Displaying items by tag: Children

Thousands of children started school for the first time this week and most settle well into a new routine, but there will be some who do not. Instead, probably on Mondays there will be tears, tummy-aches and tantrums because they are not adjusting well. Children need to feel safe and connected to an adult. Pray for teachers working with reception class children to notice those who are not settling in and make a special effort to reach out to them. Every year thousands of students enrol in higher institutions (universities / colleges) for the first time. Pray for students enrolled far from homes, being independent for the first time without parents or guardians around to assist. Pray that they will be wise in their choice of companions and friends, quickly forming constructive relationships that take them on the paths that God has prepared for them.

Through Africa Renewal Ministries in Uganda abandoned babies, child sponsorship, and children's transition care programmes are bringing hope and renewal to thousands of vulnerable children. Each age-appropriate programme (0-19 years) focuses on discipleship, education, healthcare, and leadership. Participants include Loving Hearts Babies Home, Early Childhood Development Programme, Child Development Programme, Bethany Children's Village, and the Mwangaza Children's Choir.

Little Worship Company is a new project which offers a range of co-viewing products designed to inspire and delight children aged 0 - 7 years, while helping families worship and discover God together. Finding the right resources that will equip children on this important journey to build their relationship with God can be challenging. The company’s beautifully crafted products are designed to support both children and grown-ups, with a range of inspiring and entertaining media, built on a solid Bible curriculum. A 32-lesson pack can be used as individual sessions, or split and delivered over a number of weeks. It is designed to support educators, children’s workers and volunteers in delivering highly engaging, interactive children’s sessions in Sunday schools, family services, or school assemblies.

Since 2012, non-state armed groups in north-east Nigeria have recruited and used children as combatants and non-combatants, raped and forced girls to marry, and committed other grave violations against children. Some of the girls become pregnant in captivity and give birth without any medical care or attention. Recently 894 of these children, including 106 girls, were released from the ranks of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Maiduguri, north-east Nigeria, as part of its commitment to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children. The CJTF is a local militia helping Nigerian security forces fight against insurgency by protecting communities from attack. The children will now be helped to return to normal civilian life and learn vocational skills. Pray for the children who have borne the brunt of this conflict, witnessing killing and violence, resulting in serious implications for their physical and emotional well-being.

Bolivia is a country of breathtaking landscapes, rich traditions, the home of many indigenous people groups, and the largest salt flats in the world. But in the midst of its beauty and diversity, a horrific plague threatens the safety of many children: sexual violence. Getting justice in court takes years; the process is complex, cumbersome and frequently derailed. Sexual predators act with impunity. Young survivors who live in poverty have little hope of finding justice. Courts are backlogged and often lack effective case-management processes. The few cases that move through the system can take years before reaching a sentence. International Justice Mission (IJM) are fighting to change this system and protect children from sexual violence. Last week news came of IJM representing school children and securing eight convictions. Two of the perpetrators were teachers in rural communities, so the families faced strong resistance from the community.

Children should have two measles inoculations to be fully protected, but 527,000 UK children were not given the vaccine between 2010 and 2017. The NHS has warned that measles cases had almost quadrupled in 12 months, and urged families to get vaccinated. One person with measles could infect ninety others who are not immune. Measles is infectious before the rash appears, so you cannot simply 'keep away'. Public Health England said that unimmunised people were in danger of catching the disease while outbreaks continued in Europe. In Greater Manchester, more cases were recorded this year than in 2018 and 2017 combined. NHS chief Simon Stevens warned that ‘vaccination deniers’ gained traction on social media, leading to false information spreading. Matt Hancock, the health secretary, called for legislation to force social media companies to remove content promoting incorrect information about vaccines.

Government funding has not kept pace with the soaring demands of children with special educational needs (SEN). Councils, schools and colleges should work together to support SEN children, but the number of such children has risen by 33% since 2015, whereas central government funding for their support increased by only 7%. On 27 March 2019 councils were told, ‘Special educational needs support is an approach that all schools and colleges must adopt when it is clear that a child or young person needs additional support to learn and achieve.’ Local council elections are on 2 May. May God raise up men and women in the 248 local council elections who have a desire to meet the needs of the vulnerable in our schools and colleges and know how to apply for adequate funding. See

Currently the draft Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Regulation is going through Parliament. Parents opposing the government’s proposals to impose RSE on children as young as four are now joined by Barnabas Fund and others to campaign and raise awareness of the proposals. The UK has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates and teenage abortion rates in Western Europe; epidemic teenage STI; frightening levels of child addiction to pornography; and diagnosable child mental illness. Historically, changes came with the availability of birth control followed by the 1967 Abortion Act. Free love ruled, with skyrocketing teenage pregnancies. The 1993 Education Act ruled that all State schools must include education on AIDs and sexually transmitted diseases. Teaching now emphasises the ‘sexual rights of children’ and tolerance for things that were previously branded perversion. Children are bombarded with information they have no way of processing or assessing for themselves. Please continue to pray into this situation. See https://vfjuk.org.uk/news-updates/individual-rights-and-intolerance/

Children are taught about crossing the road safely. Talking to them about staying safe from sexual abuse is just as easy with the NSPCC’s new PANTS rules. With the help of a friendly dinosaur called Pantosaurus, talking PANTS is a simple way to teach a young child how to stay safe from abuse. The singing dinosaur video and fun activity pack can help parents teach the key messages without using any scary words. There are also PANTS teaching resources for schools and teachers that include lesson plans, class activities, and a catchy song ‘Not in My Pants’. It is not known exactly how many UK children experience abuse, because it is hidden from view. Adults may not recognise the signs, or the child may be too young, too scared or too ashamed to say what is happening. See

21 Yazidis who were held by IS have returned home to Iraq from Syria. Most are children, young boys who were held by IS for five years and whom experts believe were likely to have been forcibly trained in IS military camps. The parents of many of these children remain missing. Yazidis are an ethnic religious group. IS targeted both Christians and Yazidis for genocide, although Yazidis were far more heavily targeted for enslavement and captivity. The effect of IS on the children of both groups is profound. Many suffer deep psychological trauma, and were denied the opportunity of childhood. With an entire generation impacted by genocide, many Christian and Yazidi leaders are concerned about the future. The brutality of IS across both Iraq and Syria has left behind deep scars, and has decimated the religious minorities who once lived in these countries.