Thousands of Scottish children are being put at risk by nurseries and childminders that are allowed to remain in business despite repeatedly failing to meet basic standards of childcare.

A WISHAW man has been awarded a New Year honour for his services to campaigning and awareness-raising. James McKillop (70), is the founding member of the Scottish Dementia Working Group (SDWG).

An elderly woman was found dead in her home just days after social workers and neighbours held emergency talks to discuss their worries about her welfare.

NEARLY 100 babies in the Lothians are on the child protection register – before they are even born. It has emerged that across the area there are 96 infants who have been flagged up as a concern to social workers while in the womb.

CAMBUSLANG Community Carers are facing a bleak future despite the commitment shown throughout the recent spell of freezing weather.

A CARDROSS care home is celebrating being upgraded to a four star site – after being set to close less than a year ago.

CHILDREN in Scotland are growing up with a catalogue of mental health problems, including panic attacks, self-harm and depression.

More than 40,000 families in Scotland are set to lose an average of £420 a year towards their childcare costs thanks to tax changes that come into force in three months.

A NEW website has been developed for gay health workers in the Lothians. With the help of charity Stonewall, NHS Lothian developed the page on its intranet system to increase its profile as an employer sympathetic to gay, lesbian and transvestite workers.

THE number of people seeking help because they are addicted to the prescription drug diazepam is on the rise in the Lothians.