News round up: Social workers ‘set up CCTV in couple’s bedroom’

November 24, 2008 in Adult safeguarding, Child safeguarding, Disability, Fitness to practise, Workforce, Youth justice

Social services ‘set up CCTV camera in couple’s bedroom’

Social workers set up a CCTV camera in the bedroom of a couple with learning difficulties in order to monitor their behaviour, a new report claims.

Council staff are said to have spied on the young parents at night as part of a plan to see if they were fit to look after their baby, who was sleeping in another room.

Darling to raise taxes for wealthy

Alistair Darling, chancellor, is to target the wealthy with a new top rate of tax to help pay down soaring government borrowing, as he prepares to unveil a £12.5bn VAT cut to encourage Britain to shop its way out of recession.

Read more on this story in The Financial Times

Babies born with Down’s syndrome on increase

More Down’s syndrome babies are being born now than before screening for the condition began in 1989.

The reason is because affected children’s quality of life is better and acceptance has risen – so parents are more willing to raise them, says a survey.

Social workers sacked over ‘sick’ image of paedophile Gary Glitter carrying a child in a shopping bag

Fifteen council staff, including social workers, have been sacked or reprimanded after circulating a tasteless e-mail of reviled paedophile Gary Glitter carrying a child in a shopping bag.

Tories keen on allowing the return of a clip round the ear

The police would be formally discouraged from taking action against adults who tackle misbehaving youngsters under a Conservative government, Dominic Grieve, the Shadow Home Secretary, reveals today.

Fear of legal action, not violence, holds most people back from confronting antisocial behaviour, Mr Grieve said in an interview with The Times.