A summary of social care stories from the main newspapers

By Clare Jerrom and Reg McKay.

Zombie case woman ‘enjoyed
hypnotism’

A hypnotist told the high court how the woman accusing him of
turning her into a suicidal “zombie”, seemed perfectly normal and
happy when he left her after the routine.

Phillip Green said Lynn Howarth enjoyed her participation in the
hour-long act in 1994.

Howarth claims the show stirred memories of sexual abuse as she
regressed to when she was eight-years-old. This triggered a
depressive illness, which led to suicide attempts, she alleges.

Now fully recovered, Howarth is claiming damages from Green, who
denies her allegations that he was negligent towards her in the way
he carried out an age regression as part of his act. The case
continues.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Wednesday 23 May page 14

Inquiry as children’s jail chief is
suspended

The head of Britain’s first children’s jail is being
investigated over “administrative issues”, and has been suspended
from her position.

Sue Clifton’s suspension relates to allegations over
office procedures, rather than the care of youngsters or financial
matters, according to Rebound, the Group 4 subsidiary that runs the
Medway Secure Training Centre in Kent.

Within months of opening in 1998, Medway had seen 100 attacks on
staff by inmates, and police were called to a night of rioting.

The jail had, however, recently been commended by social
services for its improvements in conditions.

The unit is one of five across the country to deal with
persistent young offenders. Medway houses 44 youngsters aged 12 to
14 who are serving sentences between six months and two years.

Fran Russell, of the Howard League for Penal Reform, called for
the centre to be closed and said Clifton’s suspension was a
“worrying development”.

Rebound’s children’s services director Paul Cook
will take over in Clifton’s absence.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 23 May page
2

Disabled man in suicide pact

A disabled man and his carer wife died with an overdose of drugs
in a probable suicide pact, police said yesterday.

Edmund Turvey and Margaret Morton were found dead at their home
in West Sussex on Monday.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 23 May 2001
page 4

Briton arrested for child abuse

A Briton has been arrested on paedophile charges in Brasov,
Romania.

Police have released footage of Geoffrey Neal Mason, who ran a
charity helping street children, sexually abusing five
children.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 23 May page 6

Nurses jeer junior minister as Milburn keeps
distance

Tony Blair tried to switch the focus of the election debate back
to public services yesterday, as he expanded on Labour’s
plans for health reform including a £100 million package of
child support for nurses.

The approach failed as delegates at the Royal College of
Nursing’s annual conference in Harrogate jeered the junior
minister sent to represent the government. Alan Milburn kept his
distance at a Labour policy launch in London.

When a delegate accused John Denham of duplicity over the
government’s refusal to provide fragile older people with
free personal care to assist with washing and feeding, the other
delegates cheered. Denham was hissed at as he defended
Labour’s concordat with private hospitals.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 23 May page 17

Guardian Society

On the move

Build walls. Police frontiers. Tighten controls. Western
governments can implement any number of strategies to try to
control the flow of asylum seekers and immigrants. But is that the
way forward? Jeremy Harding argues that the west needs to radically
rethink its policies and embrace the idea of immigration.

Source:- G2 Wednesday 23 May page 2/3

Roche and a hard place

After Joy Gardner died while being deported, Barbara Roche
became a vociferous critic of the home office’s immigration
department. Then she took charge of it. Andy Beckett finds her in
an uncomfortable position.

Source:- G2 Wednesday 23 May page 4/5

The invisibles

The politicians talk only about asylum, but many immigrants
never apply for refugee status. They are illegal workers, living
and labouring under the radar of the authorities. Stephen Moss
enters the shadowy world of Job Street, where economic migrants
line up to be hired from the back of a van, no questions asked.

Source:- G2 Wednesday 23 May page 10/11

Grassroots a votes winner

Polling changes boost the turnout for New Deal project
elections

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 23 May page 4

Balancing action plan

Voluntary organisations to get louder voice on devolution

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 23 May page 4

Asylum in art

Worrying numbers of asylum seekers in Scotland are suffering
abuse and assaults

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 May page 5

Home and away

Improving quality of life by moving was once the preserve of
house owners, but now a London borough has a way to benefit the
less well off

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 23 May page
10/11

Building a pride of place

Anil Singh, new black housing organisations’ chair

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 23 May page 11

High stakes

Patrick Weir on the pioneering team gambling on using drug busts
as a first step to getting addicts out of the habit

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 23 May page 12

All bottled up

Sally Ballard on an NSPCC project to help families damaged by
the excessive behaviour of problem drinkers

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 23 May page
120/119

Life-booster bonding

Age charities merger brings promise of boom in research

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 23 May page 119

Scottish newspapers

Alarm as adoption figures fall again

Adoption applications in Scotland fell again last year
continuing a trend which has seen numbers halve during the past
decade. In 2000 there were 400 adoption applications, 50 down on
the previous year and 500 down on the figure ten years ago.

Stephanie Stone, principal officer for adoption and fostering
for Glasgow Council, said that improvements in fertility treatment
and a cultural change on women’s attitudes about being a
parent had contributed to the trend. Stone called for a national
form of allowances for adoptive parents to be included in the
review of adoption in Scotland being carried out by former sheriff
principal, Graham Cox.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 23 May page 8

Asylum seekers meeting ends in chaos

A meeting Glasgow intended to build bridges between local
residents and asylum seekers ended in near chaos last night as
residents raised their grievances.

The meeting, in Sighthill in Glasgow, was chaired by a local
tenant and attended by representatives of social care, police and
ethnic minority groups. As the meeting deteriorated in angry scenes
it was ended but it was agreed to convene again next Tuesday.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 23 May page 8