News & Views
Take nature’s pulse in the Big Butterfly Count
The Big Butterfly Count (15th July to 7th August) is a UK-wide survey aimed at helping the Butterfly Conservation charity assess the health of the environment by counting the amount and type of butterflies. According to the Butterfly Conservation charity, counting butterflies is essential because they play a vital part of the ecosystem as both pollinators and components of the food chain. The data gathered by the public will be used to assess where conservation efforts should be targeted. Taking part in the Count is easy: just spend fifteen minutes counting the butterflies you see and then submit sightings online or via the free app. There’s also a handy free downloadable butterfly chart to use. More info: www.bigbutterflycount.org
One in ten parents ‘very likely’ to use food bank
Nearly one in ten parents are ‘very likely’ to use a food bank to feed their children over the next three months, a survey has found. It means that as many as 1.3 million parents are expecting to have to visit a food bank as families struggle to cope with rising costs of living, with eighty eight percent of those surveyed admitting their monthly food bill has increased in the past three months alone. The Trussell Trust research, carried out with the food delivery company Deliveroo, also found that a third of parents skipped at least one meal to keep up with other costs and fifty eight percent said they had cut back on heating as a result. Reference: www.theguardian.co.uk
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2022 Summer Reading Challenge - Gadgeteers The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children ages 4 to 11 to read six library books during the long summer holiday and collect rewards, such as stickers, on their way to receiving their challenge certificate and medal. Children’s reading can decline during the holidays if they don’t have regular access to books or encouragement to read for pleasure. This year’s science-themed challenge called ‘Gadgeteers’ will inspire children to discover the amazing science and innovation behind the world around you. The Challenge will launch in libraries in England on 9th July. More info: www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk
Mental health referrals surge
Referrals to child mental health units from UK primary schools for pupils ages 11 and under have risen by nearly fifty percent in three years, according to data obtained by the BBC. Replies to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from forty six health trusts indicate they rose from 21,125 to 31,531. Seven trusts said they had rejected an individual pupil for treatment at least five times over the last four years. ‘These figures are deeply worrying and build on evidence which shows emotional disorders in children have increased in recent years,’ said Dr Bernadka Dubicka, chairwoman of the child and adolescent faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. ‘The government’s aim to provide mental health support in all schools within the next ten years will be too little, too late for many children who need that help now’ she added.
Perfect age gap between siblings revealed
At least two years is the ideal gap to leave between siblings to foster intelligence, according to new research from the University of Notre Dame. Children older than their younger brother or sister by two or more years were found to do better on maths and reading tests than those born closer together. Experts believe this is because parents can spend longer with their eldest child, before a sibling comes along to divert their attention. ‘There are only so many hours in the day and the longer the period when a child is the only child, the more investment they’re going to receive,” explained Professor Kasey Buckles, who led the study. Looking at the data from three thousand mums with five thousand sibling pairs, Professor Kasey found that when aged between 3 and 5, those siblings with a bigger age gap were read to more and watched less television.
EMBARK ON A JOURNEY WITH THE FESTIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY The UK’s biggest archaeological event, the Festival of Archaeology runs from 16th to 31st July and this year’s theme is ‘journeys’. Through nationwide digital and on-site events, archaeological experts will help families discover how their local landscape has changed and shaped to become what it is now, as well as discover exciting stories about their local community. Join educational guided walks, listen to talks, get involved with exciting archaeological excavations, or join digitally online through social media and discover more about your local area. More info: festival.archaeologyuk.org
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