Wellbeing | LocalGov

Public support more focus on poor health causes

02/10/2023

The Government should invest more in public health to address the roots of poor health, according to a poll for the charity Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH).

Boosting the wellbeing of public sector employees

06/06/2023

Sick days are damaging public sector productivity. Alun Baker, GoodShape, looks at how to boost employee wellbeing.

MP hits out at council's proposals to extend four-day trial

15/05/2023

A Conservative MP hit out at proposals by a council to approve an extension to a four-day week after a trial found improvements to productivity and wellbeing.

Scottish council leaders and police strengthen collaboration

18/04/2023

Local authority leaders in Scotland have agreed four key priority areas to strengthen collaboration between local government and policing.

How local government can shatter the menopause taboo

13/10/2022

With 900,000 women quitting their jobs because of the menopause, Suzanne Marshall explores how local councils can support women during this time in their lives.

Levelling up means making ‘sad Londoners happier’

11/05/2022

The Government’s levelling up agenda should focus more on affluent local authority areas in London that have low levels of wellbeing, think tank says.

Call for evidence on new 10-year mental health plan

12/04/2022

A call for evidence to inform a new 10-year mental health plan has been launched today by the Government.

Lack of movement skills in children risks a 'tsunami' of health issues

28/01/2022

The UK will face a 'tsunami' of health issues unless the physical activity skills of children and teenagers are improved, academics have warned today.

Improving the lives of UK social housing residents

12/01/2022

A new report has revealed UK social housing residents want to feel a greater sense of community and improved safety, finds Doug Sarney.

Lords call for national plan to tackle inactivity

13/12/2021

Local authorities should have a legal duty to provide and maintain sport and leisure facilities, according to a Lords Committee.

Government confirms £1m fund to tackle bullying

16/11/2021

Thousands of schools in England are set to benefit from further support and training to help pupils combat bullying, the Government today announced.

Putting health and wellbeing at the heart of Ashfield

01/11/2021

While many councils are struggling with outdated and under-used leisure facilities, Laura Sharman finds out how Ashfield District Council is bucking this trend thanks to a new leisure management contract and transformation programme.

How the 15-minute concept is key to tackling the climate crisis

14/10/2021

The concept of a 15-minute city, where everything you need is just a quarter of an hour away, could now be evolving into the ‘15-minute neighbourhood’. Dr Jose Hernandez? explains why.

Study finds 'alarming' fall in life expectancy even before pandemic

13/10/2021

Life expectancy has fallen in many parts of England over the past decade, a new study has revealed.

One in six children have poor mental health

01/10/2021

One in six children in England struggled with their mental health in 2021 - the same number as during lockdown last year - according to new figures.

England’s first land commission publishes ‘radical proposals’ for land use

06/07/2021

England’s first commission to review the use of land for community wealth building has called for all land use to be directed towards achieving social well-being and environmental sustainability.

Report calls for better data on children’s well-being

01/07/2021

This most vulnerable children are often missing from existing data making it difficult to deliver effective child policies, a new report has warned.

How to make life good for children in care and care leavers

21/06/2021

Dr. Claire Baker and Linda Briheim-Crookall examine how sharing local authority best practice can boost the well-being of children in care.

Everyone Active generated £342m in social value

24/05/2021

Award-winning leisure operator Everyone Active generated £342m in social value at its sites across the country in 2019/20.

Green social prescribing projects chosen for funding

13/05/2021

Funding has been awarded to 10 green social prescribing projects to help communities recover from COVID-19.

London council offers paid leave for miscarriage sufferers

12/05/2021

Barking and Dagenham Council has announced it will give paid leave for any of its staff who suffer the loss of an unborn baby.

The key role local authorities play in the mental health of young migrants and refugees

07/05/2021

Amy Spiller explains how accessing mental health support through their local authorities can have a transformative effect on young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Study to track long-term impact of COVID-19 on year 11 students

26/04/2021

A new study to track the pandemic’s long-term effects on year 11 students in England - particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds - has been launched.

It’s time for councils to get serious about play

06/04/2021

Naomi Danquah explains how Redbridge and Cardiff Councils are using the pandemic to reimagine outdoor play.

Private outdoor space for public housing: how much is enough?

23/03/2021

Recommendations for private outdoor space standards for public housing could help local authorities optimise those benefits for residents. Paul Miller reports.

Charity criticises 'small' increase in public health funding

17/03/2021

The Government has increased councils' public health grants by £45m for 2021/22.

Majority of parents warn pandemic has made children less active

08/03/2021

More than two-thirds of parents have warned their children are less physically active than before the start of the pandemic in a new survey.

Councils urged to build community spirit to help reduce health inequalities

05/03/2021

A toolkit to help local areas increase their community spirit beyond the pandemic has been published by the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH).

Multi-million funding boost to increase mental health support in schools

05/03/2021

Nearly three million children in England will have access to mental health teams in their schools, following the allocation of £79m funding.

How to support employee wellbeing within local authorities

19/02/2021

Grainne Elliott outlines the four wellbeing needs of local authority employees.

Report finds strong gender divide in mental health of young people

28/01/2021

Local authority leaders have emphasised the importance of early intervention and prevention services when it comes to tackling mental health issues affecting young people, particularly during the pandemic.

How to better support those most at risk of suicide during coronavirus recovery

27/01/2021

As Samaritans launches a new handbook for men’s wellbeing services, Joe Potter explains why it’s crucial that preventative support is prioritised within any COVID recovery plan.

Lessons learned from the pandemic

19/01/2021

Find out how a recent webinar explored for governments are supporting the health and wellbeing of their communities during the pandemic.

Six areas secure funding to develop local health partnerships

14/01/2021

Six areas in England have been chosen to take part in a programme aimed at tackling health inequalities and improving the wellbeing of local communities.

‘Stark variation’ in the well-being of care leavers

25/11/2020

A study has revealed there is a wide variation between the well-being of care leavers across different local authorities in England.

Food poverty linked to mental and physical distress

10/11/2020

New research has revealed that people who have experienced food poverty are more likely to live with obesity and suffer from increased levels of physical and mental distress.

Managing uncertainty - Children’s services and the COVID effect

09/11/2020

Jo Porter outlines what further steps central government and local authorities should take to ensure that the wellbeing of vulnerable children is prioritised if or when referrals spike.

Connecting with 'hardest to reach' holds key to COVID recovery, says report

13/10/2020

Failing to connect with so called ‘hard to reach’ individuals will have wide ranging implications for public health and wellbeing, a report has warned today.

Children ‘responded with resilience’ to lockdown, study says

12/10/2020

Young people have faced a number of mental health challenges during the lockdown but overall they have reported relatively stable levels of happiness, according to the Government’s second State of the Nation report.

Mayor 'rejects' government lockdown restrictions

02/10/2020

Middlesbrough Mayor, Andy Preston, has said he doesn't accept the new lockdown measures being imposed by the Government as they are based on ignorance and factual inaccuracies.

Four-day week in public sector could create 500,000 new jobs, think tank argues

01/09/2020

The public sector should pioneer a shorter working week with no loss of pay, a think tank has argued.

Government announces £5m for COVID-19 ‘social prescribing’

17/08/2020

The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) has been awarded £5m to help people stay connected and maintain their health and wellbeing following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calls for urgent investment in mental health recovery

07/08/2020

Investment in mental health is crucial to seeing the country through the next phases of the pandemic, a new report has said today.

Pandemic leaves one in five teenagers unhappy with their lives

30/07/2020

More than a million teenagers are unhappy with their lives, according to new research looking at the impact lockdown has had on well-being.

Public parks at 'significant' risk of loss, charity warns

28/05/2020

Hundreds of thousands of people could lose their local green space in the coming years due to development, research has warned today.

High-rise residents warn worries over fire safety causing mental distress

24/02/2020

A survey of residents living in high-rise buildings in Manchester has found fire safety risks are damaging their mental health and wellbeing.

Foster parents at risk of burnout and stress, study warns

12/12/2019

Foster carers are more likely to suffer from secondary traumatic stress due to their exposure to the trauma stories of their foster children, a study has revealed.

Cities of the past, for the future

12/12/2019

Dominic Manfredi discusses why taking learnings from ancient cities could provide the key to promoting wellbeing in the modern built environment.

Watchdog warns Public Service Boards must change to realise full potential

08/10/2019

Public Service Boards (PSBs) are not being used to their full potential or scrutinised properly, a new report has found today.

How accommodation can support student wellbeing

09/09/2019

The number of students seeking mental health support while studying at university has increased by more than 50% in the last five years – and their accommodation can play a huge part in this. Zachary Spire explains.

Launch of £5m fund to support unpaid carers

12/06/2019

A new pot of government money will help promote the health and wellbeing of people who look after others, according to minister for care Caroline Dinenage.

Primary schools to teach about mental wellbeing

26/02/2019

The Department for Education has announced that primary school children are to be taught how to look after their mental wellbeing and how to recognise when classmates may be struggling.

UK youth ‘let down’ on long-term health issues

20/02/2019

Youth in the UK are being ‘let down’ when it comes to treating long-term illnesses such as asthma, according to an independent health think tank.

Manchester’s infant mortality rate rises 40%

04/01/2019

The infant mortality rate in Manchester has increased by around 40% over the last decade, according to a report by the city council.

Hearing the voices of children in care

15/11/2018

Dr Claire Baker explores what children and young people living in care actually feel about their lives and care experience.

Children’s happiness ‘declining’, charity finds

29/08/2018

The well-being of children is as low as it was 20 years ago, according to an alarming new report from a children’s charity.

Getting physical

27/02/2018

Andy Howell explains how active healthier lifestyles are being driven by urban renewal in Slough.

Can local government lead the world?

20/02/2018

Liz Zeidler explains why a new system has been launched to measure 'true' progress and prosperity.

Most children in care believe it has improved their lives, survey reveals

19/02/2018

Children in care are more likely to feel safe than those in the general population, according to a new study.

Council approves plan for new children and family hubs

10/08/2017

Medway Council in Kent has rubber stamped plans to shut six children's centres in a bid to remodel the service and save an estimated £1.6m.

New ‘wellbeing indicators’ to help councils understand their residents published

18/07/2017

Councils will now be able to tailor their services to residents’ needs by drawing on a wide-ranging set of data concerning ‘wellbeing’.

1957 ‘happiest’ year of the twentieth century, study reveals

23/01/2017

The Victorian’s were ‘happier’ than we are today and 1957 was the ‘happiest’ year of the twentieth century, new research into the relationship between happiness and public policy reveals.

Rural areas suffer ‘patchy’ service provision

17/01/2017

Rural communities are suffering due to the ‘patchy’ provision of key services, a ‘worrying’ new report reveals.

Late intervention costing councils £6.4bn a year finds research

17/11/2016

It costs local councils £6.4bn a year to deal with damaging social problems affecting children and their families, new research has revealed.

Are STPs achievable?

07/11/2016

Mike Gill considers whether Sustainability and Transformation Plans can actually be delivered in such a short timeframe.

Post hospital care reduces readmittance rates, study finds

21/09/2016

Post hospital support for older patients improves their quality of life and reduces readmittance rates, new research reveals.

Improving ‘wellbeing’ key purpose of local government

14/09/2016

A leading charity has joined forces with global leaders to produce advice for councils on how to improve people's sense of wellbeing.

Quarter of a million girls in Britain ‘unhappy’, charity finds

31/08/2016

Over a quarter of a million girls in Britain are unhappy, with huge numbers struggling with the way they look, according to a children’s charity.

Holyrood to push ahead with named person plans

25/08/2016

The controversial named person policy in Scotland will go ahead despite being delayed by a UK Supreme Court ruling, deputy first minister John Swinney has confirmed.

Councils back new regulations to reduce gambling harm

06/04/2016

Gambling operators will need to produce risk assessments to show how they are reducing harm in their local areas under new regulations that came into effect from today.

Government publishes profiles of children's health

15/03/2016

New data outlining the state of UK children’s health was published today and will enable local authorities to learn how they are doing in this critical area.

The strong foundations of community involvement

10/03/2016

Tony Armstrong welcomes the new 'healthy towns' initiative but warns engaged communities should be at the heart of any plans

300,000 elderly people suffering from chronic loneliness

10/03/2016

The Government must provide more support for older people suffering loneliness and restore the 'crumbling' social care system, campaigners have demanded.

New £80m fund to tackle domestic violence

09/03/2016

The Government has set aside £80m to help protect women and girls from violence.

Councils call for control over sports funding to help reduce premature deaths

24/02/2016

Council leaders are calling for more control over sports and leisure funding in a bid to reduce the ‘alarming’ levels of premature deaths.

Councils tackle gambling-related harm with ‘cutting edge’ research

15/02/2016

Two local authorities have become the first in the UK to map people at risk of gambling-related harm in their communities.

Extra £1bn a year to treat mental health problems

15/02/2016

The Government has pledged to invest an extra £1bn in mental health care by 2021, following the publication of a new report showing a million more people will access mental health services.

Health professionals ‘overlooking’ malnutrition

10/02/2016

Less than half of health professionals (47%) feel confident they have the right knowledge and skills to help people at risk of malnutrition, according to a new survey.

Public health under threat from cuts, survey finds

03/02/2016

Cuts to health grants will have a detrimental impact on public health, according to the majority of directors of public health (DsPH).

How technology can maximise effectiveness of social care budgets

01/02/2016

Michael White explores the growing trend for councils to use personalised budgets to improve the health and well-being of older people.

Support for abused children ‘inadequate’

28/01/2016

A survey of more than 1,000 professionals has found 96% think support offered to abused children is inadequate.

Concerted effort needed to tackle loneliness, says LGA

28/01/2016

Loneliness among older people is putting huge pressure on local services and must be taken more seriously as a major public health issue, council leaders have warned.

Study reveals the economic value of green spaces

22/01/2016

Every pound spent on maintaining green spaces contributes £30 towards health and wellbeing benefits, a new study has revealed.

Report: Community transport can save public services £1.1bn a year

20/01/2016

Community transport schemes could save up to £1.1bn a year by relieving the pressure on public services and helping older people to remain active, according to a new report.

Guidance offers advice on tackling loneliness in older people

17/12/2015

Local authorities have been urged to organise activities for older people to tackle loneliness and depression.

Experts call for reform of 'fat letter'

10/11/2015

The Government should scrap the so-called ‘fat letter’ sent to parents of overweight children, according to the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH).

Councils spend ‘close to nothing’ on mental health warns charity

09/11/2015

Councils have been urged to improve mental health services after new figures revealed only 1% of public health budgets on average are spent on mental health.

Call for protection of leisure centres to tackle ‘deadly’ inactivity

05/11/2015

Leisure services should be considered as part of public health spending reviews to protect them from cuts and closure, according to the findings of a new report into Britain’s physical inactivity problem.

Council launches drive to register stem cell donors

02/11/2015

Glasgow’s teenagers are encouraging Scotland’s young people to sign-up to be life-saving stem cell donors.

Local authorities should help tackle ‘household food insecurity’

29/10/2015

Local authorities should establish food access plans that will address any physical barriers to affordable, nutritious food in their area, according to a new report.

Public support tax on unhealthy food

27/10/2015

More than half of the British public would support a tax on unhealthy food and rink, according to the results of a new poll.

Tangible actions to tackle FGM

21/10/2015

Javed Khan says a multi-agency approach is needed to successfully tackle FGM

New resource launched to tackle poor housing conditions

21/10/2015

A new online resource to show local authorities the impact housing conditions can have on physical and mental health has been launched today.

Parks group calls for study into 'green prescriptions'

15/10/2015

Clinical trials into how ‘green prescriptions’ can help improve public health should be conducted by the Government, according to an association representing the UK’s parks.

We are living in an age of ‘battery-reared’ children, says report

15/10/2015

We are living in an age of ‘battery-reared’ children who are being prevented from playing and exercising outside the home, according to a report from an all-party parliamentary group looking at childhood play.

Councils urged to tackle inequality in men's health services

13/10/2015

Only 18% of councils are collecting gendered health data, according to the findings of a new report.

Hunt accused of doing 'nothing' on childhood obesity report

13/10/2015

Health secretary, Jeremey Hunt, has been accused of doing ‘absolutely nothing’ to action a plan on how to cut childhood obesity.

Council launches one-stop health shop

13/10/2015

Medway Council has opened a shop to give people advice on healthy eating, giving up smoking and tackling substance misuse.

One in five children are rejected mental health treatment

13/10/2015

One in five children with mental health issues are rejected for treatment, according to analysis of official data by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).

Telecare: the future of health and wellbeing

08/10/2015

Discover how telecare can change how healthcare is delivered and allow people to stay in their homes for longer.

Banning urban pesticide use image

Banning urban pesticide use

RSPB and PAN are working on a letter from local councillors calling on the Government to introduce a national ban on urban pesticide use. Find out more below.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Assistant Director – Regeneration & Property Services

Bromsgrove and Redditch Councils
Up to £91,383
The Councils are committed to being a customer driven organisation, with our customers at the heart of everything we do. Bromsgrove, Worcestershire
Recuriter: Bromsgrove and Redditch Councils

Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Corporate Parenting

Havering London Borough Council
£103,378 - £112,543 including a £4,000 market supplement
Children's Services in Havering are embarking on a journey of improvement following our recent Ofsted inspection. Romford, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Havering London Borough Council

Assistant Director for Early Help and Partnerships

Havering London Borough Council
£103,378 - £112,543 including a £4,000 market supplement
Children's Services in Havering are embarking on a journey of improvement following our recent Ofsted inspection. Romford, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Havering London Borough Council

Corporate Director – Housing, Care and Wellbeing

Brighton & Hove City Council
£133,000 to £160,000
We are a diverse, creative and iconic coastal city. Brighton, East Sussex
Recuriter: Brighton & Hove City Council

Development Engineer

London Borough of Bexley
£34,476 - £39,777 per annum
The team requires someone who can inspect, measure and monitor highway works Bexley (London Borough), London (Greater)
Recuriter: London Borough of Bexley
Linkedin Banner

Partner Content

Circular highways is a necessity not an aspiration – and it’s within our grasp

Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.

Support from Effective Energy Group for Local Authorities to Deliver £430m Sustainable Warmth Funded Energy Efficiency Projects

Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.

Pay.UK – the next step in Bacs’ evolution

Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.