Daily roundup 31 July: Sarah's Law, Syria and youth zone

Few police forces are complying with the child sex offenders disclosure scheme – also know as “Sarah’s Law” – which allows parents to ask for details about a suspect individual. According to a Freedom of Information request by the NSPCC, just 877 applications of 5,357 made to 33 forces between 2011 and 2014 resulted in information being supplied.


Parents suspected of planning to take their family to Syria to join Islamic State could receive an electronic tag. The Daily Mail reports that family judge Sir James Munby suggested that GPS technology could be used to monitor parents' movements.


A planning application to build a multi-million pound “state-of-the-art” youth facility in the Wirral has been approved by the council. The Hive youth zone, which is being developed by youth charity OnSide, will provide a range of activities for young people in the borough aged between eight and 19, and up to 25 for those with a disability.


Shrewsbury Town Council is to take control of youth services from Shropshire County Council. The Shropshire Star reports that Ann Hartley, Shropshire Council’s lead member for children’s services, said the system will result in a better use of funding and improved services for young people.


Ealing Hospital’s children’s inpatient services are to close within a year as part of a new programme being rolled out across London North West Healthcare NHS Trust. Get West London reports that Southall MP Virendra Sharma has now launched a petition to save the services after receiving closure confirmation from Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.