Daily roundup 4 February: Children's centres, looked-after children, and domestic abuse

More than 2,000 people have pleaded for children’s centres across Worcestershire to remain open following a public consultation. The Evesham Journal reports Worcestershire County Council had one of its biggest ever responses last month after the future of 36 centres were placed under review.


The Welsh Children’s Commissioner and health and social services minister have raised concerns over the proportion of children being taken into care in Wales exceeding the number in England. Wales Online reports 89 children were taken into care for every 10,000 of the under-18 population in Wales, against an equivalent figure of 59 children in England.


Around 189 children are referred to Doncaster children’s services every month because they are at risk or affected by domestic abuse, figures have revealed. The Doncaster Free Press reports the data from Doncaster Children’s Service Trust has now prompted it to launch a campaign to raise awareness of the effects domestic abuse has on children.


A group of Conservative MPs have urged Prime Minister David Cameron to consider taking more unaccompanied refugee children. The Independent reports that three MPs met with the government after visiting Lesbos, where they saw "discarded life jackets, the broken ships and battered limbs".  


There is still work to be done to improve teenage pregnancy rates in England, according to an Local Government Association and Public Health England report. The report states that a "whole-system approach" is needed from local authorities, with a trained, well-supported workforce.