Cot-death suspicions are revived

Cot-death suspicions are revived

A British Medical Journal article has reopened the debate over the chances of whether repeated cot deaths in the same family involved murder or natural causes.

Paediatricians Christopher Bacon and Edmund Hey reviewed 46 cases, 90% of which had involved natural causes according to a previous article in The Lancet journal; however, Bacon and Hey claimed that 43% of the cases should have been treated as “undetermined”, meaning they could have resulted from parental violence.

In disputed evidence that helped wrongly convict solicitor Sally Clark of murdering her two sons in 2003, paediatrician Sir Roy Meadow claimed that there was a one in 73million chance of two children dying from cot deaths in the same affluent family.

His evidence was later discredited and Clark freed.

Source:- The Times Friday 20 July 2007 page 23

Killer boasted of stamping on woman’s neck

One of the gang who torturned, raped and strangled a young Kurdish woman in an “honour killing” boasted of how he had finally stamped on her neck to “get her soul out”, the Old Bailey heard yesterday.

Mohamad Hama, of West Norwood, south London, who has pleaded guilty to the murder of 20-year-old Banaz Mahmod last year, was taped making the claim by police, and the evidence was unveiled at a pre-sentence hearing.

The Crown says Hama, who claims he only buried Banaz’s body, was commissioned by her father and uncle, Mahmod and Ari Mahmod, to carry out the murder, after Banaz started a relationship with a man deemed unsuitable.

All three men will be sentenced today.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 20 July 2007 page 11

Teenage mothers will be offered a contraceptive jab

Guidance issued to health workers working in government pilots to support young mothers in deprived areas calls on them to encourage young women to consider contraceptive jabs or implants to stop them from conceiving again.

Source:- The Daily Mail Friday 20 July 2007 page 21

Alert over poor kids

The number of poorer children in independent academy schools has fallen since 2002, a government-commissioned report revealed yesterday.

The study, by consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers, called on ministers to conduct a “closer review of admissions” in academies after finding the proportion of pupils on free school meals had fallen from 42% in 2002 to 36% in 2006.

Source:- The Daily Mirror Friday 20 July 2007 page 29

Balls seeks business mentor for every pupil

The central challenge facing the education system is raising standards for the bottom 20% to 30% of children, children’s secretary Ed Balls has claimed.

He has called for children to be given mentors from the business sector to help raise support them in their learning.

Source:- The Financial Times Friday 20 July 2007 page 2
 
Ofsted to inspect how schools promote ‘community cohesion’

Schools will be expected to promote understanding between pupils of different cultures and sexual orientations, the government has announced.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph, July 20 2007, page 2
 
 
Asbo for ‘Pied Piper,’ 12, who terrorised neighbours

A 12-year-old boy nicknamed “Chucky” after a 1980s horror film has become such a notorious criminal that teenagers follow him top see what he will do next. He has been responsible for at least 60 crimes in and around Little Lever, near Bolton, Greater Manchester. The court imposed a two-year antisocial behaviour order.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph, July 20 2007, page 4
 
 
Middle classes ‘move in on city academies’

Children from poor homes are being edged out of city academies as schools are targeted by middle class parents, a government-backed report published yesterday claims.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph, July 20 2007, page 8
 
‘Teach bright children separately’

Bright children should be taught separately to push them further, said Ed Balls, the children’s secretary.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph, July 20 2007, page 9
 
 
Number of violent attacks rises but overall crime levels stable

Violent attacks increased more than 5 per cent last year, a new statistic that overshadowed a Home Office declaration yesterday that overall levels of crime remained stable.

Source:- The Independent, July 20 2007, page 14

Scottish digest

Vow to improve standards in care homes

Standards of care in Scotland’s nursing homes need to be improved, according to the minister responsible for services for the elderly.

Shona Robison, the public health minister, said she was “appalled” by the cases of neglect and mistreatment of elderly people, and pledged action to lift standards.

Ms Robison said: “The fact that these cases still have the power to shock us demonstrates that they are, thankfully, not commonplace – but it’s still not good enough that they happen at all.”

Source:- The Scotsman, Friday 20 July

Deprivation ‘not to blame’ for city’s ills

Poverty is not necessarily to blame for high rates of alcoholism and depression in Glasgow, according to a major study.

More men die from alcohol or smoking-related diseases in Scotland’s largest city than in the whole of the rest of Scotland. Women are also less healthy in Glasgow than elsewhere.

High levels of alcohol consumption, poor mental health and low consumption of fresh vegetables are all more prevalent in Glasgow, despite having no direct link to deprivation, according to the report, leading doctors to call for a city-wide approach to improving health.

Source:- The Scotsman, Friday 20 July

Welsh news

Council may face legal challenge on school closures

Parents and governors are getting legal advice over a Welsh council’s plans to close down six primary schools.

The group, who are battling to save schools in Powys, is set to launch a petition to be handed to the Assembly Government.

Source:- Western Mail, Friday, 20 July 2007

Social services discuss ageing population

A new stand alone social services body has been launched in Wales.

The Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru (ADSS) was previously a part of the Association of Directors of Social Services, which covered the whole of the UK, but this organisation has now dissolved.

Source:- Western Mail, Friday, 20 July 2007