Sharing, With a Safety Net

SAN FRANCISCO — Kids......

The reckless rants and pictures they post online can often get them in trouble, by compromising their chances of getting into a good college or even landing them in jail. What to do about such lapses vexes parents, school officials, the Internet companies that host their words and images — and the law.  

Now California legislators are trying to solve the problem with the first measure in the country to give minors the legal right to scrub away their online indiscretions.

“Kids and teenagers often self-reveal before they self-reflect,” said James Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media, a San Francisco-based advocacy group that pushed for the law

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/technology/bill-provides-reset-button-for-youngsters-online-posts.html?smid=tw-share

Call for mental health checks on all school pupils from age of seven

"Every child should undergo mental health checks at school from the age of seven to identify anxiety disorders, anger problems and other mental health conditions, experts have said". 

 .............But charities were cautious about the idea - with some saying that seven was too young to identify serious mental health problems, while others said it was no use diagnosing such illness unless more services were set up to help young people. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/laura-donnelly/10330960/Call-for-mental-health-checks-on-all-school-pupils-from-age-of-seven.html

A new quality standard on self-harm

NICE have produced a new quality standard on self-harm to drive treatment improvements. 

"The number of people who self-harm has risen steadily over the past two decades, meaning the UK now has one of the highest rates in Europe". 

"As a result, hospitals are increasingly likely to treat patients who have deliberately injured or poisoned themselves, with around 220,000 people who have self-harmed presenting to A&E wards each year"
"The risk of a person who self-harms undergoing a repeat incident is high. People who self-harm are also at greater risk of suicide than those from the rest of the population".

http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/features/MeasuresImproveCarePeopleSelfHarm.jsp

'Keep it Tame' campaign to promote online safety and measure behaviour change in young people

'Keep it Tame' campaign to promote online safety and measure behaviour change in young people

Beyond the beat-em-up: video games are good for young people

Young and Well Update - 12th September 2013

Now, there’s an emerging body of research focusing on the potential positive influences of video games.

Associate Professor Jane Burns and researchers Daniel Johnson (Queensland University of Technology) and Christian Jones (University of the SunshineCoast) From the "The Young and Well CRC" team, wrote on videogames and wellbeing for "The Conversation"

Here are some key findings:

• moderate (non-excessive) levels of playing are associated with positive emotions and improved mood, improved emotion regulation and emotional stability and the reduction of emotional disturbances;
• playing video games is a healthy means of relaxation, stress reduction and socialising; and
• people who play video games in moderation have significantly less depressed mood and higher self-esteem (compared to those who don’t play or who play excessively).