Latest news with #JeremyWilson
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Adoptive therapy funding cuts 'cruel'
A father has described government cuts to therapy funding for adopted children as "extremely cruel". Jeremy Wilson, from Somerset, has three adopted children and said if he'd known about the funding, it would have been "so helpful" for their upbringing. The government announced in April that the adoption and special guardianship support fund would be cut by 40% per child, to £3,000. The Department for Education said the decisions it had taken "will ensure the fund is financially sustainable to allow more vulnerable children to access targeted support". More news stories for Somerset Listen to the latest news for Somerset Mr Wilson, who lives near Bridgwater, with his wife Clare, said: "Therapy for adopted children is vitally important. "They have suffered so much harm and damage to get to the point of being adopted – some assistance is vital for their wellbeing. "I understand the need to balance costs by the government, but at the same time we need to prioritise which services should or shouldn't be cut. "I think this is an easy option, the adoptive children are part of a forgotten group." Last year, each eligible child could access £2,500 for specialist assessment and £5,000 for therapy. But the separate funding for specialist assessment has now been axed and the therapy limit has been cut to £3,000 per year. Nearly 20,000 children received support through the scheme last year, up from around 13,000 in 2019/20. Campaigners have said that many of these children rely on therapeutic support to help build secure attachments, increase self confidence, and to identify the necessary support functions needed to be put in place in education and family life. Alison Woodhead, from Adoption UK, said: "These are kids who have been abused or neglected and these things have a lasting impact. "The decision to cut this fund is just wrong". A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We know how important this support is to families – and through our Plan for Change, we're committed to ensuring adopted and kinship families continue to receive the help they need to thrive." It said that the fair access limit has been set at £3,000 for 2025-26, in line with the average cost of services for most families, adding that more than half of therapy applications already fell within this limit in 2024-25. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Adoptive therapy funding cuts 'disgusting' - mother Charities criticise 'distressing' cuts to adoption fund
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Adoptive therapy funding cuts 'cruel'
A father has described government cuts to therapy funding for adopted children as "extremely cruel". Jeremy Wilson, from Somerset, has three adopted children and said if he'd known about the funding, it would have been "so helpful" for their upbringing. The government announced in April that the adoption and special guardianship support fund would be cut by 40% per child, to £3,000. The Department for Education said the decisions it had taken "will ensure the fund is financially sustainable to allow more vulnerable children to access targeted support". More news stories for Somerset Listen to the latest news for Somerset Mr Wilson, who lives near Bridgwater, with his wife Clare, said: "Therapy for adopted children is vitally important. "They have suffered so much harm and damage to get to the point of being adopted – some assistance is vital for their wellbeing. "I understand the need to balance costs by the government, but at the same time we need to prioritise which services should or shouldn't be cut. "I think this is an easy option, the adoptive children are part of a forgotten group." Last year, each eligible child could access £2,500 for specialist assessment and £5,000 for therapy. But the separate funding for specialist assessment has now been axed and the therapy limit has been cut to £3,000 per year. Nearly 20,000 children received support through the scheme last year, up from around 13,000 in 2019/20. Campaigners have said that many of these children rely on therapeutic support to help build secure attachments, increase self confidence, and to identify the necessary support functions needed to be put in place in education and family life. Alison Woodhead, from Adoption UK, said: "These are kids who have been abused or neglected and these things have a lasting impact. "The decision to cut this fund is just wrong". A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We know how important this support is to families – and through our Plan for Change, we're committed to ensuring adopted and kinship families continue to receive the help they need to thrive." It said that the fair access limit has been set at £3,000 for 2025-26, in line with the average cost of services for most families, adding that more than half of therapy applications already fell within this limit in 2024-25. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Adoptive therapy funding cuts 'disgusting' - mother Charities criticise 'distressing' cuts to adoption fund
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Adoptive therapy funding cuts 'cruel', says Somerset father
A father has described government cuts to therapy funding for adopted children as "extremely cruel".Jeremy Wilson, from Somerset, has three adopted children and said if he'd known about the funding, it would have been "so helpful" for their government announced in April that the adoption and special guardianship support fund would be cut by 40% per child, to £3, Department for Education said the decisions it had taken "will ensure the fund is financially sustainable to allow more vulnerable children to access targeted support". Mr Wilson, who lives near Bridgwater, with his wife Clare, said: "Therapy for adopted children is vitally important."They have suffered so much harm and damage to get to the point of being adopted – some assistance is vital for their wellbeing."I understand the need to balance costs by the government, but at the same time we need to prioritise which services should or shouldn't be cut."I think this is an easy option, the adoptive children are part of a forgotten group." 'Just wrong' Last year, each eligible child could access £2,500 for specialist assessment and £5,000 for therapy. But the separate funding for specialist assessment has now been axed and the therapy limit has been cut to £3,000 per 20,000 children received support through the scheme last year, up from around 13,000 in 2019/20. Campaigners have said that many of these children rely on therapeutic support to help build secure attachments, increase self confidence, and to identify the necessary support functions needed to be put in place in education and family Woodhead, from Adoption UK, said: "These are kids who have been abused or neglected and these things have a lasting impact."The decision to cut this fund is just wrong".A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We know how important this support is to families – and through our Plan for Change, we're committed to ensuring adopted and kinship families continue to receive the help they need to thrive."It said that the fair access limit has been set at £3,000 for 2025-26, in line with the average cost of services for most families, adding that more than half of therapy applications already fell within this limit in 2024-25.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Mysterious' new Aussie spider discovered inside 'strange' burrow near outback creek
Deep in outback Australia, a group of scientists has discovered a mysterious new type of spider. Only 12 species of Kwonkan spider have been officially described and little is known about why each type fashions itself a unique and "strange-looking" burrow. The new spider, named Kwonkan nemoralis, was found during an expedition to Western Australia's remote Kimberley region. Arachnologist Dr Jeremy Wilson didn't find it in the dry grassy savannahs the region is known for, but deep down in a gorge that shelters lush rainforest. 'These wetter patches of forest are only small, and they're usually in areas that are sheltered by the gorge. When you go into them it's an entirely different environment. It's wet, and there's a whole different series of plants,' he said. 'We were walking along a little creek line and it was in its sandy banks that we started seeing these small, circular burrows.' The burrow built by Kwonkan nemoralis was encircled by grains of sand held together with silk, and it was unlike anything Wilson had seen. The moment the burrow's rim is disturbed it collapses and closes over the burrow, and the sand blends in with the rest of the landscape making the entrance virtually invisible. 'Kwonkan are an understudied and mysterious group of spiders… One of the questions we often ask ourselves is why they build these strange trapdoors and modified entrances,' Wilson said. Related: Millions amazed by man's 'special' encounter with spider One hypothesis about the spider burrows is that they act as a tool to avoid predation while simultaneously helping them access food. 'If they begin to specialise on a certain prey type it could lead them to build a burrow that opens at a particular region. Some of them might go up the side of trees if it gives them access to a certain type of prey that's moving along the bark,' Wilson said. Many of the homes created by Kwonkan species are surrounded by collars of pebbles, but others have large turrets that stretch up into spinifex grass. The purpose-built structures are likely useful at keeping the spiders dry during flood events, which can happen suddenly in arid areas. ☠️ Anger as Anthony Albanese accused of signing endangered species' 'death warrant' 🌳 Simple solution to protect migrating Aussie bird as numbers plummet 🐨 Koala wearing mysterious devices on busy road sparks concern Kwonkan nemoralis is around the size of a 20-cent coin, but little is known of its behaviour. In general the female spiders spend their lives inside burrows and are rarely seen, while males disperse when they reach adulthood in search of a mate, and then die after breeding is complete. Specimens of Kwonkan nemoralis was collected during an expedition in 2022. It was one of two new species described by the team led by Wilson, who is a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Western Australia and a research associate of the Western Australian Museum. The results were published in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy this month. The other was Kwonkan fluctellus which was described using specimens held by the Western Australian Museum. Wilson has revealed that details of more spiders in the genus will soon be announced. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
