Reducing, tackling and mitigating experiences that hurt or damage the physical and mental health of children as they grow up has been a major focus for policymakers, practitioners and researchers. In recent months research led by Rebecca Lacey looking at Adverse Childhood Experiences – their different impacts and lifecourse implications- has featured regularly on our…
Tag: Development
Time for change: the NHS needs to take better care of ethnic minority mums and babies
There has long been evidence of the stark health inequalities faced by ethnic minority people in England and elsewhere. Despite this, there has been no significant change. One major area of concern is around pregnant and new mothers, in particular where discriminatory or racist treatment can affect their mental and physical health as well as…
There is no longer a debate. End the physical punishment of children now!
In 2019 Scotland was the first UK country to pass a law bringing an end to the physical punishment of children. This change in the law was facilitated by an evidence review featured already on this blog about the damage that the physical punishment of children does to their physical and mental wellbeing. Now an…
Multiple sclerosis: evidence of causes
More than 2.3 million people around the world have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the large majority of those are over the age of 20. MS is not contagious but some inherited genetic characteristics influence risk of developing the disease. There is evidence that things going on in people’s lives and bodies when…
Time to diagnose autism: why earlier diagnosis could be key to children’s wellbeing and happiness
When the Government two years ago launched a review to improve the lives of autistic children, it said it was committed to giving them “the same start in life as any other child”. Key to the review was the development of services that would diagnose autism earlier. A year after it was due to be…
Time to help our children get a move on
World Health Organisation and United States guidelines say adolescents should do at least an hour’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day. But a new global study shows eight out of 10 fail to meet that standard – and there is a widening gender gap. Professor Yvonne Kelly and Fran Abrams outline new research revealing worrying trends which…
I wanna hold your hand: helping young people prepare for happy healthy relationships
The teenage years are a time for experimenting and for pushing boundaries – particularly when it comes to intimate relationships. Such experimentation is a natural part of growing up. But there are potential risks, too – particularly if these early experiences aren’t positive ones. A new study from Professor Yvonne Kelly from UCL’s Department of Epidemiology…
Teenage depression: The potential pitfalls of too much social media use
A new mobile phone will be in the pockets of many teenagers as they head back to school in the coming days. The period between Xmas and New Year will have been spent signing up for social media apps where they can chat, share photos and videos with friends, all part of the excitement of…
Taking time out to scroll free
As the Royal Society for Public Health launches its #ScrollFreeSeptember campaign, encouraging people to take a break from social media, Professor Yvonne Kelly from the ESRC International Centre for Lifecourse Studies at UCL, discusses new research on the negative impacts of social media use on young people’s health. She explains how the findings point to…
Calling time on a life of likes could be key to girls’ happiness
There have been increasing calls in recent months for more to be done to prepare children for the emotional demands of social media. Just a few weeks ago, the Government’s Science and Technology Committee announced an inquiry into the impact of social media on the health of young people. But do girls and boys use…