Policy Statements and Initiatives

ScotGov: A new national campaign (running from 2 November – 28 March 2010) has been launched to encourage & empower parents to find out about the help available to support children through difficult periods in life. The Just Ask campaign aims to raise awareness of the rights of parents to ask for additional support when something is affecting their child's learning.
 
Children may not be reaching their full potential due to a diverse range of issues and the situations that lead to pupils needing extra help can also include many social & emotional factors. The initiative seeks to highlight the help available, from issues arising through bullying & dyslexia through to family bereavement & coping with divorce - or any other situation that might impact on a pupils' learning.
Press release ~ Just Ask campaign ~ Enquire help service ~ STV micro site
 
ScotGov: Scots are being encouraged to take simple steps to tackle their everyday stress, to help avoid developing more serious problems, as part of a Scottish Government campaign. Steps for Stress aims to help people recognise the signs of everyday stress and offers advice & information on how to take action to help stop it in its tracks - such as being more active, talking to someone or helping other people.
 
Three quarters of people surveyed in government campaign research admit to experiencing stress, but only one in four feels happy to talk about it. One of the highlights of the campaign will be a 6-part prime-time STV series, Make Me Happier, sponsored by ScotGov (starts broadcasting 7.30p.m.10 November 2009).
Press release ~ Steps for Stress ~ Make Me Happier - A new way to feel better ~ Links & Helplines plus stories
 
WAG: Fresh plans to reduce suicide & self-harm have been launched by the Welsh Assembly Government following extensive consultation on a draft action plan published last year.  The national action plan, ‘Talk to Me’, aims to raise awareness of suicide & self-harm and encourage people to talk more about their problems to remove the stigma that is associated with emotional and mental health problems.
 
Following the consultation on the draft plan, a bite-sized course on recognising signs of mental distress is also being developed for health professionals, to be rolled out in April 2010.
Press release ~ Talk to me ~ Community Advice and Listening Line (C.A.L.L.) ~ Samaritans - Wales ~ PAPRYUS ~ Mind: Suicide rates, risks and prevention strategies ~ Depression: the treatment and management of depression in adults (update) ~ National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health
 
ScotGov: The Scottish Government recently published an updated Economic Recovery Plan
Press release ~ Updated Economic Recovery Plan ~  'Invest in an Apprentice' scheme ~  Help for businesses in the Highlands and Islands ~ Strengthen Your Business campaign ~  Skills Development Scotland
 
Defra: Over £6.4bn could be saved by businesses every year by taking simple money saving steps, according to a new Defra campaign launched at the WRAP annual conference. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn encouraged businesses to recognise the benefits of resource efficiency measures for their bottom line and the environment.  
 
Research by WRAP shows that 47% of businesses recognise they could make savings of over £100k through low & ‘no cost’ efficiency measures – such as turning off equipment when it’s not being used – with 17% identifying over £1m of potential savings.  These measures could also contribute as much as 10% to the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for 2020 with little or no outlay from businesses.
Press release ~ WRAP ~ WRAP annual conference ~ Can you afford not to? ~ Real Help for Businesses Now campaign ~ Defra’s top 10 tips on resource efficiency ~ Defra – Waste and Recycling ~ Meeting the UK climate change challenge: the contribution of resource efficiency
 
DCSF: 4 top London students are the stars of a new poster campaign which was launched on Monday 2 November to highlight the achievements & aspirations of the city’s young people. 
 
The posters are part of a drive to inspire & encourage pupils across London to aim higher & go further by celebrating the achievements & ambitions of the students, and providing examples to their peers of where they want to go in the future.
Press release ~ Reece Kidman, 14, Bexley ~ Justin Cole, 17, Lewisham ~ Marie-Teresa Hanna, 15, Brent ~ Leonie Richardson, 16, Redbridge ~ Families of Schools Online ~ The Black Country Challenge ~ The Black Country Consortium ~ Chartered London Teacher ~ NCSL ~ Summer Uni London
 
BIS: The Government has unveiled a new framework for the future success of higher education, setting out the important role universities will play in securing the country’s economic recovery and long term prosperity.
 
The higher education framework - Higher Ambitions - sets out a strategy for universities to remain world class, providing the nation with the high level skills needed to remain competitive, while continuing to attract the brightest students & researchers.
Press release ~ Higher Ambitions ~ BIS – Higher Education
 
CLG: One in three girls could be set to ditch traditional female careers in favour of those normally associated with men, a new survey commissioned by Communities and Local Government's 'Ordinary People, Extraordinary Careers' campaign has found.
 
The new 'teen' campaign is part of the on going campaign 'Ordinary People, Extraordinary Careers' which aims to change perceptions about career opportunities in the Fire & Rescue Service and reach a wider, more diverse audience to ensure that the F&RS has the skills needed for the modern world.
 
The survey found that 36% of girls surveyed dream of having a stereotypically male job, such as fire-fighting, joining the armed forces or becoming a footballer.  Almost 14% admitted that they had chosen a career path not usually associated with women because they didn't want a job that was traditionally seen as a 'girlie' job.
Press release ~ Extraordinary Career
 
BIS: The government has responded to the Ethnic Minority Business and Women’s Enterprise Task Force recommendations. ‘Confidence’, in particular, was outlined as a critical issue in changing the mindset of potential women & ethnic minority entrepreneurs to establish & grow their business. The new measures focus on further developing support in critical areas such as business support, access to finance, procurement opportunities, advocacy and data.
Press release ~ The Government’s Response to the Ethnic Minority Business Task Force ~ Ethnic Minority Business Task Force ~ Women’s Enterprise Task Force ~ Submission for Enterprise Framework
 
ScotGov: The Scottish Government has become a full member of The Climate Group, one of the world's most influential organisations focused on developing & sharing expertise on developing a low carbon economy. 
 
By becoming a full member, the ScotGov has joined business organisations such as Marks & Spencer and Scottish Power, as well as administrations such as the State of California and the City of New York in signing up to The Climate Group's principles setting out its vision of the way forward in tackling climate change.  All signatories pledge to take further & sustained action on climate change.
Press release ~ The Climate Group ~ ScotGov: Climate Change ~ SCIAF ~ Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS)
 
DECC: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has reaffirmed its pledge to cut its own carbon emissions by signing up to the 10:10 campaign.  The Department will now cut emissions by 10% in 2010 on top of an existing commitment to reduce emissions by 10% in the financial year 2009/10.
 
To achieve the 10:10 pledge, DECC is in the process of improving the energy efficiency of its lighting, air conditioning and IT system.  Longer term, the Department is looking at generating its own low carbon electricity and connecting to the Whitehall district heating scheme.
 
DECC’s London headquarters has also published its latest monthly energy efficiency rating for October which is a ‘D’.  In the past year DECC has reduced its use of gas by 90% and its use of electricity by 22%.
Press release ~ 10:10 ~ Salix Finance ~ Eco-schools ~ DECC
 
DCSF: Faster & better contact between children’s services professionals across England will now hopefully become a reality as ContactPoint starts to be rolled out nationally to local authorities & frontline practitioners,   An evaluation report of the initial phase of the ContactPoint rollout - Lessons Learned from the Early Adopter Phase - shows how itt is making a positive difference daily to the practitioners already using it.
 
ContactPoint is an online directory holding basic contact information for all children & their parents, as well as contact details for any professional working with that particular child.  It was developed in response to a key recommendation of the Laming Inquiry into the tragic death of Victoria Climbié and has been designed to help frontline practitioners work across organisations.
Press release ~ Lessons Learned from the Early Adopter Phase (scroll down) ~ The Register: ContactPoint goes live despite security fears
 
MoJ: A pioneering project dedicated to making London safer by helping young offenders turn their backs on crime has been launched today by Justice Secretary Jack Straw and the Mayor of London Boris Johnson. The Heron Unit is the UK's first dedicated resettlement unit for 15 to 17 year olds who have demonstrated a commitment to changing their criminal pasts.

It is a key part of the Mayor's youth plan 'Time for Action' and helps to deliver the government's £100m Youth Crime Action Plan. The establishment of Heron has been delivered through the London Criminal Justice Board, a partnership which brings together criminal justice agencies in London and the Mayor's office.

Offenders referred to the Heron Unit, located inside Feltham Young Offenders Institution, will be placed on a programme designed to tackle their offending behaviour.  This includes one-to-one help in finding somewhere to live; getting important life skills and finding a job.  They will be prepared to make a positive contribution to their local communities when they leave custody.
Press release ~ MoJ: Youth justice ~ London Criminal Justice Board ~ Greater London Authority ~ Heron Unit ~ Mayor's youth plan 'Time for Action' ~ Youth Crime Action Plan ~ Feltham Young Offenders Institution
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