WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

HO:  The problem is that terrorists only have to succeed occasionally - Verdicts of unlawful killing have been recorded in the inquests into the deaths of the 52 victims of the July 7 London bombings. 

Responding to the investigation by Lady Justice Hallett, the Home Secretary said: “Of course, no one will forget the tragic events of that day and nothing will ever be able to bring back the 52 people who were murdered.  But I do hope that the conclusion of the inquests will bring some measure of comfort to the families and all of those affected……..

'The government, emergency responders and the security & intelligence community are always looking to learn lessons and to improve the response to the terrorist threat we face.  This includes learning from the 7th July attacks and from other incidents and there have been a considerable number of improvements put in place since 2005”.
Press release ~ Inquest website with links to documents ~ Committee publishes report on scientific advice and evidence in emergencies ~ Anatomy of a Terrorist Attack: What the Coroner’s Inquests Revealed about the London Bombings ~ Related Demos press release ~ TfL comment ~ BBC: 7 July Bombings ~  Public reporting mechanism for terrorist material on the internet ~ Reporting extremism and terrorism online ~ TACT 2006 ~ HO: Counter Terrorism ~ Independent Reviewer of Counter-Terrorism Legislation ~ Office of Security and Counter terrorism ~ Counter-terrorism Science and Technology Strategy ~ Innovative Science and Technology in Counter-Terrorism - INSTINCT ~ Counter Terrorism Science & Technology Centre ~ HO: Crowded Places ~ Counter Terrorism Security Advisers (CTSAs) ~ National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) ~ Centre for the Protection of the National Infrastructure ~ The UK counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST) ~ Watch a video about CONTEST ~ Safer places: a counter-terrorism supplement ~ Safer places: the planning system and crime prevention (2004) ~ 'Insecure Skies? Challenges and Options for Change in Civil Aviation Security ~ Review of CT powers and legislation published ~ Commission presents a new set of EU measures to better protect European citizens ~ Yemen and Somalia: Terrorism, Shadow Networks and the Limitations of State-building ~ European Commission proposes common rules against home-made explosives ~  EU Counter-Terrorism policy: Commission outlines main achievements and future challenges ~ Beat terrorism - make it boring, says Demos

DfE:  Getting the right balance between ‘intrusion’ and ‘concern’ is never going to be easy - Local areas should have more freedom to develop their own effective child protection services, rather than focusing on meeting central government targets, an independent review into child protection recommends.  Professor Eileen Munro, who has conducted a wide ranging review into frontline child protection practice, concludes that a one-size-fits-all approach to child protection is preventing local areas from focusing on the child.

Her recommendations signal a radical shift from previous reforms that, while well-intentioned resulted in a tick-box culture and a loss of focus on the needs of the child.  Currently local areas are judged on how well they have carried out certain processes & procedures rather than what the end result has been for children themselves.

Professor Munro has recommended that Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) should be required to use a ‘systems approach’ for Serious Case Reviews (SCRs).  This is similar to the approach taken by the health sector and aviation industry – other high risk areas of work with very complex systems, and where safety is an absolute priority.  SCRs should consider what in the child protection system is causing professionals to make errors.
Press release ~ Munro Review of Child Protection ~ The difference between safeguarding and child protection ~ DfE: Child protection ~ Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children ~ A call to action: refreshing the vision and renewing the call to all organisations to safeguard children and young people in and through sport ~ NSPCC – Child Protection in Sport Unit  ~ Ofsted: The voice of the child: learning lessons from serious case reviews ~ Learning lessons from serious case reviews: year 2 ~ Previous report:  Learning lessons, taking action ~ Safeguarding the young and vulnerable: The Joint Chief Inspectors' recommendations and the Government's responses one year on ~ Related ScotGov press release ~ National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2010 ~ ScotGov: Child Protection ~ CQC: Safeguarding Children ~ AC: Better Safe than Sorry ~ Safeguarding Children and Young People - Roles and Competencies for Health Care Staff

Newswire – CII:  Who will be able to afford to retire? - The Chartered insurance Institute’s (CII) report, ‘An age-old problem – developing solutions for funding retirement’, estimates the UK retirement savings deficit at £9 trillion.  

Using existing data the report’s analysis provides an insight into the savings required to fund retirement once costs associated with long-term care and debt are taken into consideration.  Comment is provided by expert stakeholders from across the sector.
Press release & link to report ~ Preparing for automatic enrolment – Regulatory differences between occupational and workplace personal pensions ~ Pensions Reform – 2010 onwards ~ Pensions Bill will boost retirement savings for millions ~ ‘The Forgotten Age: Understanding Poverty and Social Exclusion in Later Life’ An Interim Report from the CSJ Older Age Working Group ~ JRF:  The material resources and well-being of older people ~ The material resources and well-being of older people ~ JRF: Older People – A Better Life  ~ ‘EHRC: Just Ageing? ~ EU: pensions ~ Click HERE and then scroll down to item -   PSPC:  Will this be ‘it’, or will they continue to ‘move the goalpost’ every couple of years?

FOS:  But will it be a ‘hollow victory’ with the banks recouping the money with other charges? - The Financial Ombudsman Service has a collection of online documents, reference materials & links – giving the background to their work on complaints involving payment protection insurance (PPI), which may be of particular interest to businesses & consumer advisers.
Press release & links ~ CAB comment on PPI situation ~ Financial Services Authority comment

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