Daily roundup 26 October: 'Super-parenting', abuse inquiry, and young offenders

Giving mums and dads the skills to become "super parents" can dramatically improve their child's autism, a study has found. The BBC reports that training sessions where parents watched films of themselves playing with their child while a therapist gave precise tips for helping their child communicate led to "remarkable" improvements. Experts said the results, published in the Lancet, were "hugely cheering".


Alexis Jay, chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, will visit Cardiff today to mark the opening of the inquiry's Welsh office and the start of the inquiry's "Truth Project" in Wales. The project has been taking evidence from victims and survivors for seven months and the new office will now be able to make appointments for victims and survivors to give testimonies.


There needs to be a major change in dealing with young adult offenders, MPs have said. The BBC reports that a report by the justice select committee said offenders aged between 18 and 25 are 10 times more likely to have a learning disability or autistic disorder. The report said there is a strong case for treating young adult offenders differently because their brains are still developing up to the age of 25 - meaning they are more likely to act impulsively and not weigh up the long-term effects.


Six people have appeared in court after being charged over allegations of abuse at Medway Secure Training Centre in Rochester. Kent Online reports Christopher Lomax, 34, of Timbertops, Chatham, and Jonathan Kane, 34, of Stratford Lane, Gillingham, are among the six who have all been charged with misconduct in a public office. The case was adjourned and sent to Maidstone Crown Court to be dealt with and they will appear there on 22 November. ?


Children born to overweight mothers have a higher chance of developing ADHD, scientists have warned. The Daily Mail reports that researchers from the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Helsinki, Finland, that they are also more likely to suffer from sleeping problems, anxiety and depression, a study found. Public health strategies to help women planning pregnancies reach and maintain a healthy weight could address the risk, experts say.