news archive 2003

26/12/03 You want to go on holiday? It is term time sir... {guardian, via uk-he} Of course ABTA would like you to go on holiday peak season, hence their backing on this. The monumentally er successful anti-truancy battle goes on, travel agents will advise you on the law and headteachers will pass sentence on you.

23/12/03 School spy camera privacy fear {BBC}

23/12/03 Pupils 'need far more' play time {BBC}

22/12/03 Truants shop early for Christmas {BBC}

More on the waste of money that is "the truancy sweep"

12/12/03 Margaret Hodge states that HE children are not a target group {ARCH member}

27/11/03 Can IT really protect children? {arch/guardian}
Terri Dowty on the obsession the government has with tracking and databases.

26/11/03 How to waste taxpayers money {ananova}
North Tyneside have taken truancy sweeps so seriously that they do them even when the children are on holiday. Just why the penny didn't drop before they had stopped 1400 non-truants is a mystery...is there an ombudsman in the house?
25/11/03 Truancy Sweep Guidance Changes State {arch}
The DFES has changed its stance on Home Educators with regard to their involuntary participation with truancy sweeps.

03/11/03 Poll Result calls for single youth organisation {e-politix}
And it isn't Connexions?

31/10/03 Children's Rights Conference {BYC}
Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) are holding a one-day conference on November 24 2003, from 4-8pm. The conference's theme is Planning for an Independent Children's Rights Champion and will be held at Church House Conference Centre, London. Speakers include Margaret Hodge MBE MP, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, Trond Waage, Norwegian Children's Ombudsman and Peter Clarke, Children's Commissioner for Wales.

29/10/03 File not found {Guardian}
The government's plan to keep a file on every child in England, so that those at risk of abuse, neglect or deprivation can be helped before they reach crisis point, has swiftly become mired in legal confusion and technical difficulties...

See also The Guardian 24/10/03 article

09/10/03 CRAE publishes annual children's rights report {CRAE}

The govt's performance on Children's Rights in review, not by the government.

03/10/03 Labour's big idea: childcare centres at all primary schools {Independent}

The Brave New World plan starts to show through the cracks…

03/10/03 Cherie attacks Blunkett plan {Independent}

Unlikely to cause a "marital" but at least someone might be getting the point...

28/09/03 Scottish Schoolchildren to be issued with ID cards {The Scotsman}

More evidence of the govt obsession with ID cards and tracking emerged today with the report above. Another good example of the "try it in Scotland first" idea. Just an aside, the Entitlement Card Unit have yet to publish the analysis of responses to the UK ID card consultation, they refuse to give a date too.

25/09/03 Local Authorities to create national database on children {Guardian}

He (Charles Clarke) said that if there is information , it has to be made available.

What Mr Clarke failed to say was that that information will be made available to organisations such as Connexions, and if you don't know who they have in their fold, see our Issues page on them! This move to get round the "national database" issue, puts the onus on local authorities to do the dirty work, they of course will seek additional funding...er…..from you and me then. 11 million names, no guarantee how and when that information will be used, verified or deleted. Hmm, sounds like an ID scheme…

See the "Every Child Matters" paper (link on our Consultations page) with its many references to Victoria Climbie, now being sadly used as a reason to presume that "professional agencies" know best...even when Lord Laming said they didn't.

15/09/03 Audit chief challenges target culture {e-politix}

The head of the Audit Commission has again criticised the government's strategy of using targets to improve public services.

Chairman James Strachan claimed targets for the NHS and schools often lead to "perverse consequences".

15/09/03 Cost of jailing children too high a price to pay {Nacro}

08/09/03 England get Children's Commissioner {e-Politix}

England is to have a watchdog to safeguard children's rights, under new plans published by the government on Monday.

"Professionals will be able to share information and respond quicker to warning signs. We want to see children's trusts across most of the country by 2006. " -Margaret Hodge MP

View the Green Paper (link supplied by ARCH member)

19/08/03 Anti-Social Behaviour Bill could be law by October

http://www.childsoc.org.uk/campaigns/index_campaigns.html

16/08/03 Disruptive youths "frozen out" of education {e-Politix}

For the full Prince's Trust report click here

Read the press release by clicking here

23/07/03 Truancy clampdown failing say MPs

MPs have demanded ministers produce a plan of action to cut truancy rates.

The Commons education select committee said in that the failure to tackle the problem was a "matter of great concern". {e-Politix}

22/07/03 MPs slam targets culture

The government's targets culture is jeopardising standards in public services, a scathing Commons report has said. {e-Politix}

18/07/03 Anti-Social Behaviour Bill could breach Human Rights

Campaigners have warned that government plans to clamp down on unruly youngsters could breach human rights laws. The planned expansion of police powers was branded a "nationwide curfew on young people" by QC Anthony Jennings. The bill is facing opposition in the House of Lords. {e-Politix}

17/07/03 Charles Clarke has outlined plans to overhaul school spending to avoid a repeat of this year's cash crisis. {e-Politix}

17/07/03 Parents are to be given vouchers to "buy" state education in a school of their choice under plans set out by the Conservatives. {Tory party}

16/07/03 New Scottish Draft Guidance released for consultation {Scot exec}

14/07/03 School Tests Breach UN Convention says Envoy {Guardian}

14/07/03 Electoral Commission begins review on lowering voting age

The Electoral Commission launches a consultation on the minimum age for voting and candidacy in UK elections.

13/07/03 Daniel has been expelled from three schools. And he's only six... {Independent}

13/07/03 Frank Furedi: A long, hot summer of scare-mongering {Independent}31/01/03 Challenge to Truancy Conviction

30/01/03 High Court Ruling

31/01/03 New Warning from Exam Boss

31/01/03 Minister says Parents to Blame for Failing School Discipline

06/01/03 Legal Challenge to School Detention

23/01/03 Questions at Westminster Hall - Youth Policy