Daily roundup 25 October: Sprinklers, MoJ apology, and whistleblower

All new and refurbished schools in the UK should be fitted with sprinklers, fire chiefs have said. The BBC reports that currently, sprinklers are mandatory in new school buildings in Scotland and Wales, but not in England and Northern Ireland. London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton accused the government of "playing with children's lives".


The Ministry of Justice has apologised to the mother of a five-year-old boy who was murdered after probation services failed to warn her that her partner had a string of convictions for violent offences against women and children. The Guardian reports that Alex Malcolm was beaten to death by Breha's former partner Marvyn Iheanacho in November 2016. After Iheanacho was found guilty of murder, Breha, 30, was horrified to hear that he had a string of previous convictions for violent offences against women and children.


A whistleblower has claimed that there was a "climate of crisis and bullying" within Worcestershire County Council's children's services team. The Kidderminster Shuttle reports that the former social worker, who worked for a few years at the department before leaving, said they wanted to speak out to inform the public what had been going on. But the authority's chief executive said the whole council and staff are working "really hard" to improve the service, with progress being recognised by Ofsted.


The rise of live-streaming sites has seen reports of malicious communications almost double in a year, with experts warning that children are being "bullied in their bedrooms". The Telegraph reports that data released following a Freedom of Information request has shown that recorded reports of the offence have doubled from 42,910 in 2015 to 79,372 in 2016. Children's advocates and charities have warned that children have no escape from bullies who can always reach them.


MPs have launched an inquiry today into e-cigarettes to determine whether they are re-normalising smoking, and if people are becoming addicted to vaping. The Telegraph reports that the science and technology select committee has called for evidence about the health benefits or harms of e-cigarettes, and whether they are a gateway to cigarettes for young people.


Oxfordshire County Council is urging the government to give it more money for its children's services department. The Oxford Mail reports that the council has said it expects its overspend to reach £8.4m by the end of this financial year - with £1m alone coming from spending on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. The council's Conservative leader Ian Hudspeth said he is "frequently" lobbying ministers for extra funds.