Daily roundup: Child protection, a charity merger, and the Fair4Families campaign

Government is preparing to announce changes to child protection measures introduced after the Soham murders, according to the Daily Mirror. Education Secretary Michael Gove apparently wants to scrap national standards for the training of people recruited by schools and colleges. The paper said the plan had been due to be announced today but has been delayed. A government source said Gove wanted to replace a “one-size-fits-all regime” with training that is better suited to individual schools and colleges. The Department for Education said child protection will “remain the highest priority”.

Two charities that support the children’s sector have announced a merger. The Private Equity Foundation (PEF) and Impetus Trust (Impetus) will combine to create one organisation, Impetus – The Private Equity Foundation. The chief executive of the merged organisation will be Daniela Barone Soares, currently head of Impetus. Shaks Ghosh, chief executive of PEF, will stay in post during the merger, but will leave to pursue other opportunities once it is complete. Barone Soares said: “Our two organisations are collectively helping well over half a million people. But, many more need support, including 1.6 million children growing up in severe poverty. We want them to get the start in life they deserve and I am confident that by joining our two organisations, we will be better equipped to achieve this massive ambition.“

More than a dozen children’s charities and parenting groups have launched a campaign called Fair4Families, to protect children from further spending cuts. The Times reports that organisations including Netmums, 4Children and the Family and Planning Institute will call on Chancellor George Osborne to protect families through a “triple lock” of no further service cuts, no benefit reductions, and placing families at the heart of a growth strategy. Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: “Fair4Families speaks for the thousands of families who are reaching breaking point.”

More than 80 per cent of young teachers feel government doesn’t respect or value them, a study by teaching union NASUWT has found. The research, published at the union’s young teacher’s conference, also found that 45 per cent cited excessive workload as their main concern, with 19 per cent concerned about their job security. Chris Keates, general secretary of NASUWT, said: “It was clear that the young teachers at the conference are absolutely and fully committed to being great teachers and to serving the children and young people they teach. However, their professional effectiveness is being undermined as a result of the government’s cuts to education and the damaging impact of the accountability regime.”

Moves to allow free schools to set up more easily have been announced by the Department for Education. New measures will allow the schools to open in almost any building for a year without needing planning permission. They will also get extra time to win the permanent planning permission required to remain in their buildings after the first year. Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “I want to make it as easy as possible for free school proposers not only to find buildings but move into them. So I am delighted that we are cutting the red tape that delays free schools from securing a permanent home.”

Poor mentoring for vulnerable young people is worse than no mentoring at all, it has been claimed. The Sutton Trust's Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit has been revamped to feature more than 3,000 studies on a range of interventions including behaviour strategies, a school’s physical environment, collaborative learning and extending the school day. Research found that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are likely to benefit from mentoring, but there are risks associated with unsuccessful mentor pairings, which may have a detrimental effect on the mentee. “The negative overall impacts seen in some studies should prompt caution,” the research said.