Wednesday 14 July 2004

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson

Judge spared jail sentence over child porn on
computer

A crown court judge has escaped a prison sentence after admitting
downloading pornographic images of boys.

David Selwood was caught by an American investigation that
uncovered 7,000 people who had handed their credit card details to
an internet child pornography site. He was arrested when the FBI
gave his details to British police

Selwood retired on the grounds of ill-health shortly before he was
formally charged.

He received a 12-month community rehabilitation sentence.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 14 July page 21

Children call for chat rooms to be shut down

Children have called for internet chat rooms to be shut down in
order to protect them from paedophiles, according to a new
report.

The study, by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI),
also found that the children’s main concerns included
abduction, bullying, drugs and road safety.

It covered 25 groups of youngsters including looked after children
and those who attend boarding schools about their concerns.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 14 July page
10

Scotland Yard changes tack over investigating baby
deaths

Scotland Yard is changing the way suspicious baby deaths
are investigated it has emerged.

Under the new plans, detectives from the Met’s child
protection unit will lead murder investigations when parents and
carers are suspected of killing babies. Currently the cases are
covered by general homicide squads.

The move is a response to miscarriages of justice involving mother
wrongly accused of killing their children.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 14 July page 4

Missing family turns up

A couple, who went missing from their Cardiff home with their four
children two weeks ago, have turned up.

The parents were arrested on suspicion of neglect after the
family’s disappearance but were released without charge last
night after appearing on a campsite in south-west England.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 14 July page 6

As childcare dream comes true, the backlash begins

Jackie Ashley meets a triumphant Margaret Hodge, the minister for
children

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 14 July page 9

Equality body finds internal race bias

The Commission for Racial Equality has accused itself of internal
race bias after discovering black and Asian employees were being
discriminated against.

It found that Indian workers are more likely to have disciplinary
action taken against them and black employees are 10 per cent less
likely to be promoted.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 14 July page 9

Childish argument

Norman Glass, the ‘godfather’ of the Sure Start
programme, talks to Alison Benjamin about scare stories in the
media, the childcare he chose for his own family, and whether the
government’s proposals to expand its early years strategy go
far enough.

Source:- SocietyGuardian  Wednesday 14 July page 2

Different strokes

The NHS and successive Labour governments have failed dismally to
recognise the distinct needs of black and ethnic minority patients.
John Reid and Trevor Phillips propose a way forward

Source:- SocietyGuardian  Wednesday 14 July page 6

Parental guidance

Margaret Hodge, the children’s minister, is impressed by
the Family Links approach to parenting. Alison Benjamin reports on
an ideal candidate for Guardian Public Services Award

Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday 14 July page 7

Bevan’s baby

As first minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan doesn’t share Tony
Blair’s view that choice is the best route to quality in
public services.

Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday 14 July page 8

The perfect cure

A back-to-work scheme for people claiming incapacity benefit is
succeeding where the government has failed.

Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday 14 July page 10

The quiet revolution

When the first 10 hospitals were granted foundation status earlier
this year, it was trumpeted as a major shakeup of health delivery.
David Walker assesses their first 100 days of autonomy

Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday 14 July page 14

What else can I do?

This week, Debbie Andalo has career advice for Mark, who
is looking for his next challenge in the regeneration sector after
working for a council for three years.

Source:- SocietyGuardian Wednesday 14 July page 112

Scottish newspapers

Brown backs down after Scots job cuts

Chancellor Gordon Brown yesterday withdrew any suggestion that Jack
McConnell will be forced to axe civil service jobs.

According to the Treasury, the chancellor had been
“extrapolating” when he suggested that 20,000 jobs
would be shed by the devolved administrations and English local
authorities to help him reach a 90,000 target.

But civil service unions warned that they believe 8,000 jobs could
still vanish from Whitehall departments with bases in
Scotland.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 14 July

Prison officers face jail sentence

Two prison officers are facing imprisonment after being convicted
of planting heroin on an inmate.

Dai Allen ordered junior officer John Robertson to hide the drug in
Steven Little’s belonging so he could get the remand prisoner
“properly this time”. However, a colleague at
Kilmarnock’s Bowhouse prison reported his suspicions.

Lord MacFadzean deferred sentencing until next month.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 14 July

£7m drive to fight poverty

Edinburgh Council has received £7.1 million from a new fund
designed to improve Scotland’s most deprived areas.

The community regeneration fund will combine and replace existing
programmes such as social inclusion partnerships. A total of
£104 million will work on six anti-poverty initiatives,
including regenerating the most deprived neighbourhoods and
improving the health of those in disadvantaged areas.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 13 July

Inquiry will investigate council over collapsed child abuse
case

The Western Isles Council’s handling of a child abuse inquiry
which collapsed is to be assessed by independent experts, it was
announced yesterday.

The Crown Office announced earlier this month that it was dropping
the case against seven people as there was insufficient evidence to
prosecute.

Six men and a woman appeared at Inverness sheriff court in October
accused of sex offences.

Source:- The Herald  Wednesday 14 July

Welsh newspapers

Bailiffs now ready to evict travellers

A group of gypsies are to be evicted from a site near Newport in
south Wales.

They moved to the site at Tredegar House after leaving what has
been described as a scene of devastation at another site. There is
now concern that they may still be occupying the area when the
planned Eisteddfod opens at the end of the month.

Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 13 July page 5

Pressure on beds easing

The number of patients blocking beds in Gwent has fallen by almost
20 per cent since March.

But because the problem of delayed discharge is difficult to tackle
and many beds are still blocked, health chiefs remain cautious over
the progress made so far.

Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 13 July page 11

Politicians join call for inquiry into boy’s death
after rare disease undiagnosed

Senior Welsh politicians have joined the call for an inquiry into
the death of a 10-year-old boy who died after a treatable condition
went undiagnosed.

Brecon and Radnor liberal democrat MP Roger Williams and
conservative Nick Bourne AM said an inquiry into the circumstances
surrounding the death of Robbie Powell, who died in 1990, needs to
be held so that the truth can be established.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 14 July page 2