Ministers have been urged to ring fence funding for autistic children so schools can provide properly for them. Labour's Lloyd Russell-Moyle said autistic children in his Brighton Kemptown constituency were "unable to access proper education". During Education questions in the Commons, he told MPs that head teachers do not have…

As the next school year begins, a new study has identified the impact that early trauma has on a child’s education and prospects for good future health. Published in the journal BMC Public Health, the study talked to adults in Wales about their exposure to childhood maltreatment and other early…

Schools are faced with a bleak picture when it comes to supporting children with special educational needs, according to a report.The report from school leaders' union the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), found teachers have been left struggling by tight budgets and cuts to health and social care provision.The…

A new national response unit will be established to help local authorities support vulnerable children at risk of exploitation by criminal gangs, Children and Families Minister Nadhim Zahawi has announced. Backed by up to £2million investment, will offer bespoke support to local councils to help stop child sexual exploitation, trafficking,…

Ministers have been urged to address the "crisis in children's mental health" after a Children's Society report revealed that around one in four 14-year-old girls self-harm. The charity's annual Good Childhood Report, which examines the state of children's well-being in the UK, found that out of the 11,000 children surveyed…

Police are searching for two teenagers who have been missing since the early hours of the morning. Keir Earl, 13, and Colese Marsden, 15, were reported missing from an address in Wick at around 1.30am on Friday. Colese (pictured) is described as 5ft 2in and of slim build with a…

Dr Alinka Gearon from the University of Bath has secured funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to run a seminar showcasing her research on child trafficking services. Dr Gearon (pictured) from the Department of Social & Policy Sciences, will be running 'Child trafficking: Children’s voices informing practice'…

The loss of learning disability specialists could lead to a return to Victorian-style care, leading nurses have warned. The number of learning disability nurses in England dropped by 40% from 5,368 in May 2010 to 3,247 in April 2018, figures from NHS Digital show. Many patients may end up being…

Lack of action to tackle child poverty is creating "a generation of invisible boys and girls", according to former prime minister Gordon Brown. He accused both the Scottish and UK governments of ignoring what he described as "a national disgrace", and called for increases in welfare payments to address the…

Social Care Wales and WCVA have announced an updated version of their safeguarding awareness guide for training those who work with children and vulnerable adults. The 'All Wales Basic Safeguarding Awareness' pack, version 3, is now available on the Social Care Wales website. The pack is designed to be used…

Use of the drug Ritalin to treat UK children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) should be stepped up rather than reduced, a new study suggests. Evidence shows 5% of children suffer from the behavioural disorder, but only one in 10 are receiving medical treatment. Experts who took part in…

Girls were admitted to hospital for self-harming nearly twice as regularly last year compared to two decades ago, figures have revealed. The NSPCC described the statistics as "heartbreaking", while an expert suggested social media could have contributed to the rise. NHS data shows girls were admitted to hospital 7,327 times…