Daily roundup 20 December: Police custody, memory, and Grenfell message

Too many children are being held in police custody after being charged, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Peter Clarke, and Dru Sharpling, HM Inspector of Constabulary have warned. An unannounced inspection of Gwent Police custody found that "very few" children were moved to alternative local authority-provided accommodation after being charged. Clarke and Sharpling said the issue had "come up in many police custody inspections across England and Wales".


A child's attention span and memory improves after exercise, researchers have found. The Herald reports that a study of almost 12,000 children found that pupils' best responses to tests came after physical activity that was set at their own pace, as opposed to exhaustive exercise.


Children who survived the Grenfell Tower fire will tell the public to cherish their families and appreciate their homes in a message to be broadcast on Christmas Day. The Guardian reports that five girls and boys, aged between seven and 12, will speak of the impact and share their memories of the catastrophic fire last June, in which 71 people died and hundreds of families were made homeless, in Channel 4's alternative Christmas message.


There has been a significant increase in the number of children and young people calling charity helplines about suicidal thoughts and feelings. The BBC reports that Childline Cymru said it had received 20 per cent more calls relating to suicide over the past year. And MEIC, a helpline for children and young people aged up to age 25, said its number of calls had nearly doubled compared with last year.


The cost of raising a child to the age of 11 is almost £60,000, a report has revealed. The Mirror reports that research by the Halifax bank found on average, parents spend £448.41 a month on their child's upbringing. For parents bringing up a family in London, the cash spent on a child rises to £101,162.