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Category: Childhood

Needs of children with seriously ill parents are being neglected, says OU report

Needs of children with seriously ill parents are being neglected, says OU report

Lucy is 16, and her Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago. Although she’s got older siblings she is the only child living at home and has ended up taking on some caring responsibilities to help her Mum.  The stress and upset of this family health crisis has caused Lucy to suffer with […]

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The primary school teachers who inspire young readers

The primary school teachers who inspire young readers

Two primary school teachers and a Birmingham based school are being celebrated for their innovation and creativity in encouraging pupils to read for pleasure. Research by The Open University, Egmont and UK Literacy Association reveals the positive impact recreational reading can have on many aspects of a child’s life. This prompted the launch of the […]

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Reading aloud to children: 7 steps to making it magical

Reading aloud to children: 7 steps to making it magical

There is no blueprint for reading aloud, but these simple steps from Professor Teresa Cremin will help you relax and enjoy the special time that is sharing a book with your child.  She says: “Reading aloud not only nurtures children’s pleasure in reading, it offers them models of how a book should sound and feel, […]

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Why child trafficking spikes after natural disasters – and what we can do about it

Why child trafficking spikes after natural disasters – and what we can do about it

When a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in April 2015, it killed well over 8,000 people and turned much of the country into a disaster zone. 17 days later, as recovery operations were getting established, a 7.3 magnitude quake caused further destruction.  In the desolation, chaos and widespread panic that followed, a surge in child […]

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Social worker Emma Govan at The Open University Degree Ceremony at Edinburgh's Usher Hall

‘So proud to be a social worker’

The OU has been training social workers for over 18 years with 300 people graduating in the field each year. To celebrate World Social Work Day today, a social work student and graduate reflect on their journeys into the profession. ‘Passionate about my career’ Emma Govan (pictured above) graduated from the OU in 2014 and has been […]

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Shocked and surprised boy on the internet with laptop computer

7 ways to keep your children safe online

From homework to games, research projects to connecting with friends, the internet’s a huge draw for children and a valuable modern-day resource. It’s also a potentially dangerous place to hang out. But while technology continues to change and evolve, the principles of keeping young people safe are the same online as they are offline. It’s all […]

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The trouble with teenagers: it stems from what they learn about friendship in school

The trouble with teenagers: it stems from what they learn about friendship in school

I visited a Norwegian secondary school a couple of years ago and met a young man who had been identified as having profound and multiple emotional, physical and behavioural difficulties. In the summer, as part of his school day, this teenager would go swimming, cycling and climbing; in the winter, he went skiing. He had […]

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