News round-up: NSPCC – 53 children sexually abused every day

NSPCC reveals 53 children are sexually abused every day

The scale of child abuse in England and Wales was revealed today when figures showed that 53 children a day are subjected to sex crimes.

The victims range from babies and toddlers to teenagers and the offences from indecent exposure to rape and serious sexual attacks.
Read more on this story in The Guardian

Care applications soar after Baby P case

More applications to take children into care are being issued than at any time since the present system of child protection was established.

The sharp increase comes after the reporting late last year of the death of Baby P, when the Government instructed all local authorities to look again at cases of children at risk and subject to a child protection plan, to see whether they really were safe from harm.

Read more on this story in The Times

NHS starts inquiry into deaths of patients with learning difficulties

An official investigation is to examine why people with serious learning difficulties have died while under NHS care, after alleged neglect led to at least six fatalities, ministers will reveal today.

The health secretary, Alan Johnson, is setting up an inquiry which will look at whether the quality of treatment that doctors, nurses and other health service staff gave to such vulnerable patients contributed to their dying unnecessarily early.

Read more on this story in The Guardian

Baby killed in ‘save bill’ bed share

A newborn baby died after one of his parents rolled on him as they all shared the same bed.

Melvin Rowland and partner Sarah Roetigg slept with 23-day-old Cameron to cut heating bills.

Read more on this story in The Sun

Council tax to rise by £50 on average to plug £2.5bn black hole

Council tax is set to rise by almost £50 for an average property next year to plug a £2.5billion black hole in local authority finances caused by the economic downturn, according to town hall bosses.