News round up: Children evade social websites’ age limits

Facebook: Children evade social websites’ age limits

Nearly a quarter of children between the ages of eight and 12 are evading the age restrictions imposed by social networking sites Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, a poll of young people revealed last night.

The results suggest that more than 750,000 children are illicitly using the sites – which are supposed to be limited to teenagers and adults – potentially exposing them to risky communications with strangers.

The poll of 1,000 children was commissioned by Garlik, an online information company, which said parents are responding by secretly logging on to their children’s social networking pages to detect any reckless online behaviour.

Read more on this story in The Guardian

Purnell orders review into sanctions in benefits system

A wholesale review of the conditions attached to benefits, including those given to lone parents, the unemployed and the disabled, has been ordered by the work and pensions secretary, James Purnell.

The review started this week and is to be undertaken by Paul Gregg, a Bristol University academic who has specialised in the interaction between benefits and income.

The review is in addition to the proposals set out to tighten welfare rules published in the welfare green paper announced before the summer recess by Purnell.

Read more on this story in The Guardian

Yob teens should not face court say Liberal Democrats

eenagers who commit minor offences or yobbish behaviour should not face prosecution in the courts, the Liberal Democrats said yesterday.

Instead, children who admitted guilt should be sent before panels of local people to apologise, given a “positive behaviour order” and work such as cleaning up graffiti.

Chris Huhne, launching the party’s youth crime strategy, said custody and Asbos should be a last resort.
Read more on this story in The Daily Mirror

60% of long-term benefits claimants could go back to work, admits minister

Six out of ten sickness benefits claimants could go back to work, official research found yesterday.

A study commissioned by work and pensions secretary James Purnell revealed that almost all workers with health problems coming on to benefits could return to their jobs if given proper support from the outset.

Read more on this story in The Sun

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