Derby baby’s death: Court ‘disempowered’ carers of killed baby boy – BBC News

‘A baby boy who suffered head injuries inflicted by his father was refused a protection order by the courts, a serious case review has found.’

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BBC News, 24th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Supreme Court to hold expedited hearing on benefit cap next week – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 24th, 2014 in appeals, benefits, housing, news, social services, Supreme Court by tracey

‘The Supreme Court will next week hold an expedited hearing of a challenge to the Government’s introduction of the controversial “benefit cap”. The case of R on the application of SG and others (previously JS and others) (Appellants) v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Respondents) will be heard over two days on 29-30 April by a panel comprising Lady Hale, Lord Kerr, Lord Reed, Lord Carnwath and Lord Hughes.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd April 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Woman who said she had agoraphobia but led ‘globetrotting lifestyle’ jailed – The Guardian

Posted April 24th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, news, sentencing, social services by tracey

‘A woman who claimed she was trapped at home in the UK by agoraphobia but in fact led a lavish globetrotting lifestyle has been jailed for falsely claiming benefits.’

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The Guardian, 23rd April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge condemns ‘ludicrously low’ sentencing powers as benefits cheat jailed – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 24th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, judges, news, sentencing, social services by tracey

‘A judge condemned her own sentencing powers as “ludicrously low” as she ordered a woman who fraudulently claimed £40,000 in benefits to repay the money at a rate of £10 a week and said it was unlikely the total would ever be recovered.’

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Daily Telegraph, 23rd April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Father wins damages after social worker falsely accused him of abusing daughter – Daily Telegraph

‘A father was arrested and banned from seeing his six-year-old daughter after a social workers falsely accused him of child abuse.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Is Time Running Out For Section 20 of The Children Act? – Family Law Week

Posted April 17th, 2014 in birth, care orders, children, local government, news, social services, time limits by tracey

‘Julie Stather, barrister of 42 Bedford Row, examines the recent use of section 20 and considers its future in the light of the impending 26 week limit for care proceedings.’

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Family Law Week, 16th April 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Supreme Court to hear case on EU migrants and temporary inability to work – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an EU national’s appeal over a ruling that he was not eligible for housing assistance from a local authority as his inability to work was not temporary.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th April 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Closure of Hartley’s Day Centre in Shrewsbury ‘unlawful’ – BBC News

‘A council’s decision to close a day centre without proper consultation was unlawful, judges have ruled.’

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BBC News, 4th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Plan to give adopted children new identities to stop birth parents finding them – Daily Telegraph

‘Social services ask High Court to give two young children new names and even cut links with other siblings to protect them from abusive parents.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Care Proceedings: Who is Best Placed to Provide Best Evidence? – Family Law Week

‘Eleanor Battie, barrister of Crown Office Row, Brighton, asks whether the demand for speed in care proceedings is at the cost of best expert evidence.’

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Family Law Week, 1st April 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Murder of baby Callum Wilson by his mother Emma Wilson ‘could have been prevented’, review finds – The Independent

Posted April 1st, 2014 in children, health, murder, news, reports, social services by sally

‘An 11-month-old boy who was beaten to death by his mother could have been saved if health and social workers had raised the alarm about his earlier injuries, a serious case review has concluded.

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The Independent, 31st March 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge orders toddler to be returned to parents after nearly a year in care – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 1st, 2014 in care orders, child abuse, children, news, personal injuries, social services by sally

‘A little boy who suffered brain injuries after falling from a bed should be returned to his parents after being taken into care nearly a year ago amid, the High Court has ruled.’

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Daily Telegraph, 31st March 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Daniel Pelka case council branded inadequate by Ofsted – BBC News

Posted March 21st, 2014 in children, news, reports, social services by sally

‘Children’s services in Coventry – in the spotlight since four-year-old Daniel Pelka’s death – have been branded “inadequate” by Ofsted.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Disabled girl ‘lost in the system’ by Birmingham City Council for four years – BBC News

Posted March 20th, 2014 in children, disabled persons, news, ombudsmen, reports, social services by tracey

‘Birmingham City Council “singularly failed” a disabled child “lost in the system” for more than four years, the Local Government Ombudsman has ruled.’

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BBC News, 20th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mother steals identity from other pregnant mum to stop child from going into care – The Independent

Posted March 12th, 2014 in children, hospitals, identity fraud, news, pregnancy, social services by tracey

‘A pregnant woman used the identity of another woman which she had taken from a social networking site when she was giving birth, to stop authorities from removing the child from her care.’

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The Independent, 11th March 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Manuela Sykes in dementia care court victory – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2014 in anonymity, care homes, Court of Protection, mental health, news, social services by tracey

‘An 89-year-old woman who suffers from dementia and says she is “miserable” in a care home has won the first stage in a court fight to live in her own home. A Court of Protection judge has ruled Manuela Sykes can return to her flat where she has lived for 60 years on a one-month trial basis.’

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BBC News, 25th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins: Claims paedophile could have been caught sooner – BBC News

Posted February 18th, 2014 in child abuse, complaints, inquiries, news, sexual offences, social services by sally

‘Calls have been made for an inquiry into claims paedophile rock star Ian Watkins could have been caught sooner.’

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BBC News, 18th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Failures to intervene pinpointed in case of murdered four-year-old Daniel Pelka – The Guardian

Posted February 6th, 2014 in children, education, health, news, reports, social services by sally

‘Delays in information being shared by agencies, staffing problems and insufficient training led to failures to intervene in the case of a four-year-old boy beaten to death by his mother and stepfather, a report has found.’

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The Guardian, 5th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge backs claim by grandmother for financial support from council – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 30th, 2014 in costs, families, fostering, grandparents, local government, news, social services by sally

‘A grandmother has won a High Court battle with a council over the financial support she claimed she should have received to care for her 11-year-old granddaughter.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th January 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer

Philpott deaths ‘not preventable’, according to serious case review – The Guardian

Posted January 24th, 2014 in children, domestic violence, homicide, news, reports, social services by sally

‘The deaths of the six Philpott children in a house fire started by their parents “could not have been predicted or prevented”, a serious case review has found.’

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The Guardian, 24th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk