Written evidence submitted by the
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (SMH0155)

What evidence there is on the effects of social media and screen-use on young people’s physical and mental well-being — for better and for worse — and any gaps in the evidence:

We know that social media and the Internet are an ever-growing part of children and young people’s lives. More than one in ten children aged nine and half of 12 year olds have a social media profile[1]. Although evidence has shown links between certain increases in social media use and poorer mental health, it is not clear whether increased use causes poorer mental health. It is possible poorer mental health drives an increase in use of social media[2]. The evidence in this area is not conclusive or robust enough to define the relationship as causal and so the definitive impact of social media and screen use on children’s mental health and wellbeing is unknown. Social media and screen use is just one of many factors that may contribute to a child’s mental health.

A systematic review of the literature on the impact of social media on children and young people’s mental health reported a mixture of positive effects (30% of the literature), mixed/no effects (44%) and risks/negative effects (26%)[3]. “Social Media and Children’s Mental Health: A Review of the Evidence” produced by the Educational Policy Institute also shows mixed effects in terms of evidence – that there are benefits to be gained, but also risks[4]. The Children’s Commissioner report “Life in ‘likes’” focussed on social media use among 8-12 year olds. The report identified the benefits of social media, as children said it made them happy and relaxed. However, it also showed that children are sometimes worried about using social media because of their awareness of dangers they could face online[5]. A study by Andrew Przybylski, experimental psychologist at Oxford University on screen time has shown that there is a point between low and high use of technology that is ‘just right’ for teenagers - their sense of wellbeing is boosted by having ‘moderate’ amounts of screen time[6]. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Children’s Health is considering the evidence around the impact of screen time more broadly on children and young people’s health (both physical and mental) and we understand that they will be publishing this content shortly.

The positive aspects, which can improve the lives of those children and young people suffering with mental health issues, include increased self-esteem and social capital, perceived social support, sources of help and information and opportunity for self-disclosure. The Internet may provide a bridge for vulnerable adolescents, giving them instant access to social networks and providing the anonymity to create or discard identities. In a 2015 study 99% of 13-18 year old respondents reported seeing people posting things online that were supportive, kind or positive, with 46% saying they saw this all or most of the time[7]. Research funded through the Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy showed that three quarters of 21 year olds surveyed who had attempted suicide reported some sort of suicide-related internet use. However, many of these people had used the Internet to seek help.

Negative effects recorded include social isolation, competitive pressures, increased vulnerability, increased exposure to abusive content, increased likelihood of cyberbullying and the risk of grooming for exploitation[8]. The Government’s Internet Safety Strategy is underpinned by a literature review of children’s online activities, risks and safety led by Professor Sonia Livingstone, Professor Julia Davidson and Dr Joanne Bryce on behalf of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) Evidence Group[9].

Cyberbullying is a major concern for children, young people and parents and the review found that estimates of incidence vary between 6-25%+ depending on measures – and that the reasons for victimisation are diverse[10]. Alex Chalk’s recent report on cyberbullying, which was based on a survey of over 1000 children and was carried out in conjunction with Young Minds and the Children’s Society, also showed a number of interesting findings including:

●       an increase in number of ChildLine cases related to cyberbullying by 12%;

●       that children and young people want to see more action from social media companies to tackle reporting;

●       some children are more vulnerable to cyberbullying than others (e.g. children with special needs or children who looked after a family member who has a disability or illness);

●       social media can be a positive intervention as well as negative; and

●       young people can both experience and take part in cyberbullying[11].

In 2017, Przybylski and Bowes published the largest study to date on the prevalence of traditional bullying and cyberbullying.[12]   Of the school pupils surveyed for the study, nearly a third (33,363) reported they had experienced any form of regular bullying in the past couple of months. Cyberbullying most commonly occurred alongside traditional bullying with less than 1% of the total (406) participants reporting that they experienced cyberbullying alone.

Cyberbullying alone creates very few new victims of bullying, instead presenting an avenue for further victimisation of those already suffering from traditional forms of bullying.[13][14]

Findings from the second wave of the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE2) published in 2015 show that 11% of the 11,166 year 10 pupils surveyed reported they had experienced cyberbullying at some point in the previous 12 months[15]. A higher proportion of girls than boys reported experiencing cyberbullying and name calling, including by text message and email as well as exclusion from social groups or activities. A higher proportion of boys than girls report experiencing violence or threats of violence.

DfE also conducts bi-annual Pupils, Parents and Carers’ Omnibus survey. Questions on bullying are included in these surveys, and while they do not include data on cyberbullying, the 2017 omnibus report showed that nearly half of the 1,595 pupils who responded (45 per cent) said they had been bullied at least once or twice in the past year[16]. The most recent report published in 2018, showed that 54% of the 1,504 pupils who responded had missed school once or twice a term and of these 9% said that bullying was the main reason[17].

As with traditional bullying, studies have linked the experience of cyberbullying to a wide range of negative outcomes, including reduced attainment, higher absence rates, increased tobacco, alcohol and drug use, mental health issues, reduced self-esteem, suicidal ideation, and poor physical health (e.g. Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004; Didden et al., 2009; Hinduja & Patchin, 2010; Kowalski & Limber, 2013; Beran & Li, 2005, 2007).[18]

A recent study suggested gender differences in the relationship between interacting on social media and wellbeing. High levels of social media interaction in early adolescence have implications for well-being in later adolescence, particularly for females.[19] The advent of the social media age and the increasing availability of cameras and video cameras on smartphones is a major change in the lives of young people since 2005. As the activities of young people are increasingly photographed, recorded and commented upon, leaving a semi-permanent record for posterity, there is an obvious question as to how this might impact on their involvement in risky behaviours and in their wider attitudes. Concerns about ‘sexting’, for example, relate to non-consensual forwarding of images posted online. This is of particular concern to young people as there is some evidence that girls and boys experience pressure and coercion to engage in this behaviour[20].

The areas that should be the focus of any further research needed, and why:

It is clear, given how recent this topic area is and its constantly evolving nature, that there is a need for further evidence around the impact of social media and screen-use on children’s physical and mental well-being. To better understand the relationship between social media

and the mental health of children and young people up to  25 years, the Chief Medical Officer will lead a systematic review to examine all relevant international research in the

area (as referred to in the Government’s recent Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health). The outcome of this will be useful to inform this work moving forward.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has also commissioned NHS Digital to conduct a children and young people’s mental health prevalence survey which includes questions on social media use and cyberbullying. This will provide detail around what platforms are used, for how long, for what purpose, and how using them makes users feel. This will be published in the autumn and help to inform evidence-based policy making.

DHSC and the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) have jointly convened a working group with social media and tech companies to progress work on children and young people’s wellbeing, aligning with DCMS’ Internet Safety Strategy.

The UKCCIS Evidence Group’s literature review of children’s online activities, risks and safety found that a large proportion of cyberbullying and online harassment is focused on specific identity-related characteristics. Further research is required to examine the motivations behind such behaviour and educational strategies to challenge related attitudes in the UK[21].

For areas such as mental health impacts and cyberbullying which have “offline counterparts” more research has been conducted, whereas the insights into relatively new phenomena such as hate content online and sexting are limited. The review identified the following areas as requiring further research in order to develop greater understanding of the prevalence, experiences and consequences of sexting and sexual harassment among young people in the UK:

●       variations in prevalence by age and gender 

●       gendered perceptions, dynamics and impacts 

●       relationship contexts of sexual content production and sharing, both positive and negative.

●       prevalence, dynamics and impacts of online sexual harassment in different groups of children and young people (e.g., age, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation)

●       the relationship between online (and offline) sexual harassment, physical violence and sexual exploitation by peers and adults

●       effective educational resources for all stakeholders to challenge this behaviour and its perceived normalisation in the online environment.

Due to the absence of large scale studies, it is difficult to estimate the prevalence of cyber grooming, revenge pornography and personal data exploitation on social media. As part of the Internet Safety Strategy, DCMS are carrying out a rapid evidence review on trolling due for publication later this year, and have committed to undertake further research on internet safety.

The well-being benefits from social media usage, including for example any apps that provide mental-health benefits to users:

As set out at the start of this written evidence, research shows that moderate use of social media usage is associated with higher levels of well-being in young people.[22] In 2017 the Education Policy Institute found evidence of a beneficial impact of social media on young people’s emotional wellbeing: ‘because young people can connect with others to improve their social skills online, develop their character and resilience, and collaborate on school projects. Importantly, those with mental health problems are also able to seek support on the Internet, either through social media networks or through the online provision of advice and counselling support.’[23]

There is evidence that specific online communities can experience positive benefits from social media use. Alex Chalk MP’s Inquiry on Cyberbullying received evidence which showed that young people with disabilities and communication needs (such as special educational needs) are able to find friendship and support on social media, particularly as they can connect with people who have similar experiences[24]. Likewise, social media can offer great support to children and young people who are going through difficulties as a result of poor mental health or who are questioning aspects of their identity such as gender and sexuality.

NHS Digital has produced an apps library which brings together a number of digital tools to help improve health (for all ages), including apps targeted at mental health and wellbeing[25]. These tools undergo testing to ensure that they meet a high standard of quality, safety and effectiveness and where there is sufficient evidence for clinical outcomes they will be labelled as ‘approved for use in the NHS’. Over time more tools will be added to the library to cover many more health needs and continue to drive up quality. The library is currently in beta phase, and when live, people will be directed to the most appropriate apps for them via NHS.uk and NHS online. DHSC are considering how best to promote the apps library and how apps could be classified by age to ensure that children only use tools which are appropriate for them.

In addition, the Government has funded the development of MindEd, a free online resource that allows all those working with children and young people to benefit from training and information on a range of mental health issues, and MindEd for families, a similar tool for parents. DfE is also revising its Mental Health and Behaviour advice guidance, which provides teachers with the information and tools they need to identify pupils who need help, and to provide effective and early support.

The physical/mental harms from social media use and screen-use, including: safety online risks, the extent of any addictive behaviour, and aspects of social media/apps which magnify such addictive behaviour:

In terms of mental harms from social media, as set out above, we do not consider there to be full conclusive evidence. The upcoming review from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Children’s Health will provide further information about mental and physical health impacts.

There is currently no formal position from the World Health Organization or the American Psychiatric Institute that people can be addicted to social media due to a lack of evidence.

Gaming

In 2013, internet gaming disorder was included by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition. The World Health Organisation is currently consulting on the entire latest draft of the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and we understand there are plans to include gaming disorder within the ICD-11. For gaming disorder to be diagnosed, the behaviour pattern must be of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months.

Gambling

The Gambling Commission published its annual Young People and Gambling report in December 2017[26]. Due to small sample sizes and changes in the population surveyed, the 0.9% considered problem gamblers is not a statistically significant change from 2016, which found a rate of 0.4%. It is important to note that this survey covered all types of gambling, and these figures do not relate to online gambling in particular.

The survey found that the majority (70%) of young people had seen gambling advertisements on social media, compared with 80% who had ever seen gambling advertisements on TV. The most common way of playing an online gambling-style game was using an app on a smartphone or tablet. Social networking sites such as Facebook were the second most common method of play (28%), followed by free demo games on gambling websites (17%) and other websites (20%). One in ten (10%) followed gambling companies on social media, with the most popular individual sites for this being Facebook (5%), YouTube (4%), and Instagram (4%). The survey also found that 22% of 11-16 year olds who have ever played online gambling-style games follow gambling companies on social media, compared to 8% amongst those who have never played online gambling-style games.

However there was little evidence of advertising and social media having a direct influence on gambling activity. Only 1% of young people in the Gambling Commission’s survey said advertising prompted them to start gambling or increase the amount they gamble. Young people who had played online gambling-style games, who follow gambling companies on social media or who had seen gambling advertising were also among the groups more likely to be aware of gambling ‘help’ organisations.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has recently made clear in a ruling[27] that social media companies must use the data they have on customers’ interests, not just their declared age at sign up, to target age-restricted products away from children.

Any measures being used, or needed, to mitigate any potential harmful effects of excessive screen-use — what solutions are being used?:

The Children’s Commissioner’s Digital 5-a-day campaign aims to give parents and children practical steps to achieving a healthy digital diet and is based on NHS’ five steps to mental health and wellbeing[28][29]. The steps are: connect, be active, get creative, give to others and be mindful.

Public Health England have created the Rise Above programme to help young people build resilience and cope with the challenges life throws at them[30]. Rise Above aims to delay and prevent young people aged 11-16 from engaging in exploratory risk behaviours (smoking, drinking alcohol, substance misuse and risky sexual practices). By tackling multiple behaviours, it aims to build and improve the all-round resilience and well-being of young people so they are able to avoid risky behaviours. This includes delivering engaging content which aims to promote good mental health and prevent issues such as online stress or concerns about body image and encourage good sleeping habits, with a particular focus on issues caused by young people’s social media consumption.

There is evidence that social media use among young people can potentially damage their body image and attract those already at risk on developing eating disorders.[31][32] 14% of children reported seeing pro-anorexia content online in 2013, up from 8% in 2010.[33]

In September 2017, Rise Above for Schools was launched. It provides PSHE resources to support secondary school teachers when promoting positive health, wellbeing and resilience amongst young people aged 11 – 16[34].

The Local Democracy Think Tank survey suggested that parents can use a range of approaches to manage their children’s internet use from ‘restrictions (including time limits or banning certain sites); monitoring their child’s activity; or talking to their children about some of the risks involved with the Internet and teaching them appropriate digital skills’.[35] There are currently a range of technological solutions available to parents to control the use of devices and applications by children and young people. For example, Microsoft allows parents to set daily and weekly usage limits on both the Xbox 360 console itself and content on Xbox Live. While the iPad’s ‘Guided Access’ limits the time individuals can access any given app. Google’s Family Link enables parents to create a Google account for their children under 13 and parents can use the app to manage aspects of the account and their child’s single device. Government are aware market solutions on age verification of under-13’s are in development by a number of companies.

Gambling

The Gambling Commission monitor participation in online gambling-style games. The Commission published a position paper which covered social gaming in March 2017 which concluded that there is no compelling reason to impose additional gambling regulation on the social gaming sector given that it is subject to extensive consumer protection legislation.[36]

The extent of awareness of any risks, and how awareness could be increased for particular groups — children, schools, social media companies, Government, etc:

Government is aware of the potential negative risks to children’s mental health that increased social media use can pose (whilst remaining mindful of inconclusive evidence in this area). These potential risks include social isolation, competitive pressures, increased vulnerability, increased exposure to abusive content, increased likelihood of cyberbullying and the risk of grooming for exploitation. In order to help tackle these risks, we recently published the Internet Safety Strategy Green Paper and the potential harms of social media were referred to in DHSC and DfE’s recent Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health. The latter Green Paper also announced the report previously referred to that the  Chief Medical Officer will produce, which will be supported by an evidence review to improve our understanding of the relationship between social media and children and young people’s mental health.

We are also considering how best to improve awareness of online risks amongst children and young people through school curriculum and improved support available for parents.

There are many tools which exist that can improve children’s safety online and help parents to enforce boundaries around their children’s use of social media and screen-time. These include router level filters provided by Internet Service Providers and the parental tools offered by Google Family Link, Amazon Fire and walled versions such as YouTube Kids. There are also a number of 3rd sector information sources available to parents including NSPCC’s NetAware site - a guide for parents to the social networks their children use. However we are clear that more needs to be done to raise awareness to these tools. DCMS will be considering options on how best to do this, working with tech companies, charities to provide advice for parents.

As part of government’s Internet Safety Strategy, UKCCIS will undertake a review of available online safety information available to parents and identify gaps in resources.

More recently, social media companies and device providers have engaged publicly on wellness issues. Facebook made a statement on the mental health implications of ‘passive’ use of the platform in December 2017. Facebook has developed a suite of tools and resources around self-injury and suicide. Google links those searching for information on suicide to the Samaritans helpline. There are a number of partnership projects in this research area, including NSPCC, Facebook and Instagram’s pilot as part of the Royal Foundation’s Taskforce on the Prevention of Cyberbullying. The scheme will evaluate the signposting to, and provision of, emotional support including self-help content, on a dedicated platform which will provide access to one-to-one counselling.

The Communications Act 2003 placed a responsibility on Ofcom to promote, and to carry out research in, media literacy. Ofcom’s annual Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report examines children’s media literacy, provides detailed evidence on media use, attitudes and understanding among children and young people aged 5-15, as well as about the media access and use of young children aged 3-4.[37] The report is a reference for industry, stakeholders and consumers.

Online safety in schools

Keeping Children Safe in Education[38] (KCSIE) is statutory guidance that schools and colleges must have regard to in their approach to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The guidance sets out that all staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn.

The guidance is clear that schools and colleges should safeguard their pupils from potentially harmful and inappropriate online material. As such, they should ensure appropriate filters and monitoring systems are in place to limit children’s exposure to the above risks from the school or college’s IT system. While the choice of system to use is rightly a matter for individual schools and colleges, DfE have worked with the UK Safer Internet Centre to provide guidance on what ‘appropriate’ might look like.

The guidance is clear that while children should be protected, it is important that schools and colleges should be careful that “over blocking” does not lead to unreasonable restrictions in terms of what children can be taught.

DfE recently consulted on revising KCSIE. The consultation asked schools and colleges what additional support or information would help them keep their pupils safe online. The Department expect revised guidance to commence in September 2018.

UK Council for Child Internet Safety

The UKCCIS education working group focuses on how schools and colleges in the UK are responding to the challenges of keeping their pupils safe online and the role that UKCCIS can play in supporting them. DfE play an active role in the group. Achievements to date include:

●       Publication of the Connected World framework aimed at helping teachers understand how to develop children’s online skills[39].

●       Advice on sexting for schools and colleges in England[40];

●       Advice for governing bodies on the questions they should be asking to ensure their school leaders are keeping children safe online[41];

●       Social media advice for parents[42];

●       A practical guide for providers of social media[43].

Support in the curriculum

Computing curriculum and computer science GCSE and A level

The Government has introduced computing as a statutory National Curriculum subject at Key Stages one to four. The National Curriculum is compulsory in maintained schools and can be used as a benchmark for academies and free schools. The new computing curriculum, introduced in 2014, includes e-safety content in all four Key Stages. The content was developed with input from e-safety experts including Childnet, NSPCC and the UK Safer Internet Centre. Including e-safety in Key Stages one and two reflects the fact that children are increasingly using the internet from a young age, and intends to teach pupils how to stay safe online. 

The Government has also reformed the GCSE and A level in computer science, with the new qualifications introduced in 2016 and 2015 respectively. The new GCSE requires students to understand the ethical, legal and environmental effects of digital technology on wider society, including issues of privacy. The new A level requires students to understand the individual (moral), social (ethical), legal and cultural opportunities and risks of digital technology.

In the Budget 2017, the Government announced £84m of new funding over the next four academic years. This money will fund a programme to improve the teaching of the computing curriculum and computer science GCSEs and A levels. This will include a new National Centre for Computing Education, which will establish a network to provide support, training and resources to computing teachers in primary and secondary schools.

Cyberbullying

DfE guidance to schools on how to prevent and tackle bullying provides links to organisations that can provide schools with support on a range of different types of bullying. This was last updated in July 2017.

The Government Equalities Office also funded the UK Safer Internet Centre to develop cyberbullying guidance for schools and an online safety toolkit to help schools deliver sessions about cyberbullying, peer pressure and sexting.

DfE are providing £1.75m of funding, over two years, for four anti-bullying organisations (the Diana Award, Internet Matters, Anti-bullying Alliance and the Anne Frank Trust) to support schools to tackle bullying. This funding includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups in school and on-line, such as those with SEND and those who are victims of hate related bullying, along with a project to report bullying online.

Specific work to tackle cyberbullying supported by this funding includes the Diana Award developing a dedicated anti-cyberbullying toolkit with support from social media platforms including Facebook and Snapchat. The organisation Internet Matters has worked to support the reporting of cyberbullying by schools, with the award-winning tootoot online platform at its core.

PSHE and RSE

The Government wants to help schools deliver high-quality Relationships Education (in primary schools) and Relationships and Sex Education (in secondary schools) as well as high quality Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE). This aims to ensure pupils are taught about healthy and respectful relationships, staying safe on-line and the knowledge required to prepare for adult life.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 requires the Education Secretary to make Relationships Education mandatory in all primary schools, and RSE mandatory in all secondary schools through regulations. The Act also provides for a power to make PSHE mandatory in all schools, subject to careful consideration.

DfE is conducting a thorough engagement process on the scope and content of Relationships Education and RSE, and on the future status of PSHE. This has included hosting a roundtable on internet safety with sector experts.

Teaching online safety is often included in PSHE. The Department are working across Government on measures to improve online safety for young people that may be taught through relationships education and relationships and sex education.

Any work will be designed to complement the National Curriculum for computing which already covers e-safety from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 4.

Company programmes

●       Google’s Be Internet Citizens is a new education programme designed to teach media literacy, critical thinking and digital citizenship, and seeks to encourage secondary school children in the UK (13 - 15 year olds) to be positive voices online while increasing their resilience to hate and extremism

●       In February 2016, Google introduced Internet Legends as a way to educate primary school children in the UK on online safety. The Legends website includes lessons plans for teachers and sets out a code for parents and teachers to discuss with children.

●       Facebook has partnered with Childnet International and The Diana Award to offer digital safety ambassadors to every UK secondary school.

What monitoring is needed, and by whom:

The UK Government is making important progress in tackling online safety issues through the Digital Charter, which was announced in the Queen’s Speech.[44] Its core purpose is to make the Internet work for everyone – for citizens, businesses and society as a whole. The Charter is guided by a number of principles, including that the same rights that people have offline must be protected online and that protections should be in place to help keep people safe online, especially children.

The Internet Safety Strategy Green Paper, which is part of the Digital Charter was published on 11 October.[45] In her speech on 6 February, the Prime Minister confirmed that we will publish the Government response to the Strategy consultation in the spring. The Internet Safety Strategy sets out Government’s plans to realise the ambition to make the UK the safest place to be online. We will work collaboratively with industry, charities and communities, to keep citizens safe online. The strategy is underpinned by three key principles: what is unacceptable offline should be unacceptable online; all users should be empowered to manage online risks and stay safe and technology companies have a responsibility to their users.

UKCCIS

Since 2010, UKCCIS has brought together organisations drawn from across government, industry, law, academia and charity sectors that work in partnership to help keep children safe online. UKCCIS has over 200 associate members. It works to share responsibility for online safety across all sectors while ensuring their buy-in. The Strategy acknowledges the pioneering role that the UKCCIS has played in promoting and championing improvements to child online safety in the UK. We plan to build on and augment the work of the Council and widen its scope to all internet users.

We have proposed a number of governance changes to improve its accountability, strategic direction and responsiveness to the rapidly changing online landscape. We are considering the role which the working groups undertake to ensure that we have flexibility to quickly respond to new issues. We are commissioning UKCCIS to undertake a review of available online safety information and identify gaps in resources.
 

Whole school approach

All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all bullying amongst pupils. Schools can develop their own anti-bullying strategies but they are held to account for their effectiveness by Ofsted. School behaviour policies should set out clearly what is expected of pupils, the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour and rewards for good behaviour.

Schools can ban or limit the use of mobiles and other electronic devices in school. They can search for prohibited items, such as mobile phones.  They can also search for, and in certain circumstances they can delete, inappropriate images (or files) on all electronic devices.

Teachers can discipline pupils for bullying, including cyberbullying, that occurs outside of school. Where bullying outside of school is reported to teachers, it should be investigated and acted on.

Mental health support

Evidence[46] clearly shows that schools and colleges can, and do, play a vital role in identifying mental health needs at an early stage and building resilience amongst their pupils. Last year the Prime Minister announced changes to improve children and young people’s mental health. The announcement included offering every school, mental health awareness training to help teachers identify and support pupils with mental health issues, and pilots to develop practice and evidence on what works in promoting good mental wellbeing, putting peer support schemes in place and developing joint working with specialist mental health services.

On 4th December 2017 the Government published the Green Paper Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health which proposed a new collaborative approach between education and health with three main components:

●       Incentivising every school and college to identify and train a Designated Senior Lead for Mental Health to oversee the school or college’s approach to mental health and wellbeing.  The Government proposes to make funding available from 2019 to schools and colleges for a suitable range of training. 

●       Establishing new Mental Health Support Teams linked to groups of schools and colleges, and supervised by NHS children and young people’s mental health staff. These teams will provide new capacity to meet the needs of children and young people with mild to moderate mental health issues and a link to specialist NHS services for those who require it.

●       DHSC will trial a four-week waiting time standard for children and young people’s mental health services. This builds on the programme of expansion of services to 2020/21 that is already underway.

The public consultation on the Green Paper closed on 2nd March. We are currently considering responses to the consultation and will publish a formal response in due course.

What measures, controls or regulation are needed:

In the Internet Safety Strategy Green Paper Government sets out how we will work with industry to make online environments safer for all users. The actions put forward for companies include:

●       A code of practice to ensure that providers offer adequate online safety policies, as laid out in the Digital Economy Act 2017, introduce minimum standards and metrics and ensure regular review and monitoring. The Act requires that the code addresses conduct that involves bullying or insulting an individual online, or other behaviour likely to intimidate or humiliate the individual.

●       An internet safety transparency report which will include common metrics to enable benchmarking of companies. This information will be valuable in understanding harmful content and conduct online and will help to underpin any future policy interventions in this area. This report will also help users understand more about where abuse is taking place online.

●       Embedding the principle of ‘Think safety first’ into the development of new technology though encouraging start-ups to build safety into their products from the very earliest stages of their development.

Where responsibility and accountability should lie for such measures:

Some companies have already invested heavily to improve the online safety of their users, including through supporting end-user and civil society groups. However, as outlined in the Conservative manifesto, we will consider further steps that may be required to continue to develop and uphold a robust regulatory environment that both supports digital service providers and delivers improved protection to users. Legislation may be taken forward as part of the Digital Charter.

April 2018