Daily roundup 11 December: Adoptions, child abuse, and council housing

Adoptions by same-sex couples accounted for 8.4 per cent of all adoptions in England in 2015, latest Department for Education data shows. The figure, which accounts for 450 adopted children, is more than double the rate of adoptions by same-sex couples in 2010, when it was less than four per cent. The data also shows that the proportion of married adopters fell from 80 to 74 per cent between 2011 and 2015.


Teachers, carers and government officials are among nearly 700 people arrested over child abuse images in the past nine months, according to latest figures. Around one in seven of those held was employed in, or volunteered in, a "position of trust, while others had jobs in the medical and care professions, the Daily Mail reports. A total of 682 people were arrested on suspicion of accessing indecent images of children as part of co-ordinated activity by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and 40 police forces across the country.


Children whose parents die could be stripped of the right to stay indefinitely in their family council home. An amendment to the government’s housing and planning bill will end security of tenure for all new council tenants – but also for people whose family members die. It will seen an end to existing rules that allow council tenancies to be passed to children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents and siblings upon the death of a tenant, reports the Independent.


An expansion of specialist courts aimed at helping tackle offenders' underlying problems, such as drug and alcohol addiction, could be backed by ministers. The Times reports that the the idea of “problem-solving courts” is "gaining ground" at the Ministry of Justice. Specialist courts have been used as an alternative to prison for young people with substance misuse problems, and as a way of helping parents at risk of having children taken into care because of their addictions.


A local health watchdog has called for more to be done to support young people with mental health problems. A report by Healthwatch Enfield highlighted long waiting lists to access youth mental health services and lack of information about them. It also found young people do not feel comfortable speaking to their families or teachers about mental health issues, reports the Enfield Independent.


The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has launched its annual survey of childcare providers. Closing date for the survey, which is open to providers across England, Scotland and Wales, is Sunday January 17, with the results set to be published in late February. The findings will offer an insight in to the health of the early years sector ahead of the introduction of key reforms in 2016.