In Today's Papers

Archbishop defends youths in hoodies
The Archbishop of York sprang to the defence of youths who wear hoodies, underlining his support by donning one himself. He urged a conference on youth work not to jump to conclusions about those who wear them.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 1                      

Reasonable redress
Nine out of ten women prisoners have been convicted of non-violent offences. Most are mothers and many are vulnerable. Will a government review urge alternatives to incarceration?

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 5

Contract bridges the trust gap
Family support unit offers fresh hope of solving problems of nuisance neighbours.
Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 7

Strike over cuts hits Jobcentres
The Public and Commercial Services Union claimed that 80,000 members joined the first day of a 48-hour walkout, closing benefit and Child Support Agency offices across the country in a campaign against 30,000 job cuts at the Department for Work and Pensions.
Source:- The Times, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 2

Clarke will be asked why jails did not act on orders
The home secretary is to be asked by MPs to explain why his officials failed to act on new instructions on the deportation of foreign offenders that were issued more than a year ago to prison governors.
Source:- The Times, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 4

Mum's the word
Tomorrow’s local elections see the political debut of a new grassroots party that harnesses working-class women’s rage against rising antisocial behaviour.
Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 1

Going with the flow
These days, any self-respecting urban regeneration programme must have water running through it. Report on "canal mania."
Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 3

Shaping up for success
Can dedicated local trainers get people who live in deprived areas to change their lifestyles for the better?
Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 7

Consortium condemned over £100 million windfall profit from NHS
A group of banks and property developers which made a windfall profit of over £80 million from the NHS has been condemned for showing the “unacceptable face of capitalism”.
The public accounts committee accused the private consortium involved in the rebuilding of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital of “lining investors' pockets”.
Source:- The Independent, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 13

Ministers offer £100,000 for trust schools chief
Ministers are offering a £100,000-plus salary to the new schools commissioner – a “champion” who will help promote independently run trust schools and academies.
Source:- The Independent, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 13

Ministers lost control of NHS
Andrew Foster, the Department of Health’s outgoing  workforce director has revealed how ministers have “lost control” of the health service through widespread mismanagement.
Source:- Daily Mail, Wednesday 3 May 2006, page 2

Scottish news

Girl, 10, to be spared court ordeal
A 10-year-old girl will be spared the trauma of giving evidence against her father in open court after a U-turn by legal officials.

The girl was due to testify next week in a case where the 41-year-old man is accused of assaulting her mother, and the procurator-fiscal at Dingwall had rejected the use of screens or a video link when she identified her father.
The Crown Office had backed the fiscal and said there were reasons why she had to make the identification as a key prosecution witness, even though the Vulnerable Witness (Scotland) Act 2004 will grant her an automatic right to protection when it is introduced to non-jury trials next year.
Source:- The Herald, Wednesday 3 May 2006
 
Former teacher faces 24 counts of child sex abuse
A former Scottish teacher is set to appear in the High Court charged with a string of child sex offences.
Paul Firth, who used to be an assistant headteacher at St Machar academy in Aberdeen, is due to appear at the High Court in Edinburgh on 19 May to face 24 charges.
The former Scout leader was arrested by detectives in January. He worked in several Aberdeen schools.
Source:- The Sctosman, Wednesday 3 May 2006
 
Executive scuppers bid to ban yob beggars
Crackdowns on aggressive begging and drunken behaviour in Edinburgh could be blocked by the Scottish executive.
Bylaws giving police extra powers to arrest anyone causing a nuisance while begging or drinking outdoors were drawn up by the city council.
But the executive has told the council existing laws are more than strong enough to tackle the problems and has told the authority to abandon the plans.
Source:- The Scotsman, Wednesday 3 May 2006

Welsh news

How well does Wales protect its children?
A review on safeguarding children in Wales warns that it is impossible to eliminate child abuse no matter what measures are put in place.
The report, commissioned by the Welsh Assembly, says that there will always be adults who try to abuse children and unforeseen consequences that lead to children being harmed.
It calls for all adults to take responsibility for safeguarding and to be aware of children’s vulnerability.
Source:- Western Mail, Wednesday 3 May 2006

Probation board apologises to family for delay
The South Wales probation service has apologised to the family of murdered schoolboy Ben Bellamy for producing inadequate reports which has led to the sentencing of his killers being delayed.
The family expected sentences to be given to the three teenagers at Swansea crown court last Friday.
But the judge ruled that two of the pre-sentencing reports were inadequate as the probation service had failed to speak to two of the boys.
Source:- Western Mail, Wednesday 3 May 2006