Justice minister Sam Gyimah has spoken about the Conservatives' disappointing result at June's snap general election. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Gyimah said that the party had appeared too "managerial" and that young people should be "front and centre" of the next campaign. "I remember saying to one politician we should get the youth vote," he said. "To which, the reply was: ‘show me a politician who wants to get a youth vote and I'll show you a loser'."
Campaigners have called on ministers to change rules whereby kinship carers who act as guardians for at least two children are refused child tax credits and maternity grants when they decide to have a child of their own. The Guardian reports that an exemption to the two-child policy only applies to carers who have birth children first and then become guardian to a third child - not the other way around.
Police handling of sexual abuse claims against Sir Edward Heath should be the subject of an official inquiry, the ex-prime minister's godson has said. The BBC reports that Lincoln Seligman said he believed the two-year investigation into Sir Edward, who died 12 years ago, was flawed. The findings of the Wiltshire Police investigation are to be published later this week and passed to the Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse.
The National Association of Head Teachers has written an open letter to Chancellor Philip Hammond because of growing concerns that there will be no new funding for schools in the upcoming budget. The letter draws attention to the situation in the Chancellor's own Runnymede and Weybridge constituency, where funding will fall by £2m by 2020, resulting in 47 teacher posts being lost. The letter urges Hammond "not to stand by and let this happen", and instead calls for an additional £2bn for schools.
The Adolescent and Children's Trust has been rated "outstanding" by Ofsted for its fostering service in the South West of England. Ofsted said the service and outcomes for their looked-after children are "better than those of children and young people receiving a similar service elsewhere, and that it helps them to prepare for their eventual independence and increases their life chances".
Author and care campaigner Ben Ashcroft is walking from Halifax to London to raise awareness for Every Child Leaving Care Matters. The organisation was formed to campaign for children in residential care to have equal rights as those in foster care. You can follow Ben's progress on Twitter @AshcroftBen and #Halifax2London, or through ECLCM's Facebook page
