APPG Headlines 2020-21

In 2020-21 - finally -  the political situation settled down. There were no elections! The APPG was able to get down to business properly and arranged… Then Covid-19 happened.

• An event on the Online Harms Bill planned for March had to be cancelled due to lockdown. It was quickly turned into a report: Children and Online Pornography and the group continued to ask questions and raise concerns regarding the immediate online protection of children.
• An event planned with BFI to celebrate Children’s TV had to be cancelled. Nevertheless, the APPG followed the progress of the BFI’s Young Audience’s Content Fund and the secretariat (CMF) reports regularly to the APPG parliamentary  members via the now well-0established newsletter.
• While children’s media and arts probably seemed trivial to many against the backdrop of a pandemic. However, the lockdowns and ensuing disruptions serve to spotlight just how important children’s media and arts are in their lives: as an integral part of delivering the school curriculum, providing well balanced and age-appropriate information, making connections with friends and helping them offload and have fun.
• The APPG regular newsletters kept the group informed of these things and allowed them to intervene as appropriate.