Two private children’s home providers are suing Rochdale Council for more than £400,000 following comments made in the wake of the town’s grooming scandal. The Manchester Evening News reports that council leader Colin Lambert said Rochdale was the wrong place to put vulnerable children into care after the conviction of a predatory sex ring last May. Meadows Care and Pathfinders Childcare said the comments have resulted in eight councils pulling children out of their homes.
No further action will be taken against Paris Brown, the first youth police and crime commissioner who stepped down after a row over offensive Twitter comments. The Independent reports that following an investigation into the remarks, Kent Police will not be taking the matter further. A statement from Brown’s law firm said: "Paris and her family are pleased this matter has been brought to a close. She has had a difficult time recently, in part due to the media and inappropriate police scrutiny. She is glad to put this behind her and move on. Her family asks that the media allow her to do this and to respect the family's right to privacy."
Around half of youth service workers in Warwickshire are to lose their jobs. The Warwick Courier reports that 110 staff have been told that they must reapply for 15 full time and 41-part times roles with Warwickshire County Council. The council announced in February that the overall youth services budget would be cut from 2012/13's £2.4m to £1.1m for 2013/14.
A local councillor has resigned from the Conservative Party after making comments about immigrant school children. The Chichester Observer reports that John Cherry claimed Pakistani children would fail to “rise to the top” and some nationalities were “uncertain” what hard work is about. Cherry, a Chichester district councillor was responding to proposals by a south London academy to open a boarding school in West Sussex. Cherry said his comments had been “thoughtless and extremely foolish”.
The Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee has asked organisations that work to stop child exploitation to contribute to an inquiry on the issue. Committee convener David Stewart said: "We want to hear from people on the front line about the barriers they face on a daily basis and about what more needs to be done."
And finally, the Children's Commissioner for Wales has published an information leaflet to raise awareness about children and young people's right to consent in health settings. The South Wales Evening Post reports that the guide outlines what young people should expect from health professionals, including nurses, doctors and dentists. It also outlines their right to be involved in decisions about their health, care or treatment.
