Watchdogs demand tougher action to cut back on 2m child accidents

Watchdogs demand tougher action to cut back on 2m child accidents
Children from poorer backgrounds are far more at risk of dying from accidents than others, a joint report by the Healthcare and Audit commissions has found. The report, which said that preventing accidents had slipped off the government’s agenda, found children whose parents are long-term unemployed are 13 times more likely to die from accidents than those from the most affluent backgrounds.
Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 8 February 2007, page 7

Child porn links to paedophiles
People who download child porn share the same psychological characteristics as convicted paedophiles, a study reveals.
Lawyers have argued that viewing child porn is different to attacking children. But new research shows the two groups have much in common — and some net users surveyed were found to have already formed relationships with kids.
The study was led by Professor David Middleton, of De Montfort University’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences in Leicester.
His team of psychiatrists compared 200 convicted net offenders with 200 convicted paedophiles.
Source:- The Sun, Thursday 8 February 2007, page 18

Britons under investigation in global internet paedophile ring
Twenty-nine Britons are under investigation on suspicion of downloading child pornography after European investigators claimed to have cracked one of the largest ever global paedophile rings.
Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 8 February 2007, page 17

Mums in ‘back to work’ bid
A lone parent “list of shame” has been published to get single mums off benefits and in work. Work and pensions secretary John Hutton has told MPs in the worst 100 areas to help get lone parents off benefits.
Britain has the lowest rate in Europe of working lone parents. A quarter of a million parents are on the list.
In Sweden and Denmark 80 per cent of lone parents are employed.
Top of the list released yesterday is Tottenham — with 4,870 single parents claiming income support.
Source:- The Sun, Thursday 8 February 2007, page 2

Auditors cast doubt on Brown’s efficiency drive in Whitehall
The National Audit Office has called into question Treasury claims of a £13.3bn efficiency saving across government, saying £10bn of this was questionable because it could not be measured or was incorrect.
The report is published halfway through a three-year government programme to save £21bn in public expenditure.
False savings found by the NAO included over £500m claimed by the Department of Health by reducing the time patients spend in hospital, which failed to include the costs of extra readmissions from early discharges.
Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 8 February 2007, page 10

Poll bemoans work-life balance
Most people believe juggling work and family life will become harder in future, and that employers should restructure jobs to suit families, a poll by the Equal Opportunities Commission has found.
In a speech today, EOC chair Jenny Watson will call for better support for families and more opportunities for men and women to decide how they share childcare.
Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 8 February 200, page 17

Six in ten hardened criminals get soft sentences
Just over one in 10 people sentenced by the courts last year were first-time offenders, while almost 60 per cent had at least five convictions, according to government figures.
The figures also showed that 65,000 people who had already been convicted ten times were spared jail, which some commentators said reflected the government’s intention to reserve prison for dangerous or seriously persistent offenders.
Source:- Daily Mail, Thursday 8 February 2007, page 8

A school shamed
East Riding of Yorkshire Council has begun an inquiry after a second teacher was found guilty of under-age sex with pupils at a school in Bridlington.
Steven Edwards, 34, was convicted yesterday of abusing his position of trust through relationships with three girls, six months after Ian Blott was jailed for four years for a two-year affair with a pupil.
Source:- Daily Mail, Thursday 8 February 2007, page 29

Drinkers send abortions soaring
Boozy men and women were blamed yesterday for sending the abortion rate to an all-time high.
There were more than 6,000 last month in Marie Stopes clinics — that’s 13 per cent up on January last year.
Liz Davies, UK chief of Marie Stopes — which carries out a third of terminations — said: “We’ve seen the biggest rise ever. It could be a consequence of the festive season, when partying excess and alcohol consumption combine to increase libido and lower inhibition.”
Source:- The Sun, Thursday 8 February 2007, page 15