lives in Europe.
• The Coronavirus pandemic affected children’s happiness due to the lack of choice they had in life.

Things to eat...

We had this Smoked mackerel pilau rice earlier this week, I was a little sceptical about what it would be like but it was actually really good, we added the eggs as suggested. 

Things in the library 14th Feb...

Things to visit the library for today...
Free home-made heart biscuits (while stocks last) for all our library users today...and a reminder that via our Book a Librarian service you can arrange 1:1 or small group training on a variety of subjects....any time of the year not just on St Valentine's Day.




Things for a healthy childhood...
A safe, supportive and happy childhood environment is widely understood to be vital for a child’s development, health and wellbeing over the short- and long-term. Conversely, an established body of evidence shows a correlation between a disruptive, adverse or chaotic childhood environment and an increased prevalence of physical and mental health problems. Despite this established evidence base, the BMA's analysis of recent data highlights insufficient investment in England across a range of services to support a healthy childhood, with funding for a number of different services being cut in recent years. This lack of resource is likely to have an adverse impact on child health in England.

Things about microbiomics...
The Department of Neuroscience at University of Sheffield will co-host an event on Thursday 16 April to mark the launch of the Sheffield Microbiomics Network. This one-day symposium will take place in Sheffield (location TBC) and is open to anyone working in a field relating to microbiomics, or who is keen to embark on research in this area. Please register using this link. Anyone involved in microbiomics research in Sheffield (in any university, NHS or other institution) would be very welcome to join.

Things about indoor air...
There seems to be plenty of air outside at the moment...I just wish it would stop rushing around so fast! However whilst we are all stuck inside at this time of the year this RCPCH report on indoor air quality seems timely. This report is based on a systematic review of the science of indoor pollution, and conversations with children, young people and families. They make recommendations for Government and local authorities, and provide guidance for families.

Things about resilience...

Too many children and young people nationally do not receive the support they need to improve their mental health and wellbeing. There is ample evidence that, despite increased investment in, and policy focus on, mental health services for children and young people, the numbers of children and young people requiring support are going up. Thresholds for accessing support remain high, waiting times are long and there is significant inequity in provision between different local areas.

The purpose of this research from the Local Government Association is, firstly, to explore some of the factors which are contributing to this nationally challenging context and, secondly, to develop an evidence base for how local government and its partners can work most effectively together to deliver a coherent and joined-up offer of support for children and young people’s mental health. The research is based on a review of the existing evidence base, workshops with around 80 participants from councils and their partners in health and in-depth engagements with eight fieldwork areas.

Things about the NHS...
When the NHS Long Term Plan was published in January 2019 Healthwatch were asked by NHS England to engage with people across the country about how people wanted the priorities to be implemented locally. Here's what over 40,000 people told them. Key findings summarised below:

• People affected by cancer, and heart and lung conditions had a much better experience of care services than people with other issues.
• The positive feedback about cancer and heart and lung services appeared to be for a variety of reasons, including speed of diagnosis and treatment, access to rehabilitation, and quality of information and communication from professionals.
• People affected by other issues, especially mental ill health, dementia or learning disabilities, told us that the support often wasn’t in place for them and that professionals did not give enough consideration to their full range of needs.

Things about St Valentine...

On February 14, around the year 270 A.D., Valentine, a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, was executed. Under the rule of Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families. To get rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. The sentence was carried out on February 14, on or about the year 270.
Legends vary on how the martyr’s name became connected with romance. The date of his death may have become mingled with the Feast of Lupercalia, a pagan festival of love. On these occasions, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius decided to put an end to the Feast of Lupercalia, and he declared that February 14 be celebrated as St Valentine’s Day.

Things to make...
A special chocolate and chilli dessert, very simple...and sinful!

Things in the library 17th January...

Things about healthcare systems...

The Association of Directors of Children’s Services published a position paper 'A health care system that works for all children' last year (ADCS is the national leadership association in England for statutory directors of children's services and their senior teams). In their executive summary they state:

"ADCS members believe that now, more than ever, there is a real need for a national commitment to ensure that the NHS of the future has children at it’s heart and children’s health and wellbeing services are given parity with those of older people."

Things about CAMHS...

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has published its Annual Report on access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). The study examines access to specialist services, waiting times for treatment, and provision for the most vulnerable children in England. The research is based on new data obtained using freedom of information (FOI) requests to mental health providers and local authorities over the course of a year. This data is not published by the NHS. The majority of lifelong mental health problems develop early on, during childhood or adolescence. The wider economic costs of mental ill health in England are vast, estimated at £105bn each year.

Things in the news today...
Sepsis
Global, regional, and national sepsis incidence and mortality, 1990–2017: analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study is the article on which the headlines are commenting. The interpretation of the results from the authors is:

"Despite declining age-standardised incidence and mortality, sepsis remains a major cause of health loss worldwide and has an especially high health-related burden in sub-Saharan Africa."

Social Media
Along with exploring the impact of screen time generally, this paper 'Technology use and the mental health of children and young people' from the Royal College of Psychiatrists also explores the impact of different types of screen use: negative content; how vulnerable groups may be affected such as those with mental health problems and very young
children; potential for bullying and safeguarding issues; as well as the potential for addiction. In addition, guidance is provided for children and young people, parents and carers, clinicians and teachers.

Things about patient feedback...

The National Institute for Health Research published a themed review this week on Improving Care by Using Patient Feedback. There are many different reasons for looking at patient experience feedback data. Data is most often used for performance assessment and benchmarking in line with regulatory body requirements,  making comparisons with other healthcare providers or to assess progress over time. Staff are sometimes unaware of the feedback, or when they are, they struggle to make sense of it in a way that can lead to improvements. They are not always aware of unsolicited feedback, such as that received online and when they are, they are often uncertain how to  respond. 

• Staff need the time, skills and resources to make changes in practice. In many organisations, feedback about patient experience is managed in different departments from those that lead quality improvement. Whilst most organisations have a standardised method for quality improvement, there is less clarity and consistency in relation to using patient experience data.
• Staff act on informal feedback in ways that are not always recognised as improvement. Where change does happen, it tends to be on transactional tasks rather than relationships and the way patients feel. 
• The research featured in this review shows that these challenges can be overcome and provides recommendations and links to practical resources for services and staff.

Things to take part in...
The next Randomised Coffee Trial will be taking place in the SCH Trust in February. Sign-up now via this link . If you previously asked to be included in all future RCTs there is no need to sign up again. If you are new to the Trust - our RCTs run two or three times a year, you sign up and are randomly matched to someone else and you arrange to meet at a mutually convenient time for 30-40 mins to chat about anything you like. It is a good way of meeting new colleagues, taking time out and widening networks. The positive responses we get show how much it is enjoyed. Last time we had a few people who signed up but then didn't make contact with their matchee..please be courteous and inform the library and the other person if you cannot meet so that we can try to re-match the other person.

Things to make...
If you want a nice brunch dish there are some good suggestions here based on baked eggs.

Things in the library 5th July...

Me...

I am back after a two week break...sorry for the interruption to the blog service.

Things about bringing up children...
In this Policy Statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics provides guidance for pediatricians and other child health care providers on educating parents about positive and effective parenting strategies of discipline for children at each stage of development as well as references to educational materials. This statement supports the need for adults to avoid physical punishment and verbal abuse of children.

Things about chronic illness...

Psychological therapies appear to show promise in helping improve self-reported parenting behaviour of parents of children and adolescents with cancer, chronic pain, diabetes or traumatic brain injury. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and problem-solving therapy (PST) appear particularly valuable in supporting this. Psychological therapies also seemed beneficial in improving the mental health of parents who have children with cancer and chronic pain, but not in studies of children with diabetes. Parenting a child with a chronic illness can pose challenges to family life, causing emotional strain for both the parents and children concerned. Skills for adapting to this can help improve parenting behaviour and the mental health and well-being outcomes for families of children with chronic illness. This Cochrane systematic review analysed 44 trials of varying quality, which included over 4,600 parents. The results may help support healthcare practitioners working with families where children have chronic illness.

Things about refugee & immigrant children...
Immigrant and refugee children are at increased risk for physical, developmental, and behavioral health challenges. This article provides an overview of physical, developmental, and behavioral health considerations for immigrant and refugee children within an ecological framework that highlights family, community, and sociocultural influences. Experiences and exposures relevant to immigrant and refugee children are discussed. Clinical pearls are provided for topics of chronic disease, nutrition, infectious disease, developmental screening, and mental health assessment. Interdisciplinary and community partnerships are emphasized as a means to decrease barriers to care and facilitate family navigation of complex social, educational, and health care systems.

Things about children & social media...
Barnardo's have published a report Left to their own devices: Young people, social media and mental health .
They say:

At the moment, not enough is known about the impact of social media on the most vulnerable children in the UK.
Research
We’re calling on the Government to commission more research on the impact of social media to help establish a solid evidence base. This research should specifically include the experience of vulnerable children and young people.
Education
The Government should ensure that all children and young people are able to access education and guidance on social media use. Advice should also be available for professionals, parents and carers.
Mental health support
A proportion of future funding for the NHS (as detailed in the NHS 10 Year Plan) should be used to deliver mental health support in all schools.
Regulating the internet
The Government should make the internet safe for children, including the most vulnerable - by introducing duties on tech companies and specific guidance on dangers like cyber-bullying. 

Things about prevention...
The RCPCH has published a Prevention vision for child health with five crucial priorities.

• Tackling inequalities with greater focus on the most vulnerable children, young people and families
• Investment in the workforce, in particular in school nurses and health visitors
• Greater coordination of services, strategies, plans and programmes that are designed to prevent negative outcomes
• A moratorium on public health funding cuts
• A life course approach, recognising that good prevention starts before birth

Things about movement...

The National Institute for Health Research have published a themed review Moving Matters - Interventions To Increase Physical Activity This review focuses on National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)-funded research evaluating interventions to increase physical activity for individuals and populations. This features over 50 published and ongoing studies. Evaluations range from programmes in schools and communities to changes in transport and the environment, which are designed to promote greater activity.

Reading Group...

The next book we are reading is 'The Librarian' by Salley Vickers and will be discussing this on Wed 7th August at 17:15 in the Illingworth library - drinks and nibbles provided as normal. Do feel free to join us for casual chat about what we are reading. At last our specialist subject!

Things to eat...

Salad season has finally arrived and we can stop eating warm comfort food. I do tend to make mine up from whatever is available (if the guinea pig hasn't eaten them first!) but this Paul Hollywood recipe for Spicy Squash Salad has some of my favourite foods in it so it's on my regular list of favourites.

Things in the library 17th May...

Things about your library ticket...
As from this week we will no longer need to issue a separate library ticket to all SCH staff when they join the library...so one less piece of plastic to carry around! Instead your SCH Staff ID card will be used as your means of identification in the library and your library reader number will be the 7 digit number printed on the back of the card. Next time you are in the library bring us your old library ticket and present your staff card and we will switch you over. If you use the library MyCirqa App you will need to enter your new reader number the next time you use it. If you currently use a university card in our library there will be no change. If you have never joined the library please click on this link so you can take full advantage of all our services.

Things about trends of care...
The Nuffield Trust has published a QualityWatch indicator Update on Children and young people.  This update looks at trends in the quality of care for children and young people.  It highlights the increase in childhood obesity, the stalling in rates of infant mortality, and an increase in hospital admissions as a result of self-harm. However, there have been some promising improvements including a reduction in smoking among young people and a decrease in teenage pregnancy.

Things about evidence...

Our subscription to DynamedPlus has now ceased and we won't be able to renew it at the moment, however BMJ Best Practice is now available to you via your NHSAthens account. (It will soon be available as a quick link on the trust intranet.) BMJ Best Practice is an  online decision-support tool for use at the point of care. Structured around the patient consultation, it presents the required information just as it’s needed. The tool is regularly updated, and draws on the latest evidence-based research to offer step-by-step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention. It fits information around real, diverse and evolving medical information needs.

Things about divorce & children...
There was an interesting, if upsetting, programme on BBC Radio 4 last weekend about Parental Alienation. Sometimes when parents split, the children are caught in the middle, pawns in a never-ending battle. Divorce rates in this country are falling, but increasing numbers of parents are going to court to fight over their children, despite the lack of legal aid. Around 80,000 children are affected by battles in the family courts every year. In this moving programme, Philippa Perry examines Parental Alienation, talking to lawyers, researchers, therapists, and parents. It is available to listen to on the BBC website

Things about coffee...

We are running three Randomised Coffee Trials at the moment: one for the majority of SCH staff which is half-way through - already receiving nice comments about this thanks.  One just for CAMHS staff which was launched last week (CAMHS staff sign up here) and one for Oncology & Metabolism staff at University of Sheffield - this is the department where the Academic Unit of Child Health belongs.  Think we should be buying shares in Costa!

Whether you are taking part in an RCT or not don't forget you can buy hot drinks and chocolate biscuits in the library to keep you going whilst you work.

Things not here...

Me actually...as you are reading this I should be in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam celebrating my ruby wedding anniversary and enjoying the Hockney-Van Gogh exhibition which looks at their approach to nature. For a new exhibition much closer to home you might like to visit 'Nordic by Nature: modern design and prints' this explores how Finnish, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian artists and designers have created distinctive designs that are rooted in their nation’s nature, culture, traditions and industries. From ice-like glassware to intricate woodcuts and atmospheric watercolours, discover over 40 examples of innovative and iconic paintings, print, craft and design from the collection of the British Museum. this is at Weston Park Musum just across the road from the Children's Hospital Acute site...so not far to travel.

Things to eat...

A lovely vegan suggested by Sarah this week, she made it recently and was very impressed by the result. Chickpeas with dates, turmeric, cinnamon and almonds is cooked using a slow cooker for a full flavour, but you could adapt the recipe easily for normal cooking if you prefer.