Wednesday 2 July 2003

By Amy Taylor and Alex Dobson.

PM defends embattled Hodge over child sex
allegations

Criticisms from directors of social services led to renewed
calls for Margaret Hodge to quit as minister for children
yesterday.

The Conservatives have called for Hodge’s resignation, saying
that her history in local government had “caused several directors
of social services and others to refuse to work with her in her new
post”.

Hodge was leader of Islington Council when allegations of child
sexual abuse in council-run children’s homes were made in the
1980s and 1990s.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 2 July page 2

Boy stabbed after escape by hospital
patient

A patient who escaped from a psychiatric hospital stabbed and
abducted a 12-year-old boy, medical staff admitted yesterday.

The boy was stabbed in the chest, side and back with a bread
knife an hour after the patient escaped from Ravenswood House
psychiatric hospital near Fareham, Hampshire.

The boy had been out in woodland with friends in Lordswood,
Southampton, 10 miles away from the hospital.

He was saved by police, who were alerted by neighbours, and is
now in a stable condition.

Hospital staff are currently investigating how the incident was
able to take place.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 2 July page 5

The cannabis timebomb

Cannabis users are seven times more likely to become mentally
ill than the general population, according to a new report produced
by a leading psychiatrist.

The research found that cannabis is already one of the main
causes of psychosis in the UK.

Scientists go on to warn that its widespread use by young people
could lead to a schizophrenia epidemic.

The study was lead by Professor Robin Murray, head of psychiatry
at the Institute of Psychiatry in London.

Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday 2 July page 1

Wish you were here

Rising vacancies in skilled trades, while not yet as acute as
the shortage of social workers, are forcing local authorities to
bring back apprenticeships, and even recruit abroad.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 2

‘Carthorse’ inspectorates given a prod

The five separate inspectorates of the criminal justice system
should be merged into a single body, the chief inspector of
probation has said this week.

Rod Morgan said that the move was necessary to modernise the
inspectorates and make them more efficient.
He added that, at present, Whitehall often saw them as “lumbering
carthorses”.

The inspectorates cover the police, courts, probation, prisons
and the crown prosecution service.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 4

Survey shows fear factor fuels stigma

People are becoming more afraid and intolerant of people with
mental health problems, according to a new survey.

The Department of Health’s three yearly survey of public opinion
of mental illness is a blow to groups such as the Royal College of
Psychiatrists and the health department itself, who have campaigned
to reduce fears about the condition.

Campaigners, such as mental health charity Rethink, have put
some of the blame onto government announcements linking mental
health with danger during debates around the reform of the Mental
Health Act.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 4

Reality bites

A Manchester scheme is hoping to cut crime by showing young
offenders the consequence of their behaviour.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 7

Our house

A young people’s secure unit in Sheffield has transformed itself
from ‘dysfunctional’ to success story in three years.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 10

Life support

Praise for midwife’s work with drug-taking pregnant women

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 11

Model partnership

Councils are still waiting for a clear lead from central
government on promised steps that will enable them to deliver
joined-up services.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 12

Walking into trouble

Valuable council resources being diverted to pay for the modern
claims culture.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 13

Love of learning

Profile Imogen Taylor, a dynamic force in the new degree courses
for social workers.

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 14

Just the job

Haringey Council caused a stir when it asked applicants to name
their own salaries, hours and working conditions

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 15

Rooms with no view

Conference confronts rise of B&B option for homeless
young

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 2 July page 127

Open to change

A fresh approach in Nottingham gives a lead on how to keep
at-risk children out of care

Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday July 2 page 128

Scottish Newspapers

Find Jodi Maniac

A 14-year-old girl’s body has been found on a footpath a mile
away from her home.

Jodi Jones, from Easthouses, Midlothian, 10-miles south of
Edinburgh, was found by her boyfriend when she failed to arrive at
his house on Monday.

Jones’ throat was slashed and she suffered repeated
stabbing in what detectives described as one of the most vicious
attacks they have ever seen.

Source:- Daily Record Wednesday 2 July page 2

Parents blamed as asylum plea fails

A family of asylum seekers believed to include the longest
serving children in a detention centre lost their attempt to remain
in Britain at the Court of Appeal yesterday.

The “immigration sins” of the parents were given as the reason
their appeal had been rejected. The couple had lost many attempts
to claim asylum in Germany before coming to Britain.

The Ay family, Kurds from Turkey, now plan to put forward a
petition in the House of Lords. This would further extend the stay
of the four children and their mother at the Dungavel detention
centre near Strathaven in Lanarkshire. The family have already been
there almost a year.

Mr Ay was sent back to Germany last year before being removed to
Turkey.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 2 July

Welsh Newspapers

‘I would fear for my life in
Kosovo’

A Kosovan teenager living in south Wales says that he fears for
his life if he has to return to his native country.

Edward Pone, 18, who now lives in Blaina, is waiting to hear if
his appeal to be allowed to stay in the UK will be successful. He
and fellow Kosovan, Kreni Lleshi, also 18, escaped the aftermath of
the Serbian occupation in 1999 by stowing away in the back of a
lorry and eventually reached Wales.

Pone had his application for asylum turned down and is now
awaiting the results of an appeal.

Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 1 July page 4

Catalogue of shame

The ambulance service in south Wales is facing a crisis and
vulnerable people are suffering as a result.

Paramedics who work for the service are under huge pressure
because of staff shortages, and the families of patients say that
the long waiting times for emergency assistance are a disgrace.

Source:- South Wales Echo Tuesday 1 July pages 1, 6 and
7

Accused Welsh father tells of foreign jail
hell

A father accused of abducting his four-year-old daughter has
contemplated suicide in the Portuguese jail where he is being
held.

Simon Clayton is awaiting extradition after being arrested with
his daughter, Esti, after their disappearance sparked a major
international search.

He has told his parents that he cannot cope with conditions in
the prison and now the pressure group Fathers for Justice are
working to try speed up the extradition process.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 2 July page 1