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http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0461.htm
As devoted foster parents, Vincent and Pauline Matherick have provided a stable family home for almost 30 vulnerable children. But the couple’s latest foster son is being taken away from them by social workers because they have refused to promote homosexuality. They say that to do so would go against their Christian faith. The 11-year-old boy, who has been in their care for two years, will be placed in a council hostel this week and the Mathericks will be given no more children to look after. The devastated couple, who have three grown up children of their own, first became foster parents in 2001 and have since cared for 28 children at their home in Chard, Somerset. Earlier this year, Somerset County Council’s social services department asked them to sign a contract to implement Labour’s new Sexual Orientation Regulations, part of the Equality Act 2006, which make discrimination on the grounds of sexuality illegal. Officials told the couple they would be required to discuss same-sex relationships with children as young as 11 and tell them that gay partnerships were just as acceptable as heterosexual marriages. They could also be required to take teenagers to gay association meetings. When the Mathericks objected, they were told they would be taken off the register of foster parents if they refused to comply with the new rules. The Mathericks have decided to resign rather than face the humiliation of being expelled. Mr Matherick, a 65-year-old retired travel agent and a primary school governor, said: “I simply could not agree to do it because it is against my central beliefs.
Archive for October 23rd, 2007
Full Story:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0460.htm
A nationwide initiative teaching eight- to 11-year-olds about the dangers of cyberbullying on social networking websites launched today. The digital initiative, launched by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, the national body given the task of tackling child sex abuse online, features a cybercafe that aims to teach children about internet safety. “What we have learned from children and teachers alike is that children as young as eight are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their use of the internet,” said Jim Gamble, the chief executive of the CEOP Centre. “But where the natural, innocent naivety of children collides with the open and often unrestricted nature of the virtual world then their safety is always going to be called into question.” The cybercafe, housed within the website of the wider “ThinkuKnow” programme, introduces children to a range of characters that teach them about different types of internet communication. The character “Griff” is the overall general helper in cybercafe, “Jason” deals with web browsing, “Sunil” with email, “Ali” with online profiles, “Chloe” with using mobile phones and “Sam” with chat services. CEOP receives on average 10 reports a month relating specifically to children between the ages of eight and eleven. Mr Gamble also pointed out that according to Ofcom over 40% of this age group are “regularly” using the internet and 7% of 10-year olds have their own webcams. The first stage of the programme, launched in September last year, focused on young people between the ages of 11 and 15 years old..
Full Story:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0461.htm
As devoted foster parents, Vincent and Pauline Matherick have provided a stable family home for almost 30 vulnerable children. But the couple’s latest foster son is being taken away from them by social workers because they have refused to promote homosexuality. They say that to do so would go against their Christian faith. The 11-year-old boy, who has been in their care for two years, will be placed in a council hostel this week and the Mathericks will be given no more children to look after. The devastated couple, who have three grown up children of their own, first became foster parents in 2001 and have since cared for 28 children at their home in Chard, Somerset. Earlier this year, Somerset County Council’s social services department asked them to sign a contract to implement Labour’s new Sexual Orientation Regulations, part of the Equality Act 2006, which make discrimination on the grounds of sexuality illegal. Officials told the couple they would be required to discuss same-sex relationships with children as young as 11 and tell them that gay partnerships were just as acceptable as heterosexual marriages. They could also be required to take teenagers to gay association meetings. When the Mathericks objected, they were told they would be taken off the register of foster parents if they refused to comply with the new rules. The Mathericks have decided to resign rather than face the humiliation of being expelled. Mr Matherick, a 65-year-old retired travel agent and a primary school governor, said: “I simply could not agree to do it because it is against my central beliefs.
Full Story:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0460.htm
A nationwide initiative teaching eight- to 11-year-olds about the dangers of cyberbullying on social networking websites launched today. The digital initiative, launched by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, the national body given the task of tackling child sex abuse online, features a cybercafe that aims to teach children about internet safety. “What we have learned from children and teachers alike is that children as young as eight are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their use of the internet,” said Jim Gamble, the chief executive of the CEOP Centre. “But where the natural, innocent naivety of children collides with the open and often unrestricted nature of the virtual world then their safety is always going to be called into question.” The cybercafe, housed within the website of the wider “ThinkuKnow” programme, introduces children to a range of characters that teach them about different types of internet communication. The character “Griff” is the overall general helper in cybercafe, “Jason” deals with web browsing, “Sunil” with email, “Ali” with online profiles, “Chloe” with using mobile phones and “Sam” with chat services. CEOP receives on average 10 reports a month relating specifically to children between the ages of eight and eleven. Mr Gamble also pointed out that according to Ofcom over 40% of this age group are “regularly” using the internet and 7% of 10-year olds have their own webcams. The first stage of the programme, launched in September last year, focused on young people between the ages of 11 and 15 years old..
Full Story:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0459.htm
Child protection will be discussed at a major two-day conference opening today in Kilkenny.
The “Sharing the Task, Achieving Child Protection and Welfare through Inter-Agency Working” conference will begin this morning in the Ormonde Hotel.
Hosted by the Children Acts Advisory Board (CAAB), the conference will also discuss the child and the Irish Constitution, children and the family courts, and supporting families of those in custody.
Speakers will include Dr Carol Coulter, from the Courts Service, and Sylda Langford, director general from the office of the Minister for Children.
Full Story:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0458.htm
The UK population will increase by a third, to 81million, in the lifetime of children born today, experts predict. They say the rise, fuelled by immigration and higher birth rates, will put enormous strain on schools, hospitals and other public services. The forecast of a 21million increase by 2074 comes from economics professor Robert Rowthorn of Cambridge University. In evidence to Parliament, he said: “Large-scale immigration will lead to a rapid and sustained growth in population, with negative economic and environmental consequences in the form of overcrowding, congestion, pressure on housing and public services and loss of environmental amenities. “It also undermines the labour market position of the most vulnerable and least skilled sections of the local workforce, including many in the ethnic minority population, who must compete against the immigrants.” The professor also said there was no evidence to back the Government’s ecomomic case for allowing large numbers of people to move here. Professor Rowthorn says immigration is currently adding 205,000 to the population every year. Migrants are mostly young and many start families here. These two factors alone, he said, would take the population to 77million by 2074. But even this could be an under-estimate, he believes, as fertility rates in the UK are increasing – itself partly the result of migrants having more children. Once this is factored in, the population projection reaches 81million by 2074.
Full Story:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0458.htm
The UK population will increase by a third, to 81million, in the lifetime of children born today, experts predict. They say the rise, fuelled by immigration and higher birth rates, will put enormous strain on schools, hospitals and other public services. The forecast of a 21million increase by 2074 comes from economics professor Robert Rowthorn of Cambridge University. In evidence to Parliament, he said: “Large-scale immigration will lead to a rapid and sustained growth in population, with negative economic and environmental consequences in the form of overcrowding, congestion, pressure on housing and public services and loss of environmental amenities. “It also undermines the labour market position of the most vulnerable and least skilled sections of the local workforce, including many in the ethnic minority population, who must compete against the immigrants.” The professor also said there was no evidence to back the Government’s ecomomic case for allowing large numbers of people to move here. Professor Rowthorn says immigration is currently adding 205,000 to the population every year. Migrants are mostly young and many start families here. These two factors alone, he said, would take the population to 77million by 2074. But even this could be an under-estimate, he believes, as fertility rates in the UK are increasing – itself partly the result of migrants having more children. Once this is factored in, the population projection reaches 81million by 2074.
Full Story:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0458.htm
The UK population will increase by a third, to 81million, in the lifetime of children born today, experts predict. They say the rise, fuelled by immigration and higher birth rates, will put enormous strain on schools, hospitals and other public services. The forecast of a 21million increase by 2074 comes from economics professor Robert Rowthorn of Cambridge University. In evidence to Parliament, he said: “Large-scale immigration will lead to a rapid and sustained growth in population, with negative economic and environmental consequences in the form of overcrowding, congestion, pressure on housing and public services and loss of environmental amenities. “It also undermines the labour market position of the most vulnerable and least skilled sections of the local workforce, including many in the ethnic minority population, who must compete against the immigrants.” The professor also said there was no evidence to back the Government’s ecomomic case for allowing large numbers of people to move here. Professor Rowthorn says immigration is currently adding 205,000 to the population every year. Migrants are mostly young and many start families here. These two factors alone, he said, would take the population to 77million by 2074. But even this could be an under-estimate, he believes, as fertility rates in the UK are increasing – itself partly the result of migrants having more children. Once this is factored in, the population projection reaches 81million by 2074.
Abuse fight targets social sites
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http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0457.htm
Social networking sites are being urged to do more to protect young people. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (CEOP) wants the sites to install its “report abuse” button that connects people to police. CEOP research shows some sex offenders are starting to use social network sites, such as MySpace, Bebo and Facebook, to seek out victims. Jim Gamble, head of CEOP, says: “The more children go on social networks, the more offenders follow them.” Direct connection The button lets people report instances when they suffer or witness inappropriate sexual contact. In August 2006 Microsoft agreed to put the distinctive red icon on the of its instant messenger service – MSN Messenger. CEOP research shows that, while chatrooms and instant messaging services are the main places sex offenders go in search of victims, social networks are attracting them too. Latest figures show that around one million children under 16 use Bebo, while 600,000 minors are on MySpace. The networking sites say they make it simple for users to report abuse, though those reports usually go to the site administrators rather than the authorities. Mr Gamble says that is not enough: “When you are talking about the public in jeopardy and vulnerable, they need to contact law enforcement as soon as possible.” The agency was set up in April 2006 and brings together the police, government departments and charities to combat child sex offenders.
Island care home staff suspended
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http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0456.htm
The manager and another member of staff have been suspended from a care home on Anglesey after a “series of failings”. Regard Partnership Ltd which runs the Beudygwyn Farm care home at Amlwch said it regretted any lapses in care and would not tolerate any failings. The Care and Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (CSSIW) said it had imposed conditions at the home. Anglesey Council confirmed it had withdrawn six residents from the home for vulnerable adults. A council spokesman said social services and the CSSIW were investigating care practices at the home. “As this investigation is currently on-going, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time,” he added. The CSSIW confirmed it was working with other agencies under procedures for protecting vulnerable adults in relation to Beudygwyn Farm. “CSSIW has to date imposed two conditions on the registration of this care home which means that there can be no further admissions until we are satisfied that the home meets the expected standards. “It has also taken out of use a part of the accommodation,” said their spokesman. “Three compliance notices have also been issued,” he added. Beudygwyn is a 12 acre non-working farm with a main four-bedded farmhouse and four cottages.
