Daily roundup 7 February: Language, mental health, and young carers

Thousands of children who arrive late into the English school system perform poorly at GCSE, a report has revealed. The Independent reports that a study by the Education Policy Institute found that pupils with English as an additional language who arrived in year 11 achieved an average of grade E at GCSE, at least two grades lower than their peers who arrived into the country in primary school.


A mental health project for young people with long-term physical conditions is being rolled out across Scotland. The BBC reports that following a trial in Glasgow, the Ucan project will now be available to schools and youth organisations nationwide. The project aims to prevent mental health problems arising in adulthood by supporting young people earlier.


Young carers in Carmarthenshire have launched a national campaign to change the law in respect of the length of time they can study and still receive Carer's Allowance. The South Wales Guardian reports that current eligibility criteria for Carer's Allowance states that a carer must provide 35 hours or more care per week, must not earn more than £110 per week and cannot be in education, training or employment for more than 21 hours per week. Carmarthenshire Young Adult Carers (YAC) have teamed up with the Carers Trust and the Fixers organisation to launch a parliamentary petition to seek to change the 21-hour rule, which it says discriminates against carers who wish to study.


James Bulger's killer Jon Venables has been jailed for 40 months after pleading guilty to having more than 1,000 indecent images of children. The Guardian reports that Venables, who was released on licence in 2001 after serving eight years for the murder of the two-year-old, returned to prison in November after he was caught with the pictures. He pleaded guilty last week to having indecent images of children and having a paedophile manual.


A man who threw a two-month-old baby into the air on numerous occasions has been jailed for 13 months. The BBC reports that the child was found to have broken ribs and fractures to his leg after being taken to hospital. A lawyer for the 22-year-old Liam Simpson, who has learning difficulties, said he did not appreciate the damage he was inflicting.