social services news stories on Newser

Octo-Kids Living in Squalor?

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:47:05 CDT

Social workers visited Nadya Suleman's home last night after an official complaint—by the Octomom's own hairstylist—that her 14 children are living in "general neglect." TMZ has the pictures that triggered the investigation, and while some of the allegations are less than hard-hitting (the kids are barefoot outside?! Horrors!...

California Bans Collecting Welfare at Strip Club ATMs

Rob Quinn — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:00:00 CDT

Californian authorities learning that thousands of taxpayer dollars meant for needy families may have ended up being stuffed into thongs have banned collecting welfare at strip clubs. The establishments have been scratched from the official list of places where welfare recipients can use state-issued ATM cards to withdraw cash, the...

UK Apologizes to 'Brit Fritzl' Daughters

Rob Quinn — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:45:06 CST

British authorities publicly apologized yesterday for failing to protect two women from the violent, domineering father who raped them repeatedly over 25 years and forced them to bear 9 children. An official review of the case found the family had been in contact with 28 different social services agencies and...

DC, Catholic Church in Gay Rights Standoff

Rob Quinn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:04:55 CST

The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington has told the District of Columbia it will tear up its social service contracts to help the city's needy if it passes a proposed same-sex marriage bill next month. The bill wouldn't require the church to perform or provide space for gay marriages, but would...

Jim Brown 'Dead Wrong' for Dissing Tiger

Harry Kimball — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:01 CDT

NFL Hall of Famer and activist Jim Brown recently ripped Tiger Woods for not giving back to his community, and that’s just "dead wrong," Michael Wilbon writes in the Washington Post . Brown seems to think Woods' Learning Center in Anaheim exists to teach kids how to golf. If he did...

Cops Quiz Octuplet Mom Over Son's Black Eye

Rob Quinn — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:08:54 CDT

Police and social workers visited Nadya Suleman's home yesterday after her autistic 4-year-old son turned up at school with a black eye and bite marks, the Los Angeles Times reports. Suleman's attorney said the boy probably got the black eye in a fall and the bites were from one of...

Generous Pensions Toppling Hungarian Economy

Rob Quinn — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:56:00 CDT

Pensions are at the heart of the Hungarian financial crisis threatening to drag down the Eastern European economy, the Wall Street Journal reports. Three out of every 10 Hungarians currently collects a generous government pension, but the cost—around 10% of GDP and rising—has made the country's deficit unmanageable,...

Cutbacks Hit Faith-Based Charities as Need Rises

Nick McMaster — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:55:42 CST

The recession has hit faith-based charities hard, threatening to cut off vital services for the sick, poor, and elderly, the Washington Post reports. With state and local budgets strapped for cash, contracts and grants for the groups—including the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities—have been slashed or delayed across...

Kid UK Parents Might Be Just Fine, Thanks

Drew Nelles — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:08:23 CST

Don’t be so sure 13-year-old Alfie Patten and 15-year-old Chantelle Steadman will be bad parents for their newborn, Sarah Sands writes in the Independent . Sure, the young father “loves computer games and Manchester United,” but that “does not actually set Alfie apart from the adult male population.” The kids will...