This week I report on the publication of a CYPMHC report exploring the links between behaviour and mental health, confirmation that free NHS eye tests will be available in special schools settings from April next year, two new DfE consultations on safeguarding and the Royal Meteorological Society’s call for guidance and resources for schools to deliver climate change education.

Behaviour and mental health in schools report released
Last week, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition released a report to explore the links between behaviour and mental health, to look at the impact of school behavioural policies on children and young people, and to understand what can be done to improve the approach to behaviour and mental health in schools. The findings are due to be presented to parliament.

Free NHS eye tests to be made available to special schools
From April next year, free NHS eye tests will be made available to all special schools via a government scheme pledging £10 million. It was announced on Monday that the NHS and the government will work together to make sight tests available to all pupils in special schools, citing that children with learning disabilities are 28 times more likely to have serious sight issues.

‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ consultation opens
The DfE has opened a consultation on this statutory guidance citing that updating this guidance now is central to delivering the first phase of its ambitious plans to transform Children’s Social Care. The DfE is seeking views on how best to strengthen multi-agency help, support, safeguarding, and child protection across the whole system.

The DfE has also opened a consultation on a revision to non-statutory advice to support practitioners in their duties and the decisions they make when sharing information relating to safeguarding. The consultation seeks to gather views on how information sharing advice can provide more clarity, be easily understood and instil confidence to share information appropriately.

The Royal Meteorological Society calls for guidance and resources to deliver climate change education
The Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) has released a report highlighting opportunities for climate change education. This comes following the DfE’s publication of its ‘Sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education’ which stipulates that all schools should have nominated a sustainability lead and developed a Climate Action Plan by 2025.

RMetS has called on the DfE, subject associations, exam boards and curriculum development bodies to support teachers to make use of its findings through the development of teacher training and other support materials, high quality sample schemes of work, data sets and sample exam questions.