More than 650 primary schools in Northern Ireland face a loss in government funding. The BBC reports that the Department of Education wants to tackle deprivation in schools by changing the way money is allocated. The move, which will be discussed by the assembly next week, will see an increase in the budgets of those most in need, with around 160 schools expected to benefit.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is calling for better communication between professionals and families of children with epilepsy. The RCPCH, which publishes its Clinical Outcome Review Programme: Child Health Reviews UK report today, wants all details of a child’s epilepsy care to be documented in an ‘epilepsy passport’ after finding that many of the children with the condition who are admitted to intensive care have at least three professionals involved in their on-going care.
The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Youth Health Champions qualification, which encourages school students in years 10, 11 and 12 to act as health advisers to their peers. The certificate requires 38 hours of classroom time and deals with healthy eating, sexual health and alcohol misuse. Shirley Cramer, RSPH chief executive, believes students who complete the qualification will be able to make a “notable difference to health”.
The service director for children, families and community health at Swindon council has been appointed as the new director for children’s services at Dorset county council. The Dorset Echo reports that Sara Tough is “absolutely delighted” to be taking over the role from Jackie Last, who is retiring. Tough will join the council in the new year.
And finally, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst claim that allowing young children to take an hour-long afternoon nap boosts their brain power and improves their learning. The BBC reports that the three- to five-year-olds who took part in the study better remembered their pre-school lessons after napping.
