News round-up: Legal threat to councils over rape victims

By Mithran Samuel on January 30, 2009 in Adults, Fostering and adoption, Sexual exploitation, Workforce

Legal threat to councils over rape victims

More than 100 councils will today be threatened with legal action over their failure to provide rape crisis centres and domestic violence support services, with a strongly worded warning issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Research reveals that one in four local authorities in Britain offer no specialised services for women who have faced violence or abuse, and shows that a quarter of those rape crisis centres that are still operating believe they will either have to close or radically cut services in 2009.

‘You’ll never see your grandchildren again’ – Social worker’s warning

A social worker at the centre of the gay adoption row told the children’s grandparents they will never see them again because of the publicity surrounding the case.

Heather Rush telephoned the youngsters’ 26-year-old mother after the family publicised their grievances with her council department.
Read more on this story in The Daily Mail

Arrests of teenage girls and women reach record levels

Annual arrests of teenage girls and women have reached record levels, with more than 250,000 detained by the police according to the latest official figures.

Ministry of Justice statistics published today show that last year youth offending teams dealt with 22% more crimes committed by girls aged 10 to 17, fuelling fears that a new “ladette culture” is emerging on Britain’s streets.

Gordon Brown orders thousands of new council homes

The biggest council house building programme for decades was ordered by Gordon Brown yesterday as he urged town halls to rescue the construction industry and help to kick-start the economy.

Treasury rules that have stopped local authorities from building social housing should be relaxed to allow councils to borrow more money and to keep the proceeds from rents and sales, the Prime Minister said.
Read more on this story in The Times