Daily roundup 18 July: Home alone, consent, and LGBT adoption

The NSPCC is warning parents not to leave their children home alone over the summer. ITV News reports that the charity said its helpline refers dozens of cases to children's services after being called about unsupervised children. Its counsellors have made 121 referrals to authorities in the last two years about children left home alone.


Sexually abused children as young as 12 are being denied compensation by a government agency on the grounds that they gave consent, it has been claimed. The Guardian reports that freedom of information requests by a group of charities found that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) has refused payments to almost 700 child victims even if their attackers have been jailed. Five charities - including Barnardo's and Victim Support - have written to the Justice Secretary, David Lidington, demanding he reviews CICA guidelines.


A series of free training conferences will be held later this year to improve how adoption agencies across the country work with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. The conference, being run by New Family Social, are supported by the Department for Education's practice and improvement fund. They will focus on the assessment, matching and ongoing support that agencies in England offer to LGBT people going through the adoption process.


Parents are preparing to protest tomorrow against the potential closures of children's centres in Warwickshire. The Coventry Telegraph reports that a campaign group has organised a trip to Warwickshire County Council's headquarters to show the strong feeling against the plans. The protesters will gather outside the building when councillors enter the building for their full council meeting.


A council worker's blunder exposed personal information about adopted children after private details sent out on a mailing list used to plan a summer party. The Newcastle Chronicle reports that Newcastle City Council has been forced to apologise after the names of adopted children were among the sensitive data included in a document accidentally attached to emails inviting parents to an event held by its adoption service.