Children in care fear crime and street bullies

Children in care fear crime and street bullies
Gangs and bullies on the streets of towns and cities are the biggest fear of many vulnerable children, according to a survey of young people in care published today by the children’s rights director for England.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 20 March 2007

Social worker dragged from court after black-gang rant
A social worker responsible for two teenage members of a gang that robbed and terrorised commuters on the London Underground was dragged from court yesterday after a dramatic tirade about gang culture. Liz Johnson appeared to have become overwhelmed by the spiralling gang violence among black teenagers in London.
She clambered over two rows of desks at Middlesex Guildhall crown court and jumped into the witness box feet from judge Henry Blacksell. She then leant over and screamed at him: “I’m a social worker. I’ve just lost my job.”
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 19

Brown backs Blair plan to bring in ‘truly personalised’ public services
Gordon Brown joined Tony Blair yesterday in embracing the need for “truly personalised” public services that give people the information and power they need to choose a school or hospital.
Mr Blair said that it was important to “empower” public service workers and reach out to the most excluded in society.
Examples of ‘tailored’ services include: competition to be extended to council services, such as foster care
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 26

Asylum seeker dies from burns
An asylum seeker has died after setting himself alight in the building where his immigration hearing was to be held, police said yesterday.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 10

Gay adoption law given rubber stamp
The government was accused of “an abuse of parliamentary democracy” yesterday after regulations were passed by MPs making it illegal for publicly funded adoption agencies to discriminate against gay couples.
Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 11

Brown to expand school academies scheme
The chancellor, Gordon Brown, today pledged to expand the school academies programme, which has been at the heart of Tony Blair’s school reforms and is likely to become his most controversial education legacy.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 12

Ministers left in dark over NHS deficit, say MPs
Ministers failed to take a grip on the NHS’s net £570m deficit in England last year because the Department of Health did not collect enough information to realise the extent of the problem, a cross-party committee of MPs will say today.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 15

Brain-damaged boy gets £3.15m compensation
An eight-year-old boy left brain-damaged after a breathing tube became dislodged during hospital treatment received £3.15m compensation at the high court in London yesterday. Benjamin Hobson’s heart stopped beating during treatment for breathing problems at St George’s hospital, south London, seven years ago, and he now has “moderate learning difficulties”, the court heard. His parents, Brent and Michelle Hobson, from Bexhill, East Sussex, sought damages on his behalf from St George’s Healthcare NHS trust, which admitted liability for his injuries.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 16

Reid will encourage teenagers to inform on friends who carry knives
Inner-city youngsters will be urged to inform on friends who carry knives after the recent spate of fatal stabbings.
Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 13

A brisk walk to school or quick game of football could halve child obesity
The risk of children becoming obese could be halved with 15 extra minutes of moderately vigorous exercise each day, study results from the Children of the 90s project, which has followed a group of children born in Avon in the 1990s, suggest.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 7

New wealth gap emerges between the old and young
A new generation gap has opened up with the older getting richer and the young poorer, the Bank of England believes.
Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 4

Former psychiatric patient’s first novel makes Orange list
A first-time novelist whose work was inspired by spending a third of her life as a psychiatric patient is in the running for the £30,000 Orange Prize alongside the winners of the Man Booker and Costa awards.
Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 18

Vitamin tablets help paralysed boy walk
A boy of 10 who was left paralysed by an illness so rare it has been named after him is recovering after taking vitamin tablets. Timothy Bingham suffers from Bingham Syndrome, a condition that has left him unable to move his limbs.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 20 March 2007, page 10

Scottish news
 
NHS cash plea for wheelchair users
More money to fund wheelchair services has been demanded by NHS staff, who said a £1 million injection from the Scottish executive was nowhere near enough.
Around 96,000 people in Scotland use wheelchairs, but many face long waits for upgraded equipment.
NHS managers have threatened to pull out of talks over further provision unless more money is allocated to make improvements. A review of provision found the £14.2m budget needed to be increased by an extra £8.7m.
Source:- The Scotsman, Tuesday 20 March 2007


Welsh news

Father and son’s indecency trial
A father and son appeared at Cardiff crown court yesterday charged with indecent assault on two children during the 70s and 80s.
Keith Gasson, 67, pleaded not guilty to 10 charges of indecent assault. His son Andrew, 38, also pleaded not guilty to 10 charges of indecent assault and two charges of indecency with a child.
Source:- Western Mail, Tuesday 20 March 2007