30 JULY 2008

Canada: College enrolment surges
Lambton College will experience another surge in enrolment this fall, despite the area's rapidly aging population, said spokesperson Cindy Buchanan. "Our applications and confirmations are up significantly," she said, noting nine and 12 per cent increases respectively. And those numbers are expected to grow in the coming weeks. "Provincially, that is very good, actually," she said. Buchanan said eight programs are already wait-listed -- including the social service worker, paramedic, child and youth worker and autism programs -- and the practical nursing program is already closed. Normally, about three programs are wait-listed at this time, she said.
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Laos: Restaurant provides street children with training and hope
In one of the first projects of its kind, Friends International started up Mak Phet restaurant to provide vocational training for former street children, with the support of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Gustav Auer, regional hospitality and business coordinator of Friends International, says his proudest achievement is building up the children's confidence. "Most importantly, through their experience in the restaurant, we want to nurture in the former street kids a sense of self-esteem," he told IRIN. It is unknown how many children live or work on the streets of Laos. This is partly because the problem was not recognised officially by the government until recently. Often the children were rounded up, returned home or put into detention centres.
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UK: Appeal court clamps down on use of painful restraint in child jails
The use of painful physical restraint to maintain discipline in privately run child jails has been outlawed by the court of appeal as an infringement of young people's fundamental human rights. The court quashed regulations introduced by the government 12 months ago allowing staff to use violent methods to keep order in secure training centres (STCs) in England and Wales. Methods include pulling back thumbs and karate-style blows to the ribs and nose. Use of a controversial "nose distraction technique" involving the deliberate infliction of pain had already been suspended after ministers received medical advice that it could be dangerous. The controversial regulations were introduced last year after inquests into the deaths in custody of Gareth Myatt, 15, and Adam Rickwood, 14
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Barnardo's strengthens access control for database of children
UK children's charity Barnardo's has upgraded the identity management capability of its IT systems to link directly to ContactPoint, the government's planned database of all children in England. Barnardo's will be one of the first non-government organisations to federate employees digital identities to the database designed to improve communication between children's support services. ContactPoint is part of the government's Every Child Matters programme set up in response to the public inquiry into death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbié in London in November 2000. The inquiry recommended in 2003 that the government investigate the feasibility of a database to provide the contact details of practitioners or services involved with any child. A lack of co-ordination between services within several local authorities largely blamed for the failure to prevent the death of Victoria Climbié as a result of abuse by her guardians.
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'Children are our top priority'
South Gloucestershire Council is a shining example when it comes to looking after children in care. A report into how such children are cared for found the council, which has already been granted official beacon status, often exceeds national targets. The council has 170 youngsters in care, many of whom have suffered abuse or neglect. Some are only looked after for short periods before returning to their parents, being adopted or going to live with guardians. Others remain in care until they reach adulthood. South Gloucestershire has already been granted beacon status for improving the outcome of those children in its care. Its fostering service has also been recognised as “excellent” by the Commission for Social Care Inspection and awarded top marks by Ofsted for two years running.
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Australia: Alarm as child welfare reports "break" system
More than one in five of today's 16-year-olds have been brought to the attention of child protection authorities and one in 20 have suffered some form of abuse. The "alarming" number of notifications revealed in a Department of Families and Communities report has prompted child protection experts to call for "a major rethink" of the system, which it says is overburdened by mandatory reporting of possible abuse. The report shows Families SA had received 13,813 notifications of suspected abuse for 4410 children who were born in South Australia in 1991. Children born in 1998 were almost twice as likely to be reported by the age of three as those born in 1991, and those born in 2002 were three times as likely to be reported for suspected abuse. This coincides with the tightening of mandatory reporting in 1993.
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28 JULY 2008

Scotland: Seven children under 16 currently in prison
Seven children under the age of 16 have been sent to prison since the Justice Secretary outlawed the practice five months ago. Kenny MacAskill announced on February 21 that the laws that allow children under 16 to be held in jail would be scrapped following growing concerns about their welfare. The move followed pressure by Dr Andrew McLellan, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons. The minister said he would abolish "unruly certificates", which now allow children under 16 charged with an offence to be detained in prison while on remand. He said he would consult on options, such as secure care or tagging with intensive monitoring. The move was broadly welcomed, but The Herald can reveal that, since then, six boys and one girl under 16 have been sent to prison.
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Welfare plan an investment in Michigan's children
Investing in children is the right solution for Michigan's long-term child welfare reform plan. This plan focuses on spending money to invest in children and reform the system, not wasting taxpayers' money on costly attorney fees, court costs and potential fines. Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm directed me to hammer out and negotiate the successful agreement with the New York-based Children's Rights organization in the best interest of the state. This agreement puts children first. It reflects the shared goals of improved safety for children, stronger supports for those who care for them and more promising outcomes for their future. Prior to the agreement, the Michigan Department of Human Services had already initiated new reforms that continue to invest in children.
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BC: Youth advocate lashes IQ-based denial of care
B.C. is forcing developmentally disabled teenagers onto the street by denying them services based on IQ tests, the children's representative says. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond said she's "very disappointed" with the provincial government for quietly giving itself the right to deny services to disabled people with an IQ over 70. The move gets around a B.C. Court of Appeal ruling that found government didn't have the authority to turn its back on people based on IQ scores. "I feel very strongly that a civil society does not base a policy for developmentally disabled adolescents on IQ," Turpel-Lafond said. "It's not a progressive approach."
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California: Finally, a foster care fix
The child-welfare system is "broken." This harsh indictment has been a constant drumbeat in L.A.-area headlines for years. Consider just one part of the system: foster care. Los Angeles is home to nearly 30,000 foster youth. We collectively commit to watch over these children when we bring them into foster care, yet too many struggle mightily with the most basic of needs. In California, there are positive signs of action. The California Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care, launched in 2006, will submit its final recommendations for reform next month, including changes in how juvenile courts do business: implementing attorney and judicial caseload standards, ensuring a meaningful voice in court for all participants and implementing court performance measures. The new state Child Welfare Council, with leaders from all three branches of government, is crafting an agenda to tackle lack of coordination, inadequate information sharing and disjointed leadership among the government agencies accountable for children in care.
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Ireland: No more teenagers for Boys Town
The Health Service Executive (HSE) is to reverse its policy of sending “highly troubled” children abroad to behaviour modification camps such as Boys Town in Nebraska. It is to develop a new range of foster care facilities in Ireland instead. The decision follows criticism of the practice from rights groups who said that it was unfair to uproot children from Ireland. The Labour party said it was “scandalous” that children were being “imprisoned”. The HSE deals with 5,300 children in care each year. About 20 of these are deemed to require specialist treatment which is only available abroad.
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UK: Businesses asked to provide training for children in care
Liverpool council’s leader last night called on businesses to do their part in helping children in care get vital work experience and training. Cllr Warren Bradley said it was crucial businesses in Liverpool started to help the 850 children currently being looked after by foster carers or the local authority. He said it was a scandal that around 30% of children leaving care are classed as not in education, employment or training (Neet). The Liberal Democrat leader’s call to businesses forms part of a five point plan to improve the lives and chances of children in care. Cllr Bradley said: “A lot of these young people are not given opportunities because they are forgotten about".
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25 JULY 2008

Scotland: Campus cops plan is hailed a success
A Pioneering campus cops scheme has helped cut knife crime and youth offences, a report out today shows. Officials in East Renfrewshire have been praised for adopting tactics used in Denmark to drive down levels of anti-social behaviour. Three full-time officers were stationed at Woodfarm High in Thornliebank, Eastwood High in Newton Mearns, and Barrhead High to tackle troublemakers and identify potential offenders. The model is based on a successful Danish system and brings together all local agencies to combat youth crime. Figures show the number of referrals to the children's reporter dropped 31% from 212 in 2005 to 145 in 2007.
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Canada: Funding shortfall means programs not filling vacancies
Niagara families already waiting an average of two years or more to tap into provincially funded specialized therapy for autistic children may have to wait even longer. McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, which co-ordinates the autism program available to Niagara children, says a shortfall of $1.8 million from the province will force it to temporarily stop accepting new children when vacancies open up. "It's too soon to tell you how many children and families it will impact," hospital president Dr. Peter Steer said. "There will be an impact. We certainly won't be able to look after as many children and families as we did last year. We will be doing everything we can to minimize the effect." Autistic children in Niagara won't be alone facing longer waits for service. Several Ontario agencies that run similar behavioural therapy programs also say provincial funding shortfalls mean they can no longer afford to take on more children for treatment.
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Florida: Foster kids grow up to be government employees
As a kid growing up in Florida's foster system, Ciarra Allen says no one ever gave her a chance. Now 23 and living on her own, Allen is among more than 100 former foster children working for the Department of Children & Families, the agency said Wednesday. In an effort to help foster grads sustain their independence, Secretary Bob Butterworth launched Operation Full Employment in January. The agency has since hired more than 100 former foster kids and another 45 are employed by community-based care partners statewide. Allen works in agency's Jacksonville office helping people apply for public assistance. "I think more companies should consider hiring teenagers who have been in the foster care system. They deserve to learn the skills that will help them become productive adults and advance in the workplace," she said in a statement. The agency has used a mix of recruiting campaigns and training programs to equip grads with workplace skills. Central Florida agency officials are also working with the hospitality industry to encourage them to hire foster grads.
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New Zealand: Every care should be taken to protect privacy of nation’s children
The way the media handles stories relating to children - especially if sensitive, intrusive, exploitive or humiliating - looks like coming under increased scrutiny from the Office of the Children's Commissioner. A particular concern is that children "are in danger of becoming part of the media road-kill". Television's handling of issues has given the matter impetus, given three cases in which complaints against specific programmes were upheld by the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA). The concerns are expounded in the Children's Commissioner's latest newsletter by Wellington barrister Steven Price who specialises in media law. The media, he says, can be savage beasts in today's heavily competitive 24-hour news cycle - "racing each other to be first and fastest and most compelling, sometimes with little apparent regard for the harm they do to the reputations and privacy of those caught up in the story". For children, he says the perils are particularly great when the press turns its eye towards "perennially sexy" stories about youth crime, custody battles, child abuse victims, teen sex, bullying, celebrity parenthood and the dark side of new technologies.
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Kansas: Juvenile facilities lacking
The extended delay in infrastructure improvements has fallen heavily across Johnson County in this decade. Heaviest, as far as I can tell, on the young people who are accused of wrongdoing and taken into the juvenile justice system. The facilities, in Olathe, are overcrowded, with serious consequences. When the place overflows, the youngsters have to be farmed out to other facilities across the state of Kansas. That separates them from their families in a time of crisis. Most often they are temporarily housed in Shawnee, Geary and Crawford counties. Being separated from their parents is the absolute last indignity these kids should have to deal with. And it is not always possible for the parents to travel to these locations. "It is very distressing," said Betsy Gillespie, director of corrections, in an interview. "We know that kids do better when they receive visits by families." Yet Johnson County officials must resort to out-boarding all too frequently, at a cost of about $300,000 a year.
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UK: Youth Crime Action Plan: Councils gain custody duties
The government has rejected a proposal to transfer the youth custody budget to councils. The proposal was dropped from the Youth Crime Action Plan, which was published last week, but councils' involvement in tackling youth crime still features heavily. Councils will have the lead duty on the education and training of young offenders, and will also be responsible for the full cost of court-ordered secure remand. Currently, councils are responsible for the placement and one-third of secure remand costs. Councils will also have a formal duty to review cases where children go to jail and look at whether custody could have been avoided by earlier intervention.
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Canada: Taser shooting victim a teen
A 17-year-old youth who died after being hit by a Taser was a suspect in a theft, police said yesterday. An officer deployed an "electronic control device" when the teenager refused to comply with repeated directions to put down a knife, said Const. Jacqueline Chaput. "That poses a threat to the officers, that poses a threat to other members of the public and officers made the decision to deploy the electronic control device to ensure public safety as well as their own safety," she said. Police didn't identify the victim, who was originally thought to be in his 20s.
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Minnesota: County reviews juveniles placed out-of-home
While only 12 percent of the juveniles in the Washington County juvenile correctional system are placed out-of-home, the statistics on them abound. The county did a study of the 320 youth that number accounts for over the past five years, and the information gathered was shared with the Washington County Board of Commissioners at its meeting July 15. Of those placed outside the home, a third had one placement, and two-thirds were placed twice or more. A third were placed five or more times. In 2007, that was 291 youth placed, up from 258 in 2006. The days that the youth were placed, 10,155 in 2007, dropped from the 11,064 in 2006. The most common felonies that resulted in the placement were burglary, motor vehicle theft, drugs, assault, property damage and theft. Most youth are placed in the Anoka County Community Corrections facility, with the next largest number being placed at The Harbor, a facility in Stillwater. Youth are also placed in residential treatment, foster homes and group home
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23 JULY 2008

CYC student Sarah Steeves receives post-graduate studies award
A Riverview student has received a $7,500 scholarship to start her graduate studies at Montreal's McGill University this fall. The Kenneth LeM Carter Award is selected on the basis of academic excellence, community service and extracurricular activities. Sarah graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax with the Child and Youth Study program and will work on a Master of Science degree in human communication disorders at McGill. During her undergraduate studies, Sarah volunteered with the Fountain Play Centre, a program offering affordable child care to student parents. She was also a campus co-ordinator for Best Buddies Canada, an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Now in its 24th year, the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation has granted more than $1-million to Canadian students.
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SA has dire shortage of social workers, will train CYC workers
Universities in South Africa produce only 300 social workers a year, Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya said yesterday. “Research has indicated that to effectively implement the Children’s Act and provide efficient and caring services to children, we need at least 16000 social workers,” Skweyiya said. He was speaking at the International Schools of Social Work Congress at Durban’s International Convention Centre. “Social work has been declared a scarce skill in South Africa.” The minister said the government would recruit and train other people to complement social workers – including child and youth care workers and auxiliary social workers.
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Fewer Canadian youth jailed for minor offenses
The 2003 implementation of the Youth Criminal Justice Act has resulted in fewer young Canadians spending time in jail for minor offenses, according to statistics compiled by the Canadian Center for Justice Statistics. The data shows a 58 percent decline in 12- to 17-year-old youths sent to prison from 18 per 10,000 in 1996-97, to 7.5 for every 10,000 in 2005-06. According to analyst Shelly Milligan, the drop in jail-time occurred even with a 100 percent increase in violent crimes committed by Canadian youth, compared to two decades ago. Youth crime as a whole was steady for the past 10 years. Most of the violent incidents involved common assaults. Jane Sprott, criminology professor at Ryerson University, told the Ottawa Sun, that having fewer youth jailed for minor offenses is a positive development. "There was concern that historically we were overusing courts and custody for very minor offenses. It's expensive, it's slow, there are a variety of other ways you can deal with minor things."
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Scotland: Youth project 'helping cut crime'
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has hailed a local project which is keeping youngsters off the streets. He was speaking ahead of a visit to the Oval project in Prestwick, Ayrshire, which is said to have helped cut crime by a quarter over the last year. The project aims to steer teenagers in the area away from drinking and vandalism by encouraging them to take up sports. Mr MacAskill said such initiatives helped young people and communities. Activities at the Oval, Prestwick's main area of open space, include biking, athletics and football. The project was set up by police and the South Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership to deal with youth anti-social behaviour in the area.
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California: Governor signs bill to improve foster care
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger strengthened the rights of California's 80,000 children in foster care on Monday, signing a law that ensures greater opportunities for youths to be present in court hearings deciding the course of their lives - from where they will live to how often, if ever, they will see their families. The measure was introduced by Assemblyman Dave Jones, a Democrat from Sacramento, to address a major flaw in California's juvenile dependency courts throughout the state: Hearings routinely occur without the children whose lives are at stake. Their absence was one key problem highlighted in the February series in the Mercury News, 'Broken Families, Broken Courts,' that revealed deep dysfunction in the state dependency system, the largest in the nation.
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Canada: Wait may grow for autism care
Niagara families already waiting an average of two years or more to tap into provincially funded specialized therapy for autistic children may have to wait even longer. McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, which co-ordinates the autism program available to Niagara children, says a shortfall of $1.8 million from the province will force it to temporarily stop accepting new children when vacancies open up. "It's too soon to tell you how many children and families it will impact," hospital president Dr. Peter Steer said. "There will be an impact. We certainly won't be able to look after as many children and families as we did last year. We will be doing everything we can to minimize the effect." Autistic children in Niagara won't be alone facing longer waits for service. Several Ontario agencies that run similar behavioural therapy programs also say provincial funding shortfalls mean they can no longer afford to take on more children for treatment. "This is a problem everywhere across the province. We're not unique," Steer said. "Every region has got a challenge with their funding this year."
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21 JULY 2008

UK: Welfare plan to 'transform lives'
Welfare reforms due to be unveiled - including abolition of the incapacity benefit system - will "transform lives", says minister James Purnell. The work and pensions secretary said they would offer more help to return to work, but responsibility was "vital". There are also plans to force long-term unemployed people to work for benefits, according to a draft leaked on Friday. Tory leader David Cameron said it was "great" the government had taken up ideas recently proposed by his party. He promised the government the support of Conservative MPs to get the measures in the Welfare Green Paper through Parliament if they faced a rebellion by Labour backbenchers. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show Mr Purnell said the proposals for England and Wales were "revolutionary" and would put responsibility "right at the heart of the welfare state".
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California: State budget threatens bill giving foster kids a bigger say in court
Child-welfare advocates fear last-minute funding concerns will cause Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to veto legislation that would permit foster children a greater role in dependency court hearings. Their worries stem from the administration's finance department analysis that put the cost of the measure at about $500,000 next year, and $900,000 the following year - costs that the legislation's author and child advocates consider grossly exaggerated. Schwarzenegger has until Monday to act on the bill, which is designed to ensure that children generally have the chance to appear in court for their dependency cases. The governor's office said Friday that Schwarzenegger has not decided on the bill, and could not comment on the pending legislation. But his office has offered the author, Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, the chance to take it back to an appropriate fiscal committee for further review, which could potentially delay implementation another year.
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Australia: Experiences of institutionalised children documented
The lives of children who grew up in Victoria's institutions have been documented in a new welfare report. The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare has released the report entitled It's Not Too Late To Care. The report looked at the lives of 77 Victorians raised in institutions until 1980. The centre's chief executive Coleen Clare says the mental health and accommodation problems identified in the report will help agencies better look after the individuals as they get older. "The prospect of maybe having to go into elder care is quite a frightening one when you've not had a good experiences in care," she said. "The other thing that was very important to us of course was what we could learn from these older citizens to help our young people who are still in care - we have 5,000 people in care in Victoria each night."
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Florida: Housing of foster kids blasted
Broward County's privately run foster care agency houses far too many children -- including babies -- in large group homes and shelters, a practice many states have banned because it can cause ''serious, long-lasting harm,'' a consultant warned. ChildNet has a ''strong reliance'' on shelters and group homes and must begin to wean itself from the controversial practice, said child welfare consultant Peter Digre in a report released Friday. ''Shelter care is acceptable only for those teens who need extensive assessment, who may create a hazard to other children in a foster home, or for whom finding a proper home is very difficult,'' wrote Digre, a former Florida Department of Children & Families administrator, in his 11-page report. ''Even in those cases,'' he suggested, ``shelter care should be avoided.''
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Philadelphia: Public speaks out on foster care system
State Sen. LeAnna Washington, D-4th, of Philadelphia and Montgomery counties, led a public hearing concerning Pennsylvania's foster-care system on Thursday. The panel heard from a variety of child advocates, former and current foster children, and government officials, including Anne Marie Ambrose, the newly appointed commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS). Ms. Ambrose acknowledged DHS past failures that came to light last year. The 2007 Child Welfare Review Panel Report disclosed that several children had died after DHS failed to them from their homes despite having been alerted to the situation by neighbors. Instead, she said she has intended "to create a culture of accountability." Much of the hearing focused on "aging out" foster children, who generally must leave the system when they turn 18, unless they petition to stay and have a sufficient reason.
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New Zealand: Maori urged to get young people out of gangs
New Zealand First is urging Maori to do more to restore pride in their culture by getting their young people out of gangs. In his leader's address to the party's conference in Auckland yesterday, Winston Peters derided the level of crime in New Zealand, saying the country is full of violence, drug dealing and intimidation. He is putting most of the blame on gangs and is urging Maori to stand up to what is happening. Mr Peters says gangs have fused the LA style gangster culture of drugs and violence with disenfranchised urban Maori and in doing so, have bastardised Maori culture. He says rebuilding society needs to happen through traditional values and he would like to see women, particularly from Maori and Pacific Island communities, playing a more prominent role in the community. Mr Peters says people should not be afraid of embracing what is strong about women.
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UK: Council's 'inadequate' care
Salford council has been ordered by the government to take urgent action over 'inadequate' support for children who are at risk of neglect. A report leaked to the M.E.N. and written by consultants appointed by Whitehall is damning about the city's failings. But the council tried to hush up the government's involvement. The report says that while millions of pounds are spent looking after a huge number of children in care not enough is allocated to supporting children still living with their families but needing the support of social workers to keep them out of care. In February – this year when the report was done – the number of children in care was 121 per 10,000 of the population – the average for England is 54. The population of the Salford is 217,000. The situation became so critical that in March last year 12 per cent of youngsters on the 'children at risk' register had not been allocated a qualified social worker to monitor them.
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18 JULY 2008

StatsCan report finds increase in youth violent crime
Saskatchewan’s overall crime rate has fallen by four per cent, according to a new report. It’s the fourth year in a row that the crime rate has decreased. However, it’s the tenth year in a row that the province has shown the highest crime rate in the country. Saskatchewan also has the highest rate of violent crime. “Generally speaking we have a safe province. The crime is concentrated in specific areas,” said Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan, referencing inner-city Regina, inner-city Saskatoon, and Prince Albert. Morgan spoke with media in a telephone press conference Thursday morning, after the release of the report by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. “We are pleased with the reductions … they’re small steps in right direction,” Morgan said.
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US: Child welfare advocate lends a hand to foster care children
Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) and Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN) have introduced legislation that seeks to make the process of adopting children from foster care more efficient and family friendly. The Adoption Improvement Act of 2008, H.R. 6459, will assist child welfare agencies in their mission to find permanent homes for children in foster care. The legislation establishes a demonstration project to help child welfare agencies maintain the interest of prospective adoptive parents while steering them through the complicated adoption process. Agencies will design programs based on recommendations from child welfare research. Components of the programs include; an adoption hotline; specialized professionals to answer adoption inquiries proficiently and sensitively, detailed information about the adoption process, and participation from parents who have successfully adopted children from foster care. "Every child needs a loving family and a place to call home," said Congressman Fattah. "Tens of thousands of children linger in foster care for years waiting for the security that a stable home offers. This legislation brings their dream of feeling part of a permanent family just a little bit closer," Fattah added.
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Canadian premiers call on Harper to build on residential school apology
Canada's provincial and territorial leaders are calling for a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to deal with native issues. Quebec Premier Jean Charest said he and his counterparts hope to build on the momentum from Ottawa's residential school apology and address concerns over the future of aboriginal children. "The apology presented by the prime minister of Canada is extremely powerful," Charest said Wednesday after the Council of the Federation met with native leaders in Quebec City. "I think a very important number of Canadians have stood up and taken notice. All of a sudden we're conscious that the relationship we have with our native people, with the Inuit and Metis is important, and it needs to be addressed."
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Michigan: Foster care change OK'd
A new state law could reduce the time a child spends in foster care by a year in some cases, a Saginaw County Department of Human Services official said. Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm signed the legislation last week that allows state agencies to conduct ''concurrent planning'' as a backup in case it's not safe to send a child back to his or her family. Sen. Roger N. Kahn, a Saginaw Township Republican, sponsored the legislation. Randy R. Barst, director of Saginaw County Department of Human Services, said his agency already uses the practice, but the new law will ensure it happens statewide. ''It allows us to explore multiple placement options for a child simultaneously'' while waiting for a situation to unfold, he said.
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Care leavers award for University of Greenwich
The University of Greenwich has been recognised for its continuing commitment to helping teenagers in care get into higher education. The Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark for Care Leavers highlights the work of institutions, which go the extra mile to support students who have been in public care. Founded in 1937 and operational since 1953, the Frank Buttle Trust is the largest UK charity providing grant aid solely to individual children and young people in desperate need. For the past two years the University of Greenwich at Medway, in collaboration, with its partners at the Chatham Maritime campus, has staged a non-residential summer school for care leavers. More than 20 people attended the recent summer school, which saw a range of taster subjects on offer to students. These included opportunities to learn more about courses in psychology, criminology, sport science as well as health & social care. Sessions on improving negotiating skills and confidence were also offered to the students.
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Illinois: Budget cuts strain foster care agencies
The governor’s plan to ax $1.4 billion from the state’s fiscal year 2009 budget is going to put a strain on many already-strapped agencies, including services to children in foster care. Gov. Rod Blagojevich recently announced that, in order to curb what he sees as a $2 billion deficit due to lawmakers’ refusal to approve increased revenue, he will cut funding to scores of state agencies. More than $45 million of those cuts will come from groups who service foster children in the state. Monica Kindig, site supervisor for the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria office in Galesburg, said the cuts are going to put a strain on her staff, but she doesn’t believe they will adversely affect the amount of caseworkers she will be able to employ.
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16 JULY 2008

New Zealand: Record child abuse cases for Health Board
The Canterbury District Health Board has released figures that reveal the highest number of referrals to its child abuse service since records began. The statistics show that in the last financial year, 754 children under the care of the board were referred to its child protection service because of fears of abuse. The figures are up more than 20 percent from the previous year. The DHB's child protection service coordinator, Sue Miles, says of those cases, 406 were referred to Child Youth and Family for further investigation. She says the increases are likely to be because of both a heightened awareness of child abuse and a growing problem in the community.
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Ontario: Youth offered chance to make amends
The Boys and Girls Club of Kawartha Lakes is offering teenagers who have allegedly broken the law to make amends and become accountable for their actions through non-judicial means. In the new youth justice program, those ages 12-17 will come together with the victim and volunteers from the City of Kawartha Lakes to negotiate positive and meaningful ways to make amends for his or her actions. The Youth Justice Committee is a new program to the city but is part of a large network of Youth Justice Committees throughout Ontario funded by the Ministry of The Attorney General. The local Youth Justice Steering Committee selected The Boys and Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes to oversee the program in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
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Report says California should end juvenile prisons
A state watchdog commission has recommended that California phase out its antiquated juvenile prisons by 2011, replacing them with regional lockups run by the counties. The regional centers would hold only the most dangerous offenders under the proposal unveiled Monday by the watchdog Little Hoover Commission. Less serious offenders would be housed at local juvenile halls. Commissioners said the state also should end its three-year experiment with combining youth and adult prisons under the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Authority over youth prisons would be placed under an Office of Juvenile Justice reporting to the governor until the state ends its involvement. The report also suggests that the youth prisons do little in the way of rehabilitation, saying three of four freed young offenders commit new crimes within three years.
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Ireland: Barnardos warns Government against cutbacks
Barnardos is urging the Government not to make cutbacks that will affect young people. The children's charity's annual review, published today, shows it worked with more than 5,000 children and young people last year. Barnardos says cutbacks in supports for vulnerable children could have devastating long-term consequences. Last year in over 40 of Ireland's most marginalised communities, Barnardos worked intensively with 5,333 children, young people and their families - an increase of 10% on 2006. The charity stressed that more public investment in children is needed, not less, at this time of economic strain, and urged the Government not to sacrifice Ireland's future for the sake of short-term savings.
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UK: Experts mull zero drink-drive limit for young drivers
Aiming to cut the drink-drive accidents, the Government's chief medical officer today called for a zero blood-alcohol limit for drivers aged 17 to 20. As even small quantities of alcohol affected younger people more than it affected the elders, with the present recommended blood - alcohol limit of 80mg per 100ml of blood the chances of road accidents soared two and a half times for teenagers than older people, Sir Liam Donaldson highlighted. With over 1,000 drink-drive accidents involving drivers aged 17 to 19 were reported in 2005, Sir Liam believes the new recommendations would reduce road deaths among young people. However, calling his recommendations ‘controversial’ Sir Liam believes ‘it will save lives’.
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Scotland: Parents asked to hand over children’s weapons
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has urged parents to hand over replica weapons or airguns if they find their children in possession of them. Otherwise, he warned, their children were at risk of being shot in a case of mistaken identity. His comments were in response to a survey which showed 85% of the guns recovered by firearms specialists at Scotland’s largest police force are air-powered or replica guns, with some being carried by youngsters. A total of 107 airguns, BB guns and replicas have been seized by Strathclyde Police’s firearms unit since the start of this year. More than 100 others were confiscated by officers on routine patrols. Officers say they are worried that people are becoming increasingly willing to use the weapons with a “total disregard” for the consequences. Young people were found carrying weapons, the force said, mainly males in their teens, but there were also reports of children carrying weapons in their school bags.
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14 JULY 2008

New Zealand: 'Top priority' to help young
Young people and families are the key focus of this year's regional plan for the East Coast from the Ministry of Social Development. The plan was launched in Napier yesterday by Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia. "Helping the East Coast's young people in the upcoming year is a top priority for the Ministry of Social Development's Regional Plan," he said. "There have been many key achievements over the past 12 months - one of them is the establishment of youth justice teams in both Gisborne and Hawke's Bay." "These teams help young people coming into the justice system learn how to make better life choices at critical times. Child Youth and Family have been working alongside Police, Courts, community service providers and whanau to co-ordinate this activity for young people affected."
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UK: New voice for children in care
Children and young people living in care in East Sussex are to have a voice on the issues that matter to them. The new Children in Care Council was launched at a special conference organised by East Sussex County Council and attended by more than 40 young people. Set up for children in care, including those in foster care, living in children's homes, and care leavers, the new council will provide a forum to represent the views of young people. It will also have a role in forming and monitoring the pledge that the County Council will make to children in care. Councillor Meg Stroude, the County Council's Lead Member for Children and Families said: "I think this is a really exciting initiative. The council forms part of the Care Matters agenda and for us it actually builds on the consultation work we have already been doing for some years with young people in care through user groups."
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Thailand: Too much homework not good for kids
Too much and too difficult homework is the reason more and more children seek medical treatment for stress, according to a psychiatrist. Jom Chumchuay, of Manarom hospital, a private hospital specialising in psychiatric treatment in Bang Na district, called on teachers to be mindful of children's need to rest and relax after school. He said some families were unhappy that their children were being made to spend almost three hours on homework. Such long hours after a full day at school could easily put children under strain. The child and youth psychiatrist issued the warning after he noticed more and more children were being diagnosed with stress. He advised teachers to group their pupils into fast and slow learners and assign homework according to each child's learning ability. He warned that in extreme cases, stress could cause a nervous breakdown in children. The children may be unable to focus, become inattentive and want to take their own lives.
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Jamaica: More youths growing up behind bars
A growing number of Jamaican youths are spending their productive years behind bars, prompting calls for immediate intervention by children's advocate Mary Clarke. Clarke particularly finds last year's figures troubling, as more than 200 juveniles were placed behind bars, three of them for murder, and 17 others for the illegal possession of firearms. The figure has pushed the total number of youths, aged 13 through to 18, in prison to 410 as at June 11 this year, up from 253 in 2006, 194 in 2005 and 128 in 2004. Of the 203 youths who were newly incarcerated last year, 159 were males and 44 were females. In addition to murder and the illegal possession of firearm, they were imprisoned for a variety of other offences, among them shop-breaking and larceny, wounding, and assault. The children's advocate maintains that fathers have to play a greater role in their children's lives if Jamaica is to curb youth violence.
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TYC last resort for problem kids, area officials say
Sending a juvenile offender to the Texas Youth Commission is used only as a last resort, area juvenile justice professionals say. Since last year, the Texas Youth Commission has come under fire for mistreating inmates, including charges of sexual abuse at the Brownwood TYC campus. However, of all the juveniles that get in trouble in the state, only 2,327 were committed to the TYC in fiscal year 2007. The number of beds in TYC facilities is less than 5,000. "About 100,000 youths get in trouble with the law in Texas each year, and TYC receives less than 3 percent of them -- the most serious or chronic," explained Tim Savoy, spokesman for TYC. "The counties in Texas do an outstanding job of working with young offenders and getting them on the right track. They typically send youth to TYC after exhausting all of their options available for kids who continuously get in trouble or those kids who may not have any prior record but commit a serious enough crime like murder or rape."
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/jul/12/tyc-last-resort-for-problem-kids-area-officials/

Roche to suspend HIV research, seeing no advances
Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG will suspend its HIV research because none of its pending medicines represent significant improvement over existing drugs, a company spokeswoman said on Friday. "Research scientists currently working in HIV will be reassigned to other activities," Linda Dyson, a spokeswoman in Roche's U.S. office in New Jersey, said in an e-mail. Dyson confirmed an e-mail sent on Wednesday to some activists informing them of the decision. In that e-mail, the company said it "decided to refocus our resources within virology on diseases in which we can deliver substantial improvements over existing medications."
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11 JULY 2008

UK: Children's best practice body outlines priorities
The Centre for Excellence and Outcomes begins the task of scouring England today to identify and disseminate best practice on children's services. The government-funded body, known as C4EO, is currently recruiting experts to analyse and evaluate best-practice evidence which will be disseminated among local authorities, schools, police and other partners in children's trusts. Agencies will gain access to information in a variety of different media, including web-based "progress maps" and "regional knowledge workshops". The Department for Children, Schools and Families set up the body, providing a £12m grant over the next three years, to collect evidence at a local, regional and national level focusing on six key areas: early years disabled children vulnerable children youth parents, carers and families and schools and communities.
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Ireland: State is falling short of its duty to protect vulnerable children
The Ombudsman for Children's Office saw a 43% increase in demand for its services with 742 complaints coming to the Office in 2007. For the first time since the Office was established, Education is the dominant complaint category representing 44% complaints to the OCO. In the vast majority of cases the complaints are against the Department of Education not schools and are related to issues such as support for children with special needs, procedures, policies and school transport. Of the 28% complaints which fall into the Health category, the majority centre on access and adequacy of HSE services such as speech and language and occupational therapy, child protection and decisions regarding children in care. Youth Justice accounts for 8% complaints, and for the first time the Children's Ombudsman heard from young people in detention about the nature and type of their placements.
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New York: Fewer children in foster care, but they stay longer
The number of foster children in New York City is down over the last six years, but the amount of time they spent in care has gone up. That is one finding in a report called Homes Away from Home: Foster Parents for a New Generation, (see http://www.newschool.edu/milano/nycaffairs/cww_summer_2008.html) which was released this week by The Center for New York City Affairs at The New School and the Center for an Urban Future. Among the highlights of the report: Fewer foster children: There were 16,982 foster children in New York City in March 2008, a 40 percent decrease from the 27,981 children living in foster care in March 2002, according to data from the Administration of Children’s Services. Meanwhile, the median length of stay in the foster care system was almost a year (11.5 months) in fiscal year 2007, up from 6.9 five years earlier. Limited stipends: The stipend that foster parents receive from the city has increased only slightly in recent years, the report said. The daily stipend starts at $17.52 and goes as high as $57.60 depending on a child’s age and level of need, though most children fall at the lower end of the spectrum.
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Australia: Children in care 'miss out'
Children living with carers rather than at home suffered at school and socially, with one-quarter having no contact with a family member. A State Government analysis of case files for 614 children living in out-of-home care (the majority in foster care and group homes) found that children averaged five different carers in their lifetime. But in some cases that figure was much higher.v The report expressed concern about some children's contact with their peers, with only one-fifth of school-aged children frequently seeing their friends outside of the classroom. The report's author, Sarah Wise, of the Australian Institute of Family Studies, said the report showed the importance of assessing children's emotional and social needs, as well as providing safety and shelter. "Parenting a child in care is not about just ordinary parenting, we really have to do so much more," she said. "It's not about keeping kids on the straight and narrow, it's about putting them back on to a normal pathway." About 5000 children live in out-of-home care in Victoria.
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Texas: Murder suspect, now 13, among juveniles considered by grand jury
A McLennan County grand jury considered cases involving three suspected juvenile offenders Wednesday, including a murder case involving a 13-year-old Waco boy. The grand jury approved three separate petitions for determinate sentencing filed by prosecutor Kristen Clodfelter in the murder case, a manslaughter case in which a 13-year-old boy died while “car-surfing” at a local movie theater and a case involving an assault of a Texas Youth Commission guard. The murder suspect, who turned 13 on June 29, has been detained in the Bill Logue Juvenile Justice Center since the June 6 stabbing death of his 14-year-old friend, Keith Dancer. In determinate sentencing cases, convicted juvenile offenders can be placed in a TYC facility until they turn 16, then can finish the remainder of their sentences in adult prisons if TYC officials determine it’s necessary.
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Alberta: Youth justice committees give teens second chance
Youth justice committees across the province are sharing $350,000 in grants from the Government of Alberta.
The committees help youth accept responsibility for minor crimes, assist courts with sentencing and engage in crime prevention activities. For example, youths charged with relatively minor first or second offences may be eligible for sanctions such as community service work, victim compensation through personal service or essay writing, and meeting with victims and community members. “Youth who have been in trouble with the law need help to get back on track.” said Fred Lindsay, solicitor general and minister of public security. “The youth justice committees hold young people accountable for their crimes but also help them become contributing members of their communities. Supporting these volunteer-run committees is an effective way to reduce crime.”
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Norway: Not much drinking or smoking
Young people in Norway smoke and drink less often than most of their contemporaries abroad, according to a survey of 41 industrialized countries. Some 8 percent of Norwegian 15-year olds smoke on a daily basis. The average for all the countries studied is 14 percent. This places Norway in sixth place, behind the United States, Sweden, Israel, Canada and Portugal. The World Health Organization, which carried out the survey, has studied the habits of 11, 13 and 15-year olds. Only 1 percent of 13-year old Norwegian girls smoke daily. This puts them top of the list along with girls from Macedonia.
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9 JULY 2008

Ontario: Children in care to benefit from funding
Children and youth in care will now have more opportunities to build the skills they will need, with $11.5 million in new provincial funding, said Chatham-Kent Essex MPP Pat Hoy. "Research shows that youth formerly in the care of children's aid societies are up to three times more likely to drop out of high school and be unemployed, five times more likely to be pregnant at an early age and re-involved in the child welfare system as a parent, and six times more likely to receive welfare," said Hoy in a release Thursday. "Lessening the risk that kids in care experience poverty later in life is another important step in the government's poverty reduction strategy." Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews had made the funding announcement. In addition, youth aged 15 to 17 will have savings of up to $3,300 at full implementation that will be held in bank accounts they can access when they leave care. They will be provided with money management training so they will have the skills necessary to manage their savings responsibly.
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UK: One in 10 children's homes failing on safety, says watchdog
One in 10 children's homes failed to ensure vulnerable youngsters in their care were safe and well cared for, a watchdog's report revealed today. Schools inspectorate Ofsted identified "inadequacies" in care home staffing and management, compliance with health and safety laws, and the administration of medication. Children seeking asylum or locked in prisons, young offender institutions and training centres were also being let down, other inspectorates found. In particular, a recommendation for agreed principles on the use of restraint techniques in secure settings had not been met. The government last year launched a review on the issue. The failings were highlighted in the third Safeguarding Children Review, which assesses how well local and national agencies such as councils and prisons protect young people in England. "It is encouraging to be able to point to some tangible improvements over the last three years but the position is still not good enough to give our most vulnerable children and young people the support they need," said spokeswoman Christine Gilbert.
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Pennsylvania: Video conference pilot program set for Children's Court
Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and Family Court Administrative Judge Kim Berkeley Clark this morning announced a video conference pilot program for proceedings in Children's Court. Technology for the program was secured through a public-private partnership between Child Watch of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County Children's Court, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services and other community organizations. "This project will reduce the trauma children experience when testifying in abuse and custody cases, as well as reduce expenses and improve efficiency," said Mr. Onorato. "I want to thank the organizations involved for making this cutting-edge initiative a reality." The use of videoconferencing in child protection and custody matters will move Allegheny County and its child welfare system to the forefront of best practices by improving court experiences for children, county officials said.
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Australia: Alcohol, internet fuelling youth crime wave
A potent mix of alcohol, Facebook and YouTube has been blamed for a spike in the thuggish behaviour of Australia's youth. Analyses of police crime statistics from four states show a dramatic increase in the number of violent crimes committed by young people, The Australian newspaper reports. The findings, to be presented at a Brisbane conference tomorrow, also show a jump in offences committed by girls and children of both sexes under 14. The number of violent crimes committed by juvenile offenders aged between 10 and 19 across four states — NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia — rose from 17,944 in 1996-97 to 23,382 in 2006-07. Homicide, assault, robbery and extortion were among the crimes committed. The impact of social networking websites like Facebook and YouTube are to blame for the spiralling crime rates, according to Paul Mazerolle, director of Griffith University's Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, who compiled the figures.
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7 JULY 2008

New Zealand: Foster carers lament lack of support
Who cares for the caregivers? That's the question Invercargill foster care providers want answered. Southland Foster Carers Association chairman Pita Dawson said at the organisation's annual general meeting last week there was a feeling of neglect among many Southland foster carers because of a lack of backup support. "There could be more support for parents." Caregiving was challenging and extremely stressful but most of the support went towards the children while the "parents needs are often overlooked". Pat Tauranga, who has operated a family home for 10 years with her husband Chris, agreed. "A lot of people feel totally isolated. "We're dealing with deeply disturbed children that have a variety of behavioural problems." She was also concerned over a lack of funding. "The funding is frankly diabolical.
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1000 gangs rule UK streets
More than 1,000 teenage gangs hellbent on murder, mayhem and terror are roaming Britain's streets today, a shock People investigation can reveal. Households in towns and cities across the country are living in fear as vicious turf wars erupt between mobs of baying kids brandishing knives and even guns. One notorious sink estate is being overrun by savage groups of schoolgirls as young as eleven. And a horrifying string of teen stabbings has left police, politicians and child welfare chiefs desperately seeking new ways to end the plague of gang-related violence. London alone has seen 18 kids killed by knife-wielding thugs so far this year. The most recent were 16-year-olds Ben Kinsella - brother of ex-EastEnders TV star Brooke - and Shakilus Townsend, both murdered last week.
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UK: Youth Justice Board's future in doubt over failure to reduce crime
The future of the Youth Justice Board, one of the central elements of Tony Blair's penal policy, is in serious doubt as the Government rethinks its strategy on youth crime. A new youth crime action plan is likely to see responsibilities shift from the board – established in 1998 to lead the Government's drive to cut youth crime – to local councils and children's services. This comes after a decade of record investment and major restructuring of the criminal justice system has failed to cut youth crime. Critics say the emphasis on the justice system has failed to tackle the complex causes of crime while locking up children unnecessarily. The number of young people in custody has increased over the past 10 years and rates of re-offending remain high.
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Canada: Youth detention facility closing
Youths detained by the courts will have to travel outside the Royal City's borders to access an open custody/detention facility. CASATTA Wellington, the facility on Victoria Road South and Stone Road East that houses eight beds, is set to close its doors by the end of September. Don Adam, CASATTA's staff and program manager, confirmed yesterday that the Ministry of Children and Youth Services sent out a notice Monday announcing its intention to terminate operations at 11 facilities across the province. The cuts will also mean a reduction of beds in three other provincial facilities, he said, adding there will be 134 fewer beds for youths in the open custody system. Portage Ontario, a drug, alcohol treatment program for adolescents in Elora that currently has 32 open custody beds, will also be reduced by half. However, facility director Patrick Culver said he's in negotiations with the province to replace them soon.
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North Carolina Autopsy: Teen hit by Taser died of cardiac arrest
A 17-year-old shocked with a Taser by police after an altercation at a northern Charlotte grocery store died from cardiac arrest, according to an autopsy released Friday. Darryl Wayne Turner's heart was pumping so fast and chaotically from the Taser shot and stress of the confrontation that it stopped pumping blood properly. He died of acute ventricular dysrhythmia and ventricular fibrillation, according to the Mecklenburg medical examiner's office. Turner was the first Taser-related fatality in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's history and the youngest in the Carolinas this decade.
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Australia: Program offers new take on sex education
The Senate Inquiry into the sexualisation of children was tabled in the federal Parliament this week and one of its recommendations was a national approach to sex and relationship education in schools. Many young people have been complaining that what they're taught in class is not relevant to their lives. Now researchers from the University of Western Sydney have put together a program that they say will work for 16 to 25-year-olds. Rape crisis workers say about 70 per cent of sexual assault victims know their attacker and among the remaining 30 per cent, the perpetrator is usually someone they've gone on a date with or met socially. For the past three years, Associate Professor Moira Carmody from the University of Western Sydney's Social Justice and Social Change Research Centre has been running a program with young people trying to prevent such attacks from occurring.
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Race dilemma at the heart of UK adoption crisis
The majority of children awaiting adoption in Britain are black, Asian or mixed-race while most available adopters are white. The issue of 'transracial' adoption is hugely controversial with experts divided on what is best for the young, vulnerable children. As Britain becomes an ever more multicultural society, families like the Grahams are becoming increasingly controversial. The debate over transracial adoptions that has gone on, almost unheard, in Britain since the 1950s is hitting a crescendo, challenging the adoption agencies and social workers to clarify policy and accusing them of 'taking the foot off the pedal'. The first government-commissioned report in nearly a decade to look at the issues around black and ethnic minority children in care is due to be published this month and this week a major conference on the issue, organised by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) and entitled 'Why Am I Waiting?', will take place in London.
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4 JULY 2008

Canada: Justice bill "threatens those it's meant to help"
Child and youth advocate Bernard Richard calls proposed federal legislation to toughen up the Youth Criminal Justice Act a "knee-jerk reaction" to isolated instances of violent youth crime that had tragic consequences. Bill C-25 contains just two significant changes, but they threaten to undermine existing legislation that provincial corrections officials have told him works well, says Richard. The bill would allow a judge to order a youth to jail before a trial by finding the accused is a danger to the public or has previously broken conditions of release. It also adds deterrence and denunciation to the principles of sentencing youth. "Both changes run the risk of sending many more youths to jail, which is exactly the problem the Youth Criminal Justice Act was meant to fix," Richard argues. "I would strongly urge Parliament to put bill C-25 on hold and to rethink its approach to this issue."
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'Invest in under-fives' to reduce crime rates
An American policy expert who justifies spending on early childhood education and other evidence-based programmes for young people because they can, in part, reduce crime rates and pressure on the prison system is supporting Birmingham's drive to improve outcomes for children and young people. Steve Aos, from Washington State Institute, recently presented evidence to a US House of Representatives committee claiming that "a significant level of future prison construction can be avoided, Washington taxpayers can save about two billion dollars, and crime rates can be reduced." Birmingham's invitation to Aos is timely given the Home Office is considering a sizeable transfer of responsibility for tackling youth crime to local authorities. Children's Trusts are being recommended to take on a greater role as part of a shake-up of the youth justice system.
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Canada: Councillor seeks tougher consequences for youth involved in criminal activity
Councillor Jane Fogal is fed up with vandalism and graffiti committed by youth who, she says, feel they are untouchable. Fogal said vandalism is escalating in all municipalities from graffiti and broken lights to “attacking significant public edifices such as cenotaphs, memorials, cemeteries, food banks and churches.” Halton Hills council approved Fogal’s motion to urge the federal government to review the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Fogal said she wrote the motion in response to incidents that had been happening here and in other municipalities.
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NAACP: Halt youth life sentences in Mississippi
“While there is no doubt that everyone should be held responsible for their actions, a sentence which denies a child any opportunity for reform is simply unjust,” said John Payton, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. The group has released what it called a groundbreaking report examining the racial, social, political, and economic circumstances surrounding juvenile life without parole sentencing in Mississippi. No Chance to Make it Right: Life Without Parole for Juvenile Offenders is the first comprehensive analysis of Mississippi’s practice of sentencing teenagers to life without parole, according to the Legal Defense Fund. The analysis found Blacks are significantly overrepresented among the youth currently serving such sentences. The group called for a series of reforms, including the immediate elimination of life without parole sentences for juveniles.
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Northern Ireland: Knife crime — is the threat of longer prison terms enough?
The murder of a Co Down guesthouse owner sparked demands for an end to " knife madness". Deborah McAleese asks what can be done to tackle Ulster's knife culture. A quick search on eBay UK yesterday offered a choice of 2,239 knives, including 279 daggers and 117 swords. Jungle survival knives, medieval Chinese dragon blades, ninja style throwing knives and axes — a shopping list that makes for frightening reading as it shows just how readily available these potentially lethal weapons actually are. If that choice is not extensive enough then there are another 50,000-plus blades available on the US eBay site. The government may have brought in new legislation to clamp down on those selling knives to under 18s, but who needs to buy one in a store when with a click of the mouse the lethal accessory can be ordered — without any awkward questions?
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UK: Children helping other children through sport
A newly established group is offering special needs youngsters in Sutherland the opportunity to get fit by playing a range of sports. CHOCS (Children Helping Other Children Through Sport) has been in existence for only a few weeks and is now seeking funding to purchase equipment and clothing as well as to undertake training. The new group is an offshoot of an already well established Sutherland youth group called CHOC (Children Helping Other Children) for children with learning and physical disabilities and also those youngsters who struggle in a social situation for whatever reason.As their name suggests, one of the aims behind the CHOC initiative is to encourage able-bodied young people to help out as volunteers and possibly gain a coaching qualification.
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2 JULY 2008

UK: The academy – a fresh approach to youth detention
The intriguing proposal that young offenders should be sent to "academies" is at the heart of a compelling new report that looks for an alternative to the fractured and dysfunctional youth detention system. The report argues that a pilot academy, built in east London for local youngsters, should combine custodial and community facilities, including an intensive fostering programme, bail hostels and a pupil referral unit - all on the same site. The idea is that those youngsters sentenced to custody will receive continuity of care, of education support, and of treatment, something denied them under the present system, where convicted children are routinely held hundreds of miles from their families. The report is the result of a six-month study for East Potential, a charity specialising in providing accommodation, training and employment for disadvantaged young people in east London. The study showed that in December 2007, 186 east London youngsters were in custody in 20 different establishments, from Durham in the north-east to Exeter in the south-west; just under one-fifth were held in the nearest young offender institution, Feltham, over two hours away by public transport.
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Ireland: Juvenile detention centre set for tender
The Irish Youth Justice Service has begun seeking tenders for the design of a new juvenile detention centre. The contract, which has been advertised online, is seeking the services of a company which can "provide architectural advice, create an innovative design and to manage the procurement and delivery of the construction" of the new centre. Last week the need for more places in juvenile detention centres was highlighted by the case of a 13-year-old boy who appeared in court charged with possession of crack-cocaine, heroin and cannabis. The new development will be an extension of the existing facilities at Oberstown, Lusk, Co Dublin. The design bids to achieve a state-of-the-art facility built in two phases. The initial phase will see the full design being completed and the construction of facilities to replace some older building stock.The first buildings to be completed are intended for use by male prisoners aged 16 or 17.
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New York: Group calls for more programs for kids
The Inner City Youth and Family Coalition says the city's 2009 budget must include more money to address the shortage of community centers and free government programs for children. The group says the city's poorest neighborhoods have the fewest after school and summer programs available. They say too often kids have to travel to other parts of the city to participate in programs. They are seeking at least 100 thousand dollars from the city to set aside for CDTA transportation for kids who cant afford it on their own. Members of the group say it's an important first step to keep kids safe and off the streets.
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UK: Court costs 'risk' for children
A rise in court costs could be deterring local authorities from applying for protection for vulnerable children, the BBC has learned. Fees for care orders in England and Wales have risen 25-fold since April. An increase in local authority funding should cover the increase - but some council officials say it is too low and has not been allocated properly. The Ministry of Justice said experts concluded the changes would not put vulnerable children at further risk. Reports suggest that across England and Wales applications for care orders have fallen by between 20% and 60% since the changes.
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Australia: Legislative Assembly backs child welfare changes
A bill to reform the way child welfare is dealt with in the ACT has won in-principle support from all sides of the Legislative Assembly. The Children and Young People Bill is the result of a four-year review of child welfare in Canberra. Among other changes, it will give authorities the power to drug test parents and intervene on behalf of an unborn child in certain situations. There is also a new provision to extend interim orders to keep children in care until they are 18 years old. Minister for Children and Young People Katy Gallagher says the bill deals with a crucial area of governance. "The most complex of issues that any assembly and particularly any Government faces is how do we protect our children and young people?" she said.
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California: Civil grand jury finds problems in Santa Barbara County foster care system
An investigation by a civil grand jury finds several problems in the Santa Barbara County child welfare system. The jury investigated the county's foster care system to see how well it serves foster children. In a report released Monday, the jury issued five findings and recommendations on how to improve the system. In its report, the jury labeled the county's Child Welfare Services as "a system of care that lacks stability." Now, it is up to the county to make some changes. The nine-page report sheds new light on those services. The number of children in foster care has shot up 81 percent since 2002, mainly because of a nationwide increase in methamphetamine abuse. The report suggests that Santa Barbara County is struggling to keep pace. In one finding, the jury said many foster care kids are not ready for life outside the system.
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UK: £3m budget overspend due to lack of foster carers
An audit committee report reveals that the department spent a total of £40.5 million in the April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008 financial year – meaning expenditure was more than seven per cent above a £37.5 million budget. The report admits that the "significant overspend" was made up of a number of factors, which include significant pressures on the "demand-led looked-after children budget". Cabinet member for education and children's services councillor Stephen Goldspink said: "We have experienced pressures to do with placing children in care, particularly with agencies. "A shortage of foster carers in Peterborough means we have to look to agencies, which are by their very nature more expensive. "We are now ensuring that we have more home-grown foster carers and that we put fewer children in care in the first place."
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Ireland: Young people’s access to drugs easiest in EU
The country’s young people have some of the easiest access to drugs in Europe, according to a survey. Our youth top the EU table for the percentage of those (more than a quarter) who want drugs legalised. A survey by the European Commission said Irish young people were more likely to get information about drugs from friends than their European counterparts. They were also more likely to talk to parents about drugs than other young people in the EU.
The Eurobarometer was carried out among 15- to 24-year-olds in all 27 EU countries last May. “British, Irish and Dutch respondents were the ones who most favoured the legalisation of drugs as a way of dealing with drug problems: slightly more than one in five respondents thought that this would be effective,” said the report. Asked on each drug individually, more than nine out of ten Irish youths thought heroin, cocaine and ecstasy should remain banned. In relation to cannabis, 61% said it should remain banned, but 39% thought it should be regulated. In the EU as a whole, 33% of 15- to 24-year-olds said cannabis should be regulated.
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