Global Scans · Children · Weekly Summary

DRIVER: 65% of children entering primary schools today will ultimately work in new job types and functions that currently don't exist. And, the pressure to perform and be tech savvy will only increase inexorably. Discover how your children's early lives will change and how you can help them live fruitful and happy lives into adulthood.

• [New] Given the high rates of child poverty in the UK, and the value a decent meal provides, there is evidence that free school meals for all children could provide significant benefits in England. Queen Mary University of London
• [New] Lack of fuel has caused electricity at Al-Helou Maternity Hospital in northern Gaza to cut out several times, shutting off ventilators and oxygen and putting babies' lives at immediate risk. Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
• [New] Fears are that the future of Nigerian children is at risk due to widespread challenges, including poverty, malnutrition, conflict and limited access to education and healthcare. The Nation Newspaper
• [New] Working in over 130 countries, SOS Children's Villages is the world's largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children and young people who do not have, or are at risk of losing, parental care. BusinessMole
• [New] Education: Investment in school and college maintenance will rise to £3 billion annually, transforming learning environments across England and providing safe and high-quality spaces for children and young people, improving educational outcomes and breaking down barriers to opportunity. RailBusinessDaily
• [New] A Russian official stated that about 53,000 children from occupied Ukraine will spend their summer holidays in children's camps throughout occupied Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Institute for the Study of War
• [New] 2.3 million children aged under five in South Sudan face acute malnutrition, with rates increasing rapidly after aid to South Sudan was reduced, warns Save the Children. Martin Plaut
• [New] Children in rural Australia are missing out on critical early health supports, with limited access to allied health services putting them at greater risk of lifelong developmental challenges. Home
• [New] The State of World Population Report 2025 finds that one in five people globally expect not to have the number of children they desire due to the prohibitive cost of parenthood, job insecurity, housing, and other concerns. The Indian Express
• [New] Studies in New Zealand show children born very preterm have up to a three-fold risk of emotional disorders in preschool and by school age. The Conversation
• Over 3.5 million Afghan children under the age of five are currently suffering from acute malnutrition, with 1.4 million at immediate risk of death without medical intervention. Ariana News
• Malnutrition in children is a significant risk factor for child mortality and is a global health problem. Springer Science and Business Media LLC
• The intestinal parasites of dogs have the potential to infect children or the elderly and make humans really sick. DVM 360
• Australia is experiencing its largest whooping cough outbreak in more than 30 years, placing infants and early childhood education and care services at increased risk. The Sector
• While nearly every child in the world is at risk from at least one climate or environmental hazard, the worst affected countries face multiple and often overlapping shocks that threaten to erode development progress and deepen child deprivation. United Nations
• A national group of paediatricians said that they were deeply alarmed by EPA's decision not to finalize the proposed rule to end chlorpyrifos uses on food, saying it puts children at significant risk. TorHoerman Law, LLC
• The House Republicans' proposed tax and spending cuts aim to restrict federal benefits to immigrants but could disproportionately impact millions of legal immigrants and their US citizen children, reducing access to essential supports like food stamps and health care. This Week In Public Health
• British partners may have to care for their children in the UK without the support of their partner, increasing the likelihood that they will become more reliant on benefits. GOV.UK
• Children and young adults entering New Zealand as a result of a non-genuine adoption are at higher risk of sexual abuse, labour exploitation and domestic servitude, as well as reports of physical abuse, neglect and preventing school-age adoptees from participating in education. Otago Daily Times Online News
• 93% of children in Gaza are at risk of famine while humanitarian aid continues to be blocked and disrupted. SenCanada
• To combat the rising health risks associated with excessive sugar consumption among school children, the Central Board of Secondary Education has mandated the establishment of 'sugar boards' in over 24,000 affiliated schools across India. Drishti IAS

Last updated: 26 June 2025