Serious case review slams police failure in serial abuse of Oxford girls – The Guardian

‘More than 300 young people have been groomed and sexually exploited by gangs of men in Oxfordshire in the past 15 years, a damning report into the failures of police and social services to stop years of sexual torture, trafficking and rape will reveal, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 1st March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Council defeats High Court challenge to consultation on adult care cuts – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has rejected a legal challenge to Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council’s consultation on its proposal to cut its adult social care budget for 2015/16.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th February 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Boy, seven, died despite 18 opportunities for social services to act – The Guardian

Posted February 19th, 2015 in child abuse, children, homicide, news, reports, social services by sally

‘A seven-year-old boy died after the authorities failed for four years to take action despite 18 opportunities to step in, a Serious Case Review has found.’

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The Guardian, 18th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge criticises council after toddler taken into care over father’s links to English Defence League – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 18th, 2015 in care orders, case management, children, local government, news, social services by sally

‘Sir James Munby says approach taken by Darlington Borough Council “almost a textbook example of how not to pursue a care case” over fears of links to EDL.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Law to make reporting of FGM mandatory – BBC News

‘Professionals who fail to report cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) in children could face the sack under a new law for England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 12 February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council to pay £17k damages for “truly lamentable” failures in child care case – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 6th, 2015 in care orders, child abuse, children, damages, delay, local government, news, social services by sally

‘A High Court judge has ordered a county council to pay £17,000 in damages under the Human Rights Act following a “truly lamentable” catalogue of errors, omissions, delays and serial breaches of court orders in a child care case.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th February 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Maximum benefit fraud fines could be increased to £5,000 – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2015 in benefits, fines, fraud, news, social services by sally

‘The maximum administrative penalty for benefit fraud that can be offered as an alternative to prosecution could be doubled under government proposals.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Elderly man ‘held prisoner’ in care home – Daily Telegraph

‘An elderly man suffering from dementia was treated like a “prisoner” after social workers dispatched him to a nursing home against his and his family’s wishes without going through proper legal processes, a formal investigation has found.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

£60k compensation for pensioner, 91, locked away from his cat – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 22nd, 2015 in care homes, compensation, costs, detention, elderly, mental health, news, social services by sally

‘Judge says it is ‘hard to imagine a more depressing and inexcusable’ case than that of the WWII veteran taken from his home against his wishes by Essex council.’

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Daily Telegraph, 21st January 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Councils must be more proactive to prevent FGM, says top judge – The Guardian

‘Local authorities need to be “proactive and vigilant” in taking measures to prevent girls being subjected to the “great evil” of female genital mutilation, the most senior family court judge in England and Wales has said.’

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The Guardian, 14th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man banned from having sex with wife by High Court judge – Daily Telegraph

‘Bangladeshi man claims he has right under his culture to have sex with wife, who has mental age of a child, whenever he pleases and she has no right to refuse.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

National Crime Agency begins Rotherham abuse inquiry – BBC News

‘The National Crime Agency (NCA) has begun an investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.’

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BBC News, 18th December 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Failures by social services led to death of baby – The Guardian

Posted December 17th, 2014 in children, drug abuse, drug offences, families, news, pregnancy, social services by sally

‘A vulnerable baby died in Sunderland after being left in the care of her drug-addicted mother following multiple failures by social services, a review has found.’

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The Guardian, 16th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Social workers must not ‘shy away’ from adoption – top family judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 17th, 2014 in adoption, families, family courts, news, social services by sally

‘Sir James Munby seeks to head off collapse in adoption placements warning that children could be put at risk by new obsession with keeping them with relatives ‘at all costs’.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th December 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Murdered mum Natasha Trevis ‘not listened to’, report finds – BBC News

Posted December 15th, 2014 in complaints, domestic violence, murder, news, police, reports, sentencing, social services by tracey

‘A mother of three murdered by her “controlling” partner was “not listened to or heard” by the authorities, a report has found.’

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BBC News, 15th December 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Policing cuts put public safety at risk, warns Met chief – Daily Telegraph

‘The head of the Metropolitan Police has warned that large cuts to police budgets and other services will put public safety at risk.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th December 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Men who groom vulnerable young girls will be dealt with ‘severely’, judge says – The Guardian

‘The most senior judge in England and Wales today said men who prey on vulnerable young girls for sex will be dealt with “severely”, as he dismissed appeals from four paedophile groomers.’

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The Guardian, 9th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Independent Living Fund closure ruled lawful – BBC News

‘A government decision to close a fund that helps disabled people to live and work in the community has been ruled lawful by the High Court.’

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BBC News, 8th December 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

FGM: UK plan to require professionals to report suspected cases – The Guardian

Posted December 6th, 2014 in doctors, female genital mutilation, news, social services, teachers by sally

‘Campaigners against female genital mutilation (FGM) have cautiously welcomed government moves to require professionals to report suspected cases of FGM, but warned of the risk of alienating communities and forcing the practice further underground.’

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The Guardian, 5th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (J) v Worcestershire County Council (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted December 2nd, 2014 in children, law reports, local government, social services by sally

Regina (J) v Worcestershire County Council (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) [2014] EWCA Civ 1518; [2014] WLR (D) 503

‘A local authority’s power to provide services to children in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 was not limited to children who were physically present in the local authority’s area at the time when the services were provided but extended to the provision of services to children who, although physically present at the time of assessment as children in need, were outside the area at the time of provision.’

WLR Daily, 25th November 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk