Tuesday 14 October 2003

By Natasha Salari, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.
£1m for care home victims
Over 50 adults with learning difficulties who suffered
physical and sexual abuse at two private care homes in
Buckinghamshire are set to receive damages totalling more than
£1 million.
The abuse took place at Stoke Place and Stoke Green residential
care homes at Stoke Poges, near Slough, during the 1980s and early
1990s. The award was against Buckinghamshire council, which made no
admission of liability, and the sums to be paid to individuals have
yet to be decided.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 14 October page
2
Children in care may be sent to Eton
Plans to offer children in care boarding places at expensive and
prestigious schools such as Eton are being considered by the
education secretary Charles Clarke.
The proposals has been put forward by independent schools, and is
being “taken very seriously” by Clarke, the Department
for Education said yesterday.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 14 October page 4
Police win right to ban prostitutes from
streets
Police forces across Britain have been given the go-ahead to use
anti-social behaviour orders to ban prostitutes from residential
streets.
High court judges overturned a district judge’s refusal to
grant such an order against a prostitute, Lisa Potter, operating in
Preston, yesterday. The ruling means that police will be able to
move prostitutes from “problem areas”. If they refuse
they can be arrested.
Home alone parent is spared jail
A mother who abandoned four of her children while she went on her
holiday for a week avoided a jail sentence yesterday.
The woman from Ham in south-west London, left the children, aged
between five and 13, to fend for themselves while she went to the
Canary Islands with her boyfriend. A judge decided to make her
subject to a community rehabilitation order.
Source:- The Times Tuesday October 14 page 5
How school choice can trap poorer children
The government policy of allowing parents to choose their
child’s school is trapping poor children in the worst
schools, an official report has warned
The joint report by schools watchdog Ofsted and the Audit
Commission concluded that weak schools often served the poorest,
most vulnerable and disaffected pupils. The report also suggested
that councils “rebrand” unpopular schools.
Source:- The Independent Tuesday October 14 page 4
Alcohol ban on trains ‘will reduce anti-social
incidents’
A train operator wants to ban alcohol from its services in an
attempt to reduce anti-social incidents.
Merseytravel, which runs services in the Merseyside area, is
applying for a change in local laws to give police the power to
confiscate bottles and cans of alcohol. Officers would be able to
arrest anyone caught drinking.
Source:- The Independent Tuesday 14 October page 7
Artificial limbs controlled by mind power
A team of scientists claim that brain implants that could
allow severely disabled people to control prosthetic limbs with
their minds, could be ready for use within two years.
The scientists from Duke University in North Carolina implanted
hundreds of fine electrodes into the brains of monkeys, and found
that the animals could control a robotic arm using just their
thoughts.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 14 October page 9
Why pets make children healthier
Children who keep pets are healthier and more emotionally balanced,
according to research revealed at a conference of the Society for
Companion Animal Studies.
A psychologist studied over 300 children aged three to 14, and
found that most of them regarded their pet as a playmate and friend
who could be a source of comfort when they were sad.
Source:- Daily Mail Tuesday 14 October page 31
More councils may offer pensioner discounts
Three more councils are considering following Kent’s decision
to give older people a discount on their council tax bills.
Hampshire, Surrey and Hertfordshire councils are seeking advice
after Kent decided to allow its 134,000 older people to pay a
council tax increase next April pegged to the rate of
inflation.
Source:- The Financial Times Tuesday 14 October page 3
Scottish newspapers
Caleb Ness case social worker is suspended from post
A social worker who was involved with the Caleb Ness case was
suspended yesterday while the council investigates his role in
failing to prevent the child’s death.
Peter Hill, who was working as a locum, was appointed as case
co-ordinator and is accused of failing to act on warnings from
another member of the child care team.
Caleb Ness was 11-weeks-old when he was shaken to death by his
father, Alexander Ness.
Source:- The Herald Tuesday 14 October
Fear of Scots crime figures rising by 25%
Crime figures are expected to rise by up to a quarter next year
despite attempts by the Scottish executive to assure the public
that the country is becoming safer.
A new method of recording crime will be adopted by all eight
Scottish police forces from next April, to ensure that crimes are
measured in line with the new National Crime Recording
Standard.
The increase will embarrass Scottish ministers who have already
asked senior officers to devise a way of reducing the
public’s fear of crime.
Source:- The Herald Tuesday 14 October
Welsh newspapers
Evicted family live in one room
A family of four is living in one room after being moved out of
their flat by council officials.
David Phillips and Nicola Mitchell and their two baby sons were
evicted from the flat in Torfaen because of rent arrears.
But a report from an environmental health officer had condemned the
flat as unfit for human habitation, and the couple say that they
did not pay their rent in protest at the poor condition of the
accommodation.
They are now housed out of the area in bed and breakfast
accommodation and are taking action against Torfaen council.
Source:- South Wales Argus Monday 13 October page 9
Families shape policy on deafness
Welsh families with deaf children are being invited to take part in
the future shaping of services through a nationwide survey.
Cathryn McShane, the National Deaf Children’s Society Wales
family officer, is looking into the factors that influence language
and communication choices for families with deaf children.
The results of the survey will be used to help improve health,
education and social services  for deaf children.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 14 October page 8