POSTnote
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) refers to education and childcare provided in regulated settings from birth to the start of primary school. This POSTnote summarises the evidence on the association between ECEC and children’s development in England and the key factors that affect this. It also covers the impact of government-funded ECEC places on families and the sector, and stakeholder perspectives on public policy priorities.
POSTnote
Hydrogen could play a significant role in tackling climate change. Using it does not produce carbon dioxide, so it could replace fossil fuels in a range of applications. It may also provide valuable energy storage. However, almost all hydrogen production currently results in greenhouse gas emissions. Methods of producing it that do not emit greenhouse gases would need to increase for it to contribute to climate change mitigation. Governments and industry in the UK and abroad are aiming to increase low-carbon hydrogen supply. The UK Government will publish a Hydrogen Strategy in 2021.
POSTnote
Digital skills are increasingly important for day-to-day life, including for communication, accessing services and employment. However, around a fifth of the population do not have essential digital skills for life as defined by the UK Government. While research suggests the number of people with basic digital skills has increased in recent years, concerns remain about those who lack them. Experts have highlighted that digitally excluded people may experience various negative impacts, including poorer health outcomes and social isolation This POSTnote gives an overview of digital skills in the UK, the impact of a lack of digital skills on outcomes in areas such as employment and health, and initiatives in place to improve digital skills.
Horizon scanning
Experts have helped us find 30 areas of change to help the UK Parliament prepare for the future.
Horizon scanning
COVID-19 has increased demand for research evidence. In response the research and publication processes have sped up. What does this mean for scrutiny?
Horizon scanning
Educational inequalities emerge in early childhood and effects continue throughout a person’s life. How might school closures and disruption widen inequalities?
Horizon scanning
The use of social media raises questions around security, state regulation, privacy, and online safety. How can states balance regulation and personal freedom?
Horizon scanning
Upskilling and retraining adults is key to addressing future challenges and benefits productivity, health and wellbeing, social justice and communities.
Horizon scanning
Political polarisation could affect political participation. How do inequality and socioeconomic factors intersect with extremism?
Horizon scanning
Early education and care can have positive and long-lasting impacts on children’s outcomes. What are the impact of changes in Government policy and COVID-19?
POSTnote
Distance learning is a way of studying without the learner being physically present in a classroom. It can be fully remote or ‘blended’ with in-person learning and is now usually underpinned by the use of digital technologies and resources. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rapid switch to distance learning. This POSTnote provides an overview of current trends in distance learning, evidence on key challenges and opportunities and potential future developments.
Rapid response
How does COVID-19 affect children? Will children be vaccinated against the disease? This article summarises the latest findings from research and highlights where more research can explore some of the remaining uncertainties.
Event report
On 26 January, 2021 POST invited speakers from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Commons Library, to hold a closed briefing on Census 2021. These are the notes from the briefing. As this was a closed event for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, questions and comments during the different rounds of discussion have not been attributed.
Event listing
Join POST and experts from the Office for National Statistics in this closed briefing and discover everything you need to know about the 2021 census. What is the value of census data for parliamentary scrutiny? What research services does it enable? How are the needs of Parliament for social data evolving?
POSTnote
Devices with screens include game consoles, laptops and televisions. Screen use refers to activities undertaken on such devices and the time spent on them. Children’s screen use has increased over the past decade. Policy-makers and parents have expressed concerns about possible effects of screen use on children/young people’s development and health. This POSTnote provides an overview of how children/young people use screens, the opportunities and risks of this use, evidence on the possible effects on health and development, and evidence on ways to support healthy screen use.
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