Rules on sexual history of rape victims tightened

Rules on sexual history of rape victims tightened
Court rules for questioning rape victims about their sexual history are to be tightened after research found that legislation aimed at preventing unfair cross-examination had failed.
Source:- Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 2
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Asylum claim disbelief ‘costs millions’
A “culture of disbelief” of asylum seeker claims at the Home Office and a reluctance to accept foreign qualifications is costing taxpayers millions of pounds, a report by New Philanthropy Capital claims today.
Source:- Financial Times, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 6

Spreading a little happiness
Are mental health drop-in centres, where the public discuss their psychological problems with professionals, the solution to tackling Britain’s rising tide of misery, as this week’s Layard report says?
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 21 June 2006

Changes for the better
The public inquiry report into the murder of Zahid Mubarek at Feltham young offender institution will highlight failings, but, writes ex-governor Jon Scott, much has already been done to make improvements
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 21 June 2006

Detention failings
Four short-term immigration detention centres are unfit to hold children and for overnight stays by other migrants, according to a watchdog.
Source:- The Times, Wednesday 21 June 3006, page 26
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Reid launches Home Office shake-up
Home secretary John Reid is expected to lay down an action plan and milestones for the immigration, prison and probation services to meet to make the Home Office “fit for purpose”.
Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 1
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Children on the edge
More than one million children are suffering from mental disorders severe enough to require treatment, doctors say in a report by the British Medical Association’s board of science, published yesterday.
Source:- The Independent, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 1
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How best to meet the needs of disabled people?
Discussion of Scope and policies on disabled people.
Source:- The Independent, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 27
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Ministers accused of ‘mob rule’ agenda
Downing Street yesterday backed further away from new laws on informing the public about paedophiles after the government was accused of driving the country towards “mob rule” with a populist approach to law and order.
Source:- Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 4
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School checks
A review of school records has been ordered by Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, to ensure that pupils are protected from paedophiles.
Source:- The Times, Wednesday 21 June 3006, page 2
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Ministers clear two sex offenders to work in schools
The Department for Education and Skills has cleared two sex offenders to work in schools despite being advised to consider blacklisting them, it emerged last night.
Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 8
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Proposals for parental help criticised by campaigners
Tory proposals to reform the financial help given to parents could punish those on the lowest incomes, family campaigners and the Labour party have warned.
Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 15
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£8.49 – that’s all some OAPs are left to live on each day
One in ten pensioners has to live in a paltry £8.49 a day after paying their utility bills, it emerged today.
Source:- The Daily Mail, Wednesday 21 June 2006, page 15
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Scottish news

Mystery over real cost of elderly care
Holes in information about free personal care have been exposed by the Scottish executive’s own research, leaving it unclear whether money is being spent properly.
Academics have identified problems in trying to find out where money is allocated, whether it is having an effect and how much more will be needed in future.
Researchers asked for more clarity on the groups benefiting from free care and about changes in unpaid, informal care, part of which has led to increased demand in the state-funded sector.
Source:- The Herald, Wednesday 21 June 2006
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Early release scheme ‘can only succeed if social work better funded’
The automatic early release of prisoners from Scotland’s jails is to be scrapped, Cathy Jamieson the justice minister has announced.
But penal experts warned the proposals – which mean that councils and new criminal justice authorities will have to supervise thousands more offenders when they are released from jail – will fail unless social workers are given more funding.
The changes mean offenders sentenced to more than two weeks will have to spend half of their sentence behind bars, with the remainder of their sentence served in the community on licence, with offenders subject to monitoring and conditions, which they could be jailed for breaching.
Source:- The Scotsman, Wednesday 21 June 2006
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Welsh news
No social care news today.