Daily roundup 1 April: Illegal schools, Named Person scheme, and Minecraft

Ofsted and the Department for Education are working to identify illegal private schools where as many as 1,000 boys from strictly Orthodox Jewish families may be pupils. The BBC reports that there is believed to be a network of between 12 and 20 illegal private schools in east London which are not registered with the authorities, and offer a narrow, religious syllabus.


A shortage of health visitors is threatening the implementation of Scotland's Named Person scheme, it has been claimed. The Herald Scotland reports that some of the biggest health boards in the country are struggling to recruit enough qualified staff to comply with requirements from August for a minimum number of home visits made to families.


Police in Devon have warned parents to make sure their children stay safe when playing the online game Minecraft. The Exeter Express reports that the guidance followed the case of 14-year-old Breck Bednar, who was murdered by an 18-year-old he befriended while playing online games.


There are still no mental health beds for young people in Cornwall despite health bosses urging that more should be available in the South West back in 2014. The BBC reports that an NHS England paper suggested more beds should be available in the region two years ago. NHS England has said changes are expected later this year. ?


?A Labour politician at Northamptonshire County Council has hit out at plans to close eight children’s centres. The Northampton Chronicle reports that Danielle Stone, the Labour group’s spokeswoman for learning, schools and education at the council, said getting rid of the centres “is the worst possible thing a council can do” to its children.


A total of 55 children in Wiltshire are at risk of sexual exploitation, according to figures produced by Wiltshire Council. The Salisbury Journal reports that Wiltshire Police are pursuing 11 men who have child abduction warning notices served against them. ?