Daily roundup 19 September: Mental health, toy guns, and robots

A growing proportion of children suffering with mental health conditions are not being accepted for treatment by specialist mental health services after being referred. Research by the Education Policy Institute found that 26.3 per cent of children referred to specialist mental health services were not accepted in 2016/17, a significant increase since 2012/13 when the proportion was 21.1 per cent.


Experts have warned that children's sight could be at risk if they play with toy guns without protective equipment. The Sun reports that medics from London's Moorfields Eye Hospital have urged anyone playing with Nerf toy guns to wear protective goggles, after an 11-year-old and two adults suffered blurred vision and internal eye bleeding.
 

Children are more likely to befriend robots before other humans in the future, an academic has claimed. The Daily Mail reports that Professor Angelo Cangelosi, from the University of Plymouth said it is likely that young people growing up with artificial intelligence (AI) and robot technology today will develop closer relationships with them in the future. A survey conducted by Cangelosi found that a quarter of young people already use AI assistants at home, and 41 per cent use one through their mobile phone.
 
 
A "worrying" number of children encounter science infrequently and have few chances to develop the intellectual and practical skills of inquiry, an expert has warned. Hilary Leevers, head of education and learning at Wellcome, said many primary schools give all of their pupils rich opportunities to explore and learn about science inside and outside of their classes, but too many do not.
 

Children in local authority care in Rochdale who reported sexual and physical abuse were failed by the council, its chief executive has said. The BBC reports that Steve Rumbelow, Rochdale's chief executive has apologised, saying the council's response to reports of abuse dating back to the 1960s was "unforgiveable".