Tuesday 24 August 2004

By Amy Taylor and Alex Dobson.

Shortage of foster carers

A crippling shortage of foster carers in England is disrupting
children’s lives. Fostering Network said councils needed to recruit
8,200 carers.

Source:- The Guardian, 24 August, page 9

Human rights: the case for the defence

The Conservative Party launched a campaign yesterday to ‘curb
the rights culture.’

David Davis, shadow home secretary, who launched the campaign,
said the Human Rights Act has been responsible for an escalating
volume of rights claims against the criminal justice system and
other public bodies. The Act puts limitations on the ability to
deport failed asylum-seekers.

Source:- The Independent, 24 August, page 1

The travellers’ tale that hoodwinked the
judge

It has emerged that a group of travellers who a judge allowed to
escape eviction from their illegal camp due to one of them having
just given birth may have concocted the story.

The judge allowed the group to stay on an extra month at their
camp in Christchurch Dorset due to the birth but now it appears
that the mother and baby may not exist.

An investigation launched by council officials has been unable
to find any trace of 18-year-old Eleanor Berry or her baby.

Source:- Daily Mail, Tuesday, 24 August, page 25

Scottish papers 

Grandmother denies connection with the death of grandson

The grandmother of an eight month old baby whose stepfather is
on trial for his murder has rejected allegations that she was
responsible for the child’s death.

Mohammad Ullah is accused of murdering his stepson Kyle Mutch.
Ullah  has lodged two special defences, one of which blames Marlane
Low for Kyle’s murder, if the offence was committed.

Kyle died in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, in January, this year.

Source:- The Scotsman, Tuesday, 24 August

Plan to give disadvantaged school pupils a cash
leg-up

Plans to give financial incentives to schools in Scotland to
educate disadvantaged and special needs pupils will be unveiled by
the Tory party later this week.

David McLetchie, the Scottish Tory leader, will announce that he
wants to change a proposed Conservative scheme under which all
pupils would be given a passport or voucher which they could use to
pay for their education at a school of their choice.

He wants to amend this to make the vouchers of disadvantaged and
special needs pupils worth more than their counterparts, giving the
school an incentive to take them.

Source:- The Scotsman, Tuesday, 24 August

1950s abuse test-case fails

A landmark ruling in a test case means that up to 150 former
residents have lost damages actions for allegedly being abused
while living at Catholic-run children’s homes.

A £50,000 claim by a woman who lived at Nazareth House,
Cardonald, Glasgow, was time-barred, having been brought more than
40 years after her time at the home.

The ruling means that similar cases in which the alleged
physical ill-treatment by nuns took place before 1964 and where the
court has no discretion to allow out-of-time actions to
proceed.

Hundreds of cases against a religious order the Poor Sisters of
Nazareth, based in Hammersmith, London, which had homes in
Scotland, have been raised in the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
Half a dozen are being heard as test cases.

Source:- The Scotsman, Tuesday, 24 August

Welsh papers

‘The Playground is Sacred’

Almost one hundred protesters turned out at the offices of
Merthyr Tydfil borough Council to protest against the
re-development of a playground dedicated to the memory of those who
died in the Aberfan disaster.

Merthyr council is considering building housing for older people
on the site but there has been widespread opposition to the
plan.

Source:- South Wales Echo Monday 23 August page 7

Time wasters hit GP waiting lists

Patients are waiting longer to see their GP because so many
people do not keep their appointments according to a new
survey.

Findings from the Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP) and the
Institute of Healthcare Management survey reveals that almost 13
million GP and practice nurse appointments are missed every year in
the UK, at a cost of £162m.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 24 August page 9