Daily roundup: Parental leave, youth zone and looked-after children

Early years groups have welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's announcement to allow working couples to share parental leave and pay from April 2015. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said: "As an organisation that has always promoted the importance of the involvement of fathers in their child’s development, Alliance members are pleased that this is now being reflected in government policy." London Early Years Foundation chief executive June O’Sullivan said: "We’re delighted the government has realised mothers and fathers both need time to bond with newborns, and today’s announcement will relieve some stress from parents juggling work and childcare."

A £6m youth zone is to be constructed in Wolverhampton after the proposed development secured planning permission. The Express and Star reports that work is set to start on construction next year. The centre will be run by the OnSide charity.

The Who Cares? Trust is calling for Gordon Gillick, a UKIP councillor on Cambridgeshire County Council, to resign in response to comments he reportedly made about children in care. According to the Cambridge News, Gillick asked three looked-after children - when they were talking to councillors about their experiences of being in care - how it felt "to be takers from the system" and when they "would give back to society"? Natasha Finlayson, chief executive of The Who Cares? Trust, said: “If these reports are true, Gordon Gillick must publicly apologise to the children and resign from his position on the council immediately."

More than 15,000 people have signed a petition against plans to close 37 children’s centres in Oxfordshire. The Oxford Times reports that parents handed over the petition to Oxfordshire County Council’s leader Ian Hudspeth at County Hall yesterday.

Young people across London are staging an online debate to tackle youth violence in the capital this weekend. The six-hour online debate for those aged 15 to 25 is being organised by “1BC” (One Big Community) with the support of charity Cambridge House to discuss the issues underpinning youth violence. The online comments emanating from the debate will be used as a springboard for a consultation with young people early next year aimed at improving relations with the police.