
The Way in Wolverhampton to help young people break phone habit
Teenager Brennon said socialising again after the pandemic was "like starting from the bottom back to the top"."Everyone you were friends with has probably disbanded during lockdown or you didn't talk to as much, so it changed up," he said.He said he struggled to get out of his room during the pandemic, spending 11 hours a day on his phone "because I had nothing else to do"."I couldn't go outside and do nothing, I just sat in my bed."He started going to the youth club and took up boxing which he said helped with his confidence, self-esteem and health."If I'm just at home and got nothing to do I know three days of the week, I can just come here and just chill and talk to other people," he added.
The Way's head of youth work, Rebecca Bunger, said socialising was "key in the holistic development of our young people".She said the facilities were really important and there should be more clubs available to youngsters."Our young people deserve investment in them to be the people we want them to grow into being," she said."I think that's fundamental, not just for this generation now but the next generation that comes up after them."
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Daily Record
14 hours ago
- Daily Record
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One said; 'Get up, you're coming to school ', but he blanked them. It was as though he blocked it out. 'They used to say, you're going to get them criminal records, you are going to get them fined. 'Do you want your mum and dad to have a criminal record? Do you want them to get fines?' And he'd say 'no, I don't'. 'This went on for about 18 months. I used to say 'is somebody bothering you, are you being bullied?' and he'd just say, 'do you think anybody would bully me? He was very proud'. 'He used to send me all these TikToks of these kids crying in the bedroom, saying, 'they don't understand I can't go to school '. My mum found him crying in his bedroom a week before, and he said: 'I'm trying my best but nobody understands me'. 'I remember him sending me one TikTok and it was a young girl just crying in her bed, it was with music, just crying and just saying in writing, 'They don't understand I can't go to school '.' 'I feel so guilty. We made his life a misery, we had teachers coming into his bedroom and he used to say 'you don't understand I can't go to school '. But I didn't know any different and then found out I wasn't alone and this was happening to 20% of children.' Last Friday, a 15-year-old boy was found guilty of Harvey's murder after a month-long trial. He will be sentenced in October. The jury heard Harvey's teachers describe him as "cheeky" but "respectful". One had even invited him to join her for lunch, but he declined. That same day, he was stabbed twice in the school courtyard. One blow pierced his heart. Days earlier, Harvey had texted his dad after a school lockdown, when he wasn't on site, he wrote: "This is why I don't go to school, dad. People have knives." Tragically, he was murdered on the very day his family finally persuaded him to return. The prosecution told Sheffield Crown Court that in May 2024, Caroline had contacted authorities about her son's worsening behaviour, weight loss and frequent disappearances since September 2023. Richard Thyne KC told the jury: '...Records show that there were some concerns around his mental health. 'His parents had had real difficulties getting him to school - he had sometimes become aggressive with them when they had tried to encourage him to go to school, and - as I have already said - his school attendance record had become poor.' Caroline stressed how her son was very gentle but the only time he got aggressive it was over going to school. 'The only time we argued was about school. It was just a constant battleground,' says Caroline. 'He was never aggressive, just when it was about going to school. We were all so miserable. Harvey wanted to be a bricklayer and had been trying to get a job, He was offered one but was too young. School is not for everyone,' she said. She has since been contacted by parents threatened with prosecution for their child's absence. Parents can be fined £2,500 and jailed for three months. About Harvey's problems, she said: 'I think it's all down to Covid, he was nine years old and went from this tiny school and plonked into this great big school. He had 20 per cent of his childhood taken from him like many kids did. He couldn't go and see his grandparents, go to the park, see his friends, they were just locked up for two years and that's where all this is coming from I think. 'We were just living in this horrible time where I'm trying to get him to school, worried to death about him, and he just won't go to school. It just gradually got worse. 'He had no problems in primary school but then it was Covid and then he was in big school. It's like they came out blinking from Covid and then had this scary big school to go to. Before there was only one class per year and two of his aunties worked there. Then he has to go get tram on his own well with his friends A Department for Education spokesperson said they 'inherited a broken school system' but say the rate of severe absence is slowing. But they agreed there is 'more to do' which is why they are rolling out free breakfast clubs and improving mental health care. "We inherited a broken school system so we are taking decisive action through our Plan for Change to tackle the attendance crisis – and the latest data shows positive green shoots with the biggest year-on-year improvement in attendance in a decade. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. 'We are making huge progress with over 5 million more days in school this year and 140,000 fewer pupils persistently absent, which research shows in time is likely to improve severe absence. 'We know there is more to do which is why we are rolling out free breakfast clubs, improving mental health support, ensuring earlier intervention for children with special educational needs and will set out our vision for the school system in the White Paper later this year.' They said severe absence rate for pupils eligible for Free School Meals have decreased from 3.57% to 3.56%.