J.K. Rowling to open Children's High Level Group branch in Prague

The British author J.K. Rowling is reportedly planning to open a branch of the Children's High Level Group in Prague, a charity which she co-founded two years ago. Ms Rowling discussed the project during her visit to Prague this week with the Czech Centre for the Development of Mental Health Care, the centre's director Barbora Wenigova said.

During her Prague stay Ms Rowling also met unofficially with Minister without portfolio Dzamila Stehlikova, in charge of overseeing human rights. Mrs Stehlikova said that Ms Rowling had expressed regret for her strong criticism during her campaign against caged beds in Czech institutional care. In 2004 Ms Rowling addressed the Czech government on the issue, eventually sparking the removal of such beds from mental hospitals and other institutions. Some relatives and health care workers have since complained about the changes, saying they leave clients - mostly children or the disabled - at greater risk of falling and injuring themselves.