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SAFER SOCIETY NEWS SAFER SOCIETYVulnerablechildren There were 31,600children on childprotection registerson 31 March 1998,according toDepartment of Healthstatistics publishedon 29 October. 8,000 (25%) of thechildren on theregisters at the endof the year were alsobeing looked after bylocal authorities. According to‘Modernising SocialServices’, in1997/98, 91 childrendied or sufferedserious injury at thehands of adultabusers. In someauthorities, as few as25% of young peopleleave care with anyeducationalqualification. One in fourchildren looked afteraged 14-16 do notattend schoolregularly and manyhave been excludedand have no regulareducationalplacement. According to ‘TheSchools’ Census for1998’, there were12,700 permanentexclusions fromprimary, secondaryand special schoolsin 1996/97, anincrease of 2% on theprevious year.as a cost saving measureby local authorities.’This, says the response,‘is alarming. Themajority of ordinaryfamilies continue toprovide a substantialmeasure of support totheir children until theyreach at least 18; theaverage age at whichyoung people now leavehome for independenceis estimated to be 22.Moreover, care leaversare likely to be rathermore dependent thanothers at that age inview of their personaland educationalhistories.’ TheGovernment iscommitted to reversingthis trend. Research on ‘Caringfor Children Away fromHome’, published on 18November, confirmeddoubts about theefficacy of some parts ofthe residential sector.Two-fifths of the childrenin residence say theyhave been bullied in therecent past; one in sevensay they have beentaken advantage ofsexually by anotherresident; two-thirds saythey have been unhappyin the recent past andtwo-fifths say they havecontemplated suicide.The report containsrecommendations toimprove standards andtackle abuse in children’shomes.MODERNISING SOCIAL SERVICES:PROMOTING INDEPENDENCE,IMPROVING PROTECTION, RAISINGSTANDARDS is available from TheStationery Office. Price £14.50and on the Internet on:http\\www.officialdocuments.co.uk\document\cm41\4169\4169.htmAn Executive Summary isavailable free from theDepartment of Health, PO Box410, Wetherby, West YorkshireLS23 7LN. The summary and a A5popular version are on theInternet on:http\\www.doh.gov.uk\scg\wpaper.htmTHE GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSETO THE CHILDREN’S SAFEGUARDREVIEW is available from TheStationery Office. Price £4.50.CARING FOR CHILDREN AWAYFROM HOME - MESSAGES FROMRESEARCH is available from JohnWiley and Sons. Price £13.99.Child prostitutesto be treatedas victimsChild prostitutes will betreated as victims ofabuse under joint HomeOffice and Departmentof Health guidance,published on 29December. The guidanceaims to: safeguard andpromote the welfare ofthe children; encouragethe investigation andprosecution of criminalactivities by those whoabuse and coercechildren in prostitution;and establish that theprimary lawenforcement effort mustbe against abusers andcoercers. The Governmentpublished the SexualOffences (Amendment)Bill on 17 December tocreate a new offence ofabuse of trust, whichwill apply where aperson aged 18 or over,in specifiedcircumstances, hassexual intercourse orengages in any othersexual activity with ortowards a person underthat age, if the olderperson is in a positionof trust over theyounger person.The offence is intendedto protect 16 and 17year olds in potentiallyvulnerablecircumstances,including detention orresidential care, orwhere the relationshipof trust is particularlystrong, such as inschools.The Bill also equalisesthe age of consent forhomosexuals from 18 to16 in England, Walesand Scotland (and 17 inNorthern Ireland).Criminalrecord checksannouncedThe Governmentannounced plans on 14December 1998 toimplement Part V of thePolice Act 1997 whichwill mean that allemployers will be ableto obtain the records ofjob applicants. Underthe Act, a CriminalRecords Bureau will beestablished inMerseyside under themanagement of theUnited KingdomPassport Agency. Thecore work of examiningrecords and issuingcertificates will behandled by civilservants.This will take about twoyears to set up. Onceestablished, allemployers will be ableto find out whether jobapplicants have acriminal record, eitherby requiring theapplicants to run acheck on themselves or,in some instances, byrunning the checkdirectly.The Bureau will be selffinancing.All applicantsfor certificates from theagency will be requiredto pay a fee which theGovernment estimateswill vary from between£5 and £10.The Government willphase in checks. Prioritywill be given to theissue of certificates forNACRO SAFER SOCIETY MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 1999 6