Wednesday 5 May 2004

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex
Dobson.

Refugees win right for legal appeal
Asylum seekers from the new EU countries in Eastern Europe have
been granted permission to legally challenge the government’s
decision to block state benefits.
The judge, Mr Justice Collins, said: “The way it has been
done is arguably unfair.”
Hundreds of such asylum seekers were faced with a loss of
accommodation and benefits after their countries joined the EU on 1
May.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 5 May page 2
Child porn ‘threat’ of internet
mobiles

Three quarters of parents are concerned that new mobile phones with
fast internet access could increase the viewing of child
pornography and criminal activity by paedophiles, according to a
new survey.
The NOP poll, for the children’s charity NCH, also found that
almost a quarter of those who took part were concerned about their
inferior level of technological understanding.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 5 May page 11
Parents paying for child care ‘better off not
working’

Some parents say they would be better off if they were not working
due to the high cost of childcare, according to a new report.
The study, by childcare charity the Daycare Trust, also found that
the complex nature of the child tax credit stopped many mothers
claiming it.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 5 May page 12
Fund will help voluntary groups compete for public
contracts

A new £125 million fund to support voluntary and community
groups that want to bid for public sector contracts has been
announced by the government.
Future-Builders, the new government backed consortium, will give
out loans and grants of between £10,000 and several million
over the next three years.
It expects to invest in over 250 organisations over the next three
years.
Source:- The Financial Times Wednesday 5 May page 3
Majority of Meadow’s baby murder cases are ruled
safe

Only a few cases in which women have been convicted of killing
their babies based on the evidence of paediatrician Professor Roy
Meadow are to be referred to the court of appeal.
In a review of more than 100 cot-death cases the vast majority of
the “Munchausen’s by proxy” murder convictions
have been ruled as safe.
Source:- The Independent Wednesday 5 May page 1
Living in hope
Bill Brandt was hired in 1941 by the Bournville trust to
take these rarely-seen pictures contrasting life on the new estates
with the bleakness of inner-city slums.
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 5 May page 2
Housing policy is not racist
Tower Hamlets council in East London is disgruntled by accusations
in the tabloid press that plans to build a purpose built old
people’s home for 40 elderly Bengalis could result in
“ghettoisation”.
However, Tower Hamlets Age concern is backing the scheme, and the
only quoted complainant was opposition Liberal Democrat councillor
Janet Ludlow.
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 5 May page 4
In the caring frontline
Christian Aid director Daleep Mukarji tells Nick Carter that the
charity is in no mood to compromise its historic role fighting
global poverty
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 5 May page 6
Words on wheels
Laura Smith looks at a scheme in Essex that has brought
libraries to the traveller community – and is helping to
dispel widely held stereotypes
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 5 May page 7
Babes in arms
Teenage fathers often feel alienated and excluded – and many
soon lose control with the child’s mother. Anne Garvey
reports on a pioneering support project
Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 5 May page 10
What else can I do?
Having worked for seven years in a care home for older people,
should Natalie step up into management or move on? Debbie Andalo
looks at the options
Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday 5 May page 112
Scottish newspapers
Sixth inmate wrongly released by Reliance

A sixth offender was mistakenly released from custody yesterday
just a month after Reliance Security won a multi-million pound
contract with the Scottish executive to transfer prisoners.
Kevin McLean was set free yesterday afternoon shortly after he
appeared at Motherwell district court in relation to the
non-payment of a fine and only moments before he was due to be
transferred to Hamilton sheriff court to appear in connection with
a separate offence.
According to court sources, the 17-year-old was handed the wrong
papers and allowed to walk out of court rather then being kept in
custody until his second court appearance.
His release represents the sixth error since Reliance took over
escort duties last month.
Source:- The Scotsman Wednesday 5 May
Care system overhauled after abuse case
Scottish Borders Council, which was heavily criticised in three
separate inquiry reports into a horrific abuse case, claims to have
made sweeping reforms to protect vulnerable adults in its
care.
A progress report on the implementation of an action plan by the
council has been released ahead of findings from two potentially
damning investigations.
An inspection by the Social Work Services Inspectorate is expected
to be released any time by the Scottish executive,
A series of inquiries were commissioned following the ordeal of
Miss X, a woman with learning difficulties, who suffered horrific
abuse at the hands of a group of men.
Source:- The Scotsman Wednesday 5 May
Woman who put plastic bag over baby’s head walks
free

A woman who placed a plastic bag over a baby’s head and took
photographs of the scene has walked free from court.
Ying Li was earlier convicted of culpable and reckless conduct, and
could have faced prison as she re-appeared at Glasgow sheriff court
yesterday.
But the woman, who claimed she thought the stunt would provide a
“keepsake” for the nine-month-old girl, was allowed to
walk free as sentence was deferred for 12 months to allow her to
show good behaviour.
Source:- The Scotsman Wednesday 5 May
Big brother scheme receives backing
The findings of a Nobel prize-winning economist that
families are more important in a child’s development than
schools was yesterday backed by a UK mentoring charity.
James Heckman, an expert on the impact of social economic
programmes at Chicago University, believes the breakdown of
families is putting children at a disadvantage. Last night, at a
lecture in Edinburgh he advocated a system of mentoring such as the
Big Brothers/Big Sisters programme in the US.
There are five Big Brothers/Big Sisters programmes in the UK, and
director of mentoring for the UK charity Claire Gordan welcomed
Heckman’s findings.
Source:- The Herald  Wednesday 5 May
We do care but we are invisible
The organisation set up to police Scotland’s care homes last
night admitted it was an invisible watchdog.
The Care Commission admitted that abuse cases went unlodged because
of their low profile.
Health minister Malcolm Chisholm insisted the organisation had the
powers and money to do the job properly. But commission bosses
admitted too few people knew about their role.
Source:- Daily Record Wednesday 5 May page 7
Cruelty, neglect and abuse…The daily routine in a
Scottish care home

Our special investigation yesterday told of the horrific way some
care home workers treat their elderly residents. Today Annie Brown
reveals her eight-day diary of what she witnessed as she posed as a
care worker at the Davenport Nursing Home in Glasgow.
Source:- Daily Record Wednesday 5 May pages 8 and 9
Welsh newspapers
Fight for Edmond goes on

The foster family of Kosovan refugee Edmund Pone are planning to
take his case to the court of appeal.
The family from Ebbw Vale in south Wales said that a barrister has
offered his services free of charge, to help 20-year-old Pone to
remain in the UK.
A week ago his appeal to remain in the country was turned down, and
his foster parents Steve Crandon and Julia Gregg have vowed to
fight on. Edmond was only 14 when he arrived in Wales as a stowaway
in the back of a lorry and he has since integrated into the
community.
Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 4 May page 4
Wales school catchment rules ‘unfair to
children’

Teachers’ unions in Wales have attacked calls by the
Children’s Commissioner for Wales for changes to school
catchment areas because they said it would lead to a return of the
11-Plus examination.
Commissioner Peter Clarke said that the current system is too
bureaucratic and more should be done to take into account the needs
of individual children. Clarke has dealt with a number of cases
where parents have been concerned because their children have been
unable to go to the school of their choice, but Welsh assembly
education minister Jane Davidson said that the current system was
fair.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 5 May page 1
Mental health concerns
A Welsh mental health charity has raised concerns about
what it describes as the desperate plight of services in
Wales.
The chief executive of Hafal, Bill Walden-Jones, said the charity
has been concerned for some time about the standards of mental
health services in the principality, and that in some parts of
Wales service users are being let down.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 5 May page

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