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Every child to get access to enriching activities to build skills and confidence for life

Source: Department for Culture, Media and Sport published on this website Thursday 18 June 2026 by Jill Powell

Every child, regardless of where they grow up or which school they attend, will benefit from enriching activities that build the skills, confidence and relationships they need for life and work thanks to government action announced today.

Greater access to opportunities in sport, creative activities, nature and the arts will be made available to children both in and out of school in order to halve the participation gap and reclaim childhood for all young people.

The drive to make sure all children are supported to develop new skills and explore their talents includes new benchmarks for schools and colleges published today. These will ensure schools and colleges have the practical tools and guidance to offer a wide range of opportunities across 5 categories: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; life and future skills including STEM, sport and physical activities. Leading figures within these categories will soon be announced as ambassadors using their influence and expertise to inspire participation, raise awareness and help drive support for enriching opportunities for young people.

Activities could include music groups, engineering clubs, debating societies, football clubs and much more. These clear benchmarks will work in partnership with civil society and help schools and colleges develop inclusive, engaging enrichment offers that reflect the needs of their pupils and communities.

Ofsted will consider a school’s enrichment offer as part of how it assesses personal development, and parents will be able to see their local school’s offer through new ‘school profiles’ – with useful information on a school’s offering.

This complements the government’s wider reforms to bring the national curriculum into the modern day, break down barriers to opportunity and better prepare young people for life and work in today’s world and beyond.

‘Every Child Can’, funded through the Dormant Assets Scheme, will deliver £132.5 million for new activities programmes delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision. It is structured around the same 5 categories as the Enrichment Framework, ensuring a consistent approach to building skills and confidence wherever young people engage and removing the postcode lottery that has held children in underserved parts of the country back.

It responds directly to the State of the Nation survey of more than 14,000 young people, which found that despite being the most digitally connected generation, young people today face some of the highest levels of isolation globally. They want safe spaces, trusted adults, better mental health support and greater access to enriching activities. However, access to these opportunities remains unequal, with too many children locked out because of where they live and what school or college they go to.

This package forms part of the government’s commitment to restore lost childhood freedoms - investing in playgrounds, in music hubs, sports partnerships, youth services and youth spaces and support for families through measures including VAT relief on children’s activities this summer. 

With children growing up in an increasingly fast-changing world the package is designed to protect and nurture childhood, ensuring young people are equipped with skills and confidence to achieve and thrive.

Participating in enrichment activities has been associated with higher attainment and a stronger sense of school belonging and wellbeing among children and young people.

According to EPI research, children who attended sport clubs during secondary school were more likely to be in education or employment as young adults, while those who participated in hobbies, arts and music clubs were significantly more likely to progress to higher education.

Today’s (13 June 2026) announcement builds on the government’s work to ensure young people have access to enriching and cultural activities including:

more than £500 million for an ambitious 10-year National Youth Strategy - co-designed with young people - to connect half a million more young people with a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online
over £1 billion of investment in school sport over the next 3 years, including the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, which will bring national sporting expertise into every primary and secondary school to tackle inactivity and ensure more young people have access to high-quality PE and sport. Alongside this, an additional £400 million will also be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities across the country
£1.5 billion would be provided to cultural venues across England over the course of this parliament, including £27.5 million for public libraries to help them upgrade their buildings and technology to meet changing needs to better serve their communities
inviting 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to take part in the £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme, to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the Enrichment Framework, helping them build a strong offer shaped by their own pupils
revitalising the curriculum to ensure young people are given the chance to experience the arts, while maintaining a strong academic core, removing school performance measures that constrain subject choice, and making sure GCSEs in arts subjects are fit for purpose

The government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to develop Every Child Can. Further details on the remaining funding, how each programme will work and how to apply to take part will be published in due course.

The Department for Education will work closely with schools, colleges and sector partners, including the Enrichment for All Coalition, to support implementation of the framework and understand its impact on children and young people. This will help build a shared approach to ensuring high-quality enrichment opportunities can support attendance, engagement, wellbeing and achievement for all pupils.

DBS launches Series 2 of its podcast to support safer recruitment across the UK

Source: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) published on this website Wednesday 17 June 2026 by Jill Powell

The Disclosure and Barring Service has launched the second series of DBS Discussions: Safeguarding in Focus, a podcast for employers, HR professionals, safeguarding leads, and anyone with an interest in safeguarding who wants to better understand DBS checks and safer recruitment.

Series 2 features 6 episodes covering the most common questions we hear from employers and safeguarding practitioners, with contributions from expert colleagues across DBS and from sector partners including NSPCC, Ann Craft Trust, and Unlock.

What’s covered in Series 2

Episode 1: How DBS Checks Support Safer Recruitment

In this opening episode, we explore the role DBS checks play in safer recruitment processes, with expert insight from colleagues at NSPCC. Whether you are new to DBS checks or want to refresh your knowledge, this episode provides a clear and accessible introduction. Available from 15th June.

Episode 2: Levels of DBS Checks — Working with Children

This episode examines the different levels of DBS check and when each applies to roles working with children. DBS subject matter experts Karen Bennett and Susie Blamire explain the distinctions between Basic, Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List(s) checks. Available from 22nd June.

Episode 3: Levels of DBS Checks — Working with Adults

Focusing on roles involving adults, this episode explores check levels and regulated activity in adult settings. Bethany Culshaw (DBS) and Cath Sykes from the Ann Craft Trust discuss what employers need to know when recruiting for adult social care and related roles. Available from 29th June.

Episode 4: How Police Consider Disclosing Information on Certificates

Suzie Dunn from DBS explains the process by which police decide what information to disclose on Enhanced DBS certificates, helping employers and applicants better understand what may appear and why. Available from 6th July.

Episode 5: How Employers Should Consider Information Disclosed on Certificates

Cathy Taylor from DBS and Debbie Sadler from Unlock discuss how employers should approach information disclosed on a DBS certificate in a fair, consistent, and proportionate way. Available from 13th July.

Episode 6: Your DBS Questions Answered

In the series finale, DBS Regional Outreach Manager, Jo Wheatley, addresses key themes and questions that have emerged throughout the series, offering practical guidance and signposting listeners to further support. Available from 20th July.

How to listen

DBS Discussions: Safeguarding in Focus is available free on Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube. New episodes are released weekly from today, 15th July.

Search “DBS Discussions” on your preferred platform, or visit the links below.

Listen to DBS Discussions on Spotify.
Listen to DBS Discussions on YouTube.
Listen to DBS Discussions on Amazon Music.

You can contact us at DBSdiscussions@dbs.gov.uk with any questions.

Episode transcripts will be published alongside each episode release for accessibility.

Government announces social media restrictions for under 16s - Ofcom statement

Source: Ofcom published on this website Monday 15 June 2026 by Jill Powell

An Ofcom spokesperson said: “So far, Ofcom has driven some of the strongest changes of any online safety regulation in the world, from widespread age checks to grooming protections for children. But the industry needs to go much further to make people safe. The Government has entrusted us to build on this progress with new measures to protect children, and we're ready to work closely with them as the detailed regulations take shape.”

Ofcom has also today responded to correspondence from the Secretary of State which sets out priorities for action regarding implementation of the new measures. The reply from Ofcom’s Chief Executive, Dame Melanie Dawes, is available here.

Former teacher guilty of sexually abusing and murdering baby boy he wanted to adopt

Source: Crown Prosecution Service published on this website Tuesday 16 June 2026

A former teacher has been found guilty of sexually abusing and murdering a baby boy that he planned to adopt.

Jamie Varley, 37, was convicted at Preston Crown Court of murder, child cruelty, sexual offences and indecent images relating to 13-month-old Preston Davey.

John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was convicted of allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault.

Varley was in the process of adopting baby Preston (also known as Elijah) with his partner McGowan-Fazakerley. Just four months after being placed with the couple, Preston was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital unconscious and in cardiac arrest. Sadly, Preston could not be saved.

Varley tried falsely claiming that Preston had accidentally drowned in a bath, but prosecutors were able to prove that his injuries were consistent with his airways being obstructed.

The evidence presented by the prosecution proved that in the final months of Preston’s life, he was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted – suffering more than 40 separate injuries.

Karen Tonge of the Crown Prosecution Service said:

“This has been one of the most shocking and horrific cases I have dealt with in my career. Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley had a responsibility to care for and protect baby Preston. They violated that responsibility and 13-month-old Preston was abused with sickening ease.

“It is difficult to comprehend how the very people who should have loved him could inflict such awful physical and sexual harm on an innocent child. No child should have to go through what Preston went through in the last four months of his short life and I cannot begin to imagine the toll this has taken on those that loved Preston. My thoughts remain with them all.”

Preston Davey was born on 16 June 2022; he was nine months old when he was placed with Jamie Varley and John McGowan-Fazakerley with a view to his adoption.

Four months later, Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley took Preston to Blackpool Victoria Hospital around 6:30pm on 27 July 2023. He was unconscious and in cardiac arrest.

Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Preston was pronounced dead just under an hour later.

A post-mortem concluded that the cause of Preston’s death was acute upper airway obstruction, meaning he had been smothered or something had been inserted into his mouth that had caused the obstruction.

Preston had been in the sole care of Varley that day until McGowan-Fazakerley returned from work and the couple took Preston to the hospital.

The evidence gathered showed that Preston suffered greatly at the hands of his primary carer, Varley, while McGowan-Fazakerley, who had been involved in the sexual assault of Preston, had failed to protect him from physical and psychological harm.

To charge and prosecute a case of murder, prosecutors had to prove that Varley had intended to kill or commit serious harm to baby Preston and that it was his actions that caused Preston’s death.

Although Varley claimed that he had not caused Preston any harm, experts confirmed that Preston’s condition could not have been caused by accidental drowning in the bath, as Varley claimed, or any other natural cause.

Preston had around 40 injuries, including bruising to his mouth, throat, bowel and bladder along with a healing fracture to his left arm which was deemed to be non-accidental. These injuries painted a heartbreaking picture of Preston’s time in the care of Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley.

To secure a guilty verdict for murder and the other charges faced by Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley, prosecutors built a compelling case including phone evidence showing instances of child cruelty.

Expert evidence proved that Varley had also taken indecent images and videos of Preston, which were stored on his phone.

Medical evidence showed that injuries to Preston’s body were consistent with sexual assault shortly before his tragic death and sometime in the weeks before his death.

Ultimately a wealth of evidence was presented to the jury who found Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley guilty of the crimes against baby Preston.

The pair will be sentenced at a later date at Preston Crown Court.

The Charity Commission and the Fundraising Regulator have today published new, joint guidance to help people who want to raise funds for charity.

Source: The Charity Commission published on this website Friday 12 June 2026 by Jill Powell

The regulators are advising members of the public to follow this latest guidance so that people can fundraise in a way that protects themselves and the charity they are raising money for.

Each year, almost a third of sector income is raised from donations and legacies, including fundraising by the public.

The guide sets out practical steps for anyone thinking about setting up a fundraising appeal, including in response to an emergency. It is important that people follow the guidance because, when someone decides to raise money for charity they, not the charity, are responsible for ensuring the money goes where intended.

The steps include advising people to fundraise for a named charity from the outset, and to be transparent in all communications about what the money is being raised for, including the charity’s name and registered number.

While the Charity Commission and Fundraising Regulator already publish advice for members of the public to give safely when donating to good causes, this is the first time the regulators have published joint guidance for people looking to fundraise for charity.

The guidance recommends fundraisers:

set a clear target and time limit for their appeal
tell donors upfront about any expenses that will be deducted before funds are passed on to the charity
use a reputable online fundraising platform over a personal bank account

Individuals can find a full list of steps in the guidance as well as advice on making contingency plans if circumstances change.

The regulators want members of the public to follow the guidance, explaining that taking care before setting up appeals can help them avoid problems later down the line. This includes unnecessary administrative steps (involving the regulators) or potential public criticism, for example that money isn’t reaching the end cause quickly enough. Taking care can help protect public trust and avoid the risk that an appeal is seen to be fraudulent.

David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said:

“The British public are some of the most generous people in the world, whether they’re donating time or money. We see some truly inspiring acts every day - from running marathons to running community-led memory cafes for people managing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

“When you’re fundraising for a cause you care about, it’s important to know your legal responsibilities. That’s why we’ve partnered with the Fundraising Regulator to create this guide — helping you raise money for your chosen charity in a way that’s legal, ethical, and effective.”

Gerald Oppenheim, CEO, at the Fundraising Regulator said:

“Fundraising by members of the public makes an invaluable contribution to the charity sector each year. Whether raising money through sponsored challenges, community events or emergency appeals, fundraisers have an important responsibility to ensure donations reach their intended cause.”

This guidance gives members of the public the practical information they need to follow the law, build trust with donors and avoid problems that could prevent charities from accessing funds quickly and effectively. We encourage anyone planning a fundraising appeal to read the guidance before they begin.

The full guide can be found on gov.uk.