BBCLouise Polkinghorne (L) and Koreen Fisher (R) attended a SEND debateThere are no quick fixes to problems faced by families with children with special educational needs and disabilities, the schools minister has said.Catherine McKinnell said the government was determined to reform the special-needs system.Some children are waiting years to find out if they qualify for support from councils, which are struggling to meet demand.MPs called for urgent action to help
Getty ImagesMen taking sodium valproate are being warned to use contraception while on the medicine, because of a "potential small increased risk" of autism and other neurodevelopmental problems for any children conceived. They should continue to do so - and cannot donate sperm - until three months after they have stopped taking the drug.Sodium valproate, prescribed under brand names including Epilim, Belvo, Convulex and Depakote, is an effective treatment for
Getty ImagesSt Catherine’s Hospice expects to lose 35 roles from its clinical staffA hospice has announced it needs to save £1.5m and cut 40 jobs in order to secure its future.The chief executive of St Catherine’s Hospice, which operates in West Sussex and Surrey, said funding of the sector needed an urgent root and branch review. Giles Tomsett said the government's contribution covered 23% of running costs and that over
BBCSafia Ahmadei has always maintained her innocenceA student nurse cleared of plotting to kidnap a baby from a neonatal ward said her experience of the justice system had left her "smashed".Safia Ahmadei was accused of "scouting" New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton for a baby she could pass off as her own.But following an 11-day trial a jury found her not guilty of attempted kidnap in just 48 minutes.Ms Ahmadei, who
Donna DunnEmily and her family were reassured her cancer was not life-threatening, but she died from complicationsWhen Emily was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, doctors told her it was a “good cancer” to have - but she died aged 18 because of the side effects of treatment.Her mum Donna Dunn from Cwmbran, Torfaen, said there were “huge holes” in support for blood cancers in Wales, while a consultant haematologist said the
ZooNation Tommy Franzen in The Mad Hatter's Tea PartyWelcome to Wonderland. The stage is set for ZooNation dance company's production of The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at London's Linbury Theatre. Over-sized cups and saucers, laden with delicious-looking treats, stand next to teapots of many colours, ready to be wheeled on for rehearsals. But there are many other props that were not featured in the much-loved tale by Lewis Carroll -
Susan AxelbyA woman who developed a rare type of cancer linked to her breast implants has warned that girls with similar implants could be "walking around like timebombs".Susan Axelby, 68, was recently paid £57,000 by Allergan Limited after she fell ill with breast-implant associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).It is thought to be one of the first payouts of this kind linked to Allergan breast implants in the UK.She had her
SuppliedMilo weighed just less than 2lbs (0.9kg) when he was bornA hospital trust has apologised to the parents of a baby who was given another mother's breast milk after being born prematurely.Melissa and Callum say they were "let down repeatedly" during their son Milo's treatment at Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) and Leicester General Hospital (LGH).Milo, who was born at 26 weeks in March, was fed stored breast milk from a
BBCJack Berman and a friend in a pub smoking section - which is under cover but also had fans Jack Berman takes a long drag and then exhales, slowly, in the covered terrace of a 150-year-old pub in a Sydney beach suburb. Around him are others like him: pub goers enjoying the winter sun, a beer glass in one hand, a cigarette in the other.On the other side of the
BBCHector is now recovering at home in Nottinghamshire with his mother Natalie and the rest of his familyA family's dream holiday turned into a nightmare when severe sunburn left a 10-year-old boy requiring hospital treatment.Hector had been enjoying a sunshine break with his loved ones in Cape Verde, when he decided he wanted to enjoy a final few hours of fun by the hotel pool before they left for the
