In the news
News Archive
February 2010
Problem children should be helped, not excluded, says schools report
February 2010
The study, by the thinktank Demos, says that difficult children are being pushed out of schools too often and finds that exclusions do not solve behavioural problems. Instead, they are linked to very poor results and in three out of four cases relate to children with special educational needs who should receive additional support. The report finds that 27% of children with autism have been excluded from school.
Anushka Asthana, Policy Editor, The Observer, Sunday February 28th 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/feb/28/school-exclusions-abolish-demos
Balls promises special needs support
February 2010
Parents of children with special educational needs will be given information and advice, while teachers will get training.
Ministers today promised a helpline and extra support for parents of children with special educational needs.
A government-commissioned inquiry, published in December, found parents of children with special needs, from dyslexia to autism, felt let down by England's education system. The education secretary, Ed Balls, has admitted parents have often told him that they have to "fight the system" to get the help their children require.
In response to the inquiry, Balls pledged to improve the information and advice parents are given on special needs and to establish a national helpline in April……
Jessica Shepherd, The Guardian, Wednesday February 24th 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/feb/24/balls-promises-special-needs-support
Google executives convicted in Italy over abuse video
February 2010
Google says it is 'deeply troubled' by conviction of three officials on privacy charges over bullying video hosted on site.
Google responded furiously today after an Italian court found three of its executives guilty of violating the privacy of a child with autism who was shown being bullied in a video posted on its site.
The company vowed to appeal against the ruling, which it described as "an attack on the fundamental principles of freedom on which the internet was built". The three executives were given six-month suspended sentences.
The two prosecutors who brought the case against the US-based firm praised the ruling for protecting personal interest above corporate profit.
John Hooper (in Rome), The Guardian, Wednesday February 24th 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/feb/24/google-video-italy-privacy-convictions
MMR vaccine doctor Andrew Wakefield quits autism centre
February 2010
Controversial medic steps down from facility he founded in Texas.
Andrew Wakefield, the doctor whose research triggered a health scare over the MMR vaccine in Britain, has resigned from the autism centre he founded in Texas.
His resignation follows disciplinary hearings at the General Medical Council in London last month which ruled he acted dishonestly and irresponsibly over a 1998 paper in the Lancet medical journal which claimed to have found a link between the MMR jab, bowel disease and autism.
The research prompted a slump in the number of children administered the jab for measles, mumps and rubella. At the time of his research Wakefield was working at the Royal Free hospital school in London.
Aidan Jones, The Guardian, Friday February 19th 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/feb/19/wakefield-quits-texas-autism-centre
Fast-forward to integrated public services
February 2010
The financial squeeze has added impetus to the drive for more personalised services in health and social care
Ministers have short-circuited a pilot programme, with more than a year still to run, and told all English local health and social care agencies to go ahead now with projects that explore the potential of integration to deliver better, flexible and personalised services.
"We have got to make people do this in all areas," says Phil Hope, care services minister. "The pressures coming on budgets over the next few years will drive it. It's no longer a case of, 'We have a problem – let's put another layer of financial icing on the public services cake.' Those days have gone. We have got to rebake the cake."
David Brindle, The Guardian, Wednesday February 17th 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/feb/17/integrated-health-social-care-go-ahead
