Full Article: http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0976.htm
CHILD protection officials failed to recognise the danger to a toddler who was tortured and killed by her stepfather, a report said yesterday.
But social services chiefs said lessons will be learned from her death in a bid to ensure it does not happen again.
A report into the death of the two-year-old said there was 'a failure to recognise indicators of risk'.
The review of the case of the child called Lois also found that even when a risk assessment was undertaken it was 'inadequate'.
Officials in charge of social services in Caerphilly county, where Lois lived with her mother and stepfather, said staff training and support had now been improved and procedures strengthened.
Lois, who lived on Caerphilly’s Lansbury Park estate, died on November 8, 2004, from a head injury. She had been placed on the child protection register a month earlier.
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Kylie Minogue has joined NSPCC and ChildLine Campaign
Full Article: http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0975.htm
Kylie Minogue has joined with NSPCC and ChildLine in support of a new campaign to raise funds for abused children, The Child’s Voice Appeal.
The services received 2.3 million calls in the last year from more than half a million kids needing help.
Many reported calling several times just to get through to a counsellor.
The appeal aims to fund up to 15 extra call centres next year, and boost volunteers by about 600 to help get to every call first time.
Kylie Minogue has joined with NSPCC and ChildLine in support of a new campaign to raise funds for abused children, The Child’s Voice Appeal.
The services received 2.3 million calls in the last year from more than half a million kids needing help.
Many reported calling several times just to get through to a counsellor.
The appeal aims to fund up to 15 extra call centres next year, and boost volunteers by about 600 to help get to every call first time.
Cafcass calls for virtual health centre for Children in Care
Full Article: http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0974.htm
Cafcass today publishes a report examining the health and wellbeing of young people in care.
The report found that young people in care were happy but they sometimes felt the affects of stress, wanted better advice on relationships and they wanted more support to eat healthily for instance in foster or children’s homes
Based on a research event organised by the Cafcass Children’s Rights Team, the report outlines what young people in care feel about their health and wellbeing. The report was researched in collaboration with Professor Adrian James from the Centre for the Study of Childhood and Youth, University of Sheffield; and evaluated by independent research provider
Cafcass today publishes a report examining the health and wellbeing of young people in care.
The report found that young people in care were happy but they sometimes felt the affects of stress, wanted better advice on relationships and they wanted more support to eat healthily for instance in foster or children’s homes
Based on a research event organised by the Cafcass Children’s Rights Team, the report outlines what young people in care feel about their health and wellbeing. The report was researched in collaboration with Professor Adrian James from the Centre for the Study of Childhood and Youth, University of Sheffield; and evaluated by independent research provider
Friday, 19 September 2008
How Do You Think The Government Can Improve The Way The Family Courts Work In The UK?
Please Take A Minute To Do Our Survey: http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/How_Do_You_Think_The_Government_Can_Improve_The_Way_The_Family_Courts_Work_In_The_UK.htm
Tell Us What You Would Do To Improve The Family Courts And Social Services. Take Our Survey AboutUK Family Courts and Social Services. How Do You Think The Government Can Improve The Way The Family Courts Work In The UK?
Tell Us What You Would Do To Improve The Family Courts And Social Services. Take Our Survey AboutUK Family Courts and Social Services. How Do You Think The Government Can Improve The Way The Family Courts Work In The UK?
I do not remove a child unless it is the right thing to do
Full Article: http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0973.htm
The Afro-Caribbean father cut a lonely figure in his open-necked shirt as he faced the judge in the echoing court.
He had not seen his children for two years. There were no lawyers and the mother could not attend.
The setting was one of the grandest of the Victorian Gothic courtrooms at the Royal Courts of Justice scene of many a highly publicised battle. But today the oak benches and public gallery were empty. It was a family court where justice is dispensed behind closed doors.
The fathers words were almost lost in the lofty ceiling vault. If he expected a final decision, he did not get it. Mr Justice Hedley wearing a suit (no wig or robe) told him he was sending the case to Croydon where the mother lived. This had two advantages: a single district judge could take charge of the case and a contact regime could be set up at a special centre. I would appreciate it, the man said. 'Ive not had any contact with my children since 2006.'
In his room the judge explained that the intractable family dispute had run for years. The man had been offered contact under supervision. He had refused but wanted to reapply.
As the family liaison judge for Greater London Mr Justice Hedley, 62, is responsible for family courts in the capital outside the High Court. But this was holiday time and he was doing a stint of vacation duty a mix of emergency or procedural applications in continuing cases that need attention.
Judges, and the system, feel beleaguered. The Times has accused family courts of operating in a conspiracy of silence particularly in care cases. While injustices may occur, judges feel that the picture is distorted. So The Times had been granted rare access to sit on the bench and witness family justice from a judges-eye view.
Mr Justice Hedley, who with his wife had two children and fostered three others, adopting two of them, admits that he may have handled more childrens cases than any other judge. By the law of averages over 16 years judging he must have made mistakes, he admits. When he has been troubled over a decision, it had not been over removing a child from its home, rather over returning a child to where it might be at risk.
The Afro-Caribbean father cut a lonely figure in his open-necked shirt as he faced the judge in the echoing court.
He had not seen his children for two years. There were no lawyers and the mother could not attend.
The setting was one of the grandest of the Victorian Gothic courtrooms at the Royal Courts of Justice scene of many a highly publicised battle. But today the oak benches and public gallery were empty. It was a family court where justice is dispensed behind closed doors.
The fathers words were almost lost in the lofty ceiling vault. If he expected a final decision, he did not get it. Mr Justice Hedley wearing a suit (no wig or robe) told him he was sending the case to Croydon where the mother lived. This had two advantages: a single district judge could take charge of the case and a contact regime could be set up at a special centre. I would appreciate it, the man said. 'Ive not had any contact with my children since 2006.'
In his room the judge explained that the intractable family dispute had run for years. The man had been offered contact under supervision. He had refused but wanted to reapply.
As the family liaison judge for Greater London Mr Justice Hedley, 62, is responsible for family courts in the capital outside the High Court. But this was holiday time and he was doing a stint of vacation duty a mix of emergency or procedural applications in continuing cases that need attention.
Judges, and the system, feel beleaguered. The Times has accused family courts of operating in a conspiracy of silence particularly in care cases. While injustices may occur, judges feel that the picture is distorted. So The Times had been granted rare access to sit on the bench and witness family justice from a judges-eye view.
Mr Justice Hedley, who with his wife had two children and fostered three others, adopting two of them, admits that he may have handled more childrens cases than any other judge. By the law of averages over 16 years judging he must have made mistakes, he admits. When he has been troubled over a decision, it had not been over removing a child from its home, rather over returning a child to where it might be at risk.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)