Mother wrongly labelled risk to child

Mother wrongly labelled risk to child
An inquiry has found a “catalogue of errors” at Norfolk Council’s children’s services department in the case of a mother with a mental health condition who was wrongly labelled a risk to her unborn child.
The county’s safeguarding children board found that the woman who had suffered from dissociative identity disorder but had recovered by the time of her pregnancy, was told she would have her child taken away if she did not do as she was told by social workers.
The report found crucial evidence had been destroyed, rumours were treated as fact and reports by one social worker were inaccurate, and concluded that the mother was discriminated against on the grounds of her condition.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 9 January 2007, page 21

She snubbed six state schools
Ruth Kelly has rejected six state schools that help children with dyslexia to send her son to a private school. The former education secretary said she had decided to send her son to a £15, 0000 a year prep school due to his substantial learning difficulties.
Source:- Daily Mirror, Tuesday 9 January 2007, page 5

NHS watchdog rules out Alzheimer’s U-turn
The head of the NHS drug watchdog said it would not be forced into approving medicines it had doubts over yesterday as the body came under fresh pressure over the use of a controversial Alzheimer’s treatment.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 9 January 2006, page 12

Young criminals aged only 10
Children as young as 10 have been involved in serious crimes such as car theft, sexual offences and burglary, Norfolk police force said yesterday.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 9 January 2006, page 6

Tougher approach over minimum wage law
The government will take a tougher approach against employers who fail to pay the minimum wage following evidence that some sectors are ignoring the salary floor.
Trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling is expected to outline the tougher approach, which is likely to lead to an increase in penalty notices and fines, in a statement today.
Source:- Financial Times, Tuesday 9 January 2007, page 3

Doctors ‘left elderly stroke victim to starve to death’
An East Anglian hospital left a 91-year-old stroke survivor to starve to death, her relatives told an inquest yesterday.
Relatives of Olive Nockels, who died in October 2003, told the inquest in Norwich that Norfolk and Norwich Hospital had no intention of treating her and they were told her condition was so bad that it was best to let her die.
The inquest heard that Mrs Nockels received a quarter of the recommended calorie intake specified by the World Health Organisation for a “short-term starvation” diet through a drip during her stay at the hospital.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 9 January 2007, page 15

Prisoners reel in drugs and phones over jail wall
Prison officers at Liverpool have confirmed prison inmates have developed a contraption to smuggle drugs and mobile phones into jail.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 9 January 2007, page 7

MS ‘kept secret’ from sufferer
A policemen has received £10,000 from East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust after it withheld a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis from him for more than 10 years.
Gary Dimmock accused doctors of “playing god”, saying his ignorance about his condition had caused him to consider suicide.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 9 January 2007, page 22

Manchester underwrite six city academies
Labour’s city academy programme is to be given new impetus today when Manchester council reveals plans to build six new state of the art schools.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 9 January 2007, page 6

Scottish news

Ageing population crisis a myth, free care champion believes
The notion that an ageing population creates a crisis is a myth according to the man who championed free care for older people.
In a year-long study for the Scottish Parliament’s in-house think-tank, Lord Sutherland of Houndwood states emphatically: “To say the population of Scotland is facing an ageing crisis is a myth.”
Source:- The Herald,  Tuesday 9 January 2007

Prostitution bill under attack
Proposed laws aimed at tackling prostitution will fail unless changes are made, ministers have been warned.
Members of a Holyrood committee said major changes were needed before they could recommend the legislation to parliament.
Source:- The Scotsman, Tuesday 9 January 2007

Former teacher admits sexual abuse of pupils at private school
A retired Latin and sports teacher at Dollar Academy has admitted sexually abusing pupils at the top private school.
Jonathan Quick admitted five charges following an investigation by police which began in 2002 following the suicide of a 23-year-old student who was allegedly abused by the same teacher.
Source:- The Herald, Tuesday 9 January 2007

Have we lost contact with what is best for children?
John Taylor reflects on how the 1995 Children Act changed – and failed to change – family law.
Source:- The Scotsman, Tuesday 9 January 2007

Welsh news

Sentencing reforms rejected by judges
Senior judges have criticised sentencing reforms proposed in the wake of the case of Cardiff paedophile Craig Sweeney.
Home secretary John Reid described Sweeny’s sentence as unduly lenient after the offender was told he would be eligible for parole after serving five years of a life term for abducting a young girl in Cardiff. The case led to sentencing reforms but a new document from the body representing 600 crown court judges in England and Wales shows they have rejected the vast majority of the proposals.
Source:- South Wales Echo, Tuesday 9 January 2007