Care home pupils to be given places at top boarding schools

Care home pupils to be given places at top boarding schools
Children from broken homes will be given free places at some of the most expensive boarding schools in the country under government plans announced yesterday.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 7 November 2006, page 11

Thousands of failed asylyum seekers forced to sleep rough
A study by Amnesty International and Refugee Action found that thousands of failed asylum seekers are sleeping rough, leading to record levels of destitution.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 7 November 2006, page 8

Charities called to account
Charities are sitting on at least £35.5 billion rather than spending it on good causes, the Charity Commission has found.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 7 November 2006, page 26

Gambling Act will create child addicts
A generation of young people could become gambling addicts because ministers have failed to impose any age limit on low-stake slot machines, says a leading expert.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 7 November 2006, page 5

Record number of lifers freed from parole boards called back to jail
Dozens of criminals convicted of murder, manslaughter and rape went on to carry out further crimes.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 7 November 2006, page 32

Review ordered of hostels that lost sight of killers
The home secretary ordered a review of the “management and operation” of two bail hostels last night after an undercover television investigation claimed that a violent criminal was left free to murder.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 7 November 2006, page 32

It’s never too late to start again: Reid’s message to prisoners
The home secretary is to highlight research today showing that the great majority of young offenders who go off the rails in their early years but mend their ways can live as successful a life by the age of 50 as anyone else.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 7 November 2006, page 11

Scottish news

Child abuse convictions up 50%
The number of people convicted for abusing children has increased by nearly 50% in the past six years, according to figures released by the Scottish executive.
The charges include neglect, sexual abuse and grooming children for sexual purposes.
Senior social work officials have warned the problem is growing across Scotland as a result of substance misuse and that the number of successful convictions makes up only a tiny proportion of the problem.
Source:- The Herald, Tuesday 7 November 2006

Council workers urged to reject pay package
Council workers have been urged to vote for industrial action and reject overtures from managers to sign a new pay and benefits package.
Around 400 members of the public sector union Unison gathered for a lunchtime picket at Glasgow city chambers, where branch organisers called on members to “stand firm”. They also called on the Scottish executive to set aside funds to help local authorities address the issue.
The meeting was timed to coincide with letters being sent out to individual workers telling them that if they accept the new structures before Christmas they will receive eight months’ back pay ahead of the festive season.
Source:- The Herald, Tuesday 7 November 2006

Teachers fear young carers falling through net
A new report by children’s charity Barnardo’s, has revealed 94 per cent of Scottish teachers are concerned that young carers are failing to get the help and support they need.
It also found 87 per cent of the teachers surveyed believed young carers deliberately decided not to inform social services of their situations, fearing that their families might be broken up.
Some studies estimate there may be at least 100,000 carers aged between 13 and 15 in Scotland.
Source:- The Scotsman, Tuesday 7 November 2006

Welsh news

Online safety service launched
A new service to tackle internet paedophiles was launched in Wales yesterday. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre extended its services to Wales yesterday.
Source:- Western Mail, Tuesday 7 November 2006