Babies have been enrolled to help teach pupils in Wales empathy in a bid to reduce levels of aggression and bullying in young children.

The babies, who will not be receiving any contributions towards their pension, are brought into schools by their parents. Primary school pupils then observe the "tiny teachers", which reportedly increases levels of emotional literacy.

The Roots of Empathy scheme, run by Action for Children (AfC), will be introduced into 10 Cardiff schools and will run for nine months. The decision follows in the baby footsteps of Scottish schools, who declared they would be adopting the same scheme - originally pioneered in Canada.

Director of children's services Louise Warde-Hunter said: "This raises levels of empathy amongst classmates, resulting in more respectful relationships and a dramatic reduction in levels of aggression among schoolchildren."

Debra Ennis, who also works at the charity, said she was originally "sceptical" but has been "amazed" by the results in Scotland.

"There was a little boy who was very withdrawn and not involved with other children. He took the baby away in a harness and when he came back said to the teacher words to the effect of 'this baby though I was special. No-one's ever thought I was special'.

"The results in Scotland have been amazing. I was a bit sceptical at first - babies going into classrooms - but the turnaround in behaviour in children's classrooms and drop in anti-social behaviour has been amazing."