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Refugee Council sounds warning after children wrongly issued with notices of intent by Home OfficeUK politics – latest updatesLone child asylum seekers are at risk of being sent to Rwanda because the Home Office has wrongly classified some as adults, it has been claimed.The Refugee Council, which works with these children, has warned of the risk after more than a dozen of the children...

Campaigners say cash-strapped local authorities are placing young people in budget accommodation, making them targets for grooming by criminal gangsVulnerable teenagers in care are being placed in hotels by cash-strapped councils, with experts warning they are being “served up” to criminal gangs.Children aged 16 to 17 are entering care in greater numbers than any other age group, often with complex needs, and experts say...

Young people feel their internet activity is overwhelmed by betting promotions and similar content, says GambleAware Children are “saturated” with betting promotions and gambling-like content while using the internet, despite restrictions on ad campaigns targeting young people, new research reveals.GambleAware, the charity funded by donations from gambling firms, commissioned research that found the risks of online gambling were not understood by children because of the...

Parent of trans girl says report promotes agenda that ‘things need to be made more difficult’ for children with gender dysphoriaThousands of children unsure of gender identity ‘let down by NHS’Analysis: review has major implications for mental health servicesWhile the Cass report’s 400 pages will be pored over and debated, one thing is certain – young trans people face an anxious future.The mother of...

First 1001 Days Movement says five-year decline in toddler development is a ‘ticking time bomb’ for the UKAn incoming Labour government must revive the 1997 spirit of Sure Start and put babies at the heart of policies if it is to achieve its goals, a coalition of charities has said.The First 1001 Days Movement, a coalition of more than 200 charities and professionals, said...

Inspector says he was ‘deeply shocked’ by incidents with no female officer present at young offender institutionAn “incredibly vulnerable” girl held in a young offender institution was pinned down and stripped by an all-male group of officers on at least two occasions, a watchdog has discovered.Charities have called for all female offenders to be removed from YOI Wetherby in West Yorkshire after the damning...

Exclusive: Guardian investigation for podcast series Black Box reveals names connected to app that generated nonconsensual images of underage girls around the worldPrologue: the collision – podcastThe first Miriam al-Adib learned of the pictures was when she returned home from a business trip. “Mum,” said her daughter. “I want to show you something.”The girl, 14, opened her phone to show an explicit image of...

Local WhatsApp group started by two mothers concerned about online safety attracts more than 4,000 membersMore than 4,000 parents have joined a group committed to barring young children from having smartphones, as concerns grow about online safety and the impact of social media on mental health.The WhatsApp group Smartphone Free Childhood was created by the former school friends Clare Fernyhough and Daisy Greenwell in...

Young people with complex needs face long waits for places because providers fear negative watchdog reportsSome care homes in England are refusing to take children with complex needs because they are worried it might affect their Ofsted inspection ratings, fuelling concern that vulnerable young people in the social care system are having to wait months or even years for a stable home.Last month, an...

Exclusive: testimonies describing malnourishment and disease to renew pressure on government to repatriate dozens of Britons, many of them childrenBritish mothers held in a prison camp in north-east Syria fear that they may die in detention after an “alarming” deterioration in living conditions.Their testimony – revealed in a series of WhatsApp messages seen by the Guardian – will place fresh pressure on the UK...

Coroner concluded 14-year-old girl took her life after prolonged and sustained bullying in person and onlineThe father of a 14-year-old girl who killed herself after being bullied has said his family are victims of a “failing system” after an inquest into her death.Mia Janin, a year 10 pupil at the Jewish free school in Kenton, north-west London, was found dead at her family home...

Charities call on government to prioritise outside spaces for play as MPs begin inquiry into planning and children’s wellbeingChildren and young people are suffering huge damage to their health and wellbeing from policymakers refusing to prioritise the need for outdoor play, charities have said.As MPs begin an inquiry into how better planning could enhance the wellbeing of children, the charities said urgent change was...

At least four experts quit Great Ormond Street team after disputes over text of training module for recruits, sources say A string of resignations from a team preparing for the launch of the new NHS children’s gender clinic has further complicated plans to open the services in April.Disagreements over the text of a training module for medical recruits to the new gender service have...

Bone strength is set in childhood so better park access could prevent fractures in older people, study findsChildren with more green space near their homes have significantly stronger bones, a study has found, potentially leading to lifelong health benefits.The scientists found that the children living in places with 20-25% more natural areas had increased bone strength that was equivalent to half a year’s natural...