Author Archives: HM Government

Thousands of teenagers will receive additional support to improve their mental health as part of a new youth initiative, the Prime Minister announced on 17 August.

On A Level results day, Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled a new course is to be developed by National Citizen Service (NCS), to raise awareness of mental health among young people and improve their knowledge of how to get help.

Mental health issues disproportionately affect young people, with over half of mental health problems starting by the age of 14 and 75 per cent by the age of 18.

The course will be developed with mental health experts and NCS graduates and be delivered as part of the organisation’s programme to prepare young people for the challenges of adult life and work.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

Mental health issues can have a devastating effect on young lives and that’s why making sure young people are fully supported both inside and outside of the classroom is a key priority for me.

It is not only the pressures of school and exams, though that is in the front of our minds today, but also self-esteem issues, struggles with home life or friendships, and getting into university or finding a job that can all affect mental wellbeing.

We know that early intervention, along with giving young people the confidence to access support, is key – that’s where NCS plays such a vital role. NCS helps young people forge friendships across social divides and enhance their confidence and self-esteem.

This excellent enhancement to the NCS programme will build on the work we are already doing in schools and ensure young people get the knowledge and help they need.

The package of measures delivered by NCS will include:

• a dedicated mental health awareness course for teenagers talking part in NCS
• new mental health training for more than 10,000 frontline NCS staff to improve support to young people
• a new network of young NCS graduates to champion mental health awareness

Michael Lynas, chief executive of NCS, said:

NCS brings young people from all backgrounds together for a shared experience that changes their lives for good.

By experiencing the great outdoors, building new friendships and serving their community these young people not only build important skills for life and work, they also improve their health and wellbeing.

As our country’s flagship programme for sixteen year olds, we know just how important the issue of mental health is to this age group and we hope this initiative will help the next generation to live healthier and happier lives.

On 17th August, the Prime Minister met young people who are benefitting from the NCS programme as well as graduates of the scheme and staff.

The new mental health initiative being delivered by NCS, which is fully funded by the government, builds further on the Prime Minister’s existing commitment to improve mental health training within schools.

The first training sessions for secondary school teachers and staff on how to identify and respond to the early signs of mental health problems began in June. All secondary schools will be offered this training by 2020, and all primary schools by 2022.

In 2017 more than 100,000 young people will take part in an NCS programme. Independent evaluations of NCS have shown it has positive impacts on young people’s confidence as well as their mental wellbeing.

read more

Traffic officers will be at the three-day event next week, organised by BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans in aid of Children in Need, to run a kids’ driving school.

Motorists heading off on long journeys and holidays this summer are being urged to make sure their vehicles are ready for the road in a bid to cut the number of breakdowns.

And Highways England will be challenging both children and their parents at CarFest South to learn what vehicle checks need to be completed before they go on long journeys, to keep them safe.

Highways England chief highways engineer, Mike Wilson, said:

We’re delighted to be supporting the kids’ driving school at this year’s CarFest South event.

It will be a great opportunity for families to meet our traffic officers who provide vital support to the travelling public, keeping our network moving and our customers safe.

We’re also asking motorists heading off on holiday this summer to get their vehicles ready for the road in a bid to cut the number of breakdowns by undertaking a few simple checks focusing on tyres, fuel, water and engine oil.

CarFest South takes place at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire from 25th to 27th August. The brainchild of Chris Evans, it combines cars, food, live music and family entertainment and, in the last five years, the annual events have raised £7.4 million for BBC Children in Need.

Highways England has produced five short instructional videos on how to check tyre pressure, tyre tread, oil and water levels and lights to help prevent needless breakdowns and cut the unnecessary delays they cause.

Almost half of all breakdowns are caused by simple mechanical problems which could be avoided with simple checks and nearly a quarter are caused by tyre problems.

Meanwhile, around 22 motorists broke down each day during July and August last year because they had run out of fuel.

The videos cover:

• checking tyres – prior to setting off on a long/significant journey, check your tyre pressure and the condition of your tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear and make sure the tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit
• checking engine oil – use your dipstick to check oil before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual
• checking water – to ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen
• checking lights – if your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MOT
• checking fuel – before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination.

For more detailed information on how to carry out your vehicle checks, visit the Think campaign page.

Those wishing to find out more about driving on smart motorways can head to guidance on GOV.UK.

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

read more

A Foreign Office spokesman said: Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible attacks and the people of Spain. We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help. We have … read more

Flags on Whitehall government buildings will fly at half-mast on Friday 18 August 2017, as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives and all others that were affected by the attacks in Barcelona on Thursday. Other organisations and local authori… read more