MPs launch inquiry into impact of social media on young people’s mental health and wellbeing

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Social Media and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing has today (29 June 2018) launched an inquiry to establish what actions must be taken both to tackle the negative impacts of social media use, and to maximise the positives for young people.

The inquiry aims to build on the work of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH)’s 2017 report, #StatusOfMind, which found that although social media use has many potential positives for mental wellbeing, such as maintaining friendships and providing a source of emotional support, for young people the impact is primarily negative, fuelling feelings of anxiety, depression, and ‘fear of missing out’.

Polling conducted by RSPH in April 2018 on behalf of the new APPG found that more than half of the UK public (52%) say not enough is being done by social media companies to address the impact of social media on mental health and wellbeing, with two in five (41%) also saying the Government is not doing enough. Four in five (80%) say tighter regulation of social media companies is needed, with almost half (45%) saying this should be done through a self-regulated Code of Conduct, and more than one third (36%) saying it should be legally enforced by Government.

The APPG’s inquiry aims to determine what should be contained in any such Code of Conduct, and how it should be enforced. It will also seek out and recommend other progressive and practical solutions that can help maximise the positives and mitigate the negatives of social media for young people.

The inquiry will be open to receive written and recorded evidence until 13 August 2018, with a number of oral evidence sessions to be held in Parliament in the autumn. The APPG hopes to engage with expert stakeholders including academics, charities, government officials, social media industry representatives, parents and young people themselves, in order to answer four broad questions:

What is the latest evidence of the impact of social media on mental health and wellbeing?
What constitutes a ‘healthy’ and beneficial relationship with social media for young people?
What should be done by government and by the social media industry to address these issues?
What solutions can be provided in terms of technological innovation and education?

Organisations and individuals interested in submitting evidence to the inquiry should download the Call for Evidence from the APPG website at www.rsph.org.uk/socialmediaappg.

Download Call for Evidence

iHV submission to Select Committee

iHV submitted evidence to the Science and Technology Committee for their Evidence-based Early-years Intervention and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) inquiry and this is now published on the inquiry website. iHV highlighted the current challenges health visitors face in responding adequately to the needs of vulnerable children.

Thank you very much to all those who recently shared the status of practice where you work – we used some of this evidence in our submission to highlight the many challenges the profession is facing in delivering its work for children and families. All quotes are anonymised for person and place so can’t be traced to any individual or area, but collectively they give a powerful message.

You may like to use some of the contents of our submission for local lobbying.

Download iHV submission to Select Committee - Evidence-based Early Years Intervention inquiry

5 days left to submit your abstract

We’ve received some great abstracts already – why not send in an abstract yourself?

With only 5 days for you to submit your abstract, time is short!

Gain the opportunity to present your innovation, practice development or research at our evidence-based conference on 7 March 2018 in Manchester – with exciting prizes for best poster/presentation.

Abstract submission deadline is Wednesday 24 January – so don’t miss out!

With the conference focused on giving every child The Best Start in Life, abstracts will be considered on the following key areas:

Health visitor prescribing
Role of health visitors in immunisation
Childhood nutrition
Oral health and sugar reduction
Getting families active
Atopic conditions in early childhood
Early identification of childhood disorders
Speech, language and communication delay
Non-specific learning difficulties
Safeguarding for The Best Start in Life
Domestic Violence
Sleep
Working with couple relationships

Abstract Submission and Timeline

Please submit your abstract as a Microsoft Word document to [email protected]. The abstract should be no more than 250 words and provide an overview of your innovation, practice development or research, clearly indicating the impact on supporting “A Best Start in Life for all children.”

24 January 2018 – Abstract submission deadline
24 January – 7 February – iHV peer-review process on subsmissions
7 February 2018 – participants informed of acceptance of abstracts for either oral poster presentation or a poster. Full guidance on the poster format and oral presentation will be provided if your abstract is successful.

It is important that you book to secure your conference place on or before the final registration deadline for accepting your offer to present.

Earlybird tickets (for members and non-members) are available until 11 February 2018, so don’t miss them!

For more conference details and to book your place

New GPP – Advocating the use of Vitamin D

We are delighted to share these new Good Practice Points on the use of Vitamin D. Health visitors have a central role to play in increasing Vitamin D uptake.

These Good Practice Points, authored by Sara Patience, Registered Health Visitor, Registered Nutritionist, set out what health visitors need to know on advocating the use of Vitamin D.

They outline some evidence and guidance on the use and importance of Vitamin D, along with up-to-date evidence and references.

Go to GPP - Advocating the use of Vitamin D

Please note that this GPP is available to iHV members only.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

The iHV is a self-funding charity – we can only be successful in our mission to strengthen health visiting practice if the health visiting profession and its supporters join us on our journey. We rely on our membership to develop new resources for our members.

So do join us now!