children

Devon and Cornwall Police take DNA samples from 19 children every week, figures obtained by the Howard League for Penal Reform reveal today (20 May 2013).

New research by the charity has found that Devon and Cornwall officers took swabs from 1,009 boys and girls aged 17 or under during 2011.

They included 18 primary school-age children – five 10-year-olds and 13 11-year-olds.

Across England and Wales, police took swabs from almost 54,000 boys and girls aged 17 or under during 2011.

They included at least 368 10-year-olds and 1,030 11-year-olds, meaning that...

Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park, the South West’s No 1 Multi Award Winning Family Attraction is offering an exclusive 30% online discount off admission prices for this Saturday 11 May! The discount, which is available to pre-book online now, offers fun for all the family with plenty of all-weather attractions! What’s more, guests can also enjoy seven days of fun for the price of one with this exclusive online offer!

With over 60 rides and attractions including the latest theme park rides, the friendliest animals and exciting indoor and outdoor play areas, there’s no shortage of...

Thousands more young people in Devon are to benefit from the sporting legacy after Sport England announced an extra £24 million to expand and extend its successful Sportivate programme.

The National Lottery funding means Sportivate can continue helping 14- to 25-year-olds to get involved in sports from judo and tennis to wakeboarding and parkour until 2017.

The initiative is run in Devon by County Sport Partnership, Active Devon. New figures shows that 3,521 teenagers and young adults in the county have already benefitted from free or discounted six-to-eight week sports...

Children in care would be found a home with adoptive parents more quickly under new plans to reform the adoption system.

In a joint submission to Government, councillors, chief executives and directors of children's services have set out proposals to significantly increase the number of adopters recruited and speed up the process of finding new homes for children in care.

Under the reforms, councils would work more closely together to help match suitable adopters with children in other parts of the country.

Targeted support work would focus on speeding up the...

Teachers in schools across the globe are turning to a new philosophy to help improve the behaviour and well-being of students. Mindfulness, a form of meditation, has been shown to help with a wide range of mental health conditions and improve well-being in adults. However, few trials have evaluated its effectiveness in children.

Professor Willem Kuyken from the Mood Disorders Centre at the University of Exeter is presenting new research findings from a feasibility trial which show how the mindfulness technique is also effective in improving well-being in young people. Speaking at...

Storytelling is magic. Especially when it brings strange and wonderful objects to life. On 30 March you can hear talented performer Wilf Merttens tell tales about the unusual objects on show in the Devon Guild’s current exhibition,‘Transplantation’. Wilf, who ‘tells poems, brings legends, jumps about’ - has won awards for his vibrant performances (Storyteller of the Year 2009, Bristol Storytelling slam prize) which entertain young and old alike. On Easter Saturday he will draw inspiration from the pieces of contemporary narrative jewellery displayed in the Guild gallery until Sunday 21...

A leading Devon charity is offering local children the chance to become the next Chris Packham or Kate Humble. This summer Devon Wildlife Trust is running two weeks of wildlife Discovery Days where kids will learn the skills that will help them become top nature sleuths.

Bookings are being taken now for Discovery Days which will take place at two of the Trust’s wonderful Devon venues. At Wembury Marine Centre, children aged 8 to 11 can book for a week of marine-focussed fun. The event takes place 8.30am-4pm between Monday 5 and Friday 9 August. While at Woodah Farm, near...

You'll find something to keep the whole family amused in our round-up of events taking place over the Easter holiday:

Killerton Estate, Broadclyst

28 March-15 April: Easter egg trails - Follow the Easter egg trail around the garden and claim your chocolate prize, 11am-4pm daily. £2 per child includes a chocolate egg.

29 March: Burrow Farm on the Killerton Estate is celebrating the launch of their farm shop’s new range of products by holding a family fun day. This free event will be open from 10am till 3pm and there will be something for everyone including a...