Parenting TV shows ‘may harm children’

Parenting TV shows ‘may harm children’

The NSPCC is to set up a body to advice production companies on safeguarding children and young people involved in reality television.

The NSPCC has previously criticised the Channel 4 series Bringing Up Baby, in which parents were advised to ignore their babies’ cries, and The Baby Borrowers, in which babies were left with inexperienced teenagers.

It will ask professional nursing and medical associations to set up the group.

Source: The Daily Telegraph Monday 14 January 2008 page 11

Equality watchdog drops its backing for low-paid women’s legal challenge

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is withdrawing its backing for a court case that will determine whether local authorities have the right to delay paying women  the same amount as men in order to avoid cutting the wages of male staff.

Source: The Times, Monday 14 January 2007, page 26

Police to use text message tactics to snare rape suspects

Police and prosecutors in rape cases are set to experiment with controversial techniques designed to incriminate themselves through phone calls or text messages.

Source: The Guardian, Monday 14 January 2007, page 1, 8-9

Ministers have missed 122 of 346 Whitehall performance targets

Research by The Independent reveals that the government has failed to meet 122 performance targets, out of the 346 across 17 Whitehall departments, set to improve public services. 

Among a series of failed directives, the research found that the government failed to reduce child poverty, improve the asylum system or tackle social exclusion.

Source: The Independent, Monday January 14 2008, pages 4-5

Brown promises a decent wage for family carers

The government is considering allowing older and disabled people to pay relatives to look after them, through direct payments and individual budgets.

The measure could be unveiled later this year as part of a package of support for carers arising from a current government review.

Source: The Daily Mail Monday 14 January 2008 page 30