Do school smartphone bans actually save schools money?

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Schools spend the equivalent of three full-time staff managing phone use, whether or not students are allowed to have phones in school. This new study asks if banning smartphones actually improves pupils’ wellbeing or saves money for schools.

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Culturally inclusive parenting programme benefits families in deprived urban areas

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This RCT of 674 diverse, disadvantaged parents found that Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities (SFSC) group parenting support improved wellbeing and parent-child relationships at modest cost.

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Metformin reduces weight gain in young people taking antipsychotics

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Large pragmatic trial found metformin plus lifestyle intervention reduced weight gain in young people with bipolar disorder taking antipsychotics. Effect significant but modest at 6 and 24 months.

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Growing up hungry: food insecurity’s lasting impact on eating

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Children who experienced food insecurity in early childhood had higher odds of binge eating and compensatory behaviours in adolescence, even when food insecurity resolved.

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Waiting for CAMHS: worsening symptoms and strained families

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Qualitative study reveals young people on CAMHS waiting lists feel alone and dismissed, with mental health deteriorating while they wait. Communication and interim support urgently needed.

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Synthetic cannabinoids found in 13% of school vapes tested

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13% of vapes confiscated from English schools contained synthetic cannabinoids mis-sold as THC. Refillable vapes and social media platforms enable this dangerous trend.

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Healing takes time: Can cognitive therapy for PTSD help young people in CAMHS? Insights from DECRYPT

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PTSD in young people is common, complex, and often entangled with depression, anxiety, and multiple traumatic experiences. A major new UK trial (DECRYPT) tested whether a structured form of trauma-focused cognitive therapy (CT-PTSD) can work in real CAMHS settings for those with the most severe difficulties.

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Do hobbies protect against adolescent substance misuse? Not so fast…

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A new study claims hobbies reduce substance misuse in adolescents, but are we mistaking correlation for causation? Before we start fiddling with interventions, this blog explores the risks of jumping to conclusions.

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Is intolerance of uncertainty in preschool children a risk factor for later anxiety?

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Do preschoolers who struggle with tolerating uncertainty get more anxious as they grow older? This longitudinal study followed preschool children across three timepoints, and found that the two are strongly related, but the rest of the picture is not as clear cut.

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Mothers and Daughters: stories of growth, connection, and resistance in the face of domestic violence and abuse

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What happens when domestic violence affects not just one person, but two generations at once? This powerful qualitative study explores the stories of mothers and daughters who’ve experienced domestic violence and abuse together; offering insights into trauma, recovery, and relational resilience.

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