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Headlines and top stories relating to
children, youth and families around the world.
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March 2003
31 MARCH
Canada: Changes in youth act empower police
Discretion has long been lauded as one of the biggest tools police have
when dealing with youth who break the law. Tuesday, its use will no
longer be the call of individual officers. It will be a must for
everyone.
Under the new Youth Criminal Justice Act, which replaces the oft-berated
Young Offenders Act, "extrajudicial measures"— including taking no
further action, giving warnings and referring offenders to community
programs or agencies—must be considered first in all youth cases dealing
with less serious crimes.
"Having those options available really empowers police to come up with
solutions when it's really not appropriate to put a youth through the
court system," South Surrey RCMP Const. March Searle said. "It
formalizes what's been done under discretion under the YOA. We're
duty-bound to consider extrajudicial measures before putting it forward
to a charge. Before...it wasn't as clear."
Police forwarding charges for less serious crimes will have to explain
to Crown counsel and defend their decision.
YCJA was passed in Parliament Feb. 4, 2002. It is touted to build on the
strengths of the YOA, and introduce reforms that address problems like
overuse of incarceration, unfairness in sentencing and overuse of the
courts for minor offences.
Story
Nairobi: Mayor appeals for aid for street
children
Kenyans and other well wishers should come out and support the
rehabilitation of the street children programme to make it a success.
Nairobi Mayor Joe Aketch says the street children menace was a disgrace
to the country and no effort will be spared to make it a success.
Saying that the progress made so far was encouraging, the mayor said
Kenya Bus Service had donated to the council 4 buses for ferrying the
children.
Aketch said the council had allocated Kshs 3 million to the programme
which will assist the street children joining the national youth
service.
The mayor was addressing street children who are under rehabilitation in
various centres in the City at the Jevanjee Gardens.
UK: Young people 'more stressed than ever'
Stress levels in teenagers have reached record levels, an official study
has found.
The survey, by the Medical Research Council (MRC), a government-funded
research body, found that nearly one in four 15-year-olds – 24 per cent
of those surveyed – are now thought to suffer from anxiety disorders,
sleeplessness and forms of depression.
For middle-class girls, among whom the pressure to fit in and dress
fashionably appears to be felt most acutely, the figure rises to 38 per
cent.
Researchers interviewed 2,000 youngsters aged 15 in a repeat of a study
performed 16 years ago. By analysing the two sets of results, the MRC
found a steep rise in stress levels. When the study was carried out in
1987, it showed one in five girls suffering from stress.
Researchers are blaming the ever-increasing demands of teenage life –
not least an inordinate number of exams and increasing peer pressure –
for the disturbing results.
Story
New Zealand: Commissioner for Children may
re-apply for job
Outspoken Commissioner for Children Roger McClay's five year contract
has finished, but he may seek re-appointment. The commissioner's job was
advertised in major newspapers around the country. But Mr McClay told
NZPA today he was still deciding if he would re-apply for the job before
the April 18 deadline.
The job had been advertised according to set guidelines, he said.
``Things are really buzzing at the office as per normal and I would like
to be part of that, but I will look around and see what else is out
there before making my decision.
``I have enjoyed the job and there is still a lot to do. But the
Government may decide it's time for someone new to have a go.'
Mr McClay is known for his pull-no punches comments about families and
people who abuse children.
Story
Scotland: Give Children Free Contraceptives
Contraceptives should be provided free in schools and children should be
able to seek family planning advice without their parents being told, in
order to stem the number of abortions, the Green Party said today.
Launching the party’s new policy on abortion, Green spokespeople called
for more sex education in schools, saying it would reduce levels of
underage sexual activity and teenage pregnancies.
Improved support should also be given to women on low incomes, so they
were not driven to terminate pregnancies for financial reasons, they
said. But the party ruled out support for any extension of restrictions
on a woman’s right to choose abortion.
Green health spokesman Martyn Shrewsbury said: “Most politicians don’t
want to tackle this because it is such a controversial issue. “That’s
why the Green Party has passed a new resolution calling for better sex
education and more accessible, free contraception.
“We need proper education about sexuality that emphasises that it is a
gift that we should use to explore ourselves, and that emphasises our
responsibility to ourselves and to each other.
Story
28 MARCH
US: Human Services Workforce Nearing Crisis
The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Brookings Institution's Center for
Public Service today released research data showing that the human
services workforce is nearing a state of crisis. Comprised of child
welfare, juvenile justice, childcare, youth services, and employment and
training workers, the human services workforce totals approximately 3
million workers-almost twice the size of the federal civilian workforce.
Recently published research by the Casey Foundation shows that the
workload for the average child welfare worker is twice the number of
cases recommended by Child Welfare League of America. Social service
jobs at all levels consistently rank among the five worst paying
professional jobs as tracked by the Department of Labor. Further, the
average annual turnover rate is 40 percent for both child welfare staff
in private agencies and child care workers in day care centers.
Story
Australia: Young dads: unseen side of teenage
pregnancy
A new study into teenage pregnancy will take a different approach by
examining the impact on the young father. While the life-altering
effects of pregnancy on girls have been well documented, this
investigation will be among the first to focus on the paternal aspects
of teenage pregnancies. Carolyn Corkindale, a research officer in the
Psychiatry Department at Flinders University, will steer the three-year
study which will involve seeking the opinions of more than 600 males in
Year 10 and 11.
A 1995 study showed many young males had idealistic and romantic views
about fatherhood.
"These males held views like, `It's not going to change my life much',
or `My relationship will get better once the baby is born'," Ms
Corkindale said. "It is very important for young men to understand what
the impact of getting a girl pregnant will have on their lives and those
around them."
Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that 94.5 per cent of
births to teenage parents in South Australia are ex-nuptial.
Story
New Zealand: Govt ignores report that
criticises agencies
National says the Government writing off a report which finds its
agencies failed to help at-risk children, will leave more children
unable to get the help and support they need.
The report, by Celia Lashlie, commissioned by Special Education
Services, finds that breakdowns between Government agencies left at-risk
children and their families unable to get help. "The Ministry of
Education writes it off as "limited in its scope" and the "perceptions
of a small sample of people" because it simply doesn't want to accept
the breakdowns between agencies it identifies," says National Social
Services Spokesperson Katherine Rich.
"Celia Lashlie has worked with behaviourally challenged children over
many years. That's why the Ministry hired her to write this report.
Because it criticises them they slate her study. "The Ministry should be
concerned about teachers' comments that neither it nor the Child Youth
and Family Service (CYFS) went out of their way to help children in
need, that at-risk children were refused entry to schools and that
funding issues meant organisations hesitated from helping at-risk
children.
Story
Scotland: Call for youth justice shake-up
A national system of police warnings for young offenders was called for
yesterday by an all-party committee of MSPs. They also expressed alarm
and dismay at a shortage of social workers for children’s services and
said: "The seriousness of this situation cannot be overstated".
The warning came in a report by Holyrood’s audit committee, after
studying a report on youth offending by Robert Black, the auditor
general. Mr Black’s report warned of inconsistencies and delays in the
system, with cases taking up to eight months to go through the criminal
justice system and five months to go through the children’s hearing
system.
In their report, MSPs called for urgent action to ensure that children
in the youth justice system had the social work help to which they were
entitled. Mr Black’s report estimated that at any one time, up to 400
children in Scotland did not have a social worker continually allocated
to their case.
The MSPs’ report calls on the Executive to take urgent action and says:
"The committee finds the number of unallocated or not continuously
allocated cases in relation to children’s services very disturbing, and
believes that the seriousness of this situation cannot be overstated".
Story
Kenya: Stiff penalties underway for child
abusers
The Government will re-table the Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2000 in
Parliament to ensure that penalties prescribed to protect children are
implemented, Home Affairs Minister Moody Awori said Thursday.
Mr. Awori said the bill, which sought to harmonize penalties relating to
sexual abuse, proposed that defilement of minors should attract a
maximum sentence of life imprisonment and not 14 years, as was the case
before. It also proposed that cases relating to sexual offences be held
in camera to protect the identity and safeguard the privacy of the
victims, he noted.
The Minister was speaking at Ufungamano House in Nairobi when he opened
the 9th Annual General Assembly of Kenya Alliance for Advancement of
children (KAACR). He said though last year’s milestone enactment of the
Children’s Act provided the legal framework towards upholding children’s
rights, full implementation would require that other Acts be amended in
order to reflect the positive global developments.
Mr. Awori lamented over the escalating drug and substance abuse
including drug trafficking among children, which he said was threatening
the social fabric of the society and posed great challenges to the
country’s educational programmes.
Australia: Calls to free child detainees
The South Australian government should pursue legal action against the
federal government to free children in detention centres, a refugee
advocacy group said today.
Justice for Refugees SA has written to SA Premier Mike Rann, urging him
to take the legal action.
The move followed the release of a child protection review report
yesterday which recommended the release of all detained children. The
report found immigration detention had devastating effects on the
wellbeing and development of children.
It also recommended the SA government seek legal advice about whether
state legislation protecting children could apply to young people in
Commonwealth detention centres.
Justice for Refugees SA spokesman John Wishart said today society had a
responsibility to ensure the safety and development of child detainees.
Story
27 MARCH
Canada: Report blames loss of social supports
to poor families
There are more poor children in Ontario now than there were during the
last economic boom in 1989, and they are deeper in poverty, says a new
report by an organization that monitors child welfare.
In the boom year of 2000, the province was home to 390,000 children
defined as poor, a 41 per cent increase over the decade, according to
yesterday's report by Ontario Campaign 2000, part of a national
coalition seeking to hold Parliament to its 1989 pledge to end child
poverty by 2000. "The saddest part of all this is that the economy
improved over that time and a lot of people became more prosperous, but
the most vulnerable were left behind," said Pedro Barata, author of
Child Poverty Persists, Time to Invest in Children and Families.
"One in four poor children live in a family with full-time, full-year
earnings," Barata told a news conference at Queen's Park. "Their
situation can be attributed to government policy that scrapped social
supports for families with children. The economy just wasn't strong
enough to fill the void."
Story
South Australia: Justice system `failing abused
children'
The state's criminal justice system fails children while government
child protection services are struggling to cope with demand, a new
report says.
Commissioned by the State Government and written by Robyn Layton, QC,
the report calls for more funding for child protection in South
Australia and major reforms – including a register of pedophiles.
Family and Youth Services, within the Department of Human Services, is
ill-equipped to cope with child abuse in SA as the number of reported
cases in the past six years has jumped 60 per cent, the report says.
Ms Layton said yesterday FAYS funding allocation constituted just 6.3
per cent of the department's budget. "You can see a very small amount of
money is spent on one of the most vital bodies that we have to assist in
child protection," she said.
Meanwhile, just 17 per cent of reported child sexual abuse cases had led
to prosecution in 2000-01. Ms Layton says welfare of children in SA is
compromised by a system which fails to advocate for them.
Story
US: Additional protection urged for DYFS
workers
Assemblyman Robert Smith, D-Gloucester, unveiled proposals Tuesday to
better protect caseworkers charged with safeguarding the state's most
vulnerable children.
Smith's legislation comes in response to the alleged assault of a
caseworker in Deptford earlier this month. Tracy Hilliker, with the
state Division of Youth and Family Services, was investigating a child
abuse complaint when the incident occurred, according to authorities.
Smith said he plans to introduce three pieces of legislation to increase
worker safety.
"The governor and a lot of legislators have put forth a lot of reforms
dealing with the most vulnerable children of our state. But I think
what's been lost in the process . . . is the protection of DYFS
workers," Smith said at a Tuesday news conference with Hilliker at his
side.
Smith is offering five changes, including:
- Asking Chairwoman Mary Previte of the
Family, Women and Children's Services Committee and the chairmen of
the state Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
to invite assaulted caseworkers to testify before their committees.
- Enacting legislation mandating any
caseworker responding to an initial intake call be accompanied by
either police or a fellow intake worker.
- Enacting legislation requiring DYFS to
provide more training to case workers, including optional self-defense
classes.
- Enacting legislation requiring DYFS
supervisors to inform police dispatch each time a worker responds to
an emergency call in-home
- Requiring the state to provide all
caseworkers with cell phones.
He expects to introduce his legislation
on May 5. Hilliker said she thinks the proposed legislation, if in
effect earlier this month, may have prevented her assault. She said she
could have been safer "if there was someone else there to alert police
sooner or another set of eyes to help pick up on high-risk factors."
Story
NSW: Healthy activities aim to reduce drug
abuse
A partnership between Illawarra Health's Youth Activity program and the
Allied Group of companies is working to reduce drug and alcohol abuse in
young people by encouraging healthy activities.
The collaboration means people using the Youth Drug and Alcohol Service
will be able to try a range of sporting activities, designed to expand
their horizons and increase contact between counsellors and at-risk
people.
A spokeswoman for the program, Kathryn Newbury, says these types of
activities have been well received before and the sponsorship will make
a real difference. "The kind of activities we do are sporting
activities," she said.
"We've done trips to leisure centres before, done varied sports
activities such as badminton, volleyball, indoor soccer...these type of
activities expose young people to do positive and healthy activities
which are alternative activities and can be a positive divergent from
drug and alcohol use."
Botswana: Youth most affected by HIV/AIDS
The youth have been encouraged to accelerate their campaign of youth
against HIV/AIDS to sensitise those who are still ignorant.
Addressing Francistown youth on March 22, Industrial Court judge Key
Dingake said the youth were the most affected by the pandemic.
Dingake was the guest speaker during this year's Month of Youth Against
AIDS, whose theme was "Support the promotion of adolescent sexual
reproductive health the number one strategy to prevention of HIV/AIDS".
He said about 20 per cent of the youth were not using contraceptives,
which put them more at risk of being infected by HIV, sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) and unplanned pregnancies.
Dingake regretted that even though President Festus Mogae launched the
campaign against AIDS a long time ago, the youth were still dying at a
high rate.
He said AIDS was a threat to development because it was killing the most
active group, who were also the country's future leaders.
UK: Fined for truancy
Parents in Bath will be prosecuted if they fail to send their children
to school. It is a last resort, but Bath and North East Somerset Council
is not afraid to act tough when it comes to school attendance.
Yesterday a mother from Bath was fined £200 by magistrates for failing
to send her son to school. The council told the court the 15-year-old
boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had only been in class for
two days in a six-month period.
An average of six truancy cases a year result in legal action in the
Bath area, but only after all other routes have been explored to ensure
the child does not miss out on an education.
The council said the figure was low because of the work the local
education authority did to identify children with attendance
difficulties and with families to resolve problems.
Truancy sweeps were carried out last month when children absent without
permission were targeted.
The checks across Bath, part of a national drive to get children back to
school, found 23 children absent without authorisation — ten of them
were accompanied by an adult.
A total of 99 youngsters were stopped by police officers, and although
the majority of the children did have authorisation to be out of school,
parents were warned about unauthorised absences.
Story
South Africa: Govt Launches Maintenance
Outreach Programme
Government yesterday launched its maintenance outreach programme in Cape
Town.
The launch was the initial approach by the department of justice and
constitutional development to improve the standard of service delivery
in the area of maintenance and child support.
In his State of the Nation Address last month, President Thabo Mbeki
stressed the importance of narrowing the gap between ambitious
legislative measures and actual delivery on the ground.
This community outreach programme is therefore intended to inform people
about government systems, wherever they are, and in whatever language
they choose.
It includes educating people about their rights and responsibilities in
respect of maintenance and child support, the appointment of the first
55 maintenance investigators to commence duty on 1 April and the
modernization of systems for the collection and distribution of
maintenance.
'I have always maintained that if we achieved a 50 percent improvement
in accessing maintenance for children, our department could make one of
the most significant contributions to the social and economic
development of children in this country,' said justice deputy minister
Cheryl Gillwald.
She added that the employment of 55 maintenance investigators combined
with recent interventions by the National Prosecuting Authority would
ensure parental accountability in this regard.
26 MARCH
SA: Backlog hampers child justice bill
A serious infrastructural backlog could hamper the effective
implementation of the Child Justice Bill, which wants to put children
into residential facilities other than reformatories.
"There are only three reformatories operational in South Africa - two in
the Western Cape and one in Mpumalanga," said Dr Sigamoneg Naicker, a
director in the Department of Education.
Naicker was briefing members of the portfolio committee on education on
the Child Justice Bill. He said KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, the
two provinces which had the highest number of youths in prisons, did not
have reformatories.
Schools of
industry were "places of care for children with behavioural
difficulties", while reformatories were places where sentenced youths
were placed. He said there were 16 schools of industry countrywide, on
top of the three reformatories.
The committee heard that there were currently about 1800 sentenced
children in prison, 2300 awaiting trial, another 2000 in custody and
about 400 in reformatories.
Story
Scotland: One in five young people carry a
weapon
Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Police and Glasgow Alliance
commissioned MORI (Scotland) to carry
out a poll of young people's attitudes to crime, vandalism, graffiti and
personal safety.
The survey was the biggest of its kind carried out in Scotland and
involved 1551 youngsters from 23 secondary and nine primary schools, who
completed questionnaires in January and February. Initial findings show
20% of those questioned, mainly boys, said they carried a weapon with
them when they go out.
Most claim it is for protection and the young people surveyed said their
main fears were gangs (68%); drug users (60%) and walking through rough
areas (57%).
A total of 61% said they were scared of being attacked in the street
with 56% worrying about being mugged.
Story
US: Boy dies at home for troubled youth
A 9-year-old boy has died at a home for troubled youths and Berkeley
County authorities are saying little about the investigation.
Coroner Glenn Rhoad would not release the youngster's name on Monday
because relatives had not been notified. The child died Sunday at New
Hope Treatment Center near Summerville, Rhoad said. Sheriff's Chief
Deputy Butch Henery would not disclose the cause of death or any details
about the case. The sheriff's and coroner's offices, the State Law
Enforcement Division, the Department of Social Services and the
prosecutor's office are all involved in the investigation, He said.
DSS spokesman Jerry Adams said he didn't have information about the
case.
The boy apparently had been living at the center for about a month,
prosecutor Blair Jennings said. Jennings refused to release details
about the death, saying it could hinder the investigation.
Story
Congo: Red Cross Reunites 45 Children With
Their Families
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reunited 45
children separated from their families by the conflict in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo.
An ICRC statement said one of its aircraft flew the unaccompanied
children, aged between six and 17 years, between the eastern and western
parts of the country. The aircraft flew 17 children from Goma in the
eastern province of North Kivu to the capital, Kinshasa, on Thursday,
and returned on Friday, bringing 28 other children home to Goma. The
ICRC said some of the children had been separated from their families
for years.
Since the beginning of 2003, the ICRC has reunited more than 240
Congolese children with their parents.
Northern Ireland: Event to focus on youth and
police
A conference focusing for the first time on the relationship between
young people and the police began in Belfast yesterday (Tuesday).
The pioneering two-day event, called 'Always Seen, Rarely Heard', is
listening to the views of young people from across the province and
addressing policing issues affecting them today, in the context of Human
Rights.
Tim McGarry - 'Da' from the popular TV series, Give My Head Peace - is
chairing the conference and along with Billy from the cast will perform
a specially written scene from the show for delegates.
The conference aims to create an atmosphere in which young people can
engage with police officers and speak openly about issues that affect
their daily lives.
A specially developed interactive presentation will profile the thoughts
and feelings from young people across Northern Ireland.
The conference also gives PSNI officers the opportunity to listen to
young people and to talk about policing and the problems they face on a
daily basis.
Guest speakers include a young victim of crime, a student police officer
and a young person who has had contact with the justice system. Each
speaker will give a brief overview of his or her experience of policing
in Northern Ireland.
Story
US: CSC hires new head of youth detention
Correctional Services Corp. hired a juvenile justice expert Monday to
run its youth detention subsidiary. Jesse Williams was named senior vice
president of Youth Services International, the CSC unit that manages 19
facilities housing 2,800 juveniles.
Williams has more than 30 years of juvenile justice experience, most
recently as chief juvenile probation officer of the city and county of
San Francisco.
The company maintains a separate new business section to bring in new
clients.
This year it will lose the contracts to run three youth detention
operations in Florida that generated more than $88 million in revenue
over the past six years. CSC was outbid to renew its management of the
350-bed Polk Youth Development Center, the 50-bed Bartow Youth Training
Center and the 100-bed Cypress Creek Academy.
The company recently became embroiled in a bribery scandal after a New
York state lawmaker said she took bribes from CSC in exchange for
helping it win contracts. The company paid a $300,000 fine for failing
to disclose gifts to lawmakers.
Story
25 MARCH
New Zealand: Youth offending punishment not
working
Police say young criminals carrying out community work are doing chores
for their families rather than work that will benefit the public. Family
group conferences for youth offenders often recommend community work as
punishment.
But in some cases the work has consisted of the youths cutting their
grandparents' lawns, working in their parents' shop at weekends or
helping around the house.
Senior Constable Greg Goessi, in charge of youth development, said there
was a shortage of suitable places where young people could carry out
community work. He wants non-profit community organisations that can do
with help to come forward.
Story
Guam: "No bad youth, just bad choices"
"There are no bad youth, just bad choices," Department of Youth Affairs
acting Director Chris Duenas told lawmakers during his confirmation
hearing. Duenas said his main goal is to help Guam's youth recognize
their strengths and enhance them. The summer youth employment program is
a big part of that effort, and he predicted this summer's program will
be the most successful ever.
Although his agency does not make money, its youth programs help save
the government money in the long run and also help change people's
lives.
When asked by youth committee Chairman and former DYA director Sen. Rory
Respicio, D-Chalan Pago, whether he supports a 32-hour work week for
employees, Duenas said he would prefer a 10-percent, across-the-board
pay cut. "It would be somewhat less disruptive and more equitable across
the board," Duenas said.
Story
Canada: New act spells immediate change in
administration of youth justice
Among the immediate nation-wide changes to be ushered in with the new
Youth Criminal Justice Act April 1 are the following: Before laying a
criminal charge, police officers will have the statutory obligation to
consider issuing cautions or warnings to young people caught breaking
the law, and in some provinces, such as Alberta and British Columbia,
police will also have a third option of referring them to
community-based programs -- such as Barriere Youth Assistance Program,
soon to be renamed Barriere Community Justice Forum.
A whole second level of what are called "extrajudicial sanctions" (which
run the gamut from formal judicial reprimands to fines of less than
$1,000 and even orders to provide unspecified "personal services" to the
victim of the crime) will be considered by youth court judges before a
jail sentence is contemplated. These sanctions can be used only if the
young person can't be dealt with by the less serious warnings or
referrals to community programs, and only if he or she accepts
responsibility for the crime.
Judges must dismiss a criminal charge if they are satisfied that the
young person has completely complied with the terms of any extrajudicial
sanction, and may also dismiss the charge if they find the young person
has partially complied with the earlier sanction or if the court finds
that "prosecution would be unfair."
Story
New Zealand: Adults move to address youth
drinking
Adults must take a close look at their own behaviour when it comes to
alcohol and think before pointing the finger at young people says the
Alcohol Advisory Council.
Supplying alcohol to people under 18 is still a major issue in many New
Zealand communities and licensed premises are not the only problem here
according to Sandra Kirby, Programme Manager at ALAC. There is a big
concern around adults both supplying alcohol and modeling irresponsible
drinking behaviour, thereby validating a binge drinking culture in the
community.
Ms Kirby was commending the small West Coast town of Westport on their
launch of the Youth Access to Alcohol programme that aims to address
supply of alcohol to minors. Westport is one of 18 communities working
with this ALAC-initiated programme developing and trialing a range of
strategies to reduce the illegal and inappropriate supply of alcohol by
adults to young people.
“We in ALAC have been very aware that much of the pressure to change
young people’s drinking has blamed young people when the reality for
many is that the adults in their family and their community have
actively encouraged, condoned and supplied the alcohol that causes the
problem. For Westport, or any community, to really reduce the levels of
alcohol-related harm experienced by young people - adults need to look
at and change their behaviour.”
Story
Russia: Curfew Proposed to Cut Crime
A group of governors, government officials and lawmakers are urging the
state to introduce a night curfew for teenagers to cut down on a recent
rise in crime rates among young people.
The group of 24 officials, including Vladimir Zhuravlyov, chairman of
the Russian Union of Youth Organizations, said it would present a
proposed federal youth policy to President Vladimir Putin at a State
Council meeting in September.
"The problems and interests of young people are largely ignored because
young people were unneeded by the state during the past decade,"
Zhuravlyov said.
The authors of the document said that the concept, if approved by the
president, will speed up the passage of bills giving more rights to the
young while keeping them off the streets, where they are at risk of
getting into trouble.
The crime rate among Russians younger than 29 has doubled over the past
decade, according to a copy of the Doctrine of State Youth Policy
obtained by The Moscow Times.
There has also been a significant rise in extremist attitudes and racial
intolerance in recent years, the document said.
Story
Uganda: Primary education for all children
President Yoweri Museveni launched the multi-media advocacy campaign for
Universal Primary Education (UPE) with a declaration that the programme
was now compulsory for all children.
The function at Kisimbiri Primary School, Wakiso, coincided with the
official commissioning of the Presidential Initiative on the AIDS
Strategy for Communication to the Youth (PIASCY).
Several speakers including education minister Khiddu Makubuya, the
American Ambassador, Jimmy Kolker and Wakiso district vice-chairman
Edward Tumusiime praised Museveni over UPE and his fight against the
HIV/AIDS.
Museveni, who was represented by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rebecca
Kadaga, said UPE was meant for all children to complete primary
education.
24 MARCH
Scotland: Children More Successful with Dad
Around
The vital role fathers play in
the development of their children will be discussed at a conference.
Evidence has shown having fathers present as children grow up can
improve their health and educational achievements while also taking
pressure off mothers. The week-long summit in Oxford is the first to
specifically examine the role of fatherhood.
Leading experts from around the world will decide on policies to promote
the role of fathers which will be presented to the United Nations next
year.
Among those due to attend is Professor Charlie Lewis, from Lancaster
University, who produced a study showing children with fathers involved
in their upbringing are more successful in exams and less likely to get
a criminal record.
Fathers Direct, the UK charity which organised the summit, says the
health benefits for children of having a father present should also be
recognised.
Story
US: Homeless Teens Often Miss Out on Healthcare
Homeless teens and young adults frequently skip medical treatment, but
those who do seek help say they are often hassled by hospitals because
they do not have a guardian's consent, according to a new study.
The biggest problem for all of the homeless teens in the study was that
they did not understand the system, according to Dr. Josephine Ensign,
who led the study.
"It's a complicated healthcare system for anybody, but especially if
you're an adolescent and on your own," said Ensign, who presented her
findings this week at a meeting of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
in Seattle. In the study, she interviewed 30 youth, ages 13 to 24, who
were living on the streets of Seattle.
Once kids turned 18, they felt as if they had "fallen through the
cracks," because they were suddenly expected to pay for medical
treatment or present proof of insurance, said Ensign. She says there are
more free services in place for kids under the age of 18.
However, many of the younger kids said they were often hassled in
emergency rooms for not having adult consent for medical care. Ensign
said that a 16-year-old female ran out of a hospital with strep throat
and a 104-degree temperature when staff threatened to call Child
Protective Services.
Story
Tanzania: UN's Envoy to Convey Enormity of
Food/Aids Crisis
At the end of January, the UN Secretary General's special envoy for
Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa, James Morris, completed a tour of
four countries in the region and said the HIV/Aids pandemic was
threatening the very future of nations. One president told him: "My
country is on the verge of extinction."
There are 11 million orphans in Southern Africa, 780,000 of them in
Zimbabwe. In Malawi, ten per cent of families are headed by a child.
Zambia lost 2,000 teachers last year to Aids and half the country's
students have dropped out of school. Seven million agricultural workers
have been lost in southern Africa since 1985; another 16m will be lost
by 2020. Some 70-80 per cent of hospital admissions are people with
HIV/Aids; 8,000 people die every 24 hours.
Morris, who is also executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP),
had travelled through Zambia, Lesotho, Malawi and Zimbabwe with Kofi
Annan's envoy for HIV/Aids in Africa, Stephen Lewis. The two men
returned warning that an entirely new and bold approach was needed to
address the intertwined crises of devastating illness and
drought-afflicted agriculture.
Australia: Care 'crisis' for abused children
Some of Victoria's most neglected children are being returned to their
abusive families by the Children's Court against the advice of welfare
workers, a study has found.
The report, to be released next week, says foster care, the linchpin of
Victoria's child welfare system, is unable to cope with the behavioural
problems of many of the most severely abused children.
Welfare staff in Melbourne's southern region told the study's
researchers they had experienced numerous cases in which Victoria's
Children's Court had gone against their advice and returned children in
foster care to birth families.
The children were later returned to foster care after suffering further
serious abuse in their birth families. Staff knew of cases where the
process had been repeated several times.
"There are . . . many instances where decisions by the court to return
some children to their abusive and neglectful families have proved very
destructive of the children," the report said.
Story
Canada: Youth justice
Those who have signed a petition calling for reform of the Young
Offenders Act may be surprised to find that a new piece of legislation
called the Youth Criminal Justice Act passed more than a year ago and
takes effect April 1. They might also be surprised to hear from a
federal Justice Department news release that one of the main problems
with the youth justice system is that too many young people are going to
jail.
"It's not well known that Canada sends more of its young people to jail
than most Western countries. A 1997 study showed that for every 100,000
young people between the ages of 12 and 17, Canada had jailed more than
1,000 while the United States had put fewer than 800 behind bars."
Let's accept that public perception of a soft, woefully slow system is
wrong and Ottawa's study is right: the youth justice system is generally
too tough on young offenders who have the best chance of turning their
lives around. The public tends to notice and remember the most serious
crimes, such as the murder of a woman in her own home that shocked the
community last year.
For the more common non-violent offences, the new act favours
restitution to victims and community service, not jail and probation.
This will sound familiar to those who have heard of the success of the
local youth court diversion program, a volunteer-supported effort that
matches the punishment closely to the crime.
Ottawa has the power to mandate this approach, but no particular
obligation to fund it. Provinces scrape for the most minimal program
funding, as federal ministers trumpet their courage and vision.
Story
Canada: Government Looks at Ticketing 'Pot'
Users
The Canadian government said it was looking at issuing tickets to
marijuana users as a way of avoiding saddling youth with criminal
records.
"Kids are ending up with a criminal conviction," Justice Minister Martin
Cauchon said in a speech in Toronto.
"This can have a devastating impact on their lives — from the types of
jobs they can get, to traveling or going to university in other
countries, particularly the United States."
Cauchon has long said he was looking at decriminalizing the use of
marijuana and intended to go to the United States to explain his plans
to U.S. officials, but postponed his plans because of the Iraq conflict.
President Bush said in a report in January that he was concerned Canada
had become an increasing source of potent marijuana.
And his drug czar, John Walters, has warned that Canadian laxity could
lead to even tighter control being placed on the crucial cross-border of
flow of people and goods.
Cauchon said he was troubled by the inconsistent application of criminal
law to the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Story
US: Small Study Shows Gay Teens OK
Psychologically
A small study suggests that gay teens often view themselves as similar
to their straight peers, and doctors should not automatically assume
that such teens have experienced psychologically damaging distress,
according to an Indiana physician.
Dr. Tom A. Eccles, a pediatrician at Indiana University School of
Medicine, presented the findings this week at the annual meeting of the
Society for Adolescent Medicine in Seattle, Washington.
While Eccles doesn't dispute that teens in a sexual minority do indeed
have an increased risk for suicide and substance abuse, he told Reuters
Health that he believes many gay male teens appear to undergo "much less
angst" than thought.
"Increasingly, sexual minority youth seem to be much more open in the
general community, much more so in the last 20 years and also they
increasingly perceive themselves pretty much like everyone else," he
said.
In the study, the team of researchers evaluated the social and
psychological well being of 15 young men between the ages of 16 and 22,
who lived in various midwestern towns and identified themselves as gay.
Only two of the 15 said their developmental experiences–such as
relationships with family and friends, romantic relationships and school
experiences-were markedly different from their non-gay peers.
Story
Kenya: 600,000 Minors Are Employed
More than 600,000 children in Kenya are employed as domestic workers, a
survey by the International Programme for the Elimination of Child
Labour (Ipec) has discovered.
The children are aged between 7-18 years and are exposed to long working
hours, physical injuries and isolation.
Since 1992, Ipec has rescued 10,000 children from domestic labour and
placed them in various schools and training centres. In addition, 2,000
of these child workers have been rescued and taken to schools and
training centres by Sinaga Women and Child Labour Resource Centre an
affiliate of Ipec.
The centre helps to fight against child labour which has long-term
adverse consequences on children leading to stunted growth.
US: New assessment tool for Violence and Other
Serious Behavior Problems
Eastern Shore Psychological Services (ESPS), a Salisbury, Maryland based
innovative family services program announced the publication of the CARE
(Child & Adolescent Risk Evaluation), a screening instrument designed to
assess risk for violence in youth and adolescents. The CARE also assists
workers to develop an appropriate intervention plan for the youth and
his/her family.
The CARE was designed by Dr. Kathryn Seifert, a licensed clinical
psychologist whose work is specialized in the assessment and treatment
of violent youth. The CARE has been published by Research Press. Quickly
and easily administered, this assessment tool has been found to be
effective in predicting violent behaviors.
The test considers both Risk and Protective Factors with questions that
are easily completed by any caregiver. Additionally, the form provides a
Treatment Planning tool that aids care providers in making decisions.
In about 40 minutes, a teacher, mental health professional or trained
caregiver can accurately determine the need for intervention for the
youth.
Story
21 MARCH
Canada: Bullying bylaw has few supporters in the City of Victoria
A long-serving city councillor doesn't think a municipal bylaw is the
best way to police school-aged bullies. Edmonton city council passed
such a bylaw last week and it is believed to be the first of its kind in
Canada, in which a municipality makes bullying a bylaw offence.
Introducing a similar bylaw that bans the harassment of underage youth
and slaps a fine on bullies is not at this time being considered by
Victoria city council as a way to stop the taunting of youngsters, says
Victoria Coun. Helen Hughes. Hughes said such a bylaw has not come up
for discussion at Victoria City Hall. "I'm not really sure that fining
somebody is the way to make them stop bullying," said Hughes. "Often the
children don't have the money so it would be the parents who would end
up paying and that's not going to teach the child anything."
But Hughes still said she is interested to see whether Edmonton's bylaw
is effective in reducing youth harassment, and if so then perhaps the
idea will catch on in other municipalities.
Story
Australia: Call for funding to tackle petrol sniffing
There are calls for more funding to tackle the
problem of petrol sniffing in desert communities on the Western
Australia and Northern Territory border.
Henry Councillor is the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health
Organisation's new chair. He says the Western Australian, Northern
Territory and Federal governments urgently need to develop more programs
to stop children from petrol sniffing. He says the communities need to
have input into organising youth activities.
"Some of these programs are as simple as taking the kids away from those
particular areas and environment and actually teaching them a bit more
about hunting and gathering, maybe a bit more about their culture, but
make them enjoy life as a child," he said.
Boys' riot cited as reason to shut center
Critics of Cheltenham Youth Facility, Maryland's
oldest and largest juvenile detention center, have reiterated calls to
close the center in the wake of an inmate uprising on Saturday. "This is
going to be about a good a time as any to close Cheltenham," said
Vincent Schiraldi, president of the Justice Policy Institute and member
of the Maryland Juvenile Justice Coalition (MJJC). "They've got to make
it happen."
Cheltenham, along with other elements of the state's juvenile-justice
system, has weathered criticism and scrutiny at least since 1995, when a
national advocate for youth offenders declared it one of the worst he
had inspected. The center is supposed to house only boys between 14 and
18 years old.
In recent years, a 13-year-old boy was sexually assaulted by other
inmates and a staff member impregnated a girl who had been housed
temporarily at the all-boys facility. Staff members also have been
accused of arranging fights between boys.
Story
20 MARCH
New Zealand: Zero tolerance’ for child poverty
Associate Maori Affairs Minister Tariana Turia says ‘zero tolerance’ is
the correct approach to eliminate child poverty. She was commenting on a
report released yesterday by the Child Poverty Action Group at a
function in the Beehive.
“The statistics of child poverty are shocking, and the future prospects
look even worse, when you consider the lasting effects on the health,
education and social development of our young people,” she said.
“Poverty is not a new issue for tangata whenua. Many of our whanau have
lived in entrenched poverty for so long it has come to seem normal. This
is totally unacceptable, and we must have ‘zero tolerance’ for child
poverty. This government is determined to improve the social and
economic position of children and low income families. Income-related
rents, increased funding for primary health care and early childhood
education and welfare reform have already improved life for thousands of
families. But we must not rest until child poverty is eradicated.”
“We must recognise the potential in all our whanau, and focus on
solutions. This approach is challenging, but critically important. Lack
of action now will cost our whanau and our children dearly in the
future,” said Mrs Turia.
Story
New Zealand: Concern over secret review of CYFS
Green MP Sue Bradford is deeply concerned that yet another review of
Child Youth and Family Services is underway – this time in relative
secrecy, and without the involvement of the community sector. She said
that she had learned that a major "First Principle Baseline Review" was
being conducted by the Government, looking closely at what the work of
CYFS actually is and how its financial systems work.
"Heads of CYFS and the Ministry of Social Development are evidently
involved, along with Treasury and MSD officials, looking at why CYFS
continues to cost more and more to operate, while its outputs and
outcomes fail to meet anyone's expectations. I have to ask where this
review – conducted away from any glare of publicity, and without the
involvement of the community sector – is actually going, and what it
says about Social Services Minister Steve Maharey's faith in the
Department," Ms Bradford said.
The Green Party's Social Services Spokesperson said she was also
concerned that this year's financial review of CYFS had revealed that
the same fundamental problems from the past remained unresolved. "CYFS
is caught up in a distressing "Groundhog Day" scenario, where the same
key problems keep cropping up over and over again. This is despite the
excellent Brown report of two years ago and the extra funding poured in
by Government," she said.
Story
Ireland: Unicef warns thousands will die in
Iraq
Unicef Ireland has warned that hundreds of thousands of children are at
risk of dying if the United States and Britain press ahead with their
plans to launch a war on Iraq.
The children's charity currently has 160 volunteers in the region
preparing for the humanitarian disaster which will inevitably follow the
war.
Maura Quinn, the executive director of Unicef Ireland, said the Iraqi
people live in dense housing conditions and could die in their thousands
in any US-led bombing campaign.
Thousands more would be at risk of disease and infection in the
aftermath of the initial attack, particularly those who have suffered
most under 12 years of crippling UN sanctions that have killed at least
half a million Iraqi children.
Story
Canada: Promise partners pledge additional
funding to children and youth
Hundreds of partners attended the second Ontario's Promise Meeting to
celebrate achievements of the past year and issued a renewed call to
action to organizations across the province to become involved in
programs that support children and youth.
Dr. David Foot, professor and renowned author of Boom, Bust and Echo
delivered the keynote address and spoke about how changing demographics
related to children and youth affect everything from education to
philanthropy and volunteerism. "It is important that we provide the
current substantial Baby Boom Echo generation of young people in Ontario
with the skills and opportunities to succeed in an increasingly globally
competitive world," he said.
The Ontario's Promise Annual Report was released at the event. The
report details the commitment of Ontario's Promise's 450 partners.
"I'm proud to say that 100 per cent of our partners met or exceeded
their commitments," said Harris. "That means hundreds of thousands of
additional young people across the province had access to resources and
opportunities that will enrich and enhance their lives.
In one innovative partnership, Home Depot partnered with All Our Kids
Playpark to build a playground in Newmarket.
The impact of Ontario's Promise has prompted another province to start
their own similar provincial initiative. Alberta's Promise will be
launched this spring and representatives attended the Ontario's Promise
meeting to learn more about the initiative. "Ontario's Promise believes
that good ideas don't stop at borders, and we couldn't agree more.
Copies of the Ontario's Promise Annual Report can be viewed online at
www.ontariospromise.com
Story
UK: Troubled teen escapes jail term
A teenager driven to street crime after his mother was killed has
escaped a jail term despite calls from the Attorney General to put him
behind bars. The 18-year-old, from Gerrards Cross, admitted three
robberies and two burglaries, at Reading Crown Court in October but
avoided prison as it was judged the death of his mother had led him to
crime.
Lawyer for the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith QC, argued on Thursday
at London's Court of Appeal that his sentence of 18 months community
rehabilitation and 100 hours community service was "unduly lenient" in
light of the local prevalence of "this type of offence" and other
"aggravating factors".
The appeal was rejected by Lord Justice Rose after he agreed with the
youth's lawyers that "exceptional circumstances" justified the original
sentence.
The court heard the youth stole the wallets of two boys in Gerrards
Cross in June last year, after threatening them with a three-inch blade.
A month later he was part of a gang which terrorised a group of
15-year-old boys, demanding cash and using their mobiles.
But Mr Rose dismissed the application as he said there was a "wholly
exceptional background to this rash of offences".
The youth's mother was killed in 1999 and his father lapsed into
depression and alcoholism.
Judge Rose, sitting with Mr Justice Pitchers and Mr Justice Gross,
concluded: "In these circumstances ... it is not surprising that the
judge passed an exceptional sentence."
Story
19 MARCH
US: Correct the 10-year-old mistake
The General Assembly shortly will be presented with the opportunity to
correct a 10-year-old mistake that caused the state to abandon hundreds
of children to its adult criminal system.
If passed, House Bill 520 will fix the way Maryland approaches troubled
youths by once again giving juvenile court judges the authority to
determine when a child should be tried as an adult.
Ten years ago, Maryland, like far too many states, passed what is
commonly known as an "exclusionary statute," a law that requires that
children charged with committing certain offenses be tried as adults.
Exclusionary statutes purport to make our families and communities safer
by subjecting serious youthful offenders to more severe and more
permanent penalties.
But if good public policy is grounded in good research, Maryland's
exclusionary statute is bad public policy. For when the law was passed,
it was grounded in several false assumptions that have not borne out
over the past decade.
Story
New Zealand: Teens being admitted to Nelson
adult mental health unit
Teenagers as young as 14 are being admitted to Nelson's adult acute
mental health unit, a situation a mental health commissioner says is
"inappropriate and undesirable".
Figures from the Nelson-Marlborough District Health Board show there are
five adolescent patients in the adult ward, and about 20 others have
been admitted since January last year.
Mental Health Commission chairwoman Jan Dowland said adult psychiatric
wards were not youth-friendly environments and the admission of young
people was "never ideal".
Story
UK: Rap singer blamed the Government for youth
violence
The Mercury Award winning artist, launching the Stop the Violence
campaign which is to tour universities, singled out Kim Howells, the
Culture Minister, for his comments on rap music after the shootings in
Aston, Birmingham, on New Year’s Eve. After the deaths of Letitia
Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis, Dr Howells said that “macho idiot
rappers” had created a culture in which killing was fashionable. Ms
Dynamite, 21, said that his comments showed that the Government was not
interested in black youth culture.
“It shows no one is listening, no one is understanding, and that no one
cares,” she said. She said that the use of negative stereotypes of black
musicians distracted from the real causes. “It’s so obvious that the
problem is poverty. Young people have to live in crazy circumstances.
Someone who does not live in those circumstances cannot judge because
they don’t know what it is like.” She said that she would be happy to
work with the Government if it was interested in what she had to say.
Dr Howells said: “No Government has ever paid as much attention to the
welfare of young people. We have succeeded like no Government in
bringing down youth unemployment and giving people the opportunity of
having the dignity of paid employment.”
Story
Scotland: City to pay tribute to its young
heroes
Young "unsung heroes" are to be officially rewarded by the city for the
first time under plans to stage a major contest to recognise good
citizenship. Teenagers who have undertaken charity work, carried out
environmental clean-ups and helped catch rogue traders are among those
the city council hopes to recognise . Council leaders say they want to
instigate the scheme because of growing concerns that the antics of
teenage tearaways overshadow the achievements of city youngsters.
The idea of an awards scheme – expected to be launched within months –
has been welcomed by city youth workers and Scotland’s national youth
information agency, Young Scot.
City council leader Donald Anderson said: "I know for a fact that it’s a
very small minority of young people that cause trouble in the city, but
unfortunately it’s their activities that get all the attention. This is
a way of redressing that . " City education leader Ewan Aitken added:
"There are a great many young people who make fantastic contributions to
their communities, but unfortunately they all get tarred with the brush
of people who cause problems.
Story
Australia: Youth services help 30,000 per week
A survey by the Youth Action and Policy Association has found that youth
service groups work with around 28,000 young people each week.
The survey lists 770 youth services, funded by 16 separate programs from
10 different state and federal departments.
Executive officer Kristy Delaney says while new funding is being
provided for some initiatives, not enough money is being provided for
core youth services.
"As costs are increasing for services, they're having to cut back the
number of staff hours and the number of programs that they can actually
offer young people because they just simply can't afford to continue
offering the same programs for the same amount of money."
18 MARCH
US: Horror stories stagger DCFS
A 3-year-old boy chained to a bed in a foster home where guns and drugs
are found. Six kids, five of them adopted, kept locked in a basement. A
2-year-old foster child snatched by his birth mom at a fast-food
restaurant during a visit that never should have taken place.
These well-publicized failures of the state's child welfare system since
late January have drawn the attention of Gov. Blagojevich, who has said
reforming the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is a
priority. But lost amid the headlines is the agency's turnaround from a
national embarrassment in the early 1990s to a national model for moving
abused kids into adoption when they can't be reunited with their
families.
At the same time, this year's individual stories could signal the second
wave of issues with which DCFS must grapple, experts say. Those include
kids in protective custody being traumatized by multiple moves among
foster homes and/or institutions, poor supervision of foster homes by
private agencies, a need for more mental-health services, and youths
abusing each other, staff members or themselves in expensive, multibed
institutions.
Story
US: Transitional housing for foster kids
Like most high school seniors, Susan Manzi is looking forward to
graduating this spring. Until then, however, she's already gaining
something as valuable as a college education — learning how to live
independently on her own.
Since last September Manzi has been living on her own through Remi
Vista's Transitional Housing Placement Program.
The transitional housing program, open to ages 16 to 20, is designed for
young adults to transition out of foster care, the juvenile court
system, Child Protective Services or County Social Services. Intended to
help participants take on the responsibility of becoming independent,
the program offers a safety net for children who have no other system of
support.
"It's a very cool program," said Daphne Vaughn, Remi Vista's regional
director of the transitional housing program. "It teaches kids how to be
independent and lets them develop good social skills so that they can
become integral members of the community."
Story
US: Child Welfare System Confusing Poverty with
Neglect
Missouri's child welfare system confuses poverty with neglect, resulting
in more children than necessary in foster care and making it difficult
to focus on children in dangerous situations, according to a report
released.
The solution, in part, is to do more to keep families together by
helping them pay for housing and child care or providing other support
services, said Richard Wexler, executive director of the Virginia-based
National Coalition for Child Protection Reform, which released the
report about Missouri.
"The more that workers are overwhelmed with children who don't need to
be in foster care, the less time they have to find children in real
danger. So they make even more mistakes, and their war against child
abuse becomes a war against children," said Wexler, who testified Monday
before the Commission on Children's Justice.
Story
17 MARCH
New Zealand: Social workers head for Britain
Almost a third of the Government's social workers are being lured to
Britain with promises of good pay and career prospects.
British recruiters are enticing about 30 per cent of Child Youth and
Family Services (CYFS) social workers to fill vacancies in Britain, the
Minister of Social Services, Steve Maharey, says.
He added that the CYFS has worked to keep social workers through
improved training, increased management support of frontline staff and
better pay.
A 26-year-old Auckland CYFS adoption social worker, who does not wish to
be named, says she's leaving for London in two weeks for more money and
short-term locum work to gain further experience.
"I wanted to have New Zealand experience in a government organisation
before I left, because that experience is favourable overseas," she
says.
"I have contacted three agencies that recruit social workers in the UK
and there is a really high demand."
Story
Ireland: Father's poignant plea on dangers of
solvent abuse
A man whose son died tragically as a result of solvent abuse today
demanded that the Government do much more to combat the problem.
Adrian Eakin's plea coincides with a new hard-hitting television
advertising campaign aimed at getting parents to talk to their children
about solvent abuse — "before someone else does".
But Mr Eakin, whose 15-year-old son Andrew lost his life after
experimenting with solvents for the first time 11 years ago, is adamant
the time for more clear action is now. "I feel that the government
approach to the use of hazardous substances and drug culture needs to be
addressed. They should legislate for shops to take greater care to whom
they supply solvents, but basically they don't care as long as they are
making profit. And they should also look at using chemicals in these
products which don't pose a risk or perhaps introduce chemicals which
make them smell repugnant to put young people off."
He is chairman of the Ulster Independent Party in Coleraine and he feels
not enough is being done to steer modern youth away from solvent abuse.
"The abuse of solvents is seen as a stepping stone to harder drugs and
it can lead to big problems within society." he said.
He added that he believes the authorities, as well as the community and
educationalists have a major role to play in getting the message across
to today's youth
Story
Canada: Funding pulled for BC safe house
The provincial government has pulled funding for the only safe house in
Burnaby and New Westminster aimed at helping young people escape the sex
trade.
Last Monday, the provincial government was heralded for funding a safe
house used to help child prostitutes get off the streets. But by
Wednesday, the Lower Mainland Purpose Society for Youth and Families
that operates the facility had received word its contract would end
April 30.
The reason: There are services in Vancouver for sexually-exploited
youth, and therefore, similar programs are not needed in Burnaby and New
Westminster, according to the Ministry of Children and Family
Development.
"We are investing strategically in social programs that are
evidence-based and produce results and make sure that they lead to real
and positive change in the quality of lives of children," said Andrew
Little, ministry communications manager. "And so what we have been doing
is reviewing our contracts to make sure that we pay for programs that
provide direct support to the people that we're mandated to serve."
Story
US: Educators blast plan to cut special-ed
funds
The coalition of superintendents and special-education advocates last
week took aim at provisions in Governor Mitt Romney's budget that the
group says could saddle school districts with $20 million more in costs
to educate Massachusetts' most severely disabled youth.
There are about 1,400 students with such physical or mental challenges
that traditional public schools cannot educate them and, instead, send
them to residential schools. In the past, the state paid half of the
tuition at such schools and school systems picked up the other half.
Romney's 2004 budget proposal ends that arrangement, instead calling for
the state to pay a much smaller share, based on each private school's
tuition, which can run as high as $175,000.
State officials said the switch saves money, but education leaders said
the change would shift $20 million in costs to financially strapped
school systems.
''It is simply unfathomable to ask these children to help bail the state
out of the current crisis,'' said James Major, executive director of the
Massachusetts Association of Chapter 766 Approved Private Schools.
Story
Canada: Troubled children at heart of storm
Plans for a massive transfer of social workers out of direct government
control are provoking shivers of uncertainty in the public service.
But Minister for Children and Families Gordon Hogg believes giving
communities responsibility for child protection will help children at
risk lead better lives.
The stakes are high as 2,800 social workers — most of them child
protection workers — and another 300 support and administration staff
move from the ministry to newly created regional authorities.
The province will be divided into five aboriginal and five
non-aboriginal authorities, which closely follow the boundaries of
health authorities. Another group will take over province-wide
responsibility for community living for developmentally disabled
children and adults.
Story
New Zealand: Report shows shortfall in mental
health services
A report into spending on mental health by six district health boards (DHBs)
showed significant shortfalls in the delivery of services, Health
Minister Annette King said today.
The report was ordered after concerns were raised in August last year
that DHBs might be spending money ring-fenced for mental health on other
health services.
Six DHBs were audited and Ms King said today the report showed the money
for mental health had been ring-fenced.
However, not all contracted services had been delivered and the most
significant shortfall was in the area of child and youth mental health
services.
Ms King said child and youth mental health had been a priority area for
funding "but the project has shown a significant gap between funding and
delivery".
Story
14 MARCH
UK: Spot fines to fight yob culture
Private security guards in shopping centres and council officers are
among those to be given the power to issue fixed penalty fines of up to
£100 under legislation to curb antisocial behaviour announced yesterday.
The battery of new powers for the police and local authorities to deal
with antisocial neighbours, graffiti, truanting children and to curb the
growth of "yob culture" are to be enforced by local "community justice"
mini-courts.
They will be used to enforce the kind of "instant justice" that will
give environmental health officers the power to give neighbours who make
excessive noise at night a 10-minute warning before they face a £100
fine and the threat of confiscation of their stereo or television if
they do not pay.
The measures are contained in the government white paper, Respect and
Responsibility — taking a stand against antisocial behaviour, published
yesterday by the home secretary, David Blunkett, and are to be enshrined
in legislation to be introduced next month.
Story
Angola: Street children hope peace will bring a
brighter future
"Life on the streets is
dangerous. You have to be fast. The faster you are the better," says
streetchild Fernando Pedro. Although he has just turned 18, the young
man looks half his age. A demonstrative talker, his story is peppered
with anecdotes of life on the streets of Angola's capital.
"My father was killed in the war in Huambo in 1993. My mother and I took
a bus to Luanda. When we got here we stayed with my uncle. He had many
children of his own. Then my mother fell ill and she died. Soon after
that my uncle began to treat me differently to his other children. I
couldn't take it anymore and so I left. And now I am here and I cannot
get back to Huambo," Fernando said.
A 2001 survey estimated that there are some 5,000 children who eke out
an existence on the streets of Luanda. Beneath plastic sheeting or
anything else that can provide cover, they sleep on sidewalks. Or they
sleep on the balmy beach. Most wash cars or guard parked cars. Others
survive by begging and doing odd jobs.
Scotland: New clean-up orders for young neds
Young hooligans face being ordered to perform "community service" under
plans to crack down on the Capital’s "ned culture".
Youngsters who repeatedly break the law would be sent to repair
vandalised property, scrub graffiti off walls or work on environmental
projects under the get-tough initiative. City leaders have drawn up
plans for the crackdown amid frustration that "one-boy crimewaves" have
been getting off with just a "stern talking to".
The scheme would involve persistent troublemakers from primary school
age up to 15 being ordered to work in the community as part of their
punishment. It would be targeted at those repeatedly caught committing
offences such as theft, violence and vandalism.
City council leader Donald Anderson said : "We’ve got to tackle the ned
culture in Edinburgh, which has been getting a lot worse in recent
years. It’s a small but significant minority that are responsible, but
we’re determined to take action against them."
Story
US: Juvenile justice system fails youths
A study released criticizes Ohio's juvenile justice system for not
making sure that youths are represented by lawyers in court. The
American Bar Association's Juvenile Justice Center says up to half of
all poor juveniles accused of crimes in Ohio go to court without
lawyers, and those with lawyers often get a poor defense.
The result is too many youths with behavioral or mental problems getting
detention or probation instead of treatment, the study said. The
findings held true in big, small, urban, suburban and rural counties.
"Despite the best intentions of many, the juvenile indigent defense
system in Ohio is broken and sorely in need of repair," said Patricia
Puritz, justice center director.
The center conducted the study with the assistance of the Juvenile
Justice Coalition Inc. and the Children's Law Center Inc.
The study is based on interviews and surveys of juvenile-court judges,
magistrates, defense lawyers and hundreds of juveniles in custody.
The biggest problem, the study said, is that youths waive their right to
lawyers without understanding the consequences. Lawyers interviewed in
the study said some juveniles think nothing bad will happen to them, or
don't want to appear confrontational in court.
Nearly a third of the lawyers suspected the courts intimidated youths
into rejecting assigned counsel.
Story
Australia: Heads of Government recognise sport
is key for youth and the future
Australia will provide over $6million over three years for the landmark
initiative, Australia for the Future which will give talented young
people the opportunity to make a positive contribution to tackling
poverty in developing Commonwealth countries.
The initiative is in response to the announcement of The Coolum
Declaration The Commonwealth In The 21st Century: Continuity and Renewal
which among other initiatives recognises " The Commonwealth's Future
lies in the hands of its youth, we have agreed to create a pan
Commonwealth "Youth for the Future" initiative composed of four related
components for technology and skills transfer, and for fostering youth
enterprise. We seek to engage youth, young professionals and youth
volunteers more closely, harnessing their skills and enthusiasm to make
a major practical contribution to the work of the commonwealth."
Australian Youth for the Future is a significant pan-commonwealth
initiative developed by Australia in
the lead up to CHOGM. It is modelled on the Australian Youth Ambassadors
for Development Scheme, which annually places over 240 skilled young
Australians in professional positions in developing countries.
Included within Australian Youth for the future will be the foundation
of Good Sports, a particularly innovative element of Australian Youth
for the Future.
Story
Canada: Youth say their voices go unheard
Some Regina youth don't feel connected to the community because their
voices aren't being heard, according to a report funded by Health
Canada.
"Many children and youth do not see Regina as being a place that
provides support to them —- we heard an overwhelming voice of
hopelessness, of helplessness, of lack of opportunity, of lack of
respect, of no one wanting to listen to what is said," said Bob
Berthiaume, research director of A Focus on Regina's Children and Youth:
A Summary Report.
Regina is one of six Prairie sites where the Centre of Excellence for
Children and Youth was established in 2000 as part of a federal
government initiative to examine social and economic changes that affect
children's health and well-being. Over 120 individuals, including 40
non-aboriginal and aboriginal youths, elders, seniors, parents,
community workers and professionals were asked for their perspective on
the community's support of children and youth.
Story
Ethopia: Teenagers driven to drug and alcohol
abuse
Teenagers in Ethiopia are being driven to drug and alcohol abuse because
of a lack of opportunities in the country, the ministry of labour and
social affairs has said.
Dr Bulti Gutema, who heads the children, youth and family welfare
department at the ministry, said many young people had little or no
opportunities in life.
He was speaking at a UNICEF-sponsored Ethiopian Teenagers' Forum in the
capital Addis Ababa last week which focused on the plight of street
children.
An estimated 60,000 children live on the streets of the capital alone –
many of them forced to do so because their parents have died from
HIV/AIDS.
“The problems of Ethiopian youth are many, complex and inter-related,”
Dr Bulti told delegates. “Because of their limited access to training
and educational opportunities and the acute shortage of recreation and
sport centres, they fall victims to drug and alcohol abuse, delinquency
and criminal activities."
“Employment opportunities for this age group are hard to come by," he
noted. "Although the youth face many and diverse problems, they are the
pillar for a country's economic development.”
Abdelmajid Tibouti from UNICEF said the current drought was making it
even harder for children.
"Mothers and children are particularly vulnerable in such
circumstances,” he said. “Family bonds can disintegrate and children may
end up living on the streets.”
US: Partnership Survey Shows Encouraging Signs
on Attitudes
A survey released last week by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America
found that the number of teens using Ecstasy is finally leveling off,
though a majority of adolescents still don't see great risk in trying
the drug. In its 2002 Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey (PATS), the
Partnership found that trial use of Ecstasy by teens held steady in 2002
after increasing 71 percent between 1999 and 2001.
According to the PATS, one out of every nine teens in America (11
percent, or 2.6 million teens) has tried Ecstasy at least once in their
lives. In the 2001 PATS, 12 percent of teens had tried Ecstasy.
The Partnership indicated that three out of four teens - 76 percent or
17.9 million - now agree there's great risk in using Ecstasy regularly,
up from 72 percent in 2001. Approximately 45 percent of teens say they
see great risk in trying Ecstasy once or twice, up from 42 percent in
2001.
The 15th annual PATS survey is based on data from 7,084 adolescents in
grades 7 through 12, collected from April through June 2002.
According to the survey, five percent of adolescents have used Ecstasy
in the past month, unchanged when compared to 2001. The Partnership also
found that 35 percent of teens who have attended "raves" (1.6 million
out of 4.5 million) have tried Ecstasy; just 5 percent of all other
teens have tried the drug.
Story
13 MARCH
Bangkok: No kids in Internet cafes after 6 pm
Thai police said they will bar young students from Internet cafes in the
evening, in hope they'll spend more quality time with their families.
The measure also aims to keep kids from being exposed to pornography and
vice.
Students 16 and under must leave the cafes by 6 pm, while those 18 and
under have to be out by 8 pm, said police Col. Suras Udomrat,
superintendent of the Police Bureau's Welfare Division. "It's time we
set up discipline for them," Suras said. "Do you really think that your
children will grow up to be quality persons by playing games all day and
all night?"
A surge in the number of Internet cafes in Thailand has made it easier
for young people to go online without parental supervision. Many fathers
and mothers leave their children to the cafes "because they think the
kids will be with adults there, won't be bored and can buy food there if
hungry," Suras said. "This is dangerous because you're sending your
child into another world unknown to you," he said, referring to popular
online role-playing games that sometimes feature sex and violence.
Police will brief Internet shop owners on the new policy and patrol
areas where youths play online games during the two-month school break,
which begins in April.
Story
US: Big Brothers Big Sisters in search of
mentors
With a new leader at the helm, the agency is working to match more
children with more mentors. It's also working to better prepare
volunteers to assist youths in schools, in the community and one-on-one.
The agency also plans to play up the advantages of mentoring. "It not
only benefits the child," said Stephanie Cooper-Lewter, president and
CEO of the agency. "It benefits the volunteer."
Cooper-Lewter, named president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Greater Columbia late last year, said the role of the agency is vital
with funding to schools and programs at risk.
"With cuts in funding, our children are going to be impacted," she said.
"Here is an opportunity to help."
The agency is holding a reception to introduce the public to Cooper-Lewter,
the board of directors and to share its goals.
Goals include:
- Increase the number of one-to-one and
school-based mentoring.
- Increase services, such as training,
to volunteers.
- Promote mentoring choices.
Big Brothers Big Sisters, which has been
part of the Columbia area since 1966, serves children in Richland,
Lexington, Newberry and Fairfield counties.
Story
US: Bush Would Cut $650 Million in
Juvenile-Justice, After-School Grants
President Bush's FY2004 budget proposal would eliminate a $250 million
block grant for juvenile-justice programs and $400 million for
after-school programs for at-risk children.
Bush touted a $150-million mentoring initiative in his State of the
Union address, but failed to mention the cuts to other programs aimed at
troubled youth. Eliminating the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block
Grant program would kill programs like Portland, Ore.'s New Avenues for
Youth, which diverts youth drug offenders to assessment and treatment
rather than prison. And the cuts to after-school funding would eliminate
programs serving 500,000 youth.
A White House spokesperson said the programs are being eliminated
because an Office of Management and Budget review found that they were
either ineffective or that their effectiveness could not be measured.
Story
US: Childhood and maternal depression linked
Mothers who experience depression increase the likelihood of their
children also becoming depressed, according to US psychologists.
Risk of depression in children twofold if mother has major depression. A
team from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Emory
University, Atlanta, says that the risk of depression in children is
twofold when the mother has an episode of major depression lasting one
to two months or is mildly depressed for at least one year.
In their study, Drs Constance Hammen and Patricia Brennan selected 816
women and their 15-year-old children from a community in Australia. The
researchers then assessed levels of youth depression as a function of
relative severity, chronicity and timing of maternal depression.
They found that 20 per cent of children whose mothers experienced
depression before the child was 10 years old developed major depression
or dysthymic disorder by age 15, compared with 10 per cent of children
whose mothers had never had depression.
Children who experienced maternal depression were also at increased risk
of developing other psychological problems, in particular anxiety
disorders.
The findings, published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry,
suggest that a combination of genes and psychological and social factors
may be involved.
“Whether the effects are owing to genetic factors or to psychosocial
variables that endure even when the mother is no longer depressed cannot
be determined in this study and require further investigation,” the
researchers write.
Story
US: Police investigating teen's death at center
for troubled youths
Authorities are investigating the death of a teenage girl who was
restrained by staff members at a facility that treats behavioral and
other problems in Colorado Springs.
Orlena Parker, 15, of Arizona passed out and stopped breathing about
7:45 p.m. Monday at the Devereux Cleo Wallace Center in Colorado
Springs.
"The initial information is that the female had been fighting with
employees and had to be restrained by several employees," police Lt.
Skip Arms said.
The girl, described as 5-feet-8 and about 270 pounds, reportedly charged
a staff member at the center, Arms said.
"Because of her aggressive actions, six women and one male had to
restrain her," he said.
The girl actively resisted for a short time, Arms said. When she
stopped, staff members noticed she wasn't breathing, he said.
Story
12 MARCH
Scotland: Record number of children's hearings
The number of young people in Scotland referred to the children's
hearing system is at the highest level since records began more than 30
years ago.
Almost 40,000 youngsters were referred to or dealt with by the Scottish
Children's Panel system in 2001-02.
New figures show that the number of first time youth offenders reported
has increased by 20% compared to two years ago.
The latest statistics are revealed in the annual report from the
Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA).
It says they show the immense challenges faced in tackling offending and
child protection.
Story
US: State continued to send children to center
despite violations
The state continued to send foster children to a Parker County treatment
center despite numerous violations that amassed by the time the state
forced its closing late last year.
Investigators determined that teenage residents of the Parker County
Residential Treatment Center, a privately run institution for foster
children with severe emotional problems, were beaten, choked, improperly
restrained and deprived of food.
The place often was found to be filthy and in dangerous disrepair, yet,
while one branch of the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory
Services continually found the Weatherford center in violation of
licensing standards, another branch kept pouring more children into the
facility.
The official explanation: The part of the agency in charge of child
placement wasn't talking to the part that performed inspections.
Story
Thailand: Far-reaching bill due to get nod this
week
The House of Representatives is expected to pass the Child Protection
Bill this week, said to be the most comprehensive legislation drafted
for child rights protection.
The bill focusses on protection of child welfare through the cooperation
and support of their families. Its backers will put the bill forward for
Senate approval once it has received the backing of the House.
The bill, which went through drafting and discussions for more than
three years and was proposed by the National Youth Bureau, is a new tool
to facilitate the work of non-governmental organisations and government
officials in rescuing abused children and ensuring their well-being.
Sanphasit Koompraphant, director of the Centre for the Protection of
Children's Rights, said the law would strengthen cooperation at all
levels, from families, schools, social workers and communities to local
administration organisations.
Story
Canada: Edmonton passes landmark anti-bullying
bylaw targeting teens
Edmonton became the first Canadian city to make bullying illegal and
fine tormentors a minimum of $250. Supporters say they hope the new
bylaw will make young people think twice before threatening and
intimidating anyone. "It won't deter everybody, but hopefully it will
have an effect on some students," said Coun. Jane Batty, chair of the
community services board that put forth the issue. "Bullying just can't
be accepted in this day and age and we need to put a stop to it in any
way that we can," Batty said.
Several Canadian teens have either died or committed suicide due to
bullying by their peers.
Emmet Fralick, 14, of Halifax, shot himself at home in April 2002. He
left a suicide note saying he was distraught after being tormented by
students.
Reena Virk, 14, of Victoria, died after being beaten by teenagers in
November 1997.
Edmonton police, backed by both separate and public school boards,
approached civic politicians to add harassment to the list of offences
already covered by the city's public places bylaw.
"Up to 70 per cent of the complaints in our schools are
bullying-related," said Const. Dan Williams, a school resource officer
at St. Joseph Catholic High School, who proposed the idea.
Police are unable to deal with assaults, gang violence and harassment
until it escalates into a criminal matter. Williams said he hopes the
new bylaw will enable them to quash bullying before it goes too far.
Story
11 MARCH
Canada: Seminar teaches children consequences
of bullying
A woman whose 15-year-old son killed himself after being bullied held an
anti-bullying seminar this weekend in Surrey, B.C. The public forum was
held on the third anniversary of the death of Hamed Nastoh, who jumped
off a bridge after being bullied in school for years.
In his suicide note, Hamed spoke of the pain that drove him to suicide
and asked his family to try to stop the bullying faced by other
children. His mother, Nasima Nastoh, now teaches children about the
consequences of bullying.
"They don't know what they are doing is wrong," Nasima said. "If they
are not aware, they need information, they need sensitivity, they need
the education. We have to educate kids that bullying is wrong."
In the seminar, Nastima teaches that bullying is dangerous, mentally and
physically.
Joel Libin, 19, suffered brain injury when he was beaten by three young
men. He now counsels bullying victims.
"It is important to find the strength inside you, and the strength
inside your will, to pass through and continue on with your life," he
said.
Libin said many teenagers consider bullying an inevitable part of
growing up, but it's a behaviour that's learned at home, in the
schoolyard and in the classroom. It's important that parents and
teachers know that children can be taught not to bully.
Story
UK: More children live with lone parents
Almost 40% of households with children in Manchester are lone parent
households, according to a new survey. The GMB union said about 18,700
homes in the city had just one parent - the second highest percentage in
the UK after Glasgow.
In the North West as a whole there are 215,610 lone parent households -
just over a quarter of all homes with children. The figure represents an
increase of 78.4% on the position in 1991. The report, which follows the
2001 census, said that the figure for Liverpool was 38.7% - compared to
39.8% in Manchester. In Lancashire the highest percentage was in
Blackpool where the figure was 32.3%.
Paul Kenny, from the GMB, said: "These figures demonstrate the absolute
necessity of employers adopting family-friendly policies to enable these
lone parents to participate fully in the workforce. "After-school clubs
and other supports for childcare are also essential. It would also be of
great help if childcare expenses were made tax deductible for both
employers and parents."
Story
Zambia: The Rot in the Non-Governmental Arena
Available statistical data reveals that over 70 per cent of the Zambian
citizenry is presently wallowing below the poverty datum line. The high
poverty levels have brought about difficulties in the care of children
and the under privileged in society. Consequently the concept of the
extended family system is equally failing to cope with the increasing
number of children and the vulnerable.
To compound the situation, the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to undo
efforts aimed at addressing the needs of children and the vulnerable in
society. As a result, the nation has continued to lose skilled human
resource and many resources are being spent in addressing the problem of
HIV/AIDS. The ever increasing death rate among parents and guardians
because of HIV/AIDS and other related diseases has led to an upswing in
the number of orphans and the vulnerable people.
With so many bread winners dying , many young children and families are
left without parental care and guidance.
Given this scenario non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of every shade
and shape said to have been formed to supplement Government efforts
address the plight of the children and the vulnerable have sprouted all
over Zambia.
However, the proliferation of institutional care-givers has not been
without skirmishes, many an orphanage, transit home or drop-in-centre
have been accused of using the predicament of the vulnerable to enrich
themselves.
The reality on the ground remains explicitly clear that no orphanage or
drop-in-centre can afford to look after those under its care without
external assistance, therefore the ill motives of some individuals and
civic bodies aimed at enriching themselves by using the plight of the
under privileged must be checked.
Scotland: Huge rise in number of cases referred
to Children's Panel
The number of young people in Scotland referred to the Children's Panel
has risen to the highest level since records began 30 years ago. A
report shows a massive rise in the number of child welfare cases caused
by neglect, domestic violence and parental drug abuse. The annual report
of the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA) highlights a
sharp increase in the number of young girls committing crimes and in the
number of first-time offenders. It also reveals an alarming 35% increase
in the number of children referred because of abuse of drugs or alcohol.
The report paints a grim picture, with a total of 36,820 youngsters
referred last year - 10% more than the previous year.
In addition to increased juvenile crime, there has been an even steeper
jump in cases involving child welfare issues, which is putting immense
pressure on social workers and the country's unique children's hearing
system.
Over the past decade, there has been a 247% rise in referrals for lack
of parental care, reflecting the impact of drug abuse, alcoholism and
domestic violence on families and their children.
There are also concerns over the length of time taken to deal with
neglect cases — currently an average of 168 days.
The situation is exacerbated by the chronic national shortage of
qualified social work staff. In Glasgow, the number of vacancies has
risen by 26 to 66 in the past year, representing more than a third of
the total children and family fieldwork posts in the city.
Story
Australia: The boys who are lost in cyber space
About 10 per cent of boys are spending more than 50 hours in front of a
TV, computer or computer game each week, research shows.
The University of South Australia's survey of 1045 children shows that
10 per cent of boys with "problem viewing" habits spend more than 9.5
hours a day in front of a screen on weekends and 6.5 hours on school
days.
Dr Tim Olds, a senior lecturer in physical education, exercise and sport
studies at UniSA, described the findings as "a real worry".
Health experts were also concerned, noting habits formed during this age
bracket were often carried on through later life.
The survey of children aged nine to 15 years in Australia and New
Zealand in the past two years also found the |