Victoria Simms (@ProfVicSimms)

I am seeing this incredibly small scale study gaining huge traction in social media. Sometimes can’t be bothered even commenting- BUT when your UG students can poke so many holes- you’ve got to say - CORRELATION, look at the language scores, sample size- le sigh

Camus Verified account @newstart_2024 Apr 29

This MRI study on young kids just exposed something terrifying:

They scanned the brains of 60 children aged 3–5 — including 5-year-old Rose — and found interactive screen time is causing measurable loss of white matter in their developing brains. Even just 2 hours a day is linked to impaired neural connectivity, language, and literacy development.

Professor Mike Nagel (neuroscientist and father) said his first reaction was simply: “Wow… I was not anticipating seeing anything like that.”

We’re physically changing children’s brains before they even start school — and the damage is visible on scans.

This one actually unsettled me. I’ve always suspected too much screen time was bad, but seeing real white matter loss in toddlers hits different.

Parents of little ones — has this kind of research changed how much screen time you allow?

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Victoria Simms @ProfVicSimms Apr 30

Study that has been critiqued over and over again rears its head (from 2020).

Matt Walsh Verified account @MattWalshBlog Apr 29

Obviously giving a tablet to a 4 year old is total madness. There is no upside for the child. It’s all downside. Parents do it for one reason and one reason only. To keep their kids quiet and docile so that they (the parents) can spend more time on their own devices.
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Victoria Simms @ProfVicSimms Mar 28

I listened to this carefully. And thought about not commenting, because this is a product of working in a misogynistic environment. It’s not normal. Im fed up in NI being shouted down because, I believe, I’m a women. Don’t explain it out.

BBC The View @bbctheview Mar 26

"People call out misogyny when they're not getting their own way" @DianeForsytheNI on what is or isn't "genuine" misogyny in politics

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Victoria Simms @ProfVicSimms Mar 27

Not trying to be cynical. But why did this even make this to this stage at all for a prompt major u turn? I feel there is a real level of cruelty here- that deserves an official apology to parents and children. @naomi_long @paulgivan @Education_NI

Victoria Simms @ProfVicSimms Mar 27

The irony of reading a brilliant final PhD chapter by Kaia Chambers this morning- based on direct reports from children with #downsyndrome and their families- emphasising the importance of these types of activities for their wellbeing. How can this be pulled? @Ed_Authority
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Victoria Simms @ProfVicSimms Mar 27

The irony of reading a brilliant final PhD chapter by Kaia Chambers this morning- based on direct reports from children with #downsyndrome and their families- emphasising the importance of these types of activities for their wellbeing. How can this be pulled? @Ed_Authority

Education Authority Verified account @Ed_Authority Mar 26

Statement on summer schemes at special schools

Summer schemes at NI special schools will not take place this year, due to concerns about the adequacy of health care provision for vulnerable participating children.

This decision has been taken solely on safety grounds. We deeply regret it and fully understand that it will be very distressing for children and parents.

The Education Authority has engaged repeatedly with the Department of Health (DOH) over several months in an attempt to avoid this situation.

We have made clear that on-site nursing cover at the summer schemes would be required to enable them to be safely held this year.

The Department of Health has confirmed this week that this would not be available. On that basis, only one decision can be responsibly made for this summer.

We acknowledge the pressures facing health service colleagues. We will continue to engage with them to resolve the underlying and long-standing issue of health care provision for special school pupils.

Our firm view is that consistent provincewide and year-round nurse-led provision for all special schools is required. Its current absence – in the context of greater complexity of health needs - has created growing pressures and concerns for the welfare of children in term time.

The risks are much greater in the summer months when there is inevitably reduced staffing availability for summer schemes, with the schools themselves being closed.

Pending the establishment of a permanent year-round nurse-led service, this year’s summer schemes could only safely proceed with the short-term measure of on-site nursing cover. That has now been ruled out by health service colleagues.

We will continue to work with DoH and the wider HSC system to secure permanent nurse-led cover for schools. Our absolute priority must continue to be the welfare and safety of children and young people in our care.

The following factors help set the context for the decision announced today:

📌The complexity of health needs for children and young people in special schools has increased while health service provision for schools has been reduced.

📌 Health care issues for special schools include nurse-led health care cover, as well as training and oversight for school staff with health-related responsibilities for pupils - including tasks like epilepsy rescue medication, diabetes care, supporting children with tracheotomy and so on. Greater assurance is needed that assistants have delegated authority from the health service for these tasks and responsibilities.

📌 Health provision concerns and risks are heightened for summer schemes, as scheme staff will not be as familiar as term time school staff with the individual children and their needs. Long-standing staffing and governance challenges for special school summer schemes therefore compound the potential health risks.

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Victoria Simms

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