By Clare Jerrom, Maria Ahmed and Amy Taylor
How perverts still get jobs with youngsters
Sex abusers could be slipping through the net because of
the problems surrounding the Criminal Records Bureau, MPs warned
yesterday.
The botched creation of the agency has left it riddled with
loopholes and the Public Accounts Committee revealed that as a
result, background checks on teachers, carers and medics were
“not as comprehensive as planned”.
Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 28 October page 43
Article continues below the advertisement
Disability dispute
The Employment Appeals Tribunal has ruled against an appeal by the
Prison Service to reduce what is thought to be the highest award in
a disability discrimination case.
The Prison Service hoped to reduce £400,000 paid to Jacqueline
Beart who worked at Swaleside Prison in Kent.
Source:-
The Times Thursday 28 October page 2
Parents of tearaways face new penalties
The prime minister will use a speech in London today to hail the
success of antisocial behaviour orders in tackling unruly
children.
However Tony Blair will say that further measures are needed to
encourage law-abiding people to take action against nuisance crime.
These include creating more specialist ASBO courts and allowing
witnesses to conceal their identity when giving evidence.
Source:-
The Times Thursday 28 October page 12
Mother of three takes CSA to court over pay errors
The Child Support Agency is being supported by a mother of three
for failing to calculate the full maintenance payments she was owed
by her ex-husband.
Alison Davies is claiming £15,000 for maintenance that she
failed to receive because of calculation errors by the
agency.
Source:-
The Times Thursday 28 October page 13
Blair rejects ban on smacking
The government was accused last night of blocking an attempt to
legislate against smacking children after Tony Blair signalled his
opposition to the ban at Prime Minister’s Question
Time.
Labour MPs, backed by children’s charities, have forced a
fresh vote on the issue on Tuesday.
Source:-
The Independent Thursday 28 October 2004 page
18
Concerns on child database
An electronic database containing a file on all 11 million children
in Britain should have the scope to record any concerns of doctors
and other professionals even if the child or family do not give
consent “in exceptional circumstances,” ministers said
yesterday.
The national register is contained in the Children Bill.
Source:-
The Guardian Thursday 28 October 2004 page
7
Stand up for your rights, minister tells fathers
In his new job in charge of family policy, Lord Filkin says men
must make time for their children – and not be cowed by the
courts.
Source:-
The Guardian Thursday 28 October 2004 page
12
Tories housing strategy ‘comes close to playing the
race card’
Michael Howard was accused yesterday of coming close to
playing the race card in a new Conservative party housing strategy
which blames immigration for creating shortage of accommodation in
the south of England.
Source:-
The Guardian Thursday 28 October 2004 page
12
Scottish news
New act may force volunteers to shun work with young
New checks on adults who work with young people could force small
voluntary organisations across the country to close, it was claimed
last night.
Disclosure Scotland, which has been charged with carrying out
background checks on volunteers because the Protection of Children
Scotland Act will make it an offence to employ those deemed
unsuitable to work with youngsters, has been criticised for the
time it takes to process applications.
Voluntary groups told MSPs on the education committee that
potential volunteers were having to wait up to five months for
clearance and that was having a detrimental affect on
recruitment.
Article continues below the advertisement
Source:-
The Scotsman Thursday 28 October
Drugs plan raises fears of a surge in methadone
addicts
Ministers were yesterday warned that plans to boost funding for
drugs treatment would lead to an explosion in the number of people
addicted to methadone.
Justice minister Cathy Jamieson announced a £6 million boost
for drug treatment and pledged to improve rehabilitation and other
services. She confirmed that methadone to wean addicts from heroin
would be one of the options funded by the executive.
The Tories criticised the plan claiming that figures showed
methadone use in Scotland was rising sharply and would continue to
do so unless sthe government changed its tactics towards
abstinence.
Source:-
The Scotsman Thursday 28 October
Blind man stands his ground
A blind man who was refused entry to a city restaurant is
threatening to take legal action.
Mark McClenaghan was shocked when managers at Mo’s Balti in
the west end told him he could not enter the restaurant with his
guide dog. He is now considering taking legal action against the
restaurant.
Source:-
Evening News Wednesday 27 October
Vice girl help group hit by closure threat
A support group for vice girls in Edinburgh is facing closure due
to a cash crisis.
Health chiefs and council officials have been warned that the
Scottish Prostitutes Education project will have to wind down its
services by the end of the year if it fails to find £20,000 in
funding.
Source:-
Evening News Wednesday 27 October
City pilot lone parent work drive
Two new pilot schemes to help lone parents into work have been
launched in Edinburgh.
Work Search Premium, which gives £20 extra a week to lone
parents for lone parents actively seeking a job, and In-Work Credit
which gives lone parents £40 a week for the first year in a
new job to those who have been on income support or jobseekers
allowance for more than 12 months, will run in Edinburgh, Lothian
and Borders.
Source:-
Evening News Wednesday 27 October
£6m to extend support for children
Children who suffer the effects of domestic violence were promised
extra support from communities minister Malcolm Chisholm.
He announced £6 million funding to extend services to ensure
any child who requires advice or support will receive it.
Source:-
Evening News Wednesday 27 October
Sighthill nursing home plan gets the go-ahead
City planners have backed a proposal for a new 60-bed nursing home
in the west of the Capital.
The Randolph Hill group wants to bulldoze a series of buildings in
order to build a three storey nursing home at Sighthill Court,
Sighthill.
Social work chiefs have welcomed the plan believing it will help
to tackle bed blocking in city hospitals.
Source:-
Evening News Wednesday 27 October
Spotlight on carers’ future
The first debate on the continued expansion services for young
carers was due to be held at the Scottish Parliament today.
John Swinney MSP said the government had increased support in
recent years but there wasn’t enough in place to help some of
the most vulnerable young people in Scotland.
Source:-
Evening News Wednesday 27 October
