Daily roundup 12 August: School absences, sexual abuse support, and Edward Heath

There has been an increase in the number of parents being taken to court because their children have missed school. The Guardian reports that more than 16,000 parents in England were prosecuted in 2014 for failing to ensure their children attended school, with around three quarters being found guilty.


Up to 10,000 sexual abuse victims are estimated to be waiting more than a year for counselling due to funding crises hitting charities. The Guardian reports that dozens of support groups face closure in the next year due to funding cuts and an increase in the number of victims coming forward due to high-profile sex abuse investigations.


Wiltshire Police will lead historical child sexual abuse investigations into former Prime Minister Edward Heath. The BBC reports that the force said this will allow for a "consistent approach" to the probe.


Families where both parents work full-time on the minimum wage are £75.75 a week short of affording a minimum standard of living, a Child Poverty Action Group study has found. The Mirror reports mothers and fathers earning £6.50 an hour and working 35 hours a week still face a shortfall in trying to support their children.


A 50-year-old supply teacher, who was stabbed by a 14-year-old pupil, has called for airport-style scanning arches to be placed in schools to prevent weapons being brought into classrooms. ITV News reports Vincent Uzomah was stabbed at Dixons Kings Academy in Bradford and believes increasing security in schools is necessary to prevent future attacks.


The majority of Scotland’s 32 councils have failed to increase the level of school clothing grants over the past 10 years, an investigation has found. The BBC reports just eight local authorities have raised the subsidy for parents on low income in that time.