Community Care's predictions for social care in 2012
Care funding deadlock, industrial strife and a change of leadership at a key agency. We gaze into our crystal ball to predict what 2012 might hold.... more
(21 December 2011 10:38)
Top five victories against social care cuts of 2011
While cuts have dominated social care in 2011 some proposed funding reductions and organisational closures have been successfully reversed. Here are.... more
(21 December 2011 10:36)
How to... carry out a 'fear audit' in social work
Claudia Megele explores the impact of distress and fear in social work practice and explains how "fear audits" could help. more
(22 December 2011 16:00)
College of Social Work suspends deal with Unison
The College of Social Work's decision to put its joint membership agreement with Unison on hold and restart talks with the British Association of.... more
(22 December 2011 12:27)
'Painfully slow' adoption system to be overhauled
The assessment process for prospective adopters will be stripped of some of its red tape in a bid to reduce waiting times for children in care,.... more
(22 December 2011 09:56)
Christmas doesn't have to be the loneliest time of the year
At a time when most of us are frantically looking for last-minute presents or trying to find a turkey, it can be easy to forget there are people for.... more
(20 December 2011 16:53)
Social worker fathered child with former service user
A social worker who fathered a child with a vulnerable former service user has been struck off. more
(19 December 2011 11:12)
Burstow: Users to shape new online care ratings system
Users and carers' opinions on care services will be published alongside ratings of their quality on an online "good care guide" designed to replace.... more
(12 December 2011 11:19)
Carers UK names Age UK director as new chief
Carers UK has named Heléna Herklots as its new chief executive.
more
(16 December 2011 09:52)
Hospital dementia care blighted by inadequate staff training
Inadequate staff training and an impersonal approach to care is blighting the experiences of dementia patients in hospitals, a major national study.... more
(16 December 2011 09:41)
Government rejects Munro early intervention duty
The government has refused to implement a key recommendation in the Munro Review of child protection to create an early intervention duty on councils. more
(15 December 2011 13:42)
Key long-term conditions policy branded a failure by NAO
Outcomes for people with long-term neurological conditions have stalled or deteriorated, six years on from a key policy to improve support for the.... more
(16 December 2011 00:01)
Service user involvement in post-qualifying training
Social work academic Jo Rees examines research findings on service user involvement in post-qualifying social work education. more
(14 December 2011 15:45)
Book review: Working with adults at risk of harm
This is an interesting book that considers the common characteristics between different states of vulnerability, which may occur within a range of.... more
(14 December 2011 15:23)
Domestic violence definition to include victims aged under 18
Campaigners have hailed government proposals to widen the definition of domestic violence to include victims aged under 18 and those who have.... more
(14 December 2011 12:49)
Social worker struck off for misconduct in healthcare job
A social worker who administered antipsychotic drugs to the wrong patient in his previous job as a healthcare assistant has been struck off. more
(14 December 2011 12:26)
Financial abuse of dementia sufferers is rife, warns charity
Social care professionals have been urged to look out for indicators of financial abuse among people with dementia after Alzheimer's Society warned.... more
(14 December 2011 00:01)
Funding for student placements 'to be cut by £5m'
The Department for Education has been unable to deny claims by the British Association of Social Workers that the Social Work Education Support Grant.... more
(13 December 2011 16:14)
Adult social care and health to be integrated in Scotland
Adult social care and health will be integrated in Scotland to help tackle delayed discharged from hospital and cost-shunting between councils and.... more
(13 December 2011 15:38)
Book review: Crossing The Acts
The risks faced by adults with mental disorder are greater in degree and type than those of other adults and as such require a different approach to.... more
(13 December 2011 13:10)
Book review: Reminiscence and Life Story Work: A Practice Guide
This book would prove to be an invaluable tool to anyone involved in reminiscence work, from paid carers or family members to trained professionals,.... more
(13 December 2011 13:09)
Critical success factors for improving social work
The Social Work Reform Board's recommendations provide a window of opportunity for social work to reassert its role and enhance its professional.... more
(12 December 2011 16:20)
Cuts to workforce development teams 'hindering reform'
The Social Work Reform Board may struggle to continue delivering its programme of change in the face of cuts to workforce development teams.... more
(12 December 2011 16:20)
DH orders probe into CQC following board member's criticisms
The Department of Health has ordered a probe into the Care Quality Commission following significant criticisms of its leadership from board member.... more
(12 December 2011 11:41)
Social worker admonished over close relationship with user
A social worker who formed a close friendship with a vulnerable service user has been admonished by the General Social Care Council. more
(09 December 2011 16:38)
£1.5bn cut for councils with social care responsibilities
Councils responsible for social care in England will have £1.5bn taken out of their budgets next year, the government has said.
more
(09 December 2011 16:18)
Staff cuts and overcrowding blight care for detained patients
Staff cuts and overcrowded wards are blighting the care of detained mental health patients, the Care Quality Commission has warned.
more
(09 December 2011 16:16)
Social workers must not neglect their own mental health
Mental health consultant Mike Bush explains why trainers and employers must work harder to protect and promote the mental health and resilience of.... more
(09 December 2011 12:27)
CQC finds leadership gap in learning disability hospitals
Leadership and governance need to be stronger in learning disabilities hospitals and care homes, the Care Quality Commission has said.
more
(08 December 2011 12:00)
Councils fail to divert children in care from custody
Local authorities across the country are failing to divert looked-after children from "the dreary, damaging route from care to custody", according to.... more
(08 December 2011 10:26)
Registration consultation for social workers
The Health Professions Council has today launched a consultation on setting the registration cycle for social workers in England.
more
(08 December 2011 10:35)
Council job cuts near 150,000 for the year
Councils across England have shed 145,000 jobs over the past year and the number is set to rise, according to a report published today by the Audit.... more
(07 December 2011 14:31)
Survey reveals plight of families with disabled children
Nearly three-quarters of families with disabled children have experienced anxiety, depression or family breakdown, according to the latest research.... more
(07 December 2011 17:51)
Ageing workforce poses problems for palliative social work
Palliative care social work faces recruitment problems in England after a survey revealed almost half of specialist practitioners were aged over.... more
(07 December 2011 00:01)
Recruitment experts warn councils over social workers' pay
Local authorities need to develop more flexible pay and reward packages for social workers in order to compete for staff in the current job market,.... more
(06 December 2011 15:46)
Council prevented social worker from visiting dying mother
A children's social care worker who was unlawfully prevented from seeing her mother in a care home before she died has been awarded £5,000 after.... more
(06 December 2011 00:21)
Government launches missing children strategy
A national strategy to reduce the number of children and vulnerable adults who go missing from home or care has today been published by the Home.... more
(05 December 2011 14:40)
Council failed teenager with severe autism
A teenager with severe autism missed out on educational and social care support due to failings by Staffordshire Council, a review by the local.... more
(06 December 2011 10:41)
The recession led to less churn in social work, says Gibb
The recession prompted mass job losses, a public sector pay freeze and the current furore over pensions. But in other ways, it has had an.... more
(06 December 2011 10:43)
HSBC faces £40m bill for mis-selling care products to elderly
HSBC faces a £40m bill for mis-selling investment products to fund long-term care to elderly customers and their families.
more
(06 December 2011 10:42)
Research findings on social pedagogy
Social work academic Joe Smeeton examines research findings contained in Raising the bar? Evaluation of the Social Pedagogy Pilot in residential.... more
(01 December 2011 10:31)
Social work bursary reforms to be delayed
Planned reforms to the social work bursary system in England have been pushed back until 2013, the Department of Health has confirmed. Moira Gibb.... more
(05 December 2011 14:57)
Government wants mass roll out of telecare services
The government is bidding to roll out telecare or telehealth devices to three million people with long-term conditions after a large-scale evaluation.... more
(05 December 2011 14:42)
Practice issues in adult safeguarding at a time of cuts
Adult safeguarding consultant Patrick Worthington (pictured) examines the key practice issues facing social care professionals in keeping adults at.... more
(05 December 2011 14:22)
Second council ordered to review care fees for providers
Councils have been warned that they face having care cuts reversed in the courts after a second authority was ordered to review a decision to freeze.... more
(05 December 2011 13:45)
MPs warn ministers of new care home crisis risk
The Department of Health must "get to grips with the very real risks to the social care market" to avoid another Southern Cross-style failure, an.... more
(06 December 2011 00:03)
Unions lose public sector pensions legal ruling
The trade unions have lost their legal challenge on behalf of millions of public sector workers over what inflation index is used to calculate annual.... more
(02 December 2011 14:56)
Wider remit 'risks diverting CQC from regulating care'
The Care Quality Commission risks being distracted from its core role of regulating health and adult social care services by government plans to.... more
(02 December 2011 00:01)
'Mystery tour' social worker struck off for sexual misconduct
A social worker who took a vulnerable service user on a "mystery tour" to a seaside town and made sexual advances towards her has been struck off. more
(02 December 2011 11:15)
The search for objectivity in measuring social work outcomes
Philosophy pervades policy and practice in social work but is usually hidden behind the implicit assumptions underpinning both, says Professor Eileen.... more
(02 December 2011 10:55)
