Young victims of trafficking—prosecution or protection? – Counsel

‘The growth in ‘county lines’ cases involving young defendants, themselves victims of trafficking, poses particular issues: practical steps that may assist practitioners and recent case law principles.’

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Counsel, January 2020

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Amara Toure: Three guilty of Walworth killing caught on doorbell camera – BBC News

Posted December 19th, 2019 in closed circuit television, murder, news, victims, young offenders, young persons by sally

‘Three men face years behind bars for their parts in the revenge killing of a teenager which was filmed by a doorbell camera.’

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BBC News, 19th December 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Advertising watchdog bans e-cigarette promotion on Instagram – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2019 in advertising, complaints, health, internet, news, ombudsmen, smoking, young persons by sally

‘British American Tobacco (BAT) and three other e-cigarette firms have been banned by the UK advertising watchdog from promoting their vaping products on public Instagram pages in a ruling described as “a huge step forward” by health campaigners.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Share of convicted children who are BAME doubles in eight years – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2019 in children, minorities, news, statistics, young persons, youth courts by sally

‘The proportion of children convicted of a crime who are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds has nearly doubled in eight years, an increase experts have described as an urgent problem.’

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The Guardian, 4th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

David Cameron’s National Citizen Service sued for £22m for breach of contract threatening youngsters’ placements – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 14th, 2019 in charities, contracts, health & safety, news, young persons by tracey

‘One of the central planks of David Cameron’s Prime Ministerial legacy is facing serious trouble, accused of putting hundreds of jobs and the hopes of thousands of young people at risk. The body that runs the National Citizen Service (NCS) – founded by Prime Minister Cameron in 2011 as a modern-day national service for school leavers – is being sued for £22 million by its largest provider of services, after it was forced to make staff redundant and cut the number of placements it runs.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Illegal work practices ‘far too common’ says think tank study – BBC News

Posted September 16th, 2019 in employment, employment tribunals, holiday pay, news, remuneration, reports, young persons by tracey

‘About one in 20 workers does not get paid holidays, while one in 10 does not get a payslip, according to a report by the Resolution Foundation think tank.’

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BBC News, 16th September 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child covert intelligence lawful, says the High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 23rd, 2019 in children, human rights, investigatory powers, news, privacy, young persons by sally

‘In rejecting the claim of Just for Kids Law, Mr Justice Supperstone affirmed that the legal framework for deploying juvenile covert human intelligence sources (JCHIS) was lawful and adequately safeguarded the child’s welfare.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd July 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Social worker struck off over sex ‘contract’ – BBC News

‘A social worker found to have groomed a vulnerable 19-year-old for sex and made him sign a “relationship contract” has been struck off.’

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BBC News, 21st June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Online pornography checks for under-18s ‘face new delay’ – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2019 in children, delay, EC law, internet, news, notification, pornography, privacy, young persons by tracey

‘An age-check scheme designed to stop under-18s viewing pornographic websites is expected to be delayed for a second time. The changes – which mean UK internet users may have to prove their age – were due to start on 15 July after already being delayed from April 2018. While the government has not officially confirmed the postponement, it is expected to announce on Thursday that the date will be pushed back again. The reason for the delay is not clear.’

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BBC News, 20th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nyall Brown death: Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust criticised – BBC News

Posted June 17th, 2019 in hospitals, inquests, mental health, news, suicide, young persons by tracey

‘A coroner has criticised a troubled mental health trust for failing a teenager who took his own life.’

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BBC News, 17th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mental health hospital where patients were secluded in unfurnished, unsafe rooms, rated inadequate by watchdog – The Independent

‘Vulnerable patients at one of England’s largest charity-run mental health hospitals were kept in unsafe seclusion rooms for excessive amounts of time and without beds, blankets or pillows, a damning report has found. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated adolescent mental health services at St Andrew’s Healthcare hospital in Northampton ”inadequate”.’

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The Independent, 6th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Capacity to tweet? – Doughty Street Chambers

‘In two judgments (Re A and Re B) Cobb J has confirmed that capacity to make decisions about internet and social media use do not form a “subset” of of a person’s ability to make decisions about care or contact. Capacity to use the internet and social media are “inextricably linked; the internet is the communication platform on which social media operates. For present purposes, it does not make sense in my judgment to treat them as different things. It would, in my judgment, be impractical and unnecessary to assess capacity separately in relation to using the internet for social communications as to using it for entertainment, education, relaxation, and/or for gathering information.”‘

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Doughty Street Chambers, 26th February 2019

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Home Secretary announces further action to target youth violence – Home Office

Posted February 12th, 2019 in crime prevention, offensive weapons, press releases, violence, young persons by tracey

‘The Home Secretary today (Monday 11 February) announced 2 new initiatives to steer vulnerable young people away from a life of serious violence.’

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Home Office, 11th February 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Care home ‘neglect’ contributed to teenager’s death, inquest rules – The Guardian

Posted February 8th, 2019 in budgets, care homes, inquests, mental health, news, suicide, young persons by sally

‘Neglect at a care home that had descended into “chaos” amid cost-cutting contributed to the death of Sophie Bennett, a mentally ill 19-year old, an inquest jury has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 7th February 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Knife crime: Suspects could be banned from social media – BBC News

Posted January 31st, 2019 in children, crime prevention, internet, news, offensive weapons, sanctions, young persons by tracey

‘New powers to control suspects thought to be carrying knives are being introduced by the government in a bid to cut rising violence. Knife Crime Prevention Orders would impose sanctions, including bans on using social media to stir up trouble. The orders would target anyone aged 12 or over suspected of being involved in knife crime – even if they have not been caught with a blade.’

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BBC News, 31st January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sports coach sexual relations law criticised over delay – BBC News

‘A proposed law to make it illegal for sports coaches to have sexual relations with 16 and 17-year-olds in their care has been “bogged down in bureaucracy”, an ex-sports minister has said.’

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BBC News, 28th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Should the UK be raising rather than lowering the voting age? – BBC News

Posted January 7th, 2019 in elections, electoral register, news, young persons by sally

‘It is 50 years since Harold Wilson’s government lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.’

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BBC News, 7th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police launch urgent review of child cadet programmes ‘being abused by officers for sexual purposes’ – The Independent

Posted December 4th, 2018 in child abuse, news, police, vetting, volunteers, young persons by tracey

‘Police forces are launching an urgent review of volunteer cadet programmes amid fears they are being used by paedophiles to gain access to children. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating several police officers who worked with cadet groups – which are for young people aged between 13 and 18 – in London and Manchester, and called for safeguarding checks across England and Wales.’

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The Independent, 4th December 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ombudsman criticises council for housing 17 year old on campsite – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 31st, 2018 in homelessness, housing, local government, news, ombudsmen, young persons by sally

‘Cornwall Council has admitted that accommodating a homeless youth on a campsite “went on for too long”, after criticism from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st October 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Welsh policy on FE provision for young people with learning difficulties “lawful” – Local Government Lawyer

‘Welsh ministers and the quango Careers Wales did not act unreasonably when they decided not to reassess the educational and training needs of a young man with a learning disability, a High Court judge has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th October 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk