Early education profile pilot results raise questions over standards

Systems that protect children in care in Scotland the need to improve how they work together, according to report published by the Scottish Parliament. The Education and Culture Committee released the evidence part-way though its inqiry into whether to take children into care. Committee convener and Member of Scottish Parliemaent Stewart Maxwell said: “There are many systems to support vulnerable children but these systems can often present a confusing picture to the very people they are trying to protect. We have decided to publish this report part of the way through our inquiry to ask the Scottish Government to inform us of the actions being taken to address these problems.”

A group of elected politicians has been formed to keep tabs on children’s services in Walsall following a damning Ofsted inspection. The Wolverhampton Express & Star reports that the group of councillors willvisit parts of the children’s services department to find out how the system works and seek assurances on the improvement process in place. A report will then submitted to a meeting of the council’s children’s and young people’s scrutiny panel later in spring.
 
More than 200 children who require treatment for sexual exploitation are on waiting lists for care, according to research. A survey of 21 specialist services by the charity Bardardos found 209 children in England and Northern Ireland are experiencing delays. Chief executive Anne Marie Carrie said money needed to be invested in expanding provision. “We must do all we can to ensure that expert care and specialist support is available to every young person who has been abused in this way,” she said. Barnardo's services in Scotland and Wales do not operate waiting lists, so these figures were unknown.

Parents and pupils are being warned about a new playground craze in Sussex where children are “burning” each other with aerosols. The Brighton Argus reports that police in the area are concerned about cases of children suffering frostbite injuries as a result of spraying each other with asthma inhalers.
 
A High Court judge has ordered NHS chiefs to reconsider plans to axe children’s heart surgery in Leeds. The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that the ruling means officials face having to re-run a consultation process over the unit’s future. Sharon Cheng, of campaign group Save Our Surgery, said they were “thrilled” the decision to end surgery in Leeds had been quashed. NHS officials have said they are considering an appeal.
 
And finally, one in three children eat crisps every day, according to a survey. The study by YouGov SixthSense, reported in the Daily Mail, also found confectionery was more popular than healthy snacks, with 63 per cent of children eating sweets compared to 54 per cent choosing fruit. James McCoy, of YouGov SixthSense, said: “More needs to be done to make healthier snack options more appealing.”