Daily roundup 9 July: Child arrests, disability, and 'brewing storm'

Nearly 300 children under the age of 12 were arrested for carrying a weapon in London over the last three years, figures show. The Evening Standard reports that Metropolitan Police figures from 2015 to 2017 reveal children as young as 10 being arrested in London - including arrests over serious violent crimes including rape and drug trafficking. In the last three years, 1,423 children aged between 10 and 12 have been arrested in London, with the highest number of arrests taking place in Bromley and Bexley.


Young people with learning disabilities have been "marginalised and often hidden from view", according to the children's commissioner for Wales. The BBC reports that Professor Sally Holland said they were not getting the support they were entitled to by law. The Welsh Government said it is improving services.


A senior official at Blackburn with Darwen Council has warned that the next inspection of children's services by Ofsted may not paint a positive picture. The Lancashire Telegraph reports that although inspectors deemed the department "good" overall following an inspection last year, the council's head of policy, planning and performance, Robert Arrowsmith, told members of the council's corporate parenting specialist advisory group he felt the wind was changing, adding that there is "a bit of a storm brewing".


Latest NHS figures show there were 6,195 women and girls treated for female genital mutilation (FGM) in the past financial year, of which 4,495 were newly recorded cases. The figures, published by NHS Digital show that FGM was detected when the person was still a child (under 18 years old) in just 70 of the 6,195 cases. Leethen Bartholomew, who leads the National FGM Centre run by Barnardo's and the Local Government Association, said agencies must work better together to prosecute those who fail to protect girls from FGM.


New mobile technology is to be used to help teachers from across the country tackle child sexual exploitation. National charity NWG Network has developed an augmented reality phone app to help teachers flag potential issues to social care teams. The step-by-step guide uses videos of NWG staff and young people to bring the referral process to life. It is hoped that schools will use it as a training aid, to help staff understand what the referral process entails and what evidence and information can help social care teams make the right decisions.