A NORTH east Fife councillor at the centre of the row over increased home care charges has defended the policy amid calls for it to be scrapped in the wake of the Glenrothes by-election result.

SMOKERS will not be allowed to foster or adopt children below five years old under new rules approved this week by Falkirk Council. As The Falkirk Herald predicted in its front page story last week, the council this week gave its backing to revised adoption and fostering criteria which include not placing children under the age of five in the care of smokers. The council intends to bring in the new rules by the end of the year.

A senior Inverness-based social worker has been named Highland Council’s Employee of the Year. Kate Birch, the council’s children’s services manager for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, was given the award after 24 years’ service to social work in the Highlands.

EDUCATION budgets could be slashed and a raft of other services cut back after Aberdeen City Council revealed it needed to save £25 million next year.

HIGHLAND Council’s social work committee approved a new homelessness strategy today in a bid to counter homelessness. Across the region the number of households applying for homeless assistance has more than doubled since 2000.

Children living at risk of abuse or neglect are not being given adequate protection, according to a report on Aberdeen’s child protection services. Inspectors said they were particularly concerned about the numbers of children living in high risk situations with drug-abusing parents.

Smokers in Falkirk will not be able to foster children under three from next month – unless there are “exceptional circumstances”. Council members voted to implement the ban to meet guidelines outlined by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF).

Child protection officials yesterday said new screening systems meant help was now going to the most at-risk youngsters.

Record numbers of women are giving birth in prison – with the figures doubling in the past four years. In 2005 there were three babies born to women in HMP Cornton Vale, rising to five the following year and then seven last year. This year there have been six already and more are expected.

A COUNCIL cash compromise is leaving kinship carers worse off, it was claimed yesterday. According to the Kindred Spirits group, the only people the weekly £45 payment helps, are those who were coping financially anyway.