Daily roundup 24 November: Reading Council, careers advice, and Bulger killer
Derren Hayes and Sophie Eminson
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Ofsted finds improvements at Reading Council; new careers advice requirements for schools; and James Bulger murderer recalled to prison, all in the news today.
A monitoring visit of Reading Council's children's services by Ofsted has found "substantial progress" has been made in key areas. The visit found there was a more supportive, corporate environment across the department and that good progress had been made with the recruitment of permanent managers. The monitoring visit in October was the fourth since the service was rated "inadequate" in June 2016.
From 2 January 2018, schools will be required to give education and training providers the opportunity to talk to pupils from year eight onwards about careers options. Under new government guidance maintained schools and academies must also publish a policy statement on their website, explaining how providers can engage with the school.
One of the murderers of two-year-old James Bulger has been recalled to prison, suspected of having child abuse images on his computer. The BBC reports that it is the second time Jon Venables has been sent back to jail for the same suspected offence. In November 1993, Venables and Robert Thompson were found guilty of killing James in Bootle, Merseyside when they were aged 10.
Labour MP Ivan Lewis has been suspended by the party over accusations of sexual harassment. The BBC reports that the Bury South MP was already under investigation by the party because of allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Lewis was the minster for care services from 2006 to 2008.
A children's charity is urging parents to be "bold and brave" when speaking to their children about adult issues such as sexual abuse. The Gazette Live reports that the NSPCC is highlighting the Underwear Rule - which teaches children important messages such as their body belongs to them.
White children as young as five automatically favour people with the same skin colour, research has found. The Times and Star reports that academics from the University of Bristol measured the attitudes of 359 white children aged between five and 12. Younger children demonstrated automatic positivity in response to white people.
