Drug abusers are 10 times more likely than the overall population to suffer from dyslexia, a study by Stirling University shows. Of the addicts studied, 40% were dyslexic, compared with about 4% of the total population of Scotland.

Dundee City Council has confirmed that it is forced to divert cash from other council budgets to the social work department to ensure young lives are not put at risk.

An anti-domestic abuse poster campaign, using a different daily message on the same billboard over the course of a week, begins today as part of the Scottish Executive Campaign – Domestic Abuse, There’s No Excuse.

Shelter has been bombarded with calls from French journalists looking to learn from Scotland’s forward thinking homelessness legislation, as French politicians make moves to implement similar laws.

The number of complaints made against Edinburgh’s child care social workers has soared to nearly one a week, according to figures released today.

A former social worker who abused children in his care is appealing against his sentence. John Marshall was given a life sentence in November and told he would spend at least 12 years in jail. He admitted abusing 16 kids while he was a house parent in Glasgow care homes in the 70s.

A ChildLine Scotland base is to be set up in Edinburgh and centres in Glasgow and Aberdeen expanded. Education Minister Hugh Henry announced funding of £500,000 for the project. He said: “ChildLine gets more calls than it can handle, some just can’t get through and get the support they need. This money will change that.”

Thousands of patients who dial 999 for an ambulance will be called back by NHS 24 staff under a controversial new plan linking the two emergency services. The move, planned for the spring, would result in the least-urgent 999 cases in Scotland being dealt with by the helpline’s nurses over the phone, rather than being responded to by ambulance crews.

This Christmas it is estimated that over 65 million unwanted presents were given, including millions of toys that will be consigned to the back of a cupboard, never to be seen again. Actress Fay Ripley (star of Cold Feet and Bon Voyage) is backing the Barnardo’s Bag it Up Toy Appeal, supported by Taylor Woodrow.

Alcoholics are to be given financial advice to help them avoid the crippling debts which can hinder their path to recovery.