Wednesday 3 September 2003

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.
16pc fall in claims for asylum in EU

The level of people trying to claim asylum in the EU and other
wealthy countries is falling, according to new figures from the
United Nations.
The new statistics show that between April and June applications
for asylum in the EU were at the lowest level ever since the UN
began collecting data in 1999.
The figure fell by 16 per cent to 66,260, following a 17 per cent
fall in the first quarter.
The level in affluent countries was 12 per cent lower than in the
first three months of 2003.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 3 September page 6
Landmark ruling forces college to accept wheelchair
student

A disabled student has won a landmark ruling against a college that
claimed that his wheelchair could pose a danger to other students,
forcing it to accept him.
Anthony Ford-Shubrook, a 17-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer, is
now set to start at   his local sixth-form college, St Dominic’s in
Harrow, north-west London, this week.
Ford-Shubrook’s application to the college was originally accepted,
but then it became apparent that he would require a stairclimbing
wheelchair in order to reach one of his classrooms and this was
seen as a health and safety hazard.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 3 September page 10
Blunkett to go ahead with citizenship test
The home secretary is to go ahead with plans for a new citizenship
test for all foreign nationals applying for a British
passport.
A final report by an expert panel is being unveiled today, it is
expected to describe the details of the test.
The panel recommended that immigrants seeking citizenship should
demonstrate good enough English to work in a shop, hotel or
restaurant.
The test was outlined in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum
Act 2002.
Source:- The Financial Times Wednesday 3 September page 3
Doctor’s sex abuse questions criticised
A child abuse expert criticised a psychiatrist for prompting a
13-year-old girl to incorrectly believe she had been sexually
abused.
Harry Zeitlin said that John Eastgate should not have asked the
girl “leading questions”, which could have caused her to think she
was a “victim”.
He made the comments while giving evidence to the General Medical
Council’s professional conduct committee.
He said Eastgate had failed to make a “sound clinical judgement”
when reporting the girl’s allegations to the police and social
services.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 3 September page 4
Guardian Society
Child welfare needs flexible response
Leading children’s charities and professional bodies are calling on
the government to give services “flexibility” to respond to local
needs in the children at risk green paper due out next week.
The Children’s Interagency Group, is calling on the government to
resist setting out solutions to local agencies and instead
concentrate on setting national standards for all children’s
services.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 4
Holmes hits where the heart is
Housing is one of the strongest indicators of the division between
the well off and the poor, according to a new pamphlet on housing
choice from the former director of Shelter Chris Holmes.
The pamphlet outlines how the gap between those who own valuable
homes and poor people, who often live in rented accommodation, has
been growing.
Holmes argues that one way in which housing opportunities for poor
people has fallen is by owner occupiers’ resistance to having
low-cost buildings near their homes.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 4
Out of the frame
To be elderly and black is to be doubly disadvantaged in accessing
culturally appropriate services
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 5
Tailor made
A personal connection with a charity used to be enough to become a
trustee – but the new focus in on skills and experience
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 7
Protection package
The children’s green paper next week is aimed at improving
wellbeing. David Batty on what to expect and the organisations
already anticipating its recommendations
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 10
Charm offensive
A joint effort is aiming to entice much-needed new staff
to work for housing associations
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 12
Cross currents
The voluntary sector has lost many of its senior professionals to
civil service jobs
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 13
The end of the affair
An innovative partnership between a social services department and
a primary care trust in east London has been dissolved.
The dismantling of the Barking and Dagenham partnership came into
force on Monday after an internal disagreement.
The council’s executive director of health and social care, Julia
Ross, whose job was covered social services and the PCT, has
returned to her previous position as the council’s director of
social services.
Barking and Dagenham PCT is now recruiting a new chief
executive.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 159
Loyal cause
Raekha Prasad on a pioneering scheme that provides a dedicated
nurse for disabled people admitted to hospital
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 3 September page 160
Scottish newspapers
Dungavel’s harsh regime

The mother of two children being held at Dungavel detention centre
in Scotland has been fined her weekly state allowance of £3.50
for “trivial offences” including sneaking food into her
room to feed her children.
Fatima Jailana Muse took Weetabix into her room to feed her
children when they were hungry instead of at the three designated
meal times, and as a result Premier Detention Services, the private
company that runs the former prison near Strathaven on behalf of
the home office, withheld her money.
The home office would not confirm the reason why Muse was punished,
but confirmed that consuming food in rooms was a breach of
immigration centre rules.
The number of children held in Dungavel centre reached a record
high of 23 last week, but six have since been deported.
Source:- The Herald Wednesday 3 September
Social work jobs are still vacant despite recruitment
drive
A Scottish social work department has failed to attract a
single applicant for community care social work jobs despite a
major advertising campaign.
In fact, East Renfrewshire has suffered “a number of
resignations from staff moving to other authorities for more
attractive financial packages”.
It is the first time the council has been unable to fill vacancies,
which now stand at 16 per cent as nationwide poaching wars to
attract and retain social workers plumb new depths.
Source:- The Herald Wednesday 3 September
Electric ‘torture’ for boy
A schoolboy, who claims his babysitter gave him electric shocks,
said a doctor told him that they had stopped his brain
working.
The 10-year-old boy told Perth sheriff court how he was left in
agony with his feet blistered by the ordeal.
David Sheriffs is accused of putting bare wires to the boy’s
feet five years ago and giving him the shocks.
The trial continues.
Source:- Daily Record Wednesday 3 September page 5
Jodi: Today only one person won’t
grieve

The murdered school-girl Jodi Jones will be buried today, 65 days
after she was stabbed to death in a frenzied attack on a woodland
path near her home.
‘The Daily Record’ is calling on people across Scotland
to join in a minute’s silence for Jodi at 11am as her family
say their last goodbyes.
Hundreds of mourners are expected to line the streets as
Jodi’s body leaves her home. Jodi will be taken to Gorebridge
Parish Church in Midlothian at 11am, and buried next to her father
James, who took his own life five years ago.
Source:- Daily Record  Wednesday 3 September page 6
Yobs are butt of joke
Edinburgh Council has launched a cheeky poster campaign as part of
its crackdown on vandals.
The campaign slogan is “Don’t be an Aerosol” and
targets graffiti “yobs”. It comes just days after a
national anti-litter campaign was launched urging people
“Don’t be a Tosser”.
The council have vowed to prosecute anyone vandalising sites in the
city.
Source:- Daily Record Wednesday 3 September page 9
Shocking new figures show that kids are using drugs even
before they are in their teens

Children as young as 10 are being exposed to drugs, and some will
even have used heroin.
The study by Glasgow University’s Centre for Drug Misuse
Research shows that a third of pre-teen children in the city have
been exposed to drugs, and it is estimated that 60 children between
10 and 12 in Glasgow will have used heroin.
Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry dubbed the latest statistics as
a “wake-up call” to everybody in society.
Source:- Daily Record Wednesday 3 September page 20-21
Welsh newspapers
Abducted baby is seen in France

Police are following up sightings of a couple that abducted their
eight-month-old son from Blaenau Gwent social services, last
month.
Gerald Baker, a convicted sex offender, and his wife Helene went
missing two weeks ago with the baby. The baby’s mother failed
to return him following an unsupervised contact visit, and the
family are now believed to be in France.
Gwent police say there have been a number of unconfirmed sightings
of the family and they are working with Interpol to follow up a
number of leads.
Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 2 September page 4
Ty Mawr abuser gets three years
A former housemaster at a home for boys in south Wales, who beat
and sexually abused young people in his care, has been banned for
life for working with children.
Neil Wardell was also sentenced to three years in prison by a judge
at Newport crown court who said that he had abused his position
while working at the home Ty Mawr, near Abergavenny some 20 years
ago.
Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 2 September page 6
Setting a trend over anti-social conduct
Torfaen Council in south Wales has been pioneering new
ways of tackling anti-social behaviour and its innovative work is
to be used to help other local authorities.
The council was visited by Christine Kent, deputy director of the
Home Office anti-social behaviour unit, who congratulated Torfaen
on their success in dealing with the problem.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said that they were using the
council’s experience in dealing with the issues to support
best practice across the country.
Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 2 September page 9
Mentally ill man sent to jail
A man with serious mental health problems was evicted from his home
with only the clothes he was wearing, a court in Flintshire was
told.
The incident followed complaints against Carl Littler who had been
playing music loudly during the night, at his flat in Buckley,
north Wales.
But following the eviction he was left homeless and wanted to get
back into the flat. He caused criminal damage to housing
association property as a result.
Littler had a history of mental health problems and his mental
health coordinator told the court he was not compliant with
attempts to help him. He had been sectioned under the Mental Health
Act in the past, but after treatment was discharged on appeal and
would not take medication.
Littler was jailed for four months.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 3 September page 5

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