More than 100 MPs from various parties have introduced a bill to Parliament to compel local authorities to automatically register all children who are eligible for free school meals. The Guardian reports that only a "handful" of councils have accessed the data that ensures all eligible children get free school meals, according to Labour MP Frank Field.
The government is being urged to hold headteachers to account for their duty of care towards pupils they have excluded. The Guardian reports that children who are excluded from school should be met by a parent or carer when leaving the premises, according to the School Exclusion Project.
Almost half of Wiltshire's 30 children's centres are to close under plans for the council to save £400,000 a year. The BBC reports that 11 centres will close from July, but will continue to provide services for those most in need.
Plans to stop under-16s using social media sites without parental permission have been ditched by the European Union. The Daily Mail reports the proposals would have meant parents had to give their permission before their children sign up to sites but Britain will retain the age of consent at 13-years-old.
Further education colleges across England face a “looming” funding crisis, a committee of MPs has warned. According to the BBC, a report by the Commons public accounts committee has called for quicker intervention when further education colleges are faced with financial difficulties.
The Metropolitan Police has stepped up the search for three teenage girls that have been missing from north London for over a week. The London Evening Standard reports 13-year-old Fardowsa Hassan and 16-year-old Abir Salah were last seen on 6 December, while Abir’s sister, 15-year-old Ahlam disappeared on Saturday.
