According to a new rule implemented by inspectors Ofsted, local authorities in the UK will only be awarded an ‘outstanding’ grade if they implement a maximum of 12 months for the adoption process. An Ofsted spokeswoman said: “Age is the most significant indicator of a successful adoption; the younger a child is placed the better read more »

The Deputy Prime Minister plans to invest £126 million to help 55,000 of the 1,000,000 young NEETs (not in education, employment or training) who reside in the UK at present. The new initiative, launched as part of the coalition’s Youth Contract Scheme, will invite businesses and charities to bid for 16-17 year olds in contracts read more »

A study of Canadian women has revealed that women who have children later on in life could be up to five times more likely to develop depression than women who have children at a younger age.  The study in question involved asking women who had given birth during the past five years if they had read more »

According to figures from the Metropolitan Police, at least one man every hour is the victim of some form of sexual crime in the UK’s capital city. In response to these figures, Survivors UK have launched a campaign in a bid to raise awareness of sexual violence against men. Official statistics recently released by the read more »

A recent investigation into the benefits of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) has reported successful results. The training, provided by mental health charity Mind Cymru’s Positive Choices project, is designed to teach the public how to spot signals that someone is thinking about suicide. Those who completed the ASIST course felt 97% more prepared read more »

In a study currently being prepared for publication, researchers found that individuals with the most emotional support from their spouses were more likely to do better at work.  Lead researcher Dr Wayne Hochwarter studied 400 working couples in order to investigate the connection between communication and stress levels. One of the most common reasons for read more »

Stopping smoking could boost your luck in the love department, according to a recent poll by the Department of Health. Of the 1,700 35-44 year olds questioned, two thirds said they would not kiss someone who had just smoked a cigarette. Around half of them would have to think carefully about starting a serious relationship read more »

Families of children who are suffering from attachment disorder are finding that support is very difficult to come by. Attachment disorder most commonly affects children who were unable to form a bond with their caregiver during the early stages of life. James for example – the 14-year old stepson of Amy Robson – can be read more »

Proposed changes to the world’s most widely used psychiatric manual could see millions of ‘normal’ people diagnosed with mental health problems. The ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ is a manual that lists all of the perceived mental health disorders known to man. A number of new additions have been made to the draft of read more »

Could famous entertainers such as Katherine Jenkins, James Blunt and Jim Davidson help protect against mental health problems on the frontline? According to new research by King’s College London, presenting troops with live performances from well-known entertainers is essential for raising spirits and distracting soldiers from the often immense stresses of war. It may also read more »