Daily Roundup 23 February: Football abuse, school hours, and serious case review

Scotland's youth football body the Scottish Youth Football Association rejected help to clear a backlog of vetting checks into nearly 1,000 coaches and officials, a probe into historic sex abuse heard yesterday. The Daily Record reports Disclosure Scotland, which runs the background checks for adults working with children, told Holyrood's health and sport committee it had offered to help vet the backlog.


Pupils at seven schools could have shorter days after a trust head said he may have to cut hours to save money. The BBC reports that Dave Baker, of the Olympus Trust which operates near Bristol, said government cuts had left it at "crisis point".


Social workers need more support when assessing risk in troubled families, a serious case review has found following the death of a 17-month-old boy. The East Anglian Daily Times reports that the review emphasises the importance of practitioners reassessing support plans when a new baby is born into a family, among other key learning points.


Programmes for young people facing disadvantage run by the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust have added almost £23m in social value over the past four years, figures published today reveal. The charity uses world-class athletes to transform the lives of young people facing disadvantage and empower them to deliver positive change within their communities.


A decision to take just 350 of an expected 3,000 child refugees under the so-called Dubs amendment could net people-smuggling gangs as much as £20m, MPs have been told. The Independent reports that between £8.7m and £20.3m in potential profits would be available to traffickers as a direct result, based on calculations by refugee charity Safe Passage UK.


Politicians in Cambridge will meet today to decide whether to set up a youth council, in order to engage young people in politics. The Cambridge News reports that Cambridge City Council will make the decision as part of its annual budget setting process.


A grieving mother will call on MPs to change the laws surrounding alcohol following the death her 16-year-old daughter in her sleep after drinking strong cider. The Metro reports that Joanne Good has been invited to speak at the House of Commons today, and plans to lobby MPs to stop retailers from selling alcohol at low prices.