Daily roundup 3 May: NCS, research grants, and modern slavery

Labour is calling for the National Citizen Service (NCS) to play a greater role in getting young people registered to vote and engaged in democracy. Cat Smith MP, shadow minister for voter engagement and youth affairs, said there is a "clear role" for the NCS in reversing recent declines in the number of 16- and 17-year-olds on the electoral roll.


The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse has launched round two of its Professional Development Scholarship Programme. This year it is focusing on those working with Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities and clients. People can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to support intensive and sustained learning around practice addressing child sexual abuse.
 

The Local Government Association has warned that cuts in council funding could hamper efforts to protect children being trafficked for exploitation. It follows the publication of findings from the public accounts committee inquiry on modern slavery, which reported a recent rise in the number of modern slavery referrals to the National Referral Mechanism.


The Ministry of Justice has published a new protocol for the transfer of young offenders from youth offending teams (YOT) to the probation service. The protocol supports the planned and safe movement of young people from YOTs to probation when they turn 18.


StopSO UK, the Specialist Treatment Organisation for the Prevention of Sexual Offending, has launched new victim support services and changed its name to the Specialist Treatment Organisation for Perpetrators and Survivors of Sexual Offences. An awareness campaign called If Only I Had Known, sharing the experiences of victims, has also been launched.