Jan 18, 2019, Norwich Evening News: ‘Cliff edge’ warning as Norfolk County Council’s budget black hole widens to £70m [$90M US dollars] [https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/politics/cliff-edge-warning-as-budget-gap-at-county-hall-hits-70m-1-5857793 The financial black hole at Norfolk County Council has soared to a ‘cliff edge’ £70m, with the leader warning tough decisions lie ahead unless the government makes pledges over future funding. In September, Andrew Proctor, the Conservative leader at County Hall, said the budget gap from had been brought down to just over £45m. But less than six months later, and the gap has widened to £70m, with Mr Proctor blaming rising cost pressures on adult social care and children’s services. He said, although the government has provided one-off cash, which has plugged some gaps for next year, the picture leading up to 2022 is extremely uncertain - but a further £80m of cuts and savings could need to be made. The council is budgeting for a 2.99pc council tax increase in the coming year and 1.99pc rises in the following two years. He said: “The council is facing major financial pressures that we cannot resolve locally, solely through council tax and business rates. “These pressures include the growth in special education needs costs and the care needs of our ageing population - national issues that are affecting many other councils…. Mr Proctor said the council would be setting out a business plan for the next six years, but that “tough decisions” could have to be made unless the government provides certainty. …
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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