A charity last night warned it was sliding deep into the red in the latest sign of financial crisis in Scotland’s voluntary sector. Cornerstone, which turns over £26million a year supporting children and adults with learning difficulties, said it could end this year with a deficit running into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

It sounded like the perfect job. After gaining a masters degree and ten years’ experience in the public sector Joanne Collins was relishing the challenge of a post at Edinburgh City Council where it was promised she would “lead the management information strategy”.

The risk of dying young is growing in Scotland despite greater wealth and major advances in healthcare. A shocking report published today reveals violence, drugs, alcohol and suicide mean men are now more likely to die in their 20s and 30s than 20 years ago.

The legal age of consent should be lowered from 16 to 14 for young people who are less than two years apart in age, according to an academic. Dr Matthew Waites, a lecturer in sociology at Glasgow University, said criminalising all consensual sexual activity up to 16 was not appropriate.

A frantic hunt for a Selkirk pensioner’s missing wheelchair ended when social work chiefs admitted they had taken it from outside his home, writes Bob Burgess.

Mental health services in Scotland are losing out financially to other parts of the health service, according to a report published yesterday.

Health workers and teachers face a hike in pension contributions of as much as 42% on top-end salaries as a result of a deal struck between the government and unions.

Children as young as three are to be assessed for anti-social tendencies under controversial plans. A new review of persistent offending suggests the radical move could give children from difficult backgrounds a better chance in life, shepherding them towards a suitable level of support.

Tough new powers to prevent the abuse of vulnerable adults are to be endorsed by MSPs. The reforms are partly driven by a case in the Borders where a woman was persistently abused by her carers.

Jack McConnell has called for a radical shake-up in Scotland’s drug rehabilitation policy after witnessing a controversial new heroin addiction treatment in action. The First Minister said that Scotland must seek to abandon the methadone programme and look instead for new, drug-free methods of kicking heroin.