Daily roundup: Troubled families, sexual exploitation, and childhood obesity

The lives of 14,000 families have been turned round under the Troubled Families initiative, the government has claimed. Latest statistics issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government, show that councils have now identified 80,000 of the hardest to help families who will be targeted for intervention by the programme. A total of 50,000 families are already being worked with - up from 35,000 in March.

Authorities are failing to identify or support Asian girls who are being sexually exploited research by Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK) has found. The report, based on 35 case studies, found that Asian girls are most vulnerable to offenders from their own communities who manipulate cultural norms to prevent them from reporting their abuse. It was found that they are overlooked by front line agencies and “little, if anything” is being done to identify them so they can be helped.

Children are becoming obese because health visitors are worried about offending parents of overweight youngsters, it has been claimed. The Daily Mail reports that researchers from Nottingham University said some nurses believed parents were happier to have “chubby” babies. The report added that health visitors currently “lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to proactively manage obesity risk in infants”.

Attitudes to unemployment and welfare payments have softened, a study has found. The BBC reports that the annual British Social Attitudes Report - which questioned more than 3,000 people, found 51 per cent said benefits were too high in 2012, down from 62 per cent in 2011. Reducing welfare spending was identified by the coalition government as one of its most urgent priorities after coming to power in 2010.

Scotland’s children’s commissioner has called on councils and health services to make sure they provide the services that disabled young people are entitled to. Speaking at a conference today, Tam Baillie will say that services for disabled young people and their families have declined significantly across Scotland due to public sector cuts. He will warn that there is a “real danger that children and young people’s entitlements under international conventions and UK and Scottish law are being eroded.”

A now closed young offender institution for young women has been praised for building good relationships and low levels of self-harm and violence. Inspectors also said young women held at the Rivendell Unit of New Hall Prison in West Yorkshire made adequate progress in education classes, and teaching staff had successfully adapted the curriculum to meet the needs of most. The unit was closed subsequent to the inspection taking place, with all young women sentenced to custody now held in secure training centres or secure children’s homes.