bbc analysis is bbc analysis has found 70% of nhs maternity units in england are failing to consistently meet safety standards in part due to a shortage of midwives. staff numbers have risen byjust 7% over the past decade, and 2,500 posts remain vacant. the government says it's increasing training places. our health correspondent, catherine burns, reports from a labour ward and her report shows a baby being born by caesarean section. let's go have a baby! maternity units are places where miracles can happen. where new life begins. hello! congratulations! forfamilies, emotions are at the extremes from fear... i'm nervous and excited at the same time. to sheerjoy and wonderment. i've never seen a baby
hello. congratulations. forfamilies, emotions are at the extremes — from fear... i'm nervous and excited at the same time. ..to sheerjoy and wonderment. i've never seen a baby being born before. it'sjust amazing. for that first precious touch between dad... hello. ..and daughter. she's trying to open her eyes. did you want some more - breast—feeding support from us? for the staff, there's pride. it's such a privilege - to have been able to become a midwife and i really hope it is myjob for life. - but they face real challenges, with some leaving the profession they loved. i miss it, but i also mourn it. so i mourn it because i don't see it improving. j in november, we revealed that 67% of maternity units in england weren't meeting safety standards.
part due to an ongoing shortage of midwives. staff numbers have risen byjust 7% over the past decade, and 2,500 posts remain vacant. the government says it's increasing training places through its nhs long term workforce plan. our health correspondent, catherine burns, reports from a labour ward that's dealing with this problem. her report does show a baby being born by caesarean section. are just going to have a baby! all right, see you. maternity units are places where miracles can happen. where new life begins. hello. congratulations. forfamilies, emotions are at the extremes — from fear... i'm nervous and excited at the same time. ..to sheerjoy and wonderment. i've never seen a baby being born before. it'sjust amazing.
new analysis by the bbc shows 70% of maternity units aren�*t as safe as they should be. one reason is a shortage of staff, with many nhs trusts in england needing an average of 25 more midwives. catherine burns has more, and her report does show a baby being born by caesarean section. let�*s go have a baby! maternity units are places where miracles can happen. where new life begins. hello! congratulations! forfamilies, emotions are at the extremes from fear... i�*m nervous and excited at the same time. to sheerjoy and wonderment. i've never seen a baby being born before. it'sjust amazing. for that first precious touch between dad...
according to a new report. the centre for socialjustice says more support is needed to tackle school absences. our education editor branwen jeffreys has the story. bell rings it's part of the legacy of covid, a broken contract with school for some families. last year almost twice as many children missed 10% of lessons. mental health issues, the cost—of—living crisis aren't helping. this report suggests parents' attitudes have shifted. almost a third agreed the pandemic showed going every day was not essential. to repair the missing link between school and families, it suggests, mental health support for every school, expanding the use of mentors forfamilies, creating a right to sport for secondary pupils, to have five hours of extra activities every week.
mental health issues, the cost—of—living crisis aren't helping. this report suggests parents' attitudes have shifted. almost a third agreed the pandemic showed going every day was not essential. to repair the missing link between school and families, it suggests mental health support for every school, expanding the use of mentors forfamilies, creating a right to sport for secondary pupils, to have five hours of extra activities every week. also looking at how fines are working and investing in youth clubs. some of the solutions can be quite straightforward. it's not necessarily wholesale reform, so i think government needs to think about kind of the wider offer and schools need to be thinking about building a really constructive relationship because parents and schools both have the children's interest front of mind. the government has tried mentoring in a few areas and may extend it.
it's part of the legacy of covid, a broken contract with school for some families. last year, almost twice as many children missed 10% of lessons. mental health issues, the cost—of—living crisis aren't helping. this report suggests parents' attitudes have shifted. almost a third agreed the pandemic showed going every day was not essential. to repair the missing link between school and families, it suggests mental health support for every school, expanding the use of mentors forfamilies, creating a right to sport for secondary pupils, to have five hours of extra activities every week. also looking at how fines are working and investing in youth clubs. some of the solutions can be quite straightforward. it's not necessarily wholesale reform, so i think government needs
says it is not possible to make changes to exams and assessments for only some groups of students. st leonard's catholic school in durham says it's an extremely challenging experience forfamilies, students and staff, and it's in discussions to ensure its students are not disadvantaged. nicola cooke wants special consideration for her son, who has his a—levels coming up at the school. he said to me the other day, oh, mama, i'm kissing my a—stars goodbye. i'm not going to be able to get that now. and i was like, 0k, well, do you still think you'll get the grades that you need to get into your chosen university? and he's like, well, i'm going to try my best. it's frustrating. ijust...i have no answers. i can't solve the problem myself as one parent. none of us can. we need the government to come together and to really understand what the impact of this is. the government says most of the 231 schools confirmed to have raac in england are teaching pupils in person, but that can
teachers assessing students' grades like they did when exams were cancelled because of the pandemic, grades being assessed on a case by case basis, or schools being given a blanket percentage increase on their results. thejoint council for qualifications says exam boards have extended coursework deadlines and england's exams regulator 0fqual says schools should reach out for support. but the department for education said in a statement, "it is not possible to make changes to exams and assessments for only st leonard's catholic school in durham says dealing with raac has been an extremely challenging experience forfamilies, students and staff, and it's in discussions to ensure its students are not disadvantaged. nicola cook wants special consideration for her son, who has his a—levels coming up at the school. he said to me the other day that, "oh, mum, i'm kissing my a—stars goodbye. i'm not going to be able to get that now." it's frustrating. ijust, i have no answers.
in a later statement, it added that it had asked exam boards to agree to coursework extensions where possible. st leonard�*s catholic school in durham says dealing with raac has been an extremely challenging experience forfamilies, students and staff, and it is in discussions to ensure its students are not disadvantaged. nicola cook wants special consideration for her son, who has his a—levels coming up at the school. he said to me the other day that, "oh, mum, i�*m kissing my a—stars goodbye, i�*m not going to be able to get that now." it is frustrating. we need the government to come together and to really understand what the impact of this is. the government says the 231 schools confirmed to have raac in england will get funds for refurbishment or rebuilding, but teaching unions say it should set out a clear timeline for getting things back to normal. hazel shearing, bbc news. it�*s lining up to be a momentous year in politics, with a general election almost