Daily roundup 17 November: Mental health spending, LGBT bullying, and 'bottle-flip challenge'

Local NHS organisations are spending as little as £2.01 per child on mental health care for young people each year, despite a spike in anxiety, depression and other serious problems among under-18s, according to an analysis by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The Guardian reports that psychiatrists claim the small sums being spent by GP-led clinical commissioning groups in England constitutes a national scandal at a time when youth self-harm and suicide is rising.


High rates of bullying are still being experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pupils in Scotland, campaigners have said. The BBC reports that LGBT Youth Scotland also warned that pupils are not confident reporting abuse to staff and strong leadership is now needed from schools and local authorities on bullying.


A school in Norfolk has been branded "pathetic" and "ridiculous" after threatening pupils with detention if they take part in the "bottle-flip challenge". The BBC reports that the global craze involves half-filling a plastic bottle with water and throwing it in the air in the hope that it will land upright. North Walsham High School has now banned the challenge for "safety reasons". ?


Buckinghamshire's child protection services have shown "significant improvement" since they were deemed "inadequate" by Ofsted two years ago, the council has claimed. The Bucks Free Press reports that members of the council's cabinet were told that the safeguarding children board hopes to be rated as "good" by the end of the year.


Radio and television presenter Nicky Campbell has been appointed as an ambassador for Adoption UK. The co-presenter from ITV's Long Lost Families programme, said: "Adoption has changed dramatically since I was adopted which is why I want to champion Adoption UK's campaigns and help to persuade decision-makers across the UK to give all adoptive families the right to timely and appropriate support."


Childnet has launched new cyberbullying guidance and an online safety toolkit for teachers to use in personal, social, health and economic education lessons. It is hoped the resources will support schools to develop strategies to understand, prevent and respond to cyberbullying and has been developed to reflect the changed landscape of children's technology use.