A summary of social care stories from the main newspapers

By
Clare Jerrom and Reg McKay.

Killer
stepmother gets 15 years’ jail

The
woman who killed her six-year-old stepdaughter was sentenced to 15 years for
manslaughter and wilful neglect yesterday.

Sentencing
Tracey Wright, judge David Mellor said Lauren had been “isolated, scapegoated
and humiliated” before dying in her own home as if she had been “cast out alone
into the farthest desert”.

The
six-year-old died after a punch to her stomach caused her digestive system to
collapse. She was covered in bruises and emaciated, weighing little more than
two stone.

Lauren’s
father Craig was jailed for three years.

Source:-
The Times  Friday 26 October page 13

Children at risk’ may be sent to boarding schools

Children
in care could be sent to independent boarding schools under proposals being
discussed by local authorities.

A
joint committee of council leaders and independent head teachers held their
first meeting this week with the aim of agreeing a series of partnerships.

The
use of boarding schools for children in care was common in the 1960s.

General
secretary of the Independent Schools Council Alistair Cooke said the revival of
the practice would be explored further with the Local Government Association.

“Against
that background, the ways in which boarding schools could contribute to the
social inclusion agenda really does merit serious discussion,” Cooke said.

Source:-
The Times  Friday 26 October page 15

Citizenship classes for immigrants

Immigrants
will have to learn English and take citizenship classes to give them an
understanding of British democracy and culture before they can become British
citizens, under plans to be unveiled by David Blunkett.

The
home secretary believes such classes and language lessons should be taken by
the 60,000 people who apply to become full British citizens every year, to
promote a positive induction for those who settle in this country.

The
government should promote common citizenship between members of different
communities because parts of British society have become segregated, sometimes
on ethnic lines.

Immigration
welfare groups have attacked the idea of language classes as “linguistic
colonisation”, although ministers insist it would particularly mean that women
were not denied the opportunity to learn English and enter the labour market
because of family prejudice.

Source:-
The Guardian  Friday 26 October page 1

Scottish
newspapers

English councils put refugees on bus north

Glasgow
Council is to take legal action to prevent English authorities from bussing
asylum seekers who opt to live permanently in England back to Scotland.

The
refugees involved have received permission from the Home Office to settle in
the UK. Because they were originally dispersed to Glasgow they are being forced
to live there, in spite of having no other connections with the city and having
family living in England. 

English
authorities have been forcing the refugees on to buses and driving them
straight back to the city. It is believed that the authorities involved so far
are Lewisham and Hackney in London and others in south east England. 

The
Home Office was unable to comment directly about the situation in Glasgow but
said a review of the Immigration Act was underway.

Source:-
The Herald Friday 26 October page
10 

1,800
prisoners could take human rights action

More
than 1,800 prisoners in Scotland could bring human rights challenges seeking
court orders to move them out of “inhumane” jail conditions, a lawyer for the
Scottish executive claimed at the Court of Session in Edinburgh yesterday.

Neil
Brailsford QC was opposing a motion raised by two prisoners and said that the
executive had received 262 applications from lawyers in the last two
months. 

The
flood was started by an action by Robert Napier who succeeded in being moved
out of Barlinnie prison because of the “slopping out” regime. 

Brailsford
warned that the legal system would struggle to find judges to hear all cases if
applications were allowed. Aidan O’Neil QC, representing the prisoners, argued
that prisoners were better treated in England and the same approach should
apply in Scotland. Lord Johnston who was presiding reserved his position.

Source:-
The Herald Friday 26 October page 16

Former care worker sent to High Court for
sentencing

A
former care worker found guilty of sexually abusing a girl in his care at
Quarriers Children’s Homes, Renfrewshire in the 1960s has been sent to the High
Court for sentencing.

The
sheriff felt a longer sentence than he could administer was necessary for his crimes.
Lawyers for Joseph Nicolson argued that he was seriously ill and too old to
face a long prison term.

Recently
another former care worker at Quarriers, Samuel McBrearty, was sentenced to 12
years for similar offences. Sheriff John Herald rejected Nicolson’s lawyers’
pleas and remitted the case to the High Court.

Source:-
The Scotsman Friday 26 October page 7

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