27th March

Cough Medicines for Under Twos Banned
The government's medicines watchdog has banned the general use of a range of cough medicines aimed at under-twos. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said parents and carers should use products such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower temperature, and simple cough syrups.

The agency has listed six products specifically aimed at children under-two, which it says should be removed from shop shelves. It stressed that the products could still be supplied to children aged over two, under the supervision of a pharmacist.

The watchdog said young children are at risk of harm from the products because their small size makes them susceptible to an overdose. Professor Rosalind Smith, chair of a Commission on Human Medicine's advisory group committee on paediatric medicines, said: "Coughs and colds are generally self-limiting conditions, which will get better themselves in a few days."

The products are:

-    Asda Children's Chesty Cough Syrup
-    Boots Chesty Cough Syrup 1 Year Plus
-    Boots Sore Throat and Cough Linctus 1 Year Plus
-    Buttercup Infant Cough Syrup
-    CalCough Chesty
-    Children's Chesty Cough

Source:Tom Lloyd, Children & Young People Now

Children's Workforce To Get Internet Safety Training
Everyone who works with under-18s will get training on how to protect children and teenagers from violent video games and inappropriate websites. The government today accepted in full proposals made by TV child psychologist Tanya Byron to stop children accessing unsuitable games and websites.

They include requiring e-safety training for all who work with children and young people as part of the forthcoming Children's Workforce Action Plan. Teachers will learn about children's safety online in their initial training and Ofsted will assess schools on how well they protect children from harmful digital media.

Extended schools will also be expected to work with internet provider UK Online centres to teach parents about the risks to children from the internet and video games aimed at adults. "We need to protect children, as well as empower parents," said Byron.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said the government had decided to implement all of Byron's proposals subject to further consultation. Byron's report, Safer Children in a Digital World, also says all video games should display the same age ratings as films.

A UK Council on Child Internet Safety will be formed with the aim of policing and educating government, children's services and parents about the risks of digital media. Byron said: "I'm challenging government and industry to make the digital world safer for children and young people."

Source: Tristan Donovan, Children & Young People Now

18th March

Government acts to ensure short breaks lose 'Cinderella status'
Every Disabled Child Matters is celebrating today as the House of Lords last night amended the Children and Young Persons Bill to create a new duty on local authorities to help parents caring for disabled children by giving them breaks from their caring responsibilities.

The amendment was proposed jointly by government Minister Lord Adonis and Mencap President Lord Rix, who has campaigned for many years to get this legal change.

Short breaks provide an essential opportunity for carers to recharge their batteries, and give disabled children and young people additional opportunities to access positive activities independently of their families.

EDCM and its supporters have been campaigning for the last 18 months to create a stronger legal framework to give families a right to breaks. EDCM would like to say a huge 'thank you' to Lord Rix and all our supporters, both across the country and within Paliament, who have campaigned for stronger laws on short breaks over the years.

In the debate, Children, Schools and Families Minister Lord Adonis said:
'The new duty will ensure that short break services lose their Cinderella status and become an essential local authority service, thereby reflecting the importance attached to them by the families of disabled children...Short breaks should not be used just as crisis intervention but should help carers to maintain and improve the quality of care they want to, and can, provide.'

The Minister continued:
'We estimate that by 2010-11, local government expenditure on short break provision in England will have doubled and in some areas will have increased by up to five times. This major investment would combine with the proposed new duty to create a significant force for change and would be coupled to high expectations for service transformation...I see this as a decisive moment in improving services for this important group in our society.'

Christine Lenehan, Director of the Council for Disabled Children and Board Member of EDCM, said:
'This new duty is a historic step for families with disabled children. For the first time, government is putting the support our families desperately need on a firm legal basis.  EDCM and our supporters, in Parliament and outside, have campaigned hard to get this issue up the agenda and Ministers must get the credit for listening and responding.'

Lord Rix said:
"Where families with disabled children have full time caring responsibilities, short breaks are essential.  Short break services should therefore be on a statutory footing to reflect their vital importance."

While the new duty is very welcome, EDCM will continue to call for government to go further and make short breaks available as a clear right to families with the greatest need.