Wednesday 24 March 2004

By Amy Taylor, David Callaghan and Alex
Dobson.

Property drive ‘not enough to help key
workers’
A £690 million initiative designed to help key workers onto
the property ladder in the south has been attacked by trade unions
and housing experts as inadequate.
The critics said the drive failed to fully address low public
sector salaries.
The ‘Key Worker Living’ programme will give teachers,
nurses, social workers and other public sector workers loans of up
to £50,000 to help them buy a house.
Source:- The Financial Times Wednesday 24 March page 4
Doting Grandma is the new father figure
A growing number of grandparents are playing the role of father
substitute in one-parent families, according to a new study.
The research, conducted by the London School of Hygiene &
Tropical Medicine’s Centre for Population Studies, found that
grandfathers were particularly likely to play a large role in
caring for grandsons when fathers were not around.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 24 March page 3
Truant’s mother jailed again
A mother who was the first person ever to be jailed for allowing
her children to play truant from school, was jailed again yesterday
for the same offence.
Magistrates at Bicester, Oxon, heard how Patricia Amos’ daughter
had only had an attendance record of 61 per cent between last May
and October.
She was sentenced to 28 days in jail.
Amos was jailed for the offence the first time around in May
2002.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 24 March page 9
Warning of risk to teenagers who ‘slip off face of
society’
Up to 15,000 children a year are ejected from their home by abusive
or neglectful parents, according to a new report.
The Children’s Society research highlights young teenagers forced
out of their homes as most at risk. It says the group often “slip
off the face of society”.
Experts say that the teenagers’ inability to access benefits
and their fears that they may be sent back to an abusive family or
be put in care, causes many to sleep on the streets and be
recruited into drugs and prostitution.
Source:- The Independent Wednesday 24 March page 9
Home Office takes eight years to decide just one asylum
case
A senior high court judge was exasperated yesterday as he learnt
the Home Office has taken eight years to decide on one asylum
case.
Mr Justice Collins said that the case represented the “most
appalling delay” in dealing with the claim of an African asylum
seeker.
The high court heard how Richard Mpoko arrived in the UK from the
Congo on 7 June 1996 and had applied for asylum the next day, but
that it took over four years for him to be refused asylum. He then
launched an appeal, but it took three years for this to be
heard.
Source:- The Daily Mail Wednesday 24 March page 6
Youthful outlook
Put youngsters in charge of their own social policy research,
argues a new theory, and you will discover what they really think
of the world around them.
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 24 March page 2
Wizardry of Oz
Barnardo’s Australia, part of the children’s charity Barnardo’s, is
attempting to recruit British social workers to work in Australia
to plug staff shortages.
Both short term contracts or permanent positions are
available.
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 24 March page 4
Pack of truths
Discovering a children has autism can be bewildering for families
but a scheme in Scotland aims to help
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 24 March page 6
Dazed and confused
How did avowed non-racist Maureen Stowe get herself  elected as a
BNP councillor? And why, suddenly, did she disown the far-right
party?
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 24 March page 5
What else can I do?
Frankie’s work is a family affair. Debbie Andalo outlines five
options for the 30-year-old who is employed in a local authority’s
social services department
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 24 March page 112
Scottish newspapers
Should children be introduced to alcohol at an early stage?
An academic has recommended that parents introduce
children to alcohol at an early age so they take a more responsible
attitude towards drink when they are older.
Graham Stewart, who is head of an international centre for brewing
and distillery at Heriot-Watt University, said youths were drinking
far too much and more young people were joining Alcoholics
Anonymous.
Professor Stewart said: “I have been drinking for a very long
time, and it was my father who taught me to drink. People need to
learn how to drink responsibly.”
Source:- The Herald Wednesday 24 March
Forced marriages ‘may damage race
relations’
An increased number of ‘forced marriages’ is damaging
race relations n Scotland, according to a new report.
The report from the Council of British Pakistanis Scotland found
that 200 marriages involving Asian people involved coercion. This
damages the perception of Asian women researchers discovered.
A number of women in forced marriages experience abuse, with those
aged 16-20 being most affected.
Source:- The Scotsman Wednesday 24 March 
Welsh newspapers
Bedblockers down – but still too many
The number of patients blocking NHS beds in Gwent looks set to
remain above Welsh assembly targets, in spite of the biggest
monthly fall in more than a year.
The February figure of 221 was 24 less than for January, but still
remains well above the assembly target of 175.
Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 24 March page 7
Anti-drug project goes all-Wales
A Gwent police anti-drugs initiative that is used in schools in the
area is to be rolled out across Wales.
The Welsh assembly and the government are providing additional
funding for the Gwent School Core Programme to go nationwide. The
programme uses hard-hitting drama in junior and secondary schools
to educate pupils about the dangers of drug abuse.
Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 24 March page 9
OAP may have been dead for 3 months
A 76-year-old man who was found dead in his Cardiff flat may have
lain dead for three months.
John McStea who lived alone and had no family had not been seen for
a number of weeks. Following the discovery of his body by police,
officials from a water company arrived to disconnect his supply
because his bill had not been paid.
Local councillor Paul Mitchell said that he would like to appeal to
people to keep an eye on older neighbours who lived alone, to try
to prevent such tragedies.
Source:- South Wales Echo Tuesday 24 March page 2
‘Chick lit’ does it for charity
‘Chick-lit’ came to the Welsh assembly yesterday, when health
minister, Jane Hutt welcomed a group of fund raising authors who
had come together to launch a raunchy new book for the
summer.
The book, ‘Sexy Shorts for Summer’, is a collection of
stories from best selling international authors and little known
authors, and every copy sold will raise £1 for Cancer Research
UK. The book also aims to raise awareness of the dangers of skin
cancer.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 24 March page 5