Professor Paula Bleckmann on Covid19 in relation to families and children:
Paula Bleckmann and colleagues are publishing a Corona newsletter twice a week with an alliance of 6 German organizations involved in child health. https://www.kinderaerzte-im-netz.de/mediathek/familienzeit-gesund-gestalten/newsletter/
Other articles from Paula Bleckmann: https://www.kinderaerzte-im-netz.de/fileadmin/bilder/A_-_CORONA/Freizeitgestaltung/Newsletter/NL__6_Schule_zu_Hause_-_was_Eltern_wissen_sollten_und_beitragen_koennen_final.pdf
Anticle by Dr. Aric Sigman on the ‘benefits of boredom’
I’ve written an article on the mental health benefits of boredom during lockdown for children, published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (UK) on a Fit and Healthy Childhood of which I’m a Member. I thought your partners may have an interest.
https://fhcappg.org.uk/19-04-20-lockdown-bring-on-the-boredom-dr-aric-sigman-writes/
Dr Aric Sigman – PSHE presentations
Email: aric@aricsigman.com Direct Line: +44 (0)1273 734019 www.aricsigman.com
European Policy Centre (EPC)
EPC Friday Update at 11 a.m. on 8 May.
The Alliance for Childhood European Network Group is a member of the EPC. The EPC ist he leading thinktank in Brussels in various policy areas.
I have received the invitation for the EPC Friday Update and Partners of the AFC-ENG could also register, and in that case you should indicate that you are a Partner of the Alliance for Childhood European Network Group.
For more details see the annex below.
Chiara Piccolo, Intergroup on Children‘s Rights in the European Parliament
The AFC-ENG received a grant from the IONA Foundation and with this money we could employ Chiara Piccolo for one year on a part time basis. The contract ended per 30 April, but Chiara decided to continue to work with us as a volunteer and works also on a business plan for the AFC-ENG in this respect. Her focus will be the Child Rights Action Group (CRAG) in Brussels, the Intergroup on Children‘s Rights in the European Parliament and the Alliance for Investing in Children. The latter group she will do together with Shanti George, who takes care of this group on behalf of the Learning for Well-being Foundation.
The CRAG drafted a policy statement entitled „COVID-19: Call to action to protect vulnerable families and children in alternative care across Europe“. The AFC-ENG will support this initiative, but our partners could do the same. Please let us know if this would be the case.
Chiara and myself participated yesterday in a zoom-meeting of the Intergroup on Children’s Rights of the European Parliament on „The impact of COVID19 outbreak on children and the upcoming EU child rights strategy“ . See the picture of the screen attached and the draft agenda.
This virtual meeting was really an uplifting experience. There were 175 participants all over Europe. Furthermore there was a good cooperation between the Members of the Intergroup and the staff oft he European Commission, e.g. Valeria Setti and Iris Abraham. The latter ist he main author of the Child Rights Strategy of the European Commission that is currently being updated.
This morning both of us also participated in a virtual meeting on Birth registration (see annex) with 270 participants all over the world.
Let me know if you have any questions. Keep safe, with best regards,
Michiel Matthes
Chairman Alliance for Childhood European Network Group