Arno Rabinowitz obituary

My father, Arno Rabinowitz, who has died aged 90, was a pioneering educational psychologist and a widely admired mentor, counsellor and confidant. His existence was down to a confluence of luck: his mother, Tilly, was one of three siblings evacuated from eastern Europe in the early 1920s during the pogroms against Jews. These three were “Ochberg Orphans”, fortunate recipients of the philanthropy of another émigré, the industrialist Isaac Ochberg, who enabled Jewish orphans to emigrate to safety in South Africa.Arno was born in Johannesburg, to Tilly (nee Abrahams) and Danny Rabinowitz, a hotelier. He went to school at Highlands North in Johannesburg and later studied English and politics at the University of the Witwatersrand in the 1950s

Cochlear implants make a useful addition to sign language | Letters

As a deaf researcher focused on language deprivation among deaf individuals, I am often asked about cochlear implants and their role in the lives of deaf children (The cochlear question: as the parent of a deaf baby, should I give her an implant to help her hear?, 11 December). While cochlear implants are a technological tool that provides access to sound, the critical issue is not the implant itself, but the decision to exclude signed languages from a deaf child’s upbringing.Language is a fundamental human right and the foundation of cognitive, social and emotional development. For deaf children, access to a visual language – such as American Sign Language or British Sign Language (BSL) – is essential, particularly in the early years when the brain is most receptive to language acquisition. Without this access, many deaf children can face significant delays in language development, which leads to lifelong challenges in education, employment and mental health

Breaking the social care reform logjam | Letters

The “deep reform” that social care needs (Editorial, 3 December) must break the cycle of short-term fixes and insufficient funding, which leaves the sector in a perpetual state of uncertainty – forever playing the role of Oliver Twist asking for more, yet lacking long-term security.A better-funded version of the current system won’t suffice to address the profound demographic, societal and technological shifts shaping the future. Having helped steer the Care Act into law and set up the Dilnot commission, I know how challenging it is to get long‑term reform agreed upon.Landing the cap on lifetime care costs proved nearly impossible during my time as a minister. A workable solution fell victim to a classic case of “making the best the enemy of the good”, with no consensus on what “best” meant

The Guardian view on the victims of conflict: at the end of a brutal year they need support | Editorial

Wars in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere have made 2024 a brutal and bloody 12 months. For this year’s Guardian and Observer appeal, in aid of three conflict-linked charities, we are asking readers to give out of compassion for those affected, and in the hope of promoting peace in a safer world. As well as alleviating immediate suffering, and saving lives, our voluntary-sector partners play a vital role in helping to restore civil society in places where it is devastated by conflict. Their work with children, in particular, is essential to efforts to build a better future.The year began with fierce fighting and mass displacements in southern Gaza

Pat Milner obituary

My friend Pat Milner, who has died aged 91, was one of the first student counsellors in the UK. Her career started in 1965 when she applied for a pioneering diploma course at Reading University.In a 2001 interview with her former colleague Stephen Palmer, she described it as a “road to Damascus experience”. “For the first term, I believed the theories of this man, Carl Rogers, were ludicrous and would never work,” she said. “What did he mean ‘really listen’? Of course we listened! In practice, genuineness, warmth and empathy opened up a new world of human understanding

Pop-up heart-health hubs sought for Premier League clubs in England

Premier League football clubs across England could soon offer fans a one-stop clinic, designed to scan, diagnose and treat some early signs of cardiovascular disease after a successful screening pilot.Almost one in three football supporters screened at Everton football club’s pop-up clinic this autumn were diagnosed with hypertension, the leading preventable risk factor for heart failure, heart attack and stroke.Almost one in five of those diagnosed were discovered to require emergency hospitalisation, which was averted by the immediate prescription of life-saving drugs.“We were able to test, diagnose and provide vital medication within 60 minutes – a process that can take up to six months in the NHS,” said Dr Rajiv Sankaranarayanan, consultant cardiologist and clinical lead for the Beat Breathlessness Hub, run with the Everton in the Community charity.Fans received a blood test, an AI echo heart scan and a specialist review