Wellbeing


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.
Brighton & Hove pledges to be 'sugar smart' 06/10/2015 Brighton & Hove has become the first council to launch a city-wide campaign aimed at tackling sugar addiction.
The misalignment of health and social care 29/09/2015 Ian R. Smith calls for an urgent need for reform to avert a deepening crisis in health and social care.
Regulator to review junk food advertising to children 29/09/2015 A consultation on whether new rules to ban the non-broadcast advertising of unhealthy food and drink to children is being launched next year by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP).
Councils urge residents to kick smoking habit 29/09/2015 Councils across the country are urging smokers to give up cigarettes ahead of new legislation that bans smoking in cars carrying children.
Councils given advice to prepare and prevent 'suicide clusters' 10/09/2015 New guidance to help councils prevent and react to ‘suicide clusters’ has been published by Public Health England (PHE).
New guide puts ex-addicts at heart of service design 08/09/2015 Local authorities have been urged to involve recovering alcohol and drug users in developing treatment services.
County launches partnership to reduce suicides 08/09/2015 Kent County Council has launched a new campaign to reduce the suicide rate of young men, in partnership with Kent County Football League.
'Shocking' variations in health for under-fives, report finds 07/09/2015 Huge variations in levels of childhood obesity and other problems have been revealed before the responsibility for health services for under-fives is transferred to local authorities.
Report reveals diabetes risk for five million people 26/08/2015 A new report has revealed five million people in England have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Cuts in school nurses causing health 'crisis' 24/08/2015 A lack of investment in school nursing is leading to a health crisis among children and young people, nurses' leaders have warned.
Achieving a healthy workforce 24/08/2015 Rachel Wiles explains why Hertfordshire County Council has launched a health screening programme for all its staff.
Welsh Government pledges to carry on protecting mental health budgets 18/08/2015 Wales will continue to ring-fence funding for mental health services following a review.
Steamed or battered? Council pushes fish and chip shops to go healthy 14/08/2015 A borough has called on local fish and chip shops to sell steamed fish as part of efforts to promote healthy eating.
Call for ban on smoking in public places 13/08/2015 Smoking should be banned in public places such as parks and outside schools, according to a new report on how to cut the number of people who smoke.
Councils asked how best to manage £200m public health cuts 03/08/2015 Councils have been asked how the £200m reduction in public health funding should be implemented in a new consultation document.
Councils urged to tackle the ‘devastating consequences’ of loneliness 30/07/2015 Councils should provide and maintain essential services that help tackle the loneliness of older people, according to a new campaign.
Millions cut from mental health budgets warns charity 28/07/2015 A mental health charity is warning about a ‘disturbing’ disinvestment in young people’s mental health services, after figures showed £35m was cut from services in the last year.
Gangs using homeless children to expand drug lines warns report 23/07/2015 Children that have runaway or been declared missing are being used by gangs to expand inner city drug rings into county towns, according to a report by the Missing People charity and the Catch22 Dawes Unit.
Councils urged to 'step up' support for survivors of FGM 23/07/2015 Politicians and policy makers at all levels are being urged to act on a new report mapping out the prevalence of female genital mutilation across England and Wales.

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