Daily roundup 17 February: Baby removal, care system review, and virtual reality

Concern over a father's "unorthodox views" on bottle sterilisation and formula milk sparked a series of events that left his week-old son in care, a court has heard. The BBC reports that medical staff had told Kirklees Council of concerns for the family, and social workers later removed the baby. Care chiefs then "misled" a family court and falsely claimed the parents "agreed" to the child's removal. A High Court judge has ordered the council to pay the family £11,250.


The chief executive of Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland, Fiona Duncan, has been appointed to chair a root and branch review of the children's care system in Scotland. The review, ordered by the Scottish Government, will look at the underpinning legislation, practices, culture and ethos of the care system. It will be driven and shaped by the evidence of care experienced young people and propose changes to the care system that will improve both the quality of life and outcomes of young people in care.


Doctors have started using virtual reality to help children overcome their fear of MRI scanners in hospitals. The BBC reports that doctors at King's College Hospital in London have been using virtual reality to reassure children scheduled for MRI scans before they experience the real thing.


A specialist mental health team for young people has been rated as "good" by inspectors. The Newcastle Chronicle reports that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's services in September last year and found them to be responsive to young people's needs, and attracted positive feedback from children and young people and their carers.


The leader of Reading Council has said she is still not happy with the state of the children's services department. GetReading reports that the council believes a new management team, led by newly appointed director Helen McMullen, is making progress and addressing the failings highlighted in the damning Ofsted report. However, council leader Jo Lovelock says there is still a lot of work to be done as improvements and savings need to be made within the troubled department.