News round up: Remains of five children found at Jersey home

Remains of five children found at Haut de la Garenne

Jersey police have discovered the partial remains of at least five children at Haut de la Garenne, the former children’s home at the centre of the island’s child abuse investigation.

However, the grim discoveries of the bone fragments – believed to have come from children aged between 4 and 11 – may not result in a murder inquiry because experts have been unable to pinpoint when the children died, the detective leading the investigation has admitted.

Read more on this story in The Times

100 years after reform, poverty in old age remains rife

When the first state pension was paid, there was widespread celebration. David Lloyd George, Charles Booth and the other founding fathers were certain that their reforms would end poverty in old age.

Yet 100 years on, 2.5 million pensioners — more than a fifth of all those aged over 65 — still struggle to pay their bills and keep their homes warm.

Read more on this story in The Times

UK drugs policy ‘has no impact on supply’

Law enforcement has “little adverse effect” on the availability of drugs in Britain, new research claims. A report from the UK Drugs Policy Commission published yesterday said drug markets were “extremely resilient. They are highly fluid and adapt to law enforcement interventions”.

The commission, a charity made up of specialists in drug treatment, public policy, policing and medical research, said attempts to tackle Britain’s £5.3bn drug habit were not working
Read more on this story in The Independent

Why being married halves the risk of developing dementia

Being married halves your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, say researchers. A study shows the importance of close companionship in midlife, with a 50 per cent lower rate of dementia affecting those who have a partner.

It found those who stay alone after divorce have a threefold risk of suffering Alzheimer’s in later life.

Read more on this story in The Daily Mail

‘Pushover parents to blame for generation of children who lack discipline’

A decline in parenting skills has created a generation of children without moral boundaries, a teachers’ leader has said.

Philip Parkin warned that teachers are increasingly forced to discipline bad behaviour and take on the role of bringing up children because parents too often pander to their demands.

He blamed the increasing commercialisation of childhood, long working hours, the decline of traditional family structures and the ‘shortening of the length of many relationships’.

Read more on this story in The Daily Mail