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First-ever government guidance on healthy screen use for children aged 5–16.

Source: Department for Education published on this website Tuesday 9 June 2026

Parents will soon get clear, practical guidance to help them manage their children’s screen use - which could include advice on when a child should get their first smartphone. 

At the same time, ministers are taking action to shape how technology is used in schools, helping children benefit from innovation while giving parents and teachers greater confidence that the tools used in classrooms are safe, effective and evidence-based. 

From scrolling and social media to sleep and learning, families are facing challenges previous generations never had. New guidance will offer practical, evidence‑based support for parents of children aged 5–16. 

Today, the government is launching a three‑week call for evidence to inform the guidance, which will be published this autumn. It will be informed by an independent expert group co‑chaired by Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza and Professor Russell Viner. 
The call for evidence will also seek views on screen use in schools, helping government build a complete picture of children’s digital lives and understand where technology can best support learning. 

The government is clear that technology is now part of childhood and can bring real benefits when used well - from learning and creativity to connection and support for children with SEND. That is why the guidance will avoid blanket rules and help families make informed choices, while wider reforms will ensure technology used in schools is safe, effective and supports better outcomes for children. 

The guidance builds on the government’s existing action to support children to thrive in the digital age. That includes a legal requirement for phone-free classrooms, the Online Safety Act, the first screen use guidance for parents of under-fives, and a consultation looking at everything – from a blanket ban to apps curfews and time limits.

Over 110,000 people responded including parents and children, and the government is aiming to set out its response as soon as possible.

Parents can see the difference. New polling published today shows that 86% support the government’s screen use guidance for under-fives, while 82% say it is already helping families build healthier habits for young children. 

The need for support is clear. While 96% of parents believe their child benefits from being online, fewer than three in ten think the benefits outweigh the risks when it comes to social media, messaging and video-sharing platforms. 

The call for evidence will also seek views on screen use in schools, recognising that children’s digital lives span both home and education. Evidence gathered will help inform the new guidance as well as wider work to ensure technology used in classrooms supports learning, improves outcomes and protects children from harm. 

Alongside the guidance, the government, working with the Children’s Commissioner, is recruiting for a new AI Youth Advisory Board, giving young people a direct say in how emerging technologies affect their lives. 

Later this year, ministers will consult on new independent safety certification for some types of technology used in schools, including generative AI and filtering and monitoring products.

On top of this, the government is also developing a clear framework on what good AI and technology products look like in practice and working with teachers and technology companies to co-design AI tools that could give up to 450,000 disadvantaged pupils access to tutoring support. Up to eight companies will work with partner schools to develop safe and effective products, with successful tools being made available to schools from 2027.

This will mean schools can trust that the tools they buy have been independently checked and meet clear safety standards and are of sound quality- so teachers can focus on teaching, not on navigating a complex and fast-moving market.

Government regulation of maternity nurses, nannies and the infant sleep industry

Source: Commons Library Research published on this website Monday 8 June 2026 by Jill Powell

There will be a debate to be announced, on government regulation of maternity nurses, nannies and the infant sleep industry.

The NHS has produced various webpages on baby sleep advice:

Stakeholder concerns

Various stakeholders have raised concerns about a lack of regulation regarding who can give advice on infants sleeping and misinformation online that could put infants’ health at harm.

In May 2026, a BBC investigation found some “self-described sleep experts” were giving new parents advice that goes against established NHS safe sleep guidelines. In the investigation, stakeholders raised concerns about a lack of support and guidance for parents and a lack of qualifications needed for someone to call themselves a “sleep expert” or “maternity nurse”. Stakeholders called for further regulation of advice being given in the industry to make sure it is evidence-based and safe, and training for people giving advice.

The charity lullaby trust has warned against “misleading marketing” around baby products. Research published in March 2026 by the lullaby trust found that from a survey of 1,000 UK parents and carers, while 95% said they felt confident about baby sleep safety, only 5% were able to correctly identify all safer sleep set-ups when shown a range of sleep environments. The survey found parents and carers reported items that don’t follow NHS safer sleep guidelines, such as cuddly toys or a blanket, present in 9 out of 10 baby sleep spaces, and many parents believed they were harmless “highlighting how easily unsafe practices can become normalised through clever marketing”.

Protected titles

In the UK, some health professions (such as doctors) are regulated by law. This includes the protection of the professional title and the requirement for professionals to be registered with a designated regulator to practise. For example, only those registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) can legally refer to themselves as a “medical practitioner,” and only those on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register can use the title “registered nurse.”

Whilst “registered nurse” is currently a protected title, “nurse” is not. Various stakeholders, including parliamentarians, have called for “nurse” to be a protected title to prevent the spread of misinformation and people using the title without registered nursing qualifications.

In May 2025, the government announced plans to introduce legislation in this Parliament to fully protect the title of “nurse”. The government’s press release said “there will be exemptions for relevant professions like veterinary nurse, dental nurse and nursery nurse, where the title ‘nurse’ is legitimately used”.

Regulation of childcare providers

All childcare providers registered with OFSTED on the Early Years Register (providing learning, development and care of children from birth to 5) are required to follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which requires babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance. There are also minimum qualification requirements that staff must meet in order to be included in the mandatory staff-to-child ratios (see written parliamentary question 103417 [on Pre-school Education: Sleep], 4 February 2026).

Nannies and home carers do not have to register with OFSTED but they can join the voluntary part of the Childcare Register if they wish. They are not able to join the Early Years Register. Childcare providers registered on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, and not the Early Years Register, such as nannies, do not have to follow the EYFS statutory framework (see written parliamentary question 31566 [on Nannies: Registration].

Reading List

Nursery World, Updates to EYFS framework to strengthen safer sleep requirements after Genevieve Meehan’s death, 31 March 2026

BBC News, Dangerous baby-sleep advice given to parents by self-described experts, secret filming reveals, 5 May 2026

BBC News, Calls for ‘urgent action’ on baby-sleep industry after BBC investigation, 12 May 2026

National Nanny Association, Nanny Regulation in the UK: The Road to Regulation

Parliamentary material

Parliamentary question

Maternity Care (14 April 2026, 783 c675)

Asked: Regulation of infant sleep industry and that ‘maternity nurse’ is not a protected term.

Answered: There will shortly be a review into the title of ‘nurse’, and changes to ensure ‘nurse’ is a professional title.

Man jailed for multiple sexual abuse offences involving seven children

Source: National Crime Agency (NCA) published on this website Tuesday 5 May 2026 by Jill Powell

A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 23 years after being convicted of multiple sexual abuse offences involving seven children.

Jamie Beckett, from Wakefield, was arrested in December 2022 by National Crime Agency officers after receiving intelligence from international partners.

Further work by NCA investigators revealed links between a PayPal account, Gmail account and mobile number which were attributed to Beckett.

Beckett exploited the facilitator and victims' financial situation by offering cash for medical appointments, electricity and wifi in exchange for images and videos of child abuse. The payments ranged from as little as £6.20 to a maximum of £187 per request.

Online records revealed that between June 2020 and June 2022, Beckett had exchanged 9,493 messages, 356 media files and approximately 39 calls with the facilitator.

Beckett, a telecommunications engineer by profession, would provide specific instructions of what he wanted the facilitator to do to the victims. When the bespoke content did not meet his criteria, he withheld payment until new media was supplied which he was satisfied with.

Messages included Beckett persuading the facilitator to inflict sexual or physical harm, saying 'it will be a good money earn for you' and the child will 'get used' to it.

He would also object to receiving content he had already seen, instead demanding new images and videos of abuse. At one point he stated he wanted to travel to the Philippines to engage in the abuse himself.

In total, Beckett paid just under £560 for the abuse material which involved seven children aged between 5-15. The children have since been safeguarded.

Analysis of devices seized from his home found further evidence of his guilt, including indecent images of children on his mobile phone.

Beckett pleaded guilty to 25 charges at Leeds Crown Court in February 2026. He was sentenced to 23 years at the same court Friday 1 May, 16 years custodial and seven years on license. Beckett will be on the sex offenders' register for life and be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Judge Batiste described his offending as 'vile, repulsive, revolting and truly appalling beyond words' and gave the NCA officers involved a Judge's commendation for their work on the case.

Danielle Pownall, NCA Senior Investigating Officer, said:

"This was a long and complex investigation into a depraved individual with a blatant disregard for children. Beckett completely dehumanised his victims, paying pitiful amounts of money in exchange for images and videos of extreme child abuse. The transactional relationship between Beckett and the facilitator exploited the victims' vulnerability and circumstances.

"With thanks to US law enforcement colleagues and the Philippine National Police, the NCA was able to identify Beckett and bring him to justice. We will continue to work closely with partners at home and abroad together with the Crown Prosecution Service to protect children from the threat posed by individuals who would seek to harm them."

Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on the sentencing in the Fordingbridge rape case 24 May 2026

Source: Children’s Commissioners Office published on this website Tuesday 25 May 2026 by Jill Powell

In response to the news regarding the recent rape case, which was also published on this website Friday 22 May 2026.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:

“The rape of two teenage girls in Fordingbridge is deeply disturbing and has shocked people across the country. My thoughts are first and foremost with the two girls and their families, who have shown extraordinary courage in speaking out about these heinous crimes.

“No child should experience the violence, humiliation and trauma described in this case. The impact of sexual violence does not end when an attack is over, it can impact every part of a young person’s life from their safety and confidence to their education, mental health and their future. It is essential that children who report abuse feel heard, protected and treated with dignity throughout the process.

“As Children’s Commissioner I welcome the urgent review being undertaken by the Attorney General. My office will be reaching out directly to the families involved to offer support. Children must know that if they speak up, adults and institutions will act decisively to keep them safe and deliver justice.”

Investigation into charities run by designated person results in over £1.3m redistributed to good causes

Source: The Charity Commission published on this site Monday 27 April 2026 by Jill Powell

The Charity Commission has concluded its statutory inquiries into the Kantor Foundation and Kantor

Charitable Foundation, finding neither charity remained viable after the designation of the charities’ founder, Dr Vitacheslav Kantor.

Both charities were set up to provide grants to projects and causes in any part of the world as long as they were exclusively charitable. The charities shared a sole corporate trustee, which was a private limited company known as Kantor Trustees. One of the company’s directors, sole member, and the charities’ primary funder was Dr Kantor.

Background

In April 2022, the UK Government named Dr Kantor as a ‘designated person’ under the UK’s Russia Sanctions regime. This meant that it was now a criminal offence for funds or economic resources in the UK to be made available to Dr Kantor.

In the same month, the Commission opened inquiries into charities connected to Dr Kantor, these were: the Kantor Charitable Foundation (KCF), Kantor Foundation (KF) and the World Holocaust Forum Foundation (WHFF). The regulator froze charity bank accounts and prevented the trustee from parting with any of the charity’s property without the Commission’s prior consent. In May 2022, the regulator removed Dr Kantor as a trustee of WHFF meaning he was automatically disqualified from being a trustee and ceased to be a director of Kantor Trustees.

Findings

In June 2023, the inquiries concluded that the Kantor Foundation and Kantor Charitable Foundation were no longer viable and that they should be wound up and dissolved. The inquiries reached this view having taken into consideration that Dr Kantor was the sole donor and it would be unlikely that either charity could secure future funding. There were also no trustees to run the charities following Dr Kantor’s designation and subsequent resignation of the other directors from the Kantor Trustees company.

The inquiries also determined that reputational damage arising from the designation, meant that it would be unlikely that the charities could resolve these matters through fundraising or recruitment.

The inquiries found that Dr Kantor was responsible for misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of both charities for failing to proactively resign following his designation.

Dr Kantor’s failure to cooperate with the regulator’s investigation also amounted to misconduct and/or mismanagement.

Recovery of funds

In May 2022, the regulator appointed Interim Managers to both charities as there were no longer any trustees running the charity. As part of their work to wind up the charities, they identified a number of outstanding Gift Aid claims were owed. After settling the charities’ liabilities, the Interim Managers distributed the remaining funds via charitable grants to several organisations, in line with the charities’ purposes. The total figure distributed to support charitable causes amounts to £1,388,000.00.

The Interim Managers also recovered a violin made by Italian violin maker, Riccardo Antoniazzi, which had been on loan from the Kantor Foundation. The violin – valued by the Foundation in 2019 as being worth £150,810 – has since been gifted to a registered charity. The terms of the gift stipulates that the violin must be used to promote musical education for the public benefit.

The charities have both been wound up and have since been removed from the public Register of Charities.

Joshua Farbridge, Head of compliance and visits and inspections at the Charity Commission, said:

“Once designated, an individual cannot legally act as a trustee. Dr Kantor’s failure to step down immediately, his decision to ignore the Commission and failure to cooperate, amounted to misconduct and/or mismanagement. It also fell below our expectations of trustees. As a result of our investigations, we have now wound up both charities. We are pleased some good can come to other charities and causes as a result of our intervention. Instead of assets lying dormant, or owed Gift Aid lost, we’ve been able to see a much-needed boost of over £1.3m into the sector, and a culturally significant musical instrument gifted to a charity furthering musical education.”