Children’s homes criticised as inadequate and unsafe

London Inspectors have found that one in ten children’s homes and dozens of fostering agencies are inadequate and failing to protect hundreds of young people (Rosemary Bennett writes).

Ofsted, which inspects the care system as well as schools, said that there were problems with managers and staff at the homes. Many lacked experience and competence. Health and safety regulations were flouted and not enough effort was made to ensure that children attended school and did their homework.

The Safeguarding Children report, produced by Ofsted and seven other inspectorates, said that there had been no progress since the children’s care system was examined three years ago.

‘Drinkers were paid £200 to claim that they had the bends’

Plymouth Managers of a centre for divers suffering from the bends paid drinkers £200 a time to claim that they were suffering from the painful condition, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

David Welsh, 50, from Plymouth, his brother Raymond, 47, from Harlow, Essex, Michael Brass, 43, from Liverpool, and James Chandler, 43, also from Liverpool, deny defrauding the NHS of almost £250,000 because trusts all over the country were billed £6,500 per “treatment”.

The court heard that some of the people “treated” for the condition, which happens when a diver surfaces too quickly, were recruited in a pub. One later admitted that he could not even swim, let alone dive. The trial continues.

Woman tickled to discover baby bat living in padded bra

Norwich A hotel receptionist found a bat nestling in the padding of the bra that she had been wearing for 4½ hours. Abbie Hawkins, 19, had no idea that the bat, the size of her hand, was there from the moment that she got dressed at 7.30am until her lunchbreak. The bra had been on the washing line the previous day. “I did not notice anything as I put my bra on,” she said. “When I was driving to work I felt a slight vibration but I though it was just my mobile.”

At midday she still felt something moving. “I plucked up the courage to investigate and I pulled out a little baby bat.” Her manager released the bat in the garden of the Holiday Inn, near Norwich airport.

Case solved as police find that wolf-whistler is a non-PC parrot

Herne Bay Police called to investigate reports of a man wolf-whistling at girls were astonished to find that a parrot was to blame. After hours of visiting houses in the area, Police Community Support Officers found the culprit when it whistled at one of the female officers.

The bird, a ten-year-old African grey called Charlie, belongs to a retired couple, Terry and Phyllis Burgoine. Mr Burgoine, 69, said that Charlie’s repertoire was not limited to wolf-whistling – he could bark like a dog and sing nursery rhymes as well.

Heads’ marking fears

Head teachers expect widespread problems with the quality of marking of this year’s national curriculum tests, after the announcement that the release of results would be delayed this year, the National Association of Head Teachers said. It expects the number of appeals about marks to rise significantly.

Death cyclist fined

A cyclist who caused a girl fatal injuries was fined £2,200 for dangerous cycling. Jason Howard, 35, of Buckingham, hit Rhiannon Bennett, 17, after shouting at her and her friends: “Move, because I’m not stopping.” Rhiannon, also of Buckingham, hit her head as she fell and died a week later.

Shoe injury payout

A woman who broke her ankle when the 2½inch heel on her shoe snapped has been awarded £7,200. Sophie King, 20, a student, bought a pair of £35 shoes three years ago from Dolcis in the Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester. The retailer admitted at Manchester County Court that the shoes were faulty.

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