Babble Wrap: Mental Health Issues Soar Among Children

Hundreds of children aged 10 to 14 are being hospitalised after harming themselves, and the rate has grown by 35 per cent in just under a decade. The Age

DOCS gives condoms to 12-year-old girl with chlamydia
A 12-year-old girl was given a “party pack” of condoms and lubricant after she was diagnosed with chlamydia at a DOCS medical appointment. The girl’s family said police refused to act even though their daughter and the boy were under the age of consent. news.com.au

Surge in number of children in foster care
A dramatic rise in the number of children entering foster care has necessitated a hefty increase in the community services budget, which will reach a record $1.6 billion in 2009-10. SMH

A tenth of children don’t know how to ride a bike
One in ten children do not know how to ride a bike as worried parents refuse to let them spend enough time outdoors, according to new figures. Daily Mail

Shattered father ‘failed’ by rotten DOCS system
The dad father of a pregnant 12-year-old girl has described DOCS as a useless disgrace for ignoring his repeated pleas to protect his daughter and 14-year-old son, who live with their mother in a housing estate. He discovered his daughter was pregnant in March after intercepting an SMS from her boyfriend, who he says has since threatened to kill him. Daily Telegraph

All NSW kindergarten children to be tested in basic literacy and numeracy
From next year all public school kindergarten students, more than 61,000 statewide, will be tested for the first time. The Government says the tests will help teachers assess ability, but some parents are concerned that kindergarten children are too young for testing and are vulnerable to stress. SMH

Man claiming to be kidnapped child appears 55 years later
It was the Madeleine McCann case of its day. Steven Damman, a toddler left outside a shop on Long Island for 10 minutes by his mother, vanished without trace. Fifty-five years on, as mysteriously as he disappeared, a man bearing a striking resemblance to the toddler’s father has now come forward saying that he is that missing child. The Australian

Does age really make you a better mum?
Youthful zip or the wisdom of maturity – which is more important for a mother? A woman who gave birth in her 20s, 30s and 40s, reveals all…. Daily Mail