A daily summary of social care stories from the main newspapers

By David Callaghan, Reg McKay and Alex Dobson.

Parents face jail over daughter’s ‘school
phobia’

The parents of an 11-year-old girl have called for more
awareness of ‘school phobia’, which is a problem affecting up to 1
per cent of children.

Gemma Maisey has only attended her school in Swindon, Wiltshire,
twice in the last three months. She found it difficult to return
after taking six months off for injuries she suffered in an
accident. She tried to return and then was forced to take more time
off for flu.

Gemma’s mother Sarah Maisey said the school, Hreod Parkway,
threatened her with jail if Gemma did not attend. She was
particularly worried after the case involving Patricia Amos, who
was sent to prison because her children were persistently
truant.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 5 June page 2

Parents fined record £4,000 for daughter’s
truancy

Magistrates in Lewisham, London, have imposed a record fine of
£4,000 on a mother, and her boyfriend because her daughter has
been persistently truant from school.

The couple, who have five children, were penalised for the
truancy of 15-year-old Hannah Blackstone. Her mother Michele
Blackstone said Hannah watches television all day and was violent
towards her. She said she had no problems with her other
children.

Source:- Sunday Times 2 June

Guardian Society

No room to move

The government recommends that gypsies should house themselves
on their own land, yet those who try are often denied planning
permission.

Page 2

Missed target

New funds for mental health hijacked

Page 4

Risk halts volunteering

Rise in insurance costs hits conservation charity’s work

Page 4

Friendly persuasion

Chris Arnot on a neighbourly way to take the heat out of
disputes on council estates.

Page 5

Making the link

An annual celebration of the work of Britain’s carers shows what
can be achieved when charities pull together.

Page 6

Bench mark

Drug courts that offer coercive but supportive treatment for
addicts that have been a big success in the US.

Page 10-11

A hand on the tiller

Julie Clarkson, helping lone mothers stay afloat

Page 11

Office bound

By helping homeless people find a good job, a new scheme is
bringing stablility into their lives.

Page 12

Mutual interest

Disabled adults now manage the service that Shropshire council
used to provide for them.

Page 72-71

A good understanding

Aids charity drive to attract black African and gay
volunteers

Page 71

Therapies on line

Website network launched to help early-stage dementia

Page 71

Society facts: mental illness in ethnic
communities

Page 71

Scottish newspapers

Private prison attacked over ‘lost’
inmates

Scotland’s only private prison in Kilmarnock has racked up
an alarming number of penalty points for security lapses including
two inmates released incorrectly and another prisoner who went
missing from gaol, according to parliamentary answers to questions
on private prisons.

The questions were raised on the eve of parliament’s
justice committee examining the contract, which saw the running of
Kilmarnock prison awarded to Premier Prisons, a private
operator.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 5 June page 8

SNP seek review into delayed discharge

The Scottish National Party has demanded an urgent countrywide
review into delayed discharges from hospital.

According to Nicola Sturgeon, the party’s health
spokesperson, delayed discharge was having a knock-on effect,
making it impossible for many local authorities to provide adequate
care for older people. The SNP claim that delayed discharges
increased by 10 per cent last year resulting in more than 3,000
people being ready to leave hospital but with nowhere to go.

Some local authority social work departments are reduced to
using hostels and student residences. The SNP are demanding that
some of the £3 billion extra allocated to the Scottish health
budget over the next three years be given to delayed
discharges.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 5 June page 8

Welsh newspapers

Lives at risk because ambulance service
underfunded

The lives of thousands of patients in Wales are at risk because
paramedics are unable to reach them in time if they have a heart
attack.

The Welsh ambulance service receives 25 per cent less funding
than its English equivalent, and figures from the Welsh assembly
show that ambulances are failing to meet their targets of reaching
emergency patients within eight minutes.

The assembly wants at least 75 per cent of ambulances to meet
emergency calls within eight minutes, but has admitted that the
shortfall in funding will result in the service only meeting the
target in 50 per cent of cases.

Yesterday, Plaid Cymru health spokesperson Dr Dai Lloyd said
that the ambulance service in Wales had said that it would cost
about £8 million to hit the eight-minute target, but that only
just over £3 million was allocated last year. He added that
the money had not been enough to put more ambulances and paramedics
on the road.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 5 June page 1