13% rise in reports to Children's Ombudsman

There was a 13% increase in the number of complaints to the children's watchdog last year.

According to the 2009 annual report for the Ombudsman for Children, its office received 912 complaints in the year.

The report said these were among the issues children highlighted during 2009, where education was concerned:

- The risks of young people leaving school early due to families’ difficulties in meeting the costs of education;

- The importance of schools providing breakfast clubs and homework clubs to support children’s participation in education;

- The negative impacts of budgetary cuts on education.