The "UN Convention on the Rights of the Child" is one of the most widely-ratified human rights treaties, yet the visibility of children in the early years, in the mandatory government reports to the "UN Committee on the Rights of the Child" and in the Committee's concluding observations to States Parties, is relatively low…

This doctoral study examined the function of baby massage in supporting early infant-carer attachment relationships among families facing stressful life experiences. It was designed in response to Bennett, Underdown and Barlow's [Bennett, C., A. Underdown, and J. Barlow. 2013. "Massage for Promoting Mental and Physical Health in Typically…

The AV1 robotic device has a growing evidence base, both internationally and in the UK, for supporting pupils with physical/emotional health needs. The device allows pupils to access their school lessons remotely through telepresence technology. Previous papers have highlighted the growing relevance to the education field, although, to date, there…

Natural disasters happen across the world. The situations are different but the disruption to children's education and wellbeing is similar. This study focused on the school context changes caused by the COVID-19 global disaster, and the impact of these changes on children's mental health. The aim was to better understand the associations between…

Early childhood curricula are constructed from what is deemed important for young children's development and learning nationally, while influenced by international policy developments. Following concerns surrounding international neo-liberal agendas in early childhood policy formation, this article examines the position of young children's…

The article reports on, and analyses, qualitative research involving children's therapy in two primary school contexts in England. It aims to explore the potentials of how agency as a concept can contribute to a challenge to existing theory, research and ways of working concerning therapy in primary school contexts. The article addresses how this…

This paper addresses one of the biggest challenges facing Pastoral Care in Education today: the impact of COVID-19 on children's wellbeing. The negative effects on children's wellbeing and mental health are already being widely reported (e.g.; Loades et al. 2020). Therefore, this paper will outline both the impact of COVID-19 on children's…

This policy briefing is intended to inform discussion on how Ofsted inspections might best resume at an appropriate time, given the extensive disruption COVID has brought and continues to bring to English primary schools. The briefing draws on findings from a series of research projects based at the IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society and…

Background: Dental neglect results in dental caries, gum disease, and contributes to chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancers. Poor oral health habits developed in childhood persist into adulthood and can contribute to chronic diseases. School settings are a practical platform for teaching oral health skills. Purpose:…

This paper explores schools' new role in promoting children's mental health, as a key focus for policy makers across the global north. An education policy analysis is conducted for England and Australia, two nations advocating a 'bottom-up' approach to mental health promotion, granting flexibility to schools and municipal authorities. Here it is…

Objectives: Children are among the most vulnerable population groups with regard to environmental risks. Nursing students must be fully educated on children's environmental health as they are in a key position to prevent and reduce the effects of environmental hazards. The main objective of this study was to adapt and validate an English language…

There is a general feeling of change in primary education in England, in conjunction with the changes to the Ofsted inspection framework (Ofsted, 2019). There is more of a focus on the mental health and wellbeing of children, redeveloping community and reconnecting with nature as part of providing a broad and balanced curriculum. It is so…

This study aimed to assess whether sex moderates the association of fundamental movement skills and health and behavioral outcomes. In 170 children (10.6 ± 0.3 years; 98 girls), path analysis was used to assess the associations of fundamental movement skills (Get Skilled, Get Active) with perceived sports competence (Children and Youth--Physical…

There is a growing policy focus on children and young people's mental health. The United Kingdom (UK) government has positioned schools as being well-placed to identify children and young people's mental health needs and to provide appropriate intervention. At the same time, school staff report a lack of skills, knowledge and systems to support…

Introduction: Tooth decay is the most common reason for non-emergency hospital admissions in 5-9 year olds. As such, it is included in the England school curriculum at 8-9 years to facilitate improved oral hygiene and prevent tooth decay. Aim: Measure student and teacher baseline oral hygiene knowledge; determine effect of the e-Bug oral hygiene…