• It’s time to end the taboo of sex and intimacy in care homes

    Imagine living in an aged care home. Now imagine your needs for touch and intimacy being overlooked. More than 500,000 individuals aged 65+ (double the population of Cardiff) live in care homes in Britain. Many could be missing out on needs and rights concerning intimacy and sexual activity because they appear to be “designed out”…

  • Tackling youth violence and knife crime

    Let’s be clear, we are not ‘drowning in a tidal wave of youth violence and knife crime’. However, there continues to be irresponsible reporting happening, shaping public opinion and alienating young people in the process. With that said, we can’t ignore that youth violence is the third leading cause of death for young people in…

  • Children’s emotional health and wellbeing

    A new report, Just Health: An Enquiry into the Emotional Health and Wellbeing of Young People in the Youth Justice System, was recently published by Peer Power. The report makes a number of recommendations to improve the emotional support and wellbeing that young people receive in the youth justice system. Responding  to the report, Lord…

  • After 75 years, Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics need updating

    Mark Robert Anderson, Edge Hill University When science fiction author Isaac Asimov devised his Three Laws of Robotics he was thinking about androids. He envisioned a world where these human-like robots would act like servants and would need a set of programming rules to prevent them from causing harm. But in the 75 years since…

  • Claim of link between intelligence and cannabis use in adolescence provides fresh headache for researcher

    Philip Murphy, Edge Hill University Children with high and medium academic ability at age 11 are more likely to use cannabis in late adolescence compared to children with low academic ability, according to a new study published in BMJ Open. The researchers, from University College London, examined the school records of more than 6,000 children.…

  • How gangs are exploiting children to do their dirty work

      Grace Robinson, Edge Hill University Children as young as 12 have been reported to be doing drug runs in London. Targeting the most vulnerable young people in society – usually looked-after children or those already known to social services – organised crime gangs are using grooming tactics to coerce, manipulate and force young children…

  • Five top tips for an outstanding UCAS form

    Sarah Wright, Edge Hill University As the final UCAS deadline looms in mid-January, it’s understandable to worry that you don’t have time to complete a quality application that will bag you that place on the course of your dreams. But fear not, because here are some tips for putting together a successful, stand out application.…

  • The Victorians gave us the Christmas cracker – but are also to blame for the terrible jokes insid

    Bob Nicholson, Edge Hill University Why is a Christmas pudding like the Atlantic Ocean? Because it is full of currants. Have you heard that one before? It’s the kind of groan-worthy pun that often gets an airing at this time of year. Millions of people in Britain will pull a cracker on Christmas Day, don…

  • Hearing from the experts: giving young offenders a voice

    Last week the Youth Justice Board launched their Young Person Participation Strategy entitled giving young people a voice in youth justice. The strategy outlines the importance of capturing the views and opinions of young people who offend. Also, what is made clear is that children SHOULD have the opportunity to get involved in decisions about…

  • How prevalent is sexual abuse in sport?

    As one of a small number of academics researching sexual abuse in sport, I’ve been asked how widespread this problem is many times since the footballer Andy Woodward broke his silence and told his story of abuse to the national media. But while there is some research that points to the prevalence of sexual abuse…