Daily roundup 5 August: Tagging, Edward Heath, and serious case review

Adult members of two families are to be fitted with electronic monitoring tags amid fears they could take children to areas controlled by Islamic State. The Guardian reports that a High Court judge has ordered the measure, thought to be the first of its kind, after the families were detained at airports earlier this year.


At least five police forces are running investigations into former Prime Minister Edward Heath, it has emerged. The BBC reports that detectives from Wiltshire, London, Jersey, Kent and Hampshire are looking into allegations concerning Heath as part of their investigation into claims of child abuse by a Westminster paedophile ring.


A serious case review has found that authorities repeatedly missed opportunities to intervene in the case of a 12-year-old boy who was left blind in one eye following years of neglect. The Daily Mail reports that the boy was left in squalor with his baby sister while his mother and her boyfriend were "too busy" to notice his failing health. As a result of numerous missed hospital appointments for a diagnosed medical condition the boy went blind in his left eye from cataracts and became increasingly crippled with arthritis.


Children who have been bullied, or were bullies themselves, are more likely to be smokers. The Mirror reports that 15-year-olds who had bullied others were far more likely to smoke (13 per cent) than those who hadn’t (five per cent), a survey by the Health and Social Care Information Centre found.


Thousands of children are taking part in a range of activities as part of national Playday today. In its 28th year, Playday aims to raise awareness of the importance of play for children's health and wellbeing.