In Today's Papers

Boy's death in secure unit 'a disaster waiting to happen'
The death of the first child ever to die in a privately run secure unit was "a disaster waiting to happen", the head of the Youth Justice Board at the time of the incident said yesterday.
Source:- The Guardian, Friday 16 February 2007, page 10

Boy, 6, in bully hell
A woman whose autistic son became suicidal after being bullied at school has set up a website for parents of children with the condition.
Jade Bolton-Power, from Ascot, Berkshire said her son Jack, six, had his jaw dislocated by bullies, and then ran in front of a car which swerved to miss him.

Source:- The Sun, Friday 16 February 2007, page 22

Scottish news

Disability charity in crisis over cash shortfall
A disability charity has warned it is sliding deep into debt.
Cornerstone, which turns over £26million a year supporting children and adults with learning difficulties, said it could end this year with a deficit running into hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The charity has already taken action to avert what it called a potential "disaster", signalling it will drop at least one project for more than 100 disabled people in Aberdeen.
Source:- The Herald, Friday 16 February 2007

Three-year-olds to be assessed for antisocial behaviour

Children as young as three are to be assessed for antisocial tendencies.
A new review of persistent offending suggests the radical move could give children from difficult backgrounds a better chance in life, shepherding them towards a suitable level of support.
Advocates of the plan at Edinburgh Council, which commissioned the research, said it would also help uncover medical problems such as autism. Children would be assessed either via a nursery or health visitors to ensure none was left out.
Source: The Herald, Friday 16 February 2007

Welsh news

No social care stories today.