Articles by Date : January 01 2009 - January 31 2009

Children's and Youth Workers
We examine the size, structure and professional development of social care staff who work with young people and children. more
(08 January 2009 21:14)

Child poverty
What measures has the government taken to eradicate child poverty and how much more has to be done? more
(23 January 2009 16:18)

Mental health treatments for those who abuse alcohol
Practice Panel: social workers and a service user offer advice on a case involving excessive alcohol use and depression more
(21 January 2009 09:33)

Therapy for neglected siblings
CASE NOTES: Practitioner:  Jamie Bromfield, Caldecott Foundation Field:  Residential child care Location : Ashford, Kent .... more
(09 January 2009 10:20)

Social worker: Papers disproving GSCC charge have gone missing
A social worker facing misconduct charges has told a hearing that records proving she had carried out visits to a child in her care have gone missing. more
(30 January 2009 12:47)

Book review: Social Work and Mental Health (Third Edition)
A must-have in any social worker's library, the third edition of this excellent introduction to mental health social work policy and practice updates.... more
(21 January 2009 08:02)

Book review: Adoption Undone - A painful story of adoption breakdown
If you were in any doubt as to the difficulties faced when adopting a child from a disrupted background then this story about Lucy, a five-year-old.... more
(21 January 2009 08:01)

Book review: Adolescence and Delinquency - An Object Relations Approach
Bruce Brodie is writing from his 20 years working with troubled, delinquent 14- to 17-year-olds in a residential treatment centre in the US. Most.... more
(21 January 2009 08:01)

New launch: Dad's Space 1-2-1
Developed jointly by charity Respect and Atticmedia, Dads' Space 1-2-1 is a virtual child contact centre that provides a web-based communication.... more
(21 January 2009 08:00)

Exhibition shows positive images of learning disabilities
Mencap has created an outdoor exhibition to display some of winning photographs from its annual photo competition, Snap. more
(30 January 2009 18:41)

Tameside's older people influence local public sector services
A consultation exercise now in its 10th year allows older people to tell adult care managers in Tameside, Greater Manchester, what they expect from.... more
(30 January 2009 17:57)

Poverty and homelessness action week: a tale from the streets
To mark Poverty and Homelessness Action Week Anabel Unity Sale hears what life on the streets was like for one former homeless man. more
(30 January 2009 15:30)

Treating drug users whose partners misuse
Can relationships between drug users survive when one wants to kick their habit? Is the only solution to break up, asks Anabel Unity Sale more
(30 January 2009 11:44)

Too many children at risk in secure estate, Anne Owers says
The use of restraint on child prisoners remains high and is not always properly monitored, according to the chief inspector of prisons Anne Owers..... more
(30 January 2009 10:54)

National Autistic Society warns over Welfare Reform Bill
The National Autistic Society has warned that measures proposed in the Welfare Reform Bill could “damage the employment prospects” of more than.... more
(30 January 2009 10:44)

News round-up: Legal threat to councils over rape victims
Other headlines in today's papers include:- 'You'll never see your grandchildren again' - Social worker's warning; Arrests of teenage girls and women.... more
(30 January 2009 09:46)

Legal threat to councils over rape victims
Other headlines in today's papers include:- 'You'll never see your grandchildren again' - Social worker's warning; Arrests of teenage girls and women.... more
(30 January 2009 09:45)

Public services under threat from Whitehall cuts
Public services are under threat from a possible freeze on public spending forced on the government by the recession, according to the Institute for.... more
(29 January 2009 01:00)

Personal budgets: users to be charged percentage of cost
Councils will be allowed to pass on a percentage of the cost of services to personal budget users, under draft guidance issued by the Department of.... more
(30 January 2009 01:01)

Fury over 'paltry' rise in allowances for care home residents
Age Concern and Help the Aged have slammed the government’s decision to raise the personal expenses allowance for care home residents by just 75p more
(30 January 2009 00:01)

Karen Reissmann plumps for out of court settlement
A mental health nurse who was sacked for gross misconduct after speaking to the media has abandoned her employment tribunal for unfair dismissal in.... more
(30 January 2009 00:02)

High Court reverses CPS decision on man with mental health issues
A High Court judge has overruled prosecutors who abandoned an assault trial after judging the victim to be an “unreliable witness” due to his history.... more
(29 January 2009 13:38)

Charities urge government not to soften child poverty stance
Campaigners have called on the government not to back down from its commitment to halve child poverty by 2010 ahead of the forthcoming Child Poverty.... more
(29 January 2009 15:38)

Downturn will hit child poverty plans, ministers admit
Other stories include health chief Liam Donaldson wants to ban under-15s drinking. more
(29 January 2009 09:26)

News round-up: Downturn will hit child poverty plans
Other stories include health chief Liam Donaldson wants to ban under-15s drinking. more
(29 January 2009 09:25)

Free aftercare services under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983
Section 117 is the sore thumb of community care legislation. It obliges councils and the NHS to provide aftercare services, including a care home.... more
(29 January 2009 08:46)

Housing and Homelessness
Practice section more
(29 January 2009 08:10)

Sun agony aunt defends her place on the Social Work Taskforce
The Sun's agony aunt Deidre Sanders has defended her controversial appointment as a member of the government's Social Work Taskforce, established in.... more
(28 January 2009 15:37)

Johnson pledges £100m to abolish mixed-sex wards
Mental health and older people’s charities have welcomed the government’s £100m pledge to abolish mixed-sex accommodation on hospital wards. more
(29 January 2009 00:01)

Manager charged over care home deaths
A co-manager of a Somerset care home has been charged with murdering three elderly residents. more
(28 January 2009 15:36)

Career Clinic: What are the options after completing a masters degree?
Q: I am a psychology graduate and am considering embarking on a social work masters course but want to know more about what career options this would.... more
(28 January 2009 12:56)

Social Skirmishes
Keith Sellick looks at the art of leadership more
(28 January 2009 12:50)

Diary - A lighter take on the week
A social worker in a looked-after children team… more
(28 January 2009 12:49)

Dementia expert Victoria Metcalfe's tips for dealing with dementia
In anticipation of a new dementia strategy, Andrew Mickel talks to Anchor Trust's dementia expert about how practice in the field can be transformed.... more
(28 January 2009 12:24)

Former Remploy staff's battle to find mainstream work
Remploy employs disabled people to work in its factories but recent closures have left its workers scrambling for a decreasing supply of jobs as the.... more
(28 January 2009 12:16)

Research Realities: A ChildLine study of family relationships
The NSPCC has analysed ChildLine findings about children's experiences of family life. Researcher James Blewett summarises the findings more
(23 January 2009 12:11)

Housing support for homeless young people
Hillingdon's Safestop initiative offers safe, supported accommodation for young people who otherwise would be homeless. Siobhan O'Neill reports more
(23 January 2009 11:55)

UK and Russian social workers share disaster-planning best practice
Russian and British social workers have been exchanging ideas on how best to respond to a tragedy. Andrew Mickel spoke to some of them more
(21 January 2009 11:43)

Looked-after children who go missing
Hundreds of children who are being looked after by the state are going missing. Louise Tickle asks whether the protocols introduced after the Fred.... more
(28 January 2009 11:34)

The rise of credit unions
More people are joining credit unions as the recession bites. As high street banks encounter greater difficulties, credit unions are looking like a.... more
(23 January 2009 11:28)

CSCI: Personalisation not a reality for many with complex needs
Personalisation of services is still “patchy”, particularly for people with multiple and complex needs, the Commission for Social Care Inspection.... more
(27 January 2009 11:11)

Social Work Taskforce: Unison and BASW vow to tackle caseloads
Members of the Social Work Taskforce have pledged to tackle the workload, supervision and "identity" problems facing practitioners during its review.... more
(26 January 2009 11:01)

Social worker's child protection case adjourned
A social worker whose own children were allegedly placed on the the child protection register has had a hearing into her conduct adjourned. more
(28 January 2009 11:00)

Judge slams YJB for failing to supervise restraint in private STCs
A High Court judge has accused the Youth Justice Board of a "gross failure" to meet its duty to supervise restraint in private secure training.... more
(28 January 2009 10:51)

News round-up: Social services in gay couple adoption row
Other headlines in today's papers include:- Guardian research reveals majority of social workers are happy in profession; Less than one in five.... more
(28 January 2009 08:25)

Social services in gay couple adoption row
Other headlines in today's papers include:- Guardian research reveals majority of social workers are happy in profession; Less than one in five.... more
(28 January 2009 08:24)

Continuing care framework fails to reduce postcode lottery
Age Concern has said primary care trusts are failing to implement consistently the national framework for continuing care. more
(28 January 2009 00:01)

Social care workers ignore disability hate crime
Social care workers are failing to recognise hate crimes against their disabled clients or... more
(28 January 2009 00:44)

GSCC defends 'unnecessary' conduct hearing
General Social Care Council has defended itself against claims... more
(28 January 2009 02:34)

Sun editor Rebekah Wade defends Baby P campaign
Editor of The Sun newspaper Rebekah Wade has defended the tabloid’s campaign on the case of Baby P. more
(27 January 2009 14:58)