Daily roundup 13 October: Fostering inquiry, dyspraxia, and youth custody

The education select committee will resume its inquiry into fostering next week. An evidence session being held on Tuesday (17 October) will focus on the issue of placement stability and the appropriate matching of young people to foster carers, and will also discuss the different structural and delivery models which local authorities are currently implementing to deliver their children's services. Witnesses include the president of the Association of Directors of Children's services, Alison Michalska.


Concerns have been raised about a lack of awareness of dyspraxia - a form of developmental co-ordination disorder - in schools. A poll of teachers by the Dyspraxia Foundation found that 65 per cent said that awareness of dyspraxia in their schools was poor or very poor, with 71 per cent saying that lack of awareness and understanding affected children's opportunities and achievement.


The number of under-18s held in custody has fallen slightly. Figures published by the Ministry of Justice show that, as of August 2017, there were 893 young people in custody, compared with 924 the previous month, a fall of 3.4 per cent. It is the first time the figure has fallen below the 900 mark since March.


Children living on an estate in Tameside have been "banned" from playing on the street outside their homes. The Manchester Evening News reports that a letter has been sent to residents on Calico Crescent and Printers Drive in Stalybridge by Residential Management Group asking for children to be kept in their gardens - or go to a park. The letter said children had been playing in front of houses and near cars on the Stonemead estate, causing a "disturbance".


Great Ormond Street Hospital is not meeting care standards for intersex children, an investigation has found. The BBC reports that some patients who had been born with sexual development disorders, and their families, had no access to psychological care. And not all cases were properly discussed before the patient had life changing, irreversible surgery.