Daily roundup: Youth votes, leadership and child mortality

New research reveals that more than half of young people will not vote in next year’s general election. According to The Mirror, a YouGov survey of 1,000 17- to 21-year-olds found that only 41 per cent of first time voters plan to cast their ballot.

Paul Moffatt has been named as the first chief executive of Doncaster Children's Trust. The BBC reports that the former head of Northumberland County Council's children's services will be tasked with turning around the town's child protection services when he takes up the post in June.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the National Children’s Bureau have published a report recommending how to reduce child mortality rates. Why Children Die follows the publication of research by The Lancet, which reveals that the UK’s under-five child mortality rates are higher than any other European country.

A study has shown that children’s wellbeing is affected during the transition into adolescence. Charity think-tank NPC has found that girls are the most affected and are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem and emotional issues than boys during their teenage years.

Seven children’s centres across Derbyshire are at risk of closure as part of council plans to save £1.1m. The Buxton Advertiser reports that the authority is due to consult on the plans over the coming weeks.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg have launched the 2015 Pupil Premium Awards. Under the scheme, schools could win a share of £4m to support their most disadvantaged pupils.

And finally, chief scout Bear Grylls has said that children as young as six should be given knives to help them learn about risk. According to The Express, Grylls told the Radio Times that parents do their children a “disservice” by wrapping them in cotton wool.