Daily roundup 1 October: School admissions, careers advice, and children in care

Children are being illegally denied school places by faith schools, a report by the British Humanist Association has found. The Guardian reports that research by the organisation uncovered widespread violation of the school admissions code by religiously selective secondary schools.


Young people are turning to family, friends and the internet for job advice instead of traditional sources, research has revealed. Carried out by campaign YourLife, the research found 66 per cent of school children use parents for careers advice, 25 per cent speak to their friends, 27 per cent use Google, and 12 per cent use other social media networks.


The number of children in care in Wales has fallen, according to figures released by the Welsh government. The BBC reports that 5,617 children in the country were in care in March 2015 – 128 less than in 2014.


A campaign launched by The Scout Association last year has received £200,000 in funding from the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys. The Better Prepared campaign aims to ensure young people across the UK get the chance to be involved in scouting. The money will go towards opening at least one new Scout group in 200 of the most deprived areas of England and Wales.


A new chair and president have been appointed at by the National Chilbirth Trust. Helen Stephenson has been appointed chair of the charity and Seána Talbot has been elected president. Both will work alongside newly appointed chief executive Nick Wilkie.


As many as four in 10 children in care in Northern Ireland have behavioural difficulties, according to a three-year study by Queen’s University Belfast. UTV reports researchers used a sample of 200 looked after children and young people in the region and found 35 per cent have emotional problems, while 21 per cent live with anxiety or depression.