A summary of social care stories from the main newspapers

By Clare Jerrom.

Asylum seekers win care ruling

Local authorities should foot the bill of asylum seekers in need
of community care, the court of appeal ruled yesterday.

A test case saw Westminster Council argue that it should not pay
for the cost of care such as that of Sabiha Mirza Y-Ahmad, an Iraqi
Kurd who suffers spinal myeloma and is treated at St Mary’s
Hospital in Paddington.

The council claimed the cost of supporting Y-Ahmad, should be
picked up by the National Asylum Support Service, set up by the
home office to provide support for asylum seekers. Nass refused to
accept responsibility for the woman and her teenage daughter.

The court of appeal judges rejected the council’s case and
stated the council should meet the responsibility of supporting the
asylum seeker, which includes a carer to assist her in her
movements, and two-roomed accommodation with disabled access.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 11 April page 6

Email child care

Working parents have been urged to contact their child from work
via email and phone text messages, to boost their development.

Psychologist David Lewis said new technology was bringing
parents and children closer together.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 11 April page 9

Attacker sentenced again after victim dies

A man made legal history yesterday when he was taken to court
facing a manslaughter charge, having already served a prison
sentence for assaulting the pensioner.

Paul Wroe became the first man to be charged over the death of a
victim, more than three years after the original attack. The
prosecution was viable after the abolishment of an ancient legal
rule five years ago, which stated a person could not be charged
with manslaughter or murder more than a year after the assault.

Wroe was originally jailed for two years for battering pensioner
Thomas Wallwork. The victim was left needing constant care after a
blood vessel ruptured in his brain. Wallwork survived for almost
four years in a permanent vegetative state, before a high court
ruled in March 2000 that life support could be withdrawn, and he
died shortly afterwards.

Wroe admitted manslaughter when he appeared at Manchester crown
court last month. He was ordered to do 80 hours of community
service.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 11 April page 9

Asylum losers to be removed by the plane
load

Plans to lease aircraft are under consideration by immigration
officials, in a bid to speed up the deportation of failed asylum
seekers.

The 30,000 people who have been refused refugee status must be
moved by the immigration service within 12 months, according to new
targets.

Limited places on scheduled flights have delayed the deportation
process, and planes are now being chartered on a regular basis,
with four trips in the last month.

A home office spokesperson has confirmed immigration officials
are considering leasing aircraft as this solution could be better
value for money.

Legislation to charter planes to remove asylum seekers had been
in operation since 1993, but this is the first time officials were
“looking seriously” at leasing flights.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Wednesday 11 April page 12

Girl’s kidnapper jailed

A paedophile was jailed for 10 years yesterday having abducted a
nine-year-old girl and subjecting her to a terrifying sexual
assault.

Frazer Smith Bonner kept the girl captive for almost an hour in
a Dartford house last September. Unemployed Bonner pleaded guilty
at Maidstone crown court to kidnap, attempted rape and indecent
assault.

The court was told that the girl was picked at random and Bonner
threatened her with a knife before bundling her into a car and
driving her to the nearby house. When freed, she ran to a
friend’s house.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Wednesday 11 April page 15

Pensioner held over ‘disgusting’ letters to
stars

A man in his seventies was arrested yesterday in connection with
the anonymous pornographic letters sent to more than 60 actresses
and female personalities.

The arrest took place at a house in Wigan yesterday morning,
following an appeal on BBC’s Crimewatch UK programme from
several victims.

Scotland Yard said the man was held on suspicion of causing a
public nuisance and interviewed by detectives at a police station
in Greater Manchester. He was released on bail, pending further
inquiries.

The police investigation was triggered last December after
actress Moira Lister received an obscene letter while appearing in
a West End show.

The letters spanning a period of 20 years describe lurid sexual
fantasies, which some of the victims likened to “mental rape”.

Thousands of letters have been sent to women including Diana
Rigg, Honor Blackman and Helen Mirren.

Source:- Independent Wednesday 11 April page 5

Euthanasia made legal in Holland

The Netherlands was made the first country to decriminalise
euthanasia after the Dutch parliament approved the law last
night.

The Dutch Senate gave its blessing to the law that is set to
galvanise euthanasia movements across Europe. The vote was 46 to
28.

Deborah Annetts, head of Britain’s Voluntary Euthanasia
Society, said: “A psychological barrier has been broken with the
legalisation of voluntary euthanasia. Once one country has accepted
the principle and laid it down in law the question must be
‘why can’t other countries do the same?'”

The patient must have an incurable illness or be experiencing
‘unbearable suffering’, must have given consent, must
be aware of medical options and have been given a second medical
opinion.

The law is strongly opposed by “pro-life” campaigners, who
staged protests in The Hague, and Christian parties.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 11 April page 1

Fun lovin’ criminals

As Farrah Fawcett escorts her dope smoking son Redmond to court
in California, Fern Lloyd offers her sympathies. She has been
dragged into a world of lawyers and social workers by her
graffiti-spraying teenager.

Source:- G2 Wednesday 11 April page 8

Guardian Society

University of life

The Victorian founders of the settlement movement, which sent
students to live and work among their urban poor, would be
gratified that their ideas are being hailed as an ideal model for
today’s community development.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page
2-3

Dangerous liaisons

Asking personal questions puts health visitors at risk

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page 4

Micro wave of optimism

Community activists vital for neighbourhood renewal

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page 4

Contract flaw

Council rebuked for inflexibility

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page 4

Facing facts

A dramatic approach to helping young offenders stay out of
custody

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page 5

Reclaim the streets

Chris Arnot meets an ex-Hell’s Angel who took on local
toughs – and won back a park

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page 6

Finding time to care

In the wake of recent horrific reports of cruelty to long-term
patients, David Brindle looks at a new move to heal wounds within
the mental health sector

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page
10-11

Point to point

Victor Adebowale, leaving homelessness to tackle addiction

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page
11

A friend in need

Problems that homeless people face don’t disappear when
they get a home. Saba Salman on a new support scheme

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page
12

Outside in

Involving people in looking after their elderly residents is a
healthy move for care homes

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page
92-91

Unique place of safety

Helping women with learning difficulties cope with abuse

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 11 April page
91