Wednesday 30 June 2004

By Shirley Kumar, Amy Taylor and Sally
Gillen

Pregnant teenagers live in different worlds: the
affluent have an abortion the poor have a baby

Teenagers in some parts of the country are four times more
likely to have an abortion than those living in poorer areas,
according to a new report.

The study, carried out for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, finds
that almost half of pregnant girls aged between 15 and 17 choose to
have abortions.

Eight out of 10 of the areas with the highest percentage of
abortions are in the South and the Home Counties.

Source:- The Times, Wednesday 30 June, page 5

Police give witness names to Kieran murder
suspects

The names of the witnesses to the murder of 15-year-old Kieran
Rodney have been accidentally revealed to the boys accused of the
crime by the police.

The blunder was exposed when the two 16-year-olds appeared at
Uxbridge Youth Court in West London.

Kieran was murdered a week ago when he was robbed for his mobile
phone in Fulham, South West London.

Source:- Daily Mail, Wednesday 30 June, page 19

Boy 9 dies in London house fire

Police are investigating the death of nine-year-old Jefe Okobia,
who died in a suspected arson attack while his mother was out
working a night shift.

His sister, Yorhe, aged 13, escaped from the house in Forest
Hill, south east London, where a separate arson attacked had been
attempted a fortnight earlier.

Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page 11

Why smacking is the only answer

A columnist reflects thoughtfully on this week’s hot
topic: the smacking of children

Source:- The Independent Review, Wednesday 30 June,
page 4

Manor from heaven

Even on a reasonable wage, many people struggle to afford high
rents. But an innovative new concept enables nurses, teachers and
social workers to live in short-lease ‘des-res’
accommodation – without paying through the nose.

Source:- Society Guardian, June 30, page 2

Tough Sentences

Anne Owers, the chief inspector of prisons, is determined to
keep her role independent despite a merger with the probation
service.

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page
6

Room for improvement

Katharine Quarmby reports on an adoption project that gives
birth parents with problems the opportunity to turn their lives
around and have their child returned

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page
7

Conquering the divide

While services for children, such as Sure Start, make progress
in urban areas, how adept are they at tackling the problems faced
by rural areas?

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page
8

The blame game

Social workers have claimed that they are being made scapegoats
over the Ian Huntley affair as a result of Sir Michael
Bichard’s condemnation of vetting procedures

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page
10

Fear in the Fens

As England crashed out of Euro 2004, the quiet market town of
Boston was rocked by riots – which are thought to have been
racially motivated.

Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page
12

End of an era

A look at the power shift in local government after
Labour’s poor performance in this month’s council
elections.

Source: Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 June, page
16

Scottish News

Girls in deprived areas less likely to have
abortion

The proportion of teenage girls whose pregnancies end in
abortion varies widely across the United Kingdom, new research has
revealed.

In Scotland, the proportion of abortions among the 13-19 age
group ranged from 49 per cent in Grampian and 45 per cent in
Lothian to 32 per cent in Shetland. In England and Wales, where
figures cover 15-17 year olds, the average was 44 per cent.

Source: The Scotsman, Wednesday 30 June

Aberdeen plans ‘one-stop’ centre for drug
addicts

NHS Grampian yesterday announced controversial plans to
establish a centre of expertise in the heart of Aberdeen, offering
drug addicts a ‘one-stop-shop’ for treatment. The
£1m facility will, for the first time, unite a range of
services under one roof, offering heroin and crack-cocaine addicts
counselling, advice and methadone treatment at a single
location.

Source: The Scotsman, Wednesday 30 June