More than 8,000 new foster families across the UK need to be found in the coming year to ensure that all fostered children can be found the right foster home first time, a charity has calculated. The Fostering Network, said 6,800 foster families are required in England, 550 in Scotland, 550 in Wales, and 200 in Northern Ireland. The charity said there is particularly a need for families who can offer homes to teenagers and groups of brothers and sisters. The figures have been published to coincide with Foster Care Fortnight, which begins today.
The number of children arrested on suspicion of dealing drugs has increased by more than a quarter over the past five years. The Evening Standard reports that a total of 1,639 under-18s were detained for possession with intent to supply or supplying drugs in 2013, compared with 2,097 in 2017. Children as young as 12 were reportedly arrested for possession with intent to supply drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine.
A school has banned pencil cases in a bid to stop pupils from poor families being stigmatised. The BBC reports that St Wilfrid's Primary School in Blyth, Northumberland, said it had taken steps to get rid of any "designer goods". Head teacher Pauline Johnstone said pencil cases have been banned "so there's no comparison on the tables and children are learning".
Families fighting a council's plan to cut more than £20m from services for disabled children have asked specialist lawyers to lodge a legal challenge against the decision. Law firm Irwin Mitchell, which said it has successfully challenged other cuts to local authority budgets across the country, has applied to the High Court to take Surrey County Council's decision to reduce its schools and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) budget to judicial review.
