Welcome ...
Welcome to this my 77th electronic news bulletin.
The past week has been full of announcements to get Britain back on the path to growth, aspiration and better public services.
The newly published Protection of Freedoms Bill will protect millions of people from state intrusion and mark a return to common sense government. It delivers a commitment to restore hard-won British liberties and end the unnecessary scrutiny of law-abiding individuals.
The new Welfare Reform Bill will focus on encouraging people to get into work and reforming the welfare system to ensure that work always pays and no one can say they are better off on benefits.
The Government also announced the first payments to charities from the £100 million transition fund; this extra funding will help charities to prepare for new opportunities and help strengthen our communities.
The Secretary of State for the Environment announced her decision into the consultation on the future of forestry in England, and I am please to say the Government made the right decision by listening to the public and acting decisively but also with a view to ensuring that our forests have better protection and rights of public access in the future.
Please remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me.
You can forward the bulletin on to your friends and family, who can sign up themselves by clicking here for my website.
Best wishes and for those with children on half term, enjoy!
Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich
I have recently ...
- Visited the De Vere Catering Academy for Apprenticeships in Crewe, as part of National Apprenticeship Week, meeting with young apprentices from Bentley Motors and elsewhere within the constituency
- Held my own Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons to discuss improving educational outcomes for children in care (view here)
- Met with representatives from Connexions Cheshire & Warrington, to discuss advice and guidance services across Crewe & Nantwich
- Carried out house visits to constituents unable to attend my surgeries
- Held a Constituency Surgery at Nantwich Library
- Met with the British Youth Film Academy at Manchester Metropolitan University in Crewe, to find out what they have been doing in our area
In the Commons ...
Adjournment Debate, 'Children in Care' - Thursday, 10th February 2011
Edward Timpson: Mr Speaker, I should like to begin by thanking you for granting this short but none the less invaluable and timely debate on improving outcomes for children in care. With Eileen Munro's final report on child protection due out in April, the spotlight on looked-after children in this country is rightly intensifying, as we strive to narrow not the gap but the chasm that still exists between the...
To read the full debate click here.
Photos & Video ...
- Edward supports a local fundraising initiative for Help for Heroes
You can view all my photos and video at edwardtimpsonmp.com
MP Edward Timpson offers his expertise to help authority support cared for children
Crewe and Nantwich Chronicles
CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has been sharing his in-depth knowledge of working with cared-for children with local leaders.
There are more than 450 cared-for children in Cheshire East who are subject to care orders and voluntarily accommodated, whether that be in foster care or at home with their families.
Conservative Edward Timpson addressed the gathering of more than 20 people at Dalton House in Middlewich who are connected with virtual schools across Cheshire.
Cheshire East’s virtual school is a new development which provides training, advice and support for foster carers, teachers and social workers as well as working closely with agencies that support the children.
Mr Timpson talked about his role as chairman of an all-party parliamentary group for looked-after children and care leavers and also canvassed the views of the virtual school heads.
He has spent 30 years living with and working in the care system and is now leading an inquiry into cared-for children’s education.
His parents have fostered more than 80 children over the last 30 years, many of whom he grew up with.
Cllr Hilda Gaddum, cabinet member with responsibility for children and families, said: “This was a very productive session for Cheshire East’s Virtual School for Cared-for Children and I am extremely grateful to Mr Timpson for taking the time to address the group.
“This is a subject which is very close to his heart and is very much of concern to virtual heads in the North West. It was a useful exchange of information and ideas.”
“The session is another example of Cheshire East working with others to improve life opportunities and health for everybody in the borough.”
© 2011 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd.
Edward Timpson MP Speaks Up For Vulnerable Youngsters
Crewe Guardian
CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has continued his fight to improve the lives of children in care by securing a debate on the matter in Parliament.
Thursday's debate saw Mr Timpson make a passionate case for the early intervention and a number of other measures that he and other experts believe could improve the care system.
Mr Timpson highlighted a number of worrying statistics concerning the outcomes for children leaving the care system, including the fact that half of all prisoners under the age of twenty-five were in care.
He said: "Looked-after children are four times more likely than others to receive the help of mental health services, nine times more likely to have special needs requiring assessment, support and therapy, seven times more likely to misuse alcohol and drugs, 50 times more likely to end up in prison, 60 times more likely to become homeless, and 66 times more likely to have children of their own who will need public care."
He called these statistics 'appalling' and said that the cost to society was immeasurable.
But he emphasised that this was about improving the system.
Mr Timpson knows about the good work done first-hand, as when he was growing up his family fostered 90 children and he has two adopted brothers.
He is also a patron of the charity Home Start Central Cheshire and used the debate to highlight their work.
He said: "I would also want to highlight the superb work done by Home-Start in my Crewe and Nantwich constituency and across the country to help families struggling with the demands of very young children.
"They deserve proper and longer-term support."
He concluded that there could be no quick-fix solution, and that cross-party commitment on the matter for at least a generation would be required for the best result.
In response Tim Loughton, Parliamentary under-secretary of state for education, paid tribute to Mr Timpson’s campaigning on the matter, calling his speech 'one of the best-informed adjournment debate speeches I have heard'.
He agreed with Mr Timpson that early intervention needed to play a key role, calling it a 'top priority'.
Afterwards Mr Timpson said: “I was greatly encouraged to hear the Government's response and have a pledge that they are fully committed to improving the lives of looked after children.
“It’s good to know that we’re all pulling in the same direction in our efforts to improve the system.”
© 2001 - 2011 Newsquest Media Group
Shelter Needed For Crewe Homeless
Crewe and Nantwich Guardian
A CREWE homeless group said the area is in chronic need of shelter for those sleeping on the streets.
Homeless men over the age of 30 in the town find it harder than any other group to get the help and support they need.
That is according to new research by Crewe's Looking After The Homeless (LATH) group, which says more agencies offer support for women and young people.
LATH was set up last year to bring together charities and services already helping homeless people in Crewe.
It is now planning to open a drop-in centre and homeless shelter in the town.
A group spokesman said the most pressing need is for a shelter, with a range of facilities suitable for temporary housing of the most vulnerable group - males aged over 30.
The group is now in the early stages of planning to raise funds, find premises, staff and furniture.
The group is looking for a major partner in the enterprise, for grant support, corporate backing and help from members of the public.
There will be limited employment opportunities on offer and a committed project leader will be appointed.
Group chairman Bernard Potter said: “Our first year has seen slow but steady progress and without underestimating the enormity of the task of setting up a new shelter in the face of stringent financial controls, and budgetcut backs, we are determined to press ahead with this important project”
Another need identified by the group is for a drop-in centre offering tea, friendly chats and advice, to supplement the one run by the Salvation Army three days a week.
One of the LATH members Nick - he did not want to reveil his real name - found himself homeless when he came to Crewe a few years ago, at the age of 42.
Although well educated, and articulate, Nick felt completely abandoned, with no one to turn to, and no roof over his head, he was forced to sleep rough on the streets, wherever he could find a bit of shelter.
Eventually, by exploring every avenue he could, he came across the charities Shelter, and the SSAFA, who provided temporary shelter, physical, and emotional support, and gradually dragged him back to self respect, employment, and self sufficiency.
Nick passionately believes that the work LATH is doing is vital to help that small group of men over 30 for who these vital facilities are currently non-existent.
The LATH group was formed in December 2009 and has the support of local MP Edward Timpson .
© 2011 Newsquest Digital Media
Marathon Donation For Home-Start
Crewe and Nantwich Guradian
LOCAL MP Edward Timpson visited Crewe's Home-Start centre last week to hand over a cheque for money raised in last year’s London Marathon.
The MP completed his eighth London Marathon last April in just under four and a half hours, raising money for Home-Start and Supported Community Business.
He said: "I’m a naturally energetic person so I quite enjoyed the run but what’s most important is the money raised for these two charities.
"I’ve seen first-hand the great work they do in Crewe and Nantwich and I’m very proud to have raised money on their behalf."
Crewe-based Home-Start is a voluntary organisation, which has provided a lifeline for hundreds of troubled families for more than a decade.
Supported Community Business runs a workshop based on Crewe Gates industrial estate, which encourages people with special needs to explore the world of work and business.
The MP is a keen supporter of the work done by the two organizations and is a patron of both.
He raised over £1,000 for the charity and handed over the cheque outside his office on Victoria Street in Crewe.
Clare Robinson, of Home-Start, said: "We’d like to say a big thank you to Edward for his hard work in undertaking the London marathon and his kind donation and also for his on-going support of the work of Home-Start in Crewe and Nantwich.
“The money raised will go towards continuing our work of supporting local families with their young children, who need some additional support in.”
The MP, who hopes to run the Marathon again this year, added: “Both Home-Start and Supported Community Business do great work in our area and it is a privilege to be a patron of them both.
“Completing a marathon is a great feeling, but even better is knowing the money raised is going to really help people in need in our community here.”
© 2011 Newsquest Digital Media
Improving outcomes for children in care
ePolitix
Ahead of his adjournment debate, Edward Timpson MP outlines the need for cross-party commitment to improve outcomes for children in care.
The facts are well known: In the UK, care-leavers are far more likely to end up long-term unemployed, with poorer mental and physical health, on drugs, on the streets, in jail, or as teenage parents than their peers.
A child in care will, on average, achieve a lower level of academic achievement than a child with Special Educational Needs.
Half of all prisoners under the age of 25 were in care, and half of all prostitutes have been in care.
The cost to the state of these scandalous statistics is estimated to be five times more than if a young person had left care with good mental health, stable and strong attachments, and qualifications. The cost to society is in many ways incalculable.
Having spent the last 30 years living with and working in the care system I know that, despite the best efforts of many care professionals and foster carers, it is far from perfect. That is why, as Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Looked After Children and Care Leavers, I am determined to help make it work better.
Six areas to concentrate on should be:
• Putting children first. Strengthen the accountability structures through clearer and more transparent lines of responsibility and a greater voice for the child so that decision makers know they will have to justify all their decisions against what is best for each child in their care.
• Getting in early. Graham Allen MP and the Rt Hon Frank Field MP have made compelling cases for intervening before problems become entrenched. I agree with them but it will need a radical cultural shift in local government at a time where pressure to make savings now could out way the rewards for being bold upfront;
• Getting smarter at sharing best practice. In reality we don’t have a single care system but a fragmented number of care systems spread across local authorities. Innovative practices that have strong evidence of improving outcomes, such as the Hackney Social Work Unit model, should be rolled out across the country;
• Putting education (from 0 – 25) at the heart. Stability in education for children in care and leaving care is almost as important as their stability in placement, as well as significantly improving their prospects of getting a job and moving into independent living;
• Improving the quality of social workers. Build on the Step Up To Social Work scheme by using the Teach First model to help raise the quality, retention and status of the profession. This will only have benefits if professionals are then freed up to go out and work with families rather than filling in forms;
• Widening the range and choice of care for children. A national review of residential care strategy is long overdue.
As recent research from DEMOS and the Centre for Social Justice demonstrates, there is no quick fix.
It will need a cross-party commitment to giving real priority to children in care over a generation.
It should be viewed as a benchmark of wider societal success.
Anything less will mean this scandal continues.
© 2011 Dod's Parliamentary Communications Ltd
Crewe & Nantwich MP says crime website holds police to account
Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle
CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has welcomed the Government-inspired website – www.police.uk.
The site provides data maps showing crime and anti-social behaviour at a street-by-street level. It means everyone can see what crimes are happening on their doorstep.
The MP said: “I’m very pleased the Government has demonstrated it is serious about cutting crime and anti-social behaviour in communities.
“By providing crime data in an open format that anyone can access, even from their mobile, we can all hold the police to account. We can ensure they deal with the issues that actually matter to us locally – not those decided by a Whitehall bureaucrat.”
© Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd
Local MP Edward Timpson pledges to support heart disease services in Crewe and Nantwich
Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle
CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has pledged to support an improvement in heart disease services in the towns.
Meeting with representatives from HEART UK, Mr Timpson found out more about the importance of improving post-event care for patients.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the UK’s biggest killer, with about one in five men and one in seven women dying from the disease.
It kills about 94,000 people in the UK each year, equating to about 140 deaths in every parliamentary constituency across the country.
Mr Timpson said: “I want to thank HEART UK for raising these important issues with me and showing me a picture of heart disease services in Crewe and Nantwich.
“I'm committed to working with the local NHS and in parliament to ensure that heart disease services are coordinated and delivering for the local population.”
Wider use of clot-busting drugs has led to a reduction in mortality from CHD.
But less than 50% of patients are receiving cardiac rehabilitation – despite the fact that NICE guidelines recommend it is offered to all patients.
Mr Timpson's promise to support the development of services in Crewe and Nantwich means the area could soon be leading the way in improving these figures.
Jules Payne, chief executive of HEART UK said: “I would like to thank Edward Timpson for supporting the work of HEART UK in improving outcomes for people with heart disease.
“Coordination across the NHS, Public Health England and social care services is vital at both a national and local level to continue to deliver improved outcomes for heart disease and tackle the post-event care challenge.”
© 2011 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd.
5 ways to contact Edward Timpson
- By email: timpsone@parliament.uk
- On the web: edwardtimpsonmp.com
- By phone: 01270 501 725
- By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
- In person: Click here to see surgery times
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