Daily roundup 24 February: Obesity, Syrian refugees, and youth services

Children and young people are consuming the equivalent of 20 chocolate chip biscuits a day in sugar, according to anti-obesity campaigners. The Guardian reports that calculations by the Obesity Health Alliance have led to renewed calls for food and soft drinks manufacturers to make their products healthier to cut the number of dangerously overweight children.


More than 5,000 Syrian refugees have been resettled in the UK under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme since October 2015, government figures show. The Home Office said more than 1,200 refugees arrived in the final three months of 2016, meaning 5,454 people have been given refuge since the government pledged to resettle 20,000 refugees by 2020. Within this total, approximately half of those who arrived under the scheme were children.


Young people are to be tasked with shaping non-formal education and recreation opportunities in Norfolk. The Eastern Daily Press reports that following a review carried out by Norfolk County Council, current funding levels for youth services will be maintained, with the county's seven youth advisory boards to be re-focused as young people-led partnerships, set to play an important role in commissioning and financing services.


A group pushing for a fairer funding system in England's schools says government plans for a funding shake-up need to be rethought. The BBC reports that the F40 group, which campaigned for 20 years for a funding overhaul, is warning that some poorly funded areas, and schools within them, will lose out under the current plans.


Pushy parents are demanding that their children are diagnosed with learning difficulties to get them special treatment in the classroom, a survey of teachers has suggested. The Telegraph reports that more than half of teachers (57 per cent) believe there is widespread misdiagnosis of special education needs (SEN) among children, with the majority saying this is due to "parental pressure".


The Pre-school Learning Alliance has published a new "myth-busting" document to help combat common misconceptions about upcoming early years funding changes and the 30-hour offer. The document aims to provide clarity on key points of confusion on funding rates and parental eligibility.