Charity Fostering Network has warned that more than 4,200 new foster carers will be needed in England in the next 12 months. It says the increase is vital to stop children being shunted from home to home, sometimes a long

Average council tax bills could be slashed by £40 if town halls shaved ten per cent off low-priority budgets. The claim was made the TaxPayers’ Alliance which has launched a Ten Per Cent challenge. The lobby group wants to see

The dreaded parents’ evening could be a thing of the past if education secretary Ed Balls gets his way. The cabinet minister is urging schools to explore other ways of communicating with the families of its pupils as the popularity

If we saw a bit of sunshine now and then we might be more aware of it! Despite our often dismal climate we are still at risk of skin cancer and long-term damage through those burning rays. Even cloudy days

What is the appeal of driving along the road towing a sardine can on wheels behind you? Try reading this article by Chris Rundle. Useful websites: National Caravan Council; Camping and caravanning UK.

Is this the information age, or the misinformation age? Would you be able to spot an e-mail or internet scam before falling for its charm? Many people forward chain e-mails which threaten a curse if you don’t. Others can unleash

Councils up and down the country run after-school play schemes and school holiday schemes for the youngsters. But what sort of children go along each night after school – and what do they get up to? Most of the people

The world’s eyes (well, some eyes in this country, at least) are on Kerry Katona to see how she sheds those extra pregnancy pounds. Many celebrity mums make the rest of the world green with envy at the speed with

Charles Dickens’ writing table and chair which he used to pen Great Expectations are due to go under the auctioneer’s hammer. Reports suggest that the sale, at Christie’s in June, could raise anything up to £80,000, proceeds of which will

A new £218m scheme to address the causes of juvenile delinquency has been revealed. The project will see children as young as ten receive one-to-one sessions with specialist case workers. They will also have to sign so-called ‘good behaviour’ contracts

The UK’s leading dental charity is appealing to the Government to include boys in a planned vaccination program to guard against the sexually transmitted HPV virus – after mouth cancer deaths related to the virus reached their highest ever level.

Losing a pet is distressing and knowing where to look, who to contact and how to find your pet can be daunting. The Kennel Club – has a free guide What To Do If You Lose Your Pet which gives

What makes a charity popular? Is it personal involvement where a cause touches someone’s life? Could it be slick advertising or just something that people identify with? Some people give to just one charity while others hand over £1 whenever

What’s the real story behind the NHS on your patch? Some horror stories never see the light of day. Balance some of the miracle cures for kids stories by checking out his website: www.nhsexposed.com.

The rising price of property is constantly making the local and national news. But it’s much less common to see reports about house prices falling. A new website called Property Snake details just that information. Simply punch a postcode from

Stamp duty for first-time house buyers has almost doubled in just five years, according to new figures. The average bill is now £1,751 for those seeking their first property. The most expensive areas are London and the south-east of England.