By Shirley Kumar, Amy Taylor and Sally Gillen

Pregnant teenagers live in different worlds: the affluent have an abortion the poor have a baby

Teenagers in some parts of the country are four times more likely to have an abortion than those living in poorer areas, according to a new report.

The study, carried out for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, finds that almost half of pregnant girls aged between 15 and 17 choose to have abortions.

Eight out of 10 of the areas with the highest percentage of abortions are in the South and the Home Counties.

Source:- The Times, Wednesday 30 June, page 5

Police give witness names to Kieran murder suspects

The names of the witnesses to the murder of 15-year-old Kieran Rodney have been accidentally revealed to the boys accused of the crime by the police.

The blunder was exposed when the two 16-year-olds appeared at Uxbridge Youth Court in West London.

Kieran was murdered a week ago when he was robbed for his mobile phone in Fulham, South West London.

Source:- Daily Mail, Wednesday 30 June, page 19

Boy 9 dies in London house fire

Police are investigating the death of nine-year-old Jefe Okobia, who died in a suspected arson attack while his mother was out working a night shift.

His sister, Yorhe, aged 13, escaped from the house in Forest Hill, south east London, where a separate arson attacked had been attempted a fortnight earlier.

Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page 11

Why smacking is the only answer

A columnist reflects thoughtfully on this week’s hot topic: the smacking of children

Source:- The Independent Review, Wednesday 30 June, page 4

Manor from heaven

Even on a reasonable wage, many people struggle to afford high rents. But an innovative new concept enables nurses, teachers and social workers to live in short-lease ‘des-res’ accommodation – without paying through the nose.

Source:- Society Guardian, June 30, page 2

Tough Sentences

Anne Owers, the chief inspector of prisons, is determined to keep her role independent despite a merger with the probation service.

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page 6

Room for improvement

Katharine Quarmby reports on an adoption project that gives birth parents with problems the opportunity to turn their lives around and have their child returned

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page 7

Conquering the divide

While services for children, such as Sure Start, make progress in urban areas, how adept are they at tackling the problems faced by rural areas?

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page 8

The blame game

Social workers have claimed that they are being made scapegoats over the Ian Huntley affair as a result of Sir Michael Bichard’s condemnation of vetting procedures

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page 10

Fear in the Fens

As England crashed out of Euro 2004, the quiet market town of Boston was rocked by riots – which are thought to have been racially motivated.

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page 12

End of an era

A look at the power shift in local government after Labour’s poor performance in this month’s council elections.

Source: Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page 16

Scottish News

Girls in deprived areas less likely to have abortion

The proportion of teenage girls whose pregnancies end in abortion varies widely across the United Kingdom, new research has revealed.

In Scotland, the proportion of abortions among the 13-19 age group ranged from 49 per cent in Grampian and 45 per cent in Lothian to 32 per cent in Shetland. In England and Wales, where figures cover 15-17 year olds, the average was 44 per cent.

Source: The Scotsman, Wednesday 30 June

Aberdeen plans ‘one-stop’ centre for drug addicts

NHS Grampian yesterday announced controversial plans to establish a centre of expertise in the heart of Aberdeen, offering drug addicts a ‘one-stop-shop’ for treatment. The £1m facility will, for the first time, unite a range of services under one roof, offering heroin and crack-cocaine addicts counselling, advice and methadone treatment at a single location.

Source: The Scotsman, Wednesday 30 June