Source: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published on this website Wednesday 29 January 2026

New advice on using apps and other digital tools to support mental health is being published by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) today (27 January), as part of free online resources developed with NHS England for the public, parents, carers and professionals who use or recommend these tools.  

More people in the UK, particularly young people, are turning to digital tools for mental health support. From symptom-tracking apps to virtual reality therapies, these products are now widely available and often used alongside NHS and community care, but it is not always clear which are reliable, safe or right for an individual. The new guidance aims to help people make more informed choices and know what to do if something doesn’t feel right.

MHRA Chair and professor of primary care at the University of Oxford, Professor Anthony Harnden, said:

“When someone turns to a tool to help with their mental health, they need to know it is safe, effective, and built on reliable evidence. Our aim is to give people clear, practical advice they can use in everyday life, so they understand what good looks like and when to speak up if something doesn’t feel right.

“As a GP, I’ve seen how patients can benefit from accessing digital tools alongside traditional forms of care. This guidance supports better conversations between clinicians and patients and helps everyone ask the right questions about whether a tool is right for them.

“Digital mental health technologies are not a replacement for professional healthcare. Anyone experiencing mental health difficulties should seek support from trained professionals.”

Five things to check before using a digital mental health tool:

1. What is it claiming to do?

Does the product offer general wellbeing support, or does it claim to diagnose, treat or manage a mental health condition? Claims about medical benefit should be clearly explained and supported by evidence.

2. Who is it for?

A tool built for adults may not be suitable for teenagers or children. Age and intended users should be clearly stated.

3. Is there evidence it works?

Trustworthy products will explain how they have been tested or evaluated, for example in a clinical study. Be cautious of products making big promises without clear supporting information.

4. What happens to your data?

These tools often collect very sensitive personal information. You should be able to easily find out how your data is stored and used.

5. Is it is regulated as a medical device?

Some digital mental health technologies are classed as medical devices, for example those claiming to diagnose, treat or manage a mental health condition. These must meet safety standards and display a CE or UKCA mark. People can look for the marking and check whether the product is registered using the MHRA’s online public register. This gives you extra reassurance, as it means it meets UK safety standards, is registered with the MHRA and is monitored once in use.

Not all digital mental health technologies are regulated as medical devices – some are instead classed as wellbeing or lifestyle products. This does not necessarily mean they are unsafe, but they may not have been through the same checks.  

If a regulated digital mental health technology causes harm or distress, you can report concerns to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

What the new resources offer

The new online resources use short animations and real-world examples to show what safe, well-evidenced digital mental health technologies look like in practice, and explain how to report concerns through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme so action can be taken to protect others.

The guidance is aimed at anyone using these technologies, as well as parents and carers, and includes professionals who often recommend them, including teachers, nurses, GPs and mental health practitioners. 

The resources have been developed by the MHRA in partnership with NHS England’s MindEd Technology Enhanced Learning programme as part of a Wellcome-funded project to support the safe and effective use of digital mental health technologies.

Since its start in 2023, the MHRA, in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has focused on proportionate regulation and evaluation in the fast-moving area of digital mental health technologies, working closely with people with lived experience, mental health specialists, developers and international partners.

Source: City of London Police published on this website Monday 26 January 2026 by Jill Powell

The City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud, last week announced the full public launch of Report Fraud - a new national service designed to transform how victims and businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland report cyber crime and fraud, and how law enforcement and industry respond. 
 
Cyber crime and fraud are now the most common crime in the UK, accounting for around 50 per cent of all offences and costing the economy billions of pounds each year. Cyber-enabled crime and fraud continues to grow in both scale and sophistication, targeting individuals, small businesses and major organisations alike. Report Fraud has been created to meet this challenge head-on, providing a single, modern national gateway for reporting and intelligence that will strengthen the collective response of policing, government and the private sector. 

Report Fraud is the most significant evolution of our national capability. It provides, for the first time, a single, modern national reporting, triage and intelligence platform for both cyber crime and fraud, enabling the City of London Police to lead policing’s 4Ps response – pursue, protect, prevent and prepare - at a national level. Through the new service, intelligence will be assessed and disseminated across forces, serious and complex cases will be identified for specialist investigation, and victims will be directed into a consistent national standard of care and support. 
 
The service also reflects the City of London Police’s position at the heart of the UK’s financial centre, with unparalleled access to industry, regulators and international partners. This proximity enables real-time collaboration, faster disruption of criminal networks, and a stronger collective defence of the UK’s economic security, supported by specialist capabilities and training delivered through the force’s Economic and Cyber Crime Academy. 
 
More than just technology, Report Fraud is the result of one of the largest transformation programmes ever undertaken by the City of London Police. Built from the ground up around the victim journey, it brings together the reporting of both cyber crime and fraud in one place for the first time, making it quicker, clearer and more supportive for people and businesses to come forward - and ensuring that every report counts, helping to protect others. 
 
Pete O’Doherty, Commissioner of the City of London Police and the Senior Responsible Officer for delivering Report Fraud, said:

“Cyber crime and fraud are the crimes most likely to affect people in this country, yet too often victims feel unsure where to turn or what will happen if they make a report. These crimes cause more than financial loss and often have devastating impacts on those targeted. We see the true cost of cyber crime and fraud when taking reports from those affected.

“Report Fraud is a landmark step forward. The service puts victims first, gives them a clear national front door to policing, and strengthens our ability, and that of every police force, to identify, disrupt and pursue the criminals behind these offences. This is not just a new service; it is a major upgrade to the UK’s defences against economic crime.” 

Lord Hanson, Fraud Minister said:

“Report Fraud is a critical new tool in our fight against the scammers. It will deliver better support for victims while giving law enforcement the tools to investigate fraudsters’ operations. My thanks go to the City of London Police and all partners for their work to bring this crucial service to life.

“Every fraud report matters - it is the first line of defence for yourself and others. Fraud can target anyone at any time, so we will continue to step up efforts to ensure the UK remains the hardest place for scammers to operate.”

The City of London Corporation has provided significant financial support to the development and launch of Report Fraud, including a £13.2 million contribution. In addition, the organisation will contribute £2.5 million per year towards the ongoing running costs of the service, underlining its long-term commitment to tackling fraud, supporting victims, and strengthening the UK’s economic security. 

To mark the full public launch, a national advertising campaign will run across radio and social channels from week commencing 19 January, featuring the service’s clear new visual identity and explaining the campaign message that ‘Every Report Counts’ by building the best crime intelligence to cut cyber crime and fraud, and stop it impacting other victims.

Please see our campaign hero film here: https://youtu.be/CpZRbpNxCOM

Source: National Crime Agency (NCA) published on this website Wednesday 28 January 2026 by Jill Powell

A man from London, who planned to travel overseas and rape children as young as six, has been jailed for life.

Edward Gratwick, 68, from Mitcham, was arrested at Stansted Airport on 7 March 2025 as he attempted to board a flight to Bucharest, Romania.

He was identified by officers from the National Crime Agency after an overseas law enforcement partner shared intelligence about a UK national, who had been contacting another individual to try to arrange a meeting to sexually abuse a nine-year old girl.

In the online chat, the pair had also been planning to drug the girl with GHB so she would not remember anything.

Officers identified Gratwick and urgently deployed to arrest him when it became known he was flying out of the country. Overseas law enforcement officers had already identified and arrested the other individual, and put in place safeguarding measures for three children.

Following Gratwick’s arrest, officers searched his house and a number of electronic devices were seized. Officers analysed thousands of messages on his phone and identified he was using encrypted applications - including Teleguard, aTox and Session - to communicate online with offenders in the UK, across Europe and around the world. They also discovered he had been sharing extremely graphic sexual messages and indecent images of children.

Within the chat messages, Gratwick was actively discussing child sexual abuse with people who he believed had access to young girls aged between six and ten. He would outline, in explicit detail, how he wanted to sexually abuse them and, in some instances, offered to pay varying sums of money as a fee.

Gratwick made frequent references to drugging his potential victims so they wouldn’t remember anything, suggesting rohypnol and GHB which he described in his messages as “a good rape drug”. When officers searched his house, they found bottles stored in his kitchen fridge which were examined and found to be Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) which is a Class B drug.

During the analysis of his devices, officers found images of these bottles - which he had sent to someone he was communicating with - saying “I'll bring enough GHB so you can have some fun when I'm not there”.

Investigators also recovered a booking for an Airbnb in Bucharest for 7 to 9 March 2025, located in some chat logs between Gratwick and a contact in Romania, who stated they were the mother of a 10-year old girl. The conversations took place between February and March 2025 and contained detailed descriptions of the sexual abuse Gratwick intended to carry out when he arrived in Bucharest.

When Gratwick was stopped at the airport, officers searched his travel bag and recovered various items, including a small child’s sleeveless top, which were mentioned in the chat logs.

Officers discovered more than 1,300 indecent images of children (IIOC) on his devices, including 632 category A images, the most severe.

On 9 March 2025, Gratwick was charged with 11 child sexual abuse offences including 10 charges of arranging the commission of child sex offence, namely the rape of a child under 13 and was remanded into custody. He was subsequently charged with additional offences during his trial.

In October 2025, Gratwick was found guilty of 38 charges including arranging or attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, distributing indecent images of children and possessing indecent images of children.

At Guildford Crown Court today (23 January) Gratwick was jailed for life and told he will serve a minimum of 19 years and 46 days behind bars.

Before sentencing him, Her Honour Judge Harden-Frost said that there was no doubt that Gratwick was responsible for “grave and serious crimes.”

She added the following comments: “The jury saw through your account. You, Mr Gratwick, have been unmasked.”

“What follows can properly be described as the stuff of nightmares.”

“You have been dragged out of the dark web and shone a light on by officers from the NCA and prosecution team.”

“You are manipulative and had the tools to deceive.”

“You are a very high risk to children for as long as you remain alive and in moderate health.”

Danielle Pownall, Senior Investigating Officer at the NCA said:

“The chat logs recovered from Edward Gratwick’s devices are some of the worst seen by specialist child abuse investigators at the NCA.

“Gratwick has continually denied the offences he faced, despite overwhelming and indisputable evidence, and he has shown no remorse for his actions, either throughout his trial or since his conviction.

“We will do everything in our power to safeguard any children from harm, wherever they are. We are grateful for the immediate response and support from UK and international partners during this investigation and work continues to identify any other people Gratwick has been engaging with.”

Source: Ofsted published on this website Thursday 22 January 2026 by Jill Powell

The 4 inspectorates jointly carried out inspections across 6 local authority areas to look at the response to children who are at risk from, or are victims of, domestic abuse. Inspectors considered icti children as victims of domestic abuse if they have seen, heard or experienced the effect of the abuse. But today’s report finds that practice across police, health and social care services in some local areas remains focused on adults’ needs and risks, and is insufficiently focused on the needs and risks of children.

Read the full report: The multi-agency response to children who are victims of domestic abuse

The report also warns of significant variation in how well children’s experiences are captured and how clearly the risk posed by perpetrators of domestic abuse is understood and managed by children’s services, police and probation services. In some local areas, there is insufficient training for professionals, such as the police and social workers, on domestic abuse and its impact on children, and the understanding of coercive control is particularly limited. This means children do not always get the right help and protection at the right time.

Information held by different agencies about children, adult victims and perpetrators is not always systematically shared or drawn together by the network of professionals involved with children. Concerningly, this limits professionals’ ability to form a complete picture of the risks posed to children.

The inspectorates also found examples of excellent practice in some local areas and by individual practitioners. The report highlights strong practice in relation to unborn babies, with midwives demonstrating professional curiosity, awareness and knowledge of the potential risk of domestic abuse. Schools and early years providers were also found to play a critical role in supporting and protecting children.

The report states that the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, with its increased focus on early help, stronger multi-agency responses to child protection, and better information sharing across agencies, is an opportunity to make systemic improvements to protect children.