Archive for April 2025

Jessica Slice explores the challenges—and disastrous consequences—of parenting in an ableist system

In 2024, a 14-year-old boy’s suicide in Florida has spotlighted AI’s dangerous potential. His mother sued Character.AI, alleging its chatbot—disguised as Game of Thrones’ Daenerys Targaryen—normalized suicidal thoughts, engaged in hypersexualized exchanges, and mimicked a licensed therapist. The AI reportedly responded to the teen’s final message (“I’ll come home to you”) with affectionate encouragement, blurring lines between virtual and real-world harm.

This year, the legislature is considering a bill that would establish a social work and law enforcement institute at Southern Connecticut State University, where Logan now teaches. The bill sets aside $2.2 million in both 2026 and 2027 to support the program.

People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin has said Health Minister Mike Nesbitt should increase financial support for social work students.

Between 50 and 60 people working in youth social services have so far been scrapped from the official register because their papers were not in order and they may have been involved in fraud and crime, RTL has reported. The SKJ, which oversees the registration of youth care professionals, suspects that some may have forced vulnerable youngsters into crime, and says the current figure could be the tip of the iceberg. The irregularities were uncovered during spot checks of 274 certificates, with one in five people whose EVC certificate was examined removed from the register…. Most of the SKJ’s 62,000 registered social workers have a degree rather than a certificate.

Researchers have developed a new, neuroplasticity-promoting drug closely related to LSD that harnesses the psychedelic’s therapeutic power with reduced hallucinogenic potential.