Daily roundup 12 September: Sugary drinks, sexual abuse and radicalisation

Children are consuming up to three times too much sugar every day, a study has revealed. The Daily Mail reports the National Diet and Nutrition Survey found sugar makes up 13 per cent of children's daily calorie intake - more than twice the five per cent recommended limit. However, children aged between four and 10 had reduced by one third the amount of sugary drinks they consumer per day.


Young victims of sexual abuse will be able to receive support and protection and speak to police all in one place under government plans for so-called child houses. The Times reports Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan will reveal the plans this week to pilot the houses based on a similar system that is used in Iceland.


There has been an 83 per cent rise in the number of referrals to the government's anti-radicalisation programme for under-18s in the past year. The Telegraph reports that in the year up to June there were 2,311 referrals for under-18s, including 352 cases of children aged nine and under.


There is a "slow creep" of sexualised language and behaviour among children as young as five in the classroom, according to teachers. The Guardian reports that teachers who responded to its online teacher's network said that the level of sex and relationship education (SRE) available to children is inadequate.
 

The Department for Education appeared to want to silence the outspoken former schools mental health tsar Natasha Devon over her criticism of government policies. The Guardian reports that internal emails obtained by Devon indicate the department was working to remove her, despite denying doing so at the time. Devon left her role in May.