Daily roundup: Food poverty, admissions discrimination and paediatric beds shortage

A survey by the London Assembly has found that large numbers of children are going to school without breakfast. The study, which questioned 164 teachers, found that more than three quarters said they had personally taken action to help pupils who are going hungry – with many giving food to children at their own expense. Fiona Twycross, the assembly member who led the investigation, said: “As the weather gets colder and Londoners prepare for their festive feasts, I think most people will share my concern about the shocking numbers of children going hungry across the capital.”

Teaching unions and civic society groups have written to the Education Secretary Michael Gove, to call for an end to religious discrimination in school admissions. More than a third of state funded schools in England and Wales have a religious character, and most of them select pupils on the grounds of faith if they are oversubscribed. The group of organisations, which includes the National Union of Teachers and the Accord Coalition, wants religious selection to be outlawed.

Doctors are warning of a Christmas shortage of beds to treat critically ill children. The BBC reports that the Paediatric Intensive Care Society and three other medical organisations say all 29 specialist units in the UK are running close to capacity due to a surge in seasonal respiratory illness. Yesterday there were only between 10 and 20 beds available. However, despite the shortage, no children have come to harm. Honorary secretary of the Paediatric Intensive Care Society (PICS) Peter Wilson said: “Although all trusts are really stretched we have had zero adverse outcomes, which is good news.”

Children and young people are unlikely to be prosecuted for making abusive comments on social media sites under guidance due to be published today.  The Telegraph reports that guidelines set to be issued by the director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer will urge “real caution” before deciding to prosecute children and young people over such comments. Meanwhile the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has written to Starmer to raise its concerns about the potential for social media to fuel false allegations against teachers. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, said: “We need to develop new rules and sensible boundaries to minimise the potential for harm.”

Former Education Secretary Gillian Shepherd and Barnardo’s chief executive Anne Marie Carrie are among appointments to the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission. A total of eight people have been appointed to the commission, which is headed by former Labour minister Alan Milburn. The others are David Johnston, chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, Tom Attwood, non executive director at the Centre for Social Justice, Paul Gregg, a professor of economic and social policy, Paul Cleal, head of government and public sector at PwC, Catriona Williams, chief executive of Children in Wales, and Douglas Hamilton, head of Save the Children Scotland.

And finally, seriously ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital have had their Christmas presents stolen by thieves. The Daily Mail reports that around 20 gifts were taken from a store cupboard in an area of the hospital not open to the public. The presents included portable DVD players, DVDs and games consoles for children who would be spending their Christmas in hospital.