WEDNESDAY 27th MARCH from 6 – 7.30pm
Get your tickets now for our FREE Standup Comedy Workshop for Teens with Jay Lafferty! Book through Eventbrite with the link below!
Please be aware that this event is for teens only, not adults!
Parents have until 31 August to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that their 16-year-old is continuing their education or training, if they wish to continue receiving Child Benefit.
Many teenagers who recently received their Nationals exam results will be considering their future and whether to stay on in education. Child Benefit payments stop on 31 August after a child turns 16, but parents can extend their claim if their child is continuing in approved education or training.
It is easy for parents to update their Child Benefit record. They can use the online service on GOV.UK or the HMRC app to tell HMRC about their child’s plans.
HMRC recently wrote to parents about extending their Child Benefit claim. The letter included a QR code which, when scanned, directs them to GOV.UK to update their claim online. Any changes will be applied to their Child Benefit claim immediately.
Child Benefit will continue to be paid for children who are studying full time which can include:
Child Benefit will also continue for children who are studying on an unpaid approved training course through the ‘No One Left Behind programme’.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Child Benefit can provide financial support to families, so make sure you don’t miss out if your teenager is still eligible.
“You can quickly and easily extend your claim online or via the HMRC app, just search ‘Child Benefit when your child turns 16’ on GOV.UK.”
Parents will need a Government Gateway user ID and password to use HMRC’s online services. They will need their National Insurance number or postcode and 2 forms of ID to register on GOV.UK.
The UK Government is offering help for households. Check GOV.UK to find out about cost of living support, including help with childcare costs.
Tens of thousands of teenagers in the UK who have not yet claimed their matured Child Trust Funds savings could have thousands of pounds waiting for them, reminds HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Child Trust Funds are long-term savings accounts set up for every child born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011. To encourage future saving and start the account, the government provided an initial deposit of at least £250.
The savings accounts mature when the child turns 18 years old. Eligible teenagers, who are aged 18 or over and have yet to access their Child Trust Fund account, could have savings waiting for them worth an average of £2,100.
If teenagers or their parents and guardians already know who their Child Trust Fund provider is, they can contact them directly. This might be a bank, building society or other savings provider.
Alternatively, they can visit GOV.UK and complete an online form to find out where their Child Trust Fund is held.
Many eligible teenagers who have yet to claim their savings might be starting university, apprenticeships or their first job. The lump-sum amount could offer a financial boost at a time when they need it most.
Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Second Permanent Secretary and Deputy Chief Executive, said:“Teenagers could have a pot of money waiting for them worth thousands of pounds and not even realise it.
“We want to help you access your savings and the money you’re entitled to. To find out more search ‘Child Trust Fund’ on GOV.UK.”
An estimated 6.3 million Child Trust Fund accounts were set up throughout the duration of the scheme, containing about £9 billion. If a parent or guardian was not able to set up an account for their child, HMRC opened a savings account on the child’s behalf.
Teenagers aged 16 or over can take control of their own Child Trust Fund if they wish, although the funds can only be withdrawn once they turn 18 years old.
Where children have a Child Trust Fund, families can still pay in up to £9,000 a year tax-free. The account matures once the child turns 18 years old and no further money can be deposited. They can either withdraw the funds from the matured Child Trust Fund account or reinvest it into another savings account.
Until the child withdraws or transfers the money, it stays in an account that no-one else has access to.
The Child Trust Fund scheme closed in January 2011 and was replaced with Junior Individual Savings Accounts (ISA).
A FEW SPACES STILL AVAILABLE
Teens with big dreams have been asked to put forward their ideas for the Bright Future Prize to make a difference to the communities they care about.
The prize, which is now in its second year, is hosted by Ardonagh Community Trust (ACT), the registered charity of one of the world’s leading insurance brokers, The Ardonagh Group.
Winners of this year’s four prize categories will each receive a share of the £40,000 fund, alongside opportunities for mentoring, to help turn their dreams into reality.
ACT Trustee and former British and Ireland Lions Captain Rory Best, described his delight at the prize’s launch and asked young people to step forward to help bring about the change they want to see in the world. He said: “I’m excited that applications for the Bright Future Prize 2022 are now officially open.
“We want to hear from 13–19-year-olds about the incredible projects and causes they’re passionate about, so that we can help support their communities around the world.
“I’m incredibly proud to be an ACT trustee and supporter of the Bright Future Prize and I can’t wait to read about young people’s big ideas to help shape a brighter future.”
Last year, four talented individuals and groups were given the chance to drive positive change in their communities. Their projects ranged from promoting anti-bullying messages and supporting teenagers to pursue musical ambitions, to encouraging young people living in areas of deprivation to apply to top universities.
The winners of the Bright Future Prize 2021, a team of three teenagers from Manchester, were awarded the prize for their innovative project, developed as part of a project with Manchester’s Contact Theatre, to help young people to protect their mental health.
Their proposed computer game – Dawn to the Light – aims to support young people to find positive ways to learn about mental health.
The Dawn to the Light Team encouraged young people to enter this year’s prize saying that the experience had helped them to feel empowered to help others.
The team said: “The prize fund allowed our idea to go from an idea on a page to a soon-to-come project that will be a fully-fledged videogame.
“It allowed us to explore our own individuals’ talents and helped us showcase them in the work we put together.
“To anyone applying to the fund, you should approach the application with the passion that you already possess for the project. You should never think an idea isn’t good enough or important enough and keep your mind optimistic.”
This year, there are four prize categories, which are each linked to a different way young people can help improve their community of choice.
The prize categories are:
The prize is open to young people aged 13-19, who live a region where Ardonagh has a presence, including in the UK, Ireland, Australia, the United States, or South Africa.
To apply, candidates – individually, or as a group – should propose a project or a cause close to their heart, and outline how they will use the funding to help make their community better, brighter, and stronger.
Applications are open between 14 March and Friday 29 April.
To apply please visit: https://www.ardonaghtrust.org/bright-future-prize
The Ardonagh Community Trust helps communities become better, brighter and stronger. Since the charity’s launch in 2017, it has raised more than £1.5 million for causes around the world.
The flu vaccine is the safest, most effective protection against flu, and the flu can be serious even for healthy teenagers.
Please get the free flu vaccine this year.
The four Chief Medical Officers will provide further advice on the COVID-19 vaccination of young people aged 12 to 15 with COVID-19 vaccines following the advice of the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The independent medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for people aged 12 and over after they met strict standards of safety and effectiveness.
The JCVI has advised that the health benefits from vaccination are marginally greater than the potential known harms. It has advised the government to seek further input from the Chief Medical Officers on the wider impacts.
This includes the impact on schools and young people’s education, which has been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
UK health ministers from across the four nations have today written to the Chief Medical Officers to request they begin the process of assessing the broader impact of universal COVID-19 vaccination in this age group.
They will now convene experts and senior leaders in clinical and public health to consider the issue. They will then present their advice to ministers on whether a universal programme should be taken forward.
People aged 12 to 15 who are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 or who live with adults who are at increased risk of serious illness from the virus are already eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine and are being contacted by the NHS, to be invited to come forward.
The JCVI has advised that this offer should be expanded to include more children aged 12 to 15, for example those with sickle cell disease or type 1 diabetes.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Our COVID-19 vaccines have brought a wide range of benefits to the country, from saving lives and preventing hospitalisations, to helping stop infections and allowing children to return to school.
“I am grateful for the expert advice that I have received from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
“People aged 12 to 15 who are clinically vulnerable to the virus have already been offered a COVID-19 vaccine, and today we’ll be expanding the offer to those with conditions such as sickle cell disease or type 1 diabetes to protect even more vulnerable children.
“Along with Health Ministers across the four nations, I have today written to the Chief Medical Officers to ask that they consider the vaccination of 12 to 15 year olds from a broader perspective, as suggested by the JCVI.
“We will then consider the advice from the Chief Medical Officers, building on the advice from the JCVI, before making a decision shortly.”
Scottish Health Minister Humza Yousaf said: “I want to thank the JCVI for today’s advice regarding vaccination for 12 -15 year olds.
“While the JCVI has agreed that the benefits marginally outweigh the risks they are not yet prepared to recommend universal vaccination of 12-15 year olds, however, they have suggested that Health Ministers may wish to ask their respective CMOs to explore the issue further, taking into consideration broader educational and societal impacts.
“Therefore, I have agreed with the other three UK Health Ministers to write a letter asking the four Chief Medical Officers to consider this latest guidance and explore whether there is additional evidence to suggest it would be beneficial to offer vaccination to all 12 – 15 year olds. We have asked for this further work to be conducted as soon as possible.
“A further update will be issued once these discussions have taken place. In the meantime, we will offer the vaccine to those children and young people currently recommended.
“The recent increase in cases of COVID-19 means it remains crucial that everyone who is offered a vaccination takes up the offer.”
UK Charity, the Naked Truth Project, have launched new dates for a series of workshops for parents and carers to better understand pornography in a digital age, enabling them to talk to their children and young people about the subject.
Constable Simon Bailey, National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead on child protection, has highlighted the need for resources such as ‘The PG Workshops’, following his recognition of porn consumption as a leading factor in the growing cases of sexual violence and abuse amongst teens.
The PG Workshops will be live-streamed online sessions and come following the launch of the ‘Everyone’s Invited’ website, which provides an anonymous forum for children and youth to share experiences of aggressive, or abusive sexual behaviours.
Chief Constable Bailey has previously warned of the links between young people’s access to and consumption of pornography and the kind of sexually aggressive/abusive behaviour highlighted in many of the 15,000+ accounts documented on the website.
Chief Constable Simon Bailey says, “There is a real issue in children’s perception of healthy relationships, healthy sexual relationships, what is permissible and what is acceptable. Unfortunately, I think the ready and easy access to pornography is a driver to that.”
The Chief Constable acknowledges that organisations like Naked Truth Project are doing important work to combat the damaging impacts of porn and urges parents and schools to engage with the issue.
Ch. Constable Bailey continued: “Parents have a responsibility to ensure that children, both sons and daughters, recognise and understand what good values are, what respect and trust and honesty are, and how to treat people.
“The difficult conversations around inevitably viewing pornography need to be had, explaining that it is not a relationship, and schools should be reinforcing this point as well. This is why the kind of schools work and parent workshops that Naked Truth offer can be such a useful resource to this end.”
The workshops delivered hope to provide insight on the pressures young people are facing, and practical tips for parents guiding them through those pressures.
Ian Henderson, Founder and CEO of the Naked Truth Project says: “We believe there is a growing need amongst parents, carers and teachers to talk about and tackle the issue of pornography, especially in light of recent revelations about the scale of sexual violence amongst young people, yet many feel overwhelmed and under-resourced to engage in this conversation.
“We hope our workshops will be an effective way of teaching parents and carers how to talk to their young people about the dangers of pornography, as well as offer some practical tips in setting up parental controls and safety features on devices.”
The swell of the stories shared on ‘Everyone’s Invited’, have highlighted recent government research, such as the Equalities Office Report, which acknowledges the links between teenage porn consumption and toxic relationships, harassment in schools and abusive behaviour.
Other national leaders, such as Baroness Benjamin, are also calling for the education of both pupils and parents around the damaging impact of porn on healthy relationships.
Ian Henderson continues: “As an organisation, whilst we recognise that porn use won’t lead to sexual harassment or violence for all individuals, and is certainly not the only contributing factor, it’s vital that we begin to recognise the part that it does play and call it out.
“Given that porn often contains high levels of blatant verbal and physical abuse, as well as the sexualisation of coercion, harassment and outright lack of consent, we must consider the impact this is having on us, and the importance it places on educating our young people well.”
The Naked Truth Project have already delivered these workshops to over 4,000 parents and carers, as well as presenting specialised school lessons which have seen 20,000 students participate.
For more information, or to book a place on the workshops, please visit:
Vodafone UK has published new research exploring teenagers’ perceptions of ‘fake news’, misinformation and the reliability of the information they find online.
Almost a half (48%) of teenagers in Edinburgh have fallen for fake news and 47% of teenagers surveyed said they were more aware of fake news in 2020 compared to previous years. Vodafone has released tips for parents and children on how to deal with fake news on its Digital Parenting hub.
The research shows that young people in Edinburgh are regularly exposed to fake news, with teenagers reporting to see fake stories an average of 12 times per month, and 23% believing they think they see fake news every day.
Perceptions around fake news
Three in four (73%) of teenagers in Edinburgh correctly identified fake news as ‘misleading information which is presented as news and spread online’.
However, wider perceptions around fake news indicate a lack of comprehensive understanding on the subject – with 23% thinking fake news refers to ‘things Donald Trump claims to be untrue’.
Topics of fake news
With the spread of misinformation reaching new highs last year,the research highlights key topics of fake news in 2020 for Edinburgh teens: Covid-19 and the vaccine (50%), Celebrities (40%), Donald Trump (37%), the end of the world (27%) and the UK lockdowns (20%)
Identifying fake news
Just half (57%) of teenagers in Edinburgh think they can distinguish fake news from the truth. However, the research indicates that tech-savvy teens are using their digital skills to spot the real from the fake, and almost a half (47%) of teenagers in Edinburgh think they are better equipped to spot fake news than their parents.
Main sources of fake news
Predictably, four in five (80%) in Edinburgh reported seeing the most fake news on social media platforms – far higher than on news websites (13%).
Combating fake news
Encouragingly, 17% of teenagers in Edinburgh say someone has taught them how to spot and report fake news and combat misinformation, with this person most likely to be a parent (80%), or a teacher (40%). And, 20% have learnt how to spot fake news using an online resource.
Helen Lamprell, General Counsel and External Affairs Director, Vodafone UK, said: “It’s clear from our research that fake news amongst Edinburgh teens is a widespread issue – and is not going away with Donald Trump.
“It’s so important to educate everyone on the importance of safety online and how to identify fake news. Our Vodafone Digital Parenting Hub has useful resources and advice for what to watch out for and how best to tackle it.”
Emma Robertson from Digital Awareness UK, said: “Since the start of the pandemic we’ve seen a dramatic and worrying spike in the number of young people and their families being exposed to fake news and scams.
“Many of us are being inundated with false information about vaccinations, miraculous COVID-19 cures, politics and so on. It’s critical that young people have the digital skills they need to spot fake news and really think about whether the information we are seeing online could be misinformation or disinformation.
“Fake news reportedly spreads six times faster than real news, so it’s up to all of us to help others identify it and think twice before sharing.”
Vodafone’s Digital Parenting Tips – Five ways to spot fake news
To avoid being tricked by fake news, ask your child to consider these questions:
For more advice on navigating fake news, visit:
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/digital-parenting/rollup-fakenews
Teenagers are being encouraged to join a group advising the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland.
Bruce Adamson, the Commissioner, works to promote and protect children’s human rights and relies on a Young Advisers Group as one of the key ways to hear directly about the issues that matter. They tell his office when to “raise your voice” and defend children’s rights. During the pandemic, young advisers have spoken out with the Commissioner on issues like mental health, school closures and poverty.
Anyone living in Scotland aged between 14 and 17 can apply to be a Young Adviser in the group. Meetings are currently online, and the Commissioner is keen for people who haven’t previously been part of organised groups to apply.
Young Advisers work with the Commissioner and his team on lots of different projects, share their opinions, and influence decision-making. They’ll be able to take part in creative tasks, organise events, and have lots of fun along the way. They’ll be supported by the Commissioner’s team and previous Young Advisers.
Coll, whose time as a Young Adviser is just ending, said: “If you think applying to be a Young Adviser means applying for yet another tick-box position for an organisation paying lip service to issues facing young people, you could not be more wrong.
“You’re applying to a role which will place you at the heart of the strategic decision-making of one of Scotland’s foremost young people’s organisations.”
Bruce Adamson said: “I have the best job in the world, and the best part of that is working with children and young people. The Young Advisers Group helps my office to effectively stand up for children’s rights.
“They’ve shaped a huge range of our work, from policing in the pandemic, to climate justice, to exam cancellations and they’ve helped us recruit new staff and recently influenced the design of our new website.
“I want our new Young Advisers Group to reflect Scotland’s diversity and we’d especially love to support young people who might not have done anything like this before, so whatever your background or experience, please apply.”
Applications close at 5pm on March 1st, 2021. For more information, and to apply, please visit cypcs.org.uk/get-help/young-people/become-a-young-adviser/
