A summary of social care stories from the main newspapers

By David Callaghan and Reg McKay.

Court ruling on compensation hits disabled

An appeal court ruling could mean thousands of disabled people
lose their rights to claim benefits. Judges decided that
compensation paid to people who are the victims of accidents should
have the payments regarded as income when benefits assessments are
made. The decision is not retrospective so that disabled people
will not be asked to pay back benefit.

Anyone receiving more than £8,000 a year in compensation
could now face having their income support, housing and council tax
benefits stopped.

The test case involved Charles Beattie from Cockermouth in
Cumbria who was left quadriplegic and severely brain damaged after
a car accident at the age of 17. He was awarded £1.5 million
damages in 1992, and in 1999 the social security commissioner
decided that the money should be regarded as income.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 10 April page 4

How daycare can make a toddler ‘grow up
unruly’

Young children who are cared for by childminders or sent to
nurseries are more likely to be disobedient and badly behaved when
they grow up, an expert has claimed.

Professor Jay Belsky said even the highest quality childcare can
have a harmful impact on children. They are less likely to have
healthy relationships with parents and other adults as they grow
older, said Professor Belsky, who heads the Institute for the Study
of Children, Families and Social Issues at Birkbeck College in
London.

His views are based on the findings of a study involving 1,300
children.

Source:- Daily Mail Tuesday 11 April page 19

Internet twins to be sent back to America

A high court judge ruled that the twin baby girls adopted over
the internet should be returned to the United States for the courts
there to decide their fate.

The twins’ natural parents Tranda and Aaron Wecker have welcomed
the decision to put the babies in the care of foster parents in
Missouri. The ruling means that Judith and Alan Kilshaw from north
Wales have lost their battle to keep the twins despite paying
£8,200 to adopt them after making contact with an agency in
America over the internet.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday 10 April page 1

With a cry from Mrs Kilshaw, the circus heads back to
America

The media circus which has followed the internet adoption case
moves across the Atlantic to America after a court ruling that the
twins’ fate should be decided by a court in Missouri.

The decision became too much for Judith Kilshaw, who shouted out
several times once it became clear her and her husband Alan had
lost their battle to keep the babies.

Mr Justice Kirkwood, who made the decision, has kept secret the
reasons for his ruling, but he said “it would not be in the welfare
interests of the twins for them to be returned to Mr and Mrs
Kilshaw”.

Source:- The Independent Tuesday 10 April page 5

The lessons to be learnt from the unedifying
case

Leader comment article on the internet twins case.

Source:- The Independent Review section Tuesday 10
April page 3

Four years in 40 years or so

More than 200 MPs describe in just 40 words what they have
achieved since the last general election.

Source:- The Guardian G2 section Tuesday 10 April

Scottish newspapers

Council lays down rules for stock transfer

Stringent criteria for the transfer of Glasgow’s 89,000
council houses to the newly created Glasgow Housing Association
have been laid down by the council. Detailed proposals for the
transfer are expected to be released by the association early next
month. The developments come amid growing scepticism among city
councillors that tenants can be persuaded to vote for the transfer
in the ballot in November. This follows the recent disclosure that
that GHA’s proposals would have to rely on detailed
assumptions about the transfer of assets, functions, contracts and
the rights of existing staff.

Source:- The Herald Tuesday 10 April page 6