One-in-four Scots children is living in poverty, according to a new report released today by a leading children’s charity. Barnardo’s Scotland said about 250,000 youngsters are currently living below the breadline.

Two projects on metal health devised by NHS Lothian have been chosen to help form the bones of a national campaign. The initiatives were among seven schemes from around the country chosen to help improve national policy.

A drive to recruit more foster carers is struggling to keep up with the growing number of local children who need to be taken into care. More than ever are being taken away from their parents in Edinburgh because of drink, drugs and mental health problems.

As many as 2.2 million people in the UK have given up full-time employment to care for children or other dependants in the past three years, according to a new report.

Young men in Scotland must be targeted in the fight against prostitution, according to a leading American feminist. Janice Raymond, an executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, wants schoolboys to be educated about prostitution in an attempt to shape male attitudes towards pornography and sexual exploitation from an early age.

Universities are calling for the Scottish Executive to waive tuition fees for the children of asylum seekers after it was revealed a small number of students are already being offered degree places.

Foster carers in Glasgow are refusing to take on new children until concerns are addressed over the way allegations against them are dealt with.

A 15-YEAR-OLD girl has been tagged to keep her out of a city’s red light district and save her from sexual exploitation.

Additional staff are urgently needed if social workers in Moray are to fulfil the council’s legal obligations to the public. Councillors will be told this week that an extra four social workers are required for the community care department to cope with the workload.

A nurse was jailed for 15 months yesterday and now faces deportation after tormenting dementia sufferers at a care home. Jefferey Ednalan, 34, was convicted of a catalogue of abuse including stuffing a deodorant can in the mouth of a 95-year-old man to stop him shouting and two counts of indecent assault.