child

This month, we celebrate Father’s Day: a joyous day for so many celebrating those who play a paternal role. However, Father’s Day can also be a painful reminder for people across Exeter who are not part of a ‘traditional family’, including children in care.

It can be difficult to comprehend that there is an increasing number of children coming into foster care, with over 80,850 children currently looked after away from home in England alone.

Yet despite seeing how quickly our country can rally to help those most in need, and with the media’s backing, many are unaware of...

Arrests of children by Devon and Cornwall Police have been reduced by 75 per cent over the last decade, figures reveal today (Monday 23 August) in another major step forward for a successful Howard League for Penal Reform campaign. Since 2010, the Howard League has been working with police forces across England and Wales to reduce child arrests, helping to ensure that hundreds of thousands of boys and girls do not have their lives blighted by a criminal record. Data provided by police forces show that arrests of children aged 17 and under were reduced by 13 per cent last year – from 72,...

Unlike adult bedrooms, children’s bedrooms are not just a place for sleep, but also play, so to help them enjoy the room to its fullest potential, it’s worthwhile to give it a cool makeover that displays their personality and inspires their playtime. To help you out, we’ve created this list of four tips to create your child’s dream bedroom.

1. Choose a Theme

This is an important first step because it will influence the décor in the rest of the room. Will it be all bright colours or pastels? Will there be cartoon characters painted on the wall or pictures of...

My seven-year-old child is really scared about climate change and what’s going to happen to our planet. What’s the best way to talk to her about it, and help her feel less anxious?

Scientist and environmentalist Matthew Shribman says: “It’s understandable that your daughter is worried, but she’s not alone. A recent report by McCain entitled Nation’s Conversations found children were reporting feelings of anxiety, sadness and fear at the implications of climate change. I also have students your daughter’s age, and I feel their anxiety – I’m worried too. Here’s what I say to my...

Child cruelty and neglect offences in the UK have doubled over the last five years, the NSPCC has revealed. There were 16,939 child cruelty and neglect offences recorded by police in 2017/18, up from 7,965 in 2012/13. The rise for the same five-year period is even more dramatic in the South West, where police forces in the region recorded 312 child cruelty and neglect offences in 2012/2013 to 1,618 offences in 2017/18 – a fivefold increase.

Reports to the police included extreme cases of when a parent or carer deliberately neglected, assaulted, abandoned or exposed their child to...

Arrests of children by Devon and Cornwall Police have fallen by 76 per cent in the last six years, figures published by the Howard League for Penal Reform reveal today (Monday 7 August).

Research by the charity has found that the force made 994 arrests of children aged 17 and under last year, down from 4,132 in 2010.

Across England and Wales, the total number of arrests has fallen by 64 per cent in six years – from almost 250,000 in 2010 to 87,525 in 2016.

The statistics underline the success of a major Howard League programme, which involves working with police...

Three people died and nine people were left injured in a serious multiple vehicle collision on the A38 near Landrake yesterday morning [Sunday 9 July].

Police, fire and ambulance crews were called at 11.15am following the collision involving five cars between Tideford and Landrake.

A woman and a child from one car sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene. A second child from the car sustained potentially serious head injuries and was airlifted by air ambulance to Bristol Children’s Hospital. The injuries are not believed life-threatening at this...

Police are appealing for witnesses after a child was injured when a quad bike overturned in Holsworthy at the weekend.

The mini quad bike was being ridden by a four-year-old girl from the local area, with family members walking alongside, when the incident happened at around 5.30pm on Sunday 27 September.

They were on the public footway, which leads from Bodmin Street over the River Deer, heading in the Bude direction, when the quad bike collided with the verge and wall of the viaduct bridge and overturned onto the four-year-old child.

The girl was taken to Bristol...

Victims of child sex abuse in Devon will be given personal support and trauma counselling to help them rebuild their lives – as figures show reports of abuse are on the increase.

The service, which will draw from Cognitive Behavioural and Family Therapies, will provide one-on-one help and advice and counselling and will be delivered by The Children’s Society’s Checkpoint project in Devon, thanks to a £300,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

Research shows that young people who have been sexually abused or exploited can experience anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder...