Doubts rise over electronic tags

Roles fit for heroes

Campaigners believe prime minister Gordon Brown has engineered a shift in government thinking on the voluntary sector, away from seeing charities simply as public service providers.

Yesterday’s final report of the government’s third sector review, while taking forward the service delivery agenda, also promotes the idea of the sector as representing the views of marginalised people, campaigning to achieve social change and engaging people in their communities, through volunteering.

However, while the National Council for Voluntary Organisations said this marked a shift in government thinking, the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations said there was no conflict between promoting service delivery and campaigning.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 July 2007 page 3

On speaking terms

A project has been set up in London to teach foreign sex workers English to ensure they can negotiate with clients and avoid doing things they would not want to do.

The x: talk project involves English-speaking sex workers teaching others the language and seeks to provide a support network for the group.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 July 2007 page 7

A 17-year-old mother was facing jail yesterday after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to her 11-month-old daughter by placing her in a freezer.

Selby Youth Court will sentence the woman after an assessment by the local youth offending team.

Source:- Daily Mirror Wednesday 25 July 2007 page 31

Dyslexic police inspector wins ruling he is disabled

A Metropolitan Police officer has won a test legal victory that dyslexia is a disability in the eyes of the law.

Source:- The Times, Wednesday 25 July 2007, page 9

 
Doubts rise over electronic tags

Breaches of court-imposed bail curfews involving electronic tags quadrupled last year while attempts to remove or tamper with them nearly doubled, according to new figures.

Source:- The Telegraph, Wednesday 25 July 2007, page 9
 
Cost of living rises twice as fast for elderly

The cost of living for elderly people is rising at more than twice the rate of households, research shows today.

Source:- The Telegraph, Wednesday 25 July 2007, page 11
 
‘Give drug addicts shopping vouchers’

Drug addicts should be given shopping vouchers worth £10 to encourage them to quit their habit, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence ruled yesterday.

Source:- The Telegraph, Wednesday 25 July 2007, page 10

Thomas the Tank Engine can help autistic children make good progress with speech and communication, claims new research by the National Autistic Society. It is thought the facial expressions may help.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 25 July 2007, page 12

Scottish digest

Samaritans leaders have voiced concern over a drop in volunteer numbers as the volume of calls increases.

The charity is now looking to recruit hundreds of new volunteers to cope with the growing workload.

Frances Simpson, the organisation’s Scottish development officer, said today that calls to the service hit 6000 in 2006 – up 5% on the previous year. At the same time volunteer numbers dropped from 961 in 2005 to 930 last year.

Source:- The Herald, Wednesday 25 July

The Scottish Parliament has been urged to set up an independent living task force to enable disabled people to participate fully in life.

It comes as the Disability Rights Commission announced the findings of an 18-month review of independent living.

It is calling for a 15-year programme of investment in housing, transport, education and the benefits system. Currently, only 20 per cent of Scotland’s 36,000 wheelchair users have adapted homes.

Source:- The Scotsman, Wednesday 25 July

Welsh news

The savings gulf between the richest and poorest people in Wales is shown in new figures released today.

A study of savings in Wales shows that wealthiest half of Wales has an average of £54, 608 in savings accounts and stocks and shares compared to just £282 for the poorest half.

Source:- Western Mail, Wednesday, 25 July 2007

An 84-year-old woman fell to her death after stepping off a window ledge at a residential home, an inquest heard.

Iris Hill, who moved to Parkside House in Penarth, South Wales, in November 2006.

Staff found her lying in the home’s garden on the night of her death in December having fallen out of the window in her room.

Source:- icWales, Wednesday, 25 July 2007