Daily roundup 8 January: Childcare costs, health spending, and charity donation

A survey has found that high childcare costs are likely to force one in five parents to work reduced hours or give up work altogether. The 4Children study also found that 16 per cent of parents are likely cut back on essentials over the next 12 months in order to meet childcare costs.


The amount of money spent on child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) by local health commissioners fell by five per cent in real terms over a five-year period. Latest figures from NHS England show that in 2008/09 primary care trusts spent £683m compared to £704m in 2012/13. But at today’s values, the amount spent in real terms fell from £758m to £717m, the data, published in parliament by health minister Norman Lamb, shows.


Staff at banking giant Santander raised more than £1.3 million in 2014 for the NSPCC’s ChildLine Schools Service. The money will enable the NSPCC to deliver age-appropriate workshops and assemblies to 100,000 children in primary schools across the UK and Channel Islands, helping 9-11 year olds understand abuse, how to protect themselves and where to get help if they need it. It was chosen as Santander’s charity of the year for 2014.


A West Yorkshire teaching assistant has been given a 12-month community service order following a conviction for child cruelty. The BBC reports that Rachael Regan was given the order at Bradford Crown Court after being found guilty of taping a seven-year-old pupil to a chair during a “five-month campaign of abuse” at a school in the Calderdale area.


More than 1,000 parents have signed a petition against Derby City Council’s plans to close a nursery judged to be “outstanding” by Ofsted. The Derby Telegraph reports that the authority is consulting on plans to close Castle Nursery School, which it claims is “under used” in a bid to save £100,000.