Articles by Date : January 01 2003 - January 31 2003

Hold the fort
Interim managers can be the best option for social care agencies faced with change or major new projects, writes former social services director Mike.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Poor co-ordination in Northern Ireland
Transitional planning arrangements for young disabled people fail to address their needs in parts of Northern Ireland, according to the annual report.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Anger after council chief attacks staff
The leader of Cardiff Council was accused of further damaging staff morale this week when he appeared to blame front-line social workers for the.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Split on impact of Valuing People
Visitors to Community Care 's website are divided in their assessment of the impact of the Valuing People white paper on learning difficulties.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Unit value reduced by long division
Those who have wondered what the point of the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit is are not alone, it seems. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

First cases under new asylum rules land at doors of social work teams
Social services departments are already facing demands to support asylum seekers no longer eligible for support from the National Asylum Support.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Scots regulator in chaos say providers
Service providers in Scotland have accused the body responsible for regulating care services of being in a state of chaos and failing to reduce.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Assurances given on graduate staff
The new mental health primary care workers, announced in 2000, will be additional members of staff and will not jeopardise the jobs of current.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Church rent rise may squeeze out centre
The future of a north London day care centre for people with long-term mental health problems is under threat because of a rent hike by the London.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

'Couple were not too fat - just unhealthy'
Glasgow Council has denied claims that it refused to let a couple adopt because they were overweight. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Councils sued over abuse in West Sussex
Former residents of a West Sussex children's home began a High Court bid for compensation last week for abuse they say they suffered during the 1960s.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Charity wants unqualified assistants to relieve burden in child protection
As the social care sector prepares for publication of the Victoria Climbie Report expected next week, a leading children's charity has called for.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Blunkett pinpoints areas for drugs cash
Home secretary David Blunkett has announced £46.2m of funding for the 30 areas in England most affected by drug-related crime. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

£1m go-ahead for tracking projects
The Children and Young People's Unit has allocated four areas £1m each to develop identification, referral and tracking projects for children at risk.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Judge rejects move to force Cafcass to provide guardians in court cases
A ground-breaking legal challenge to safeguard children's rights in family court proceedings has been rejected by the High Court. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Inspector points to fitful Welsh services
Wide variations among Wales's 22 social services departments have been confirmed in the annual report of the chief inspector of social services in.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Government considers plan to send children in care to boarding schools
Looked-after children's charities have questioned plans being considered by the government to send children in care to boarding schools, warning they.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Broadcaster takes helm at race body
Broadcaster and London assembly chairperson Trevor Phillips has been appointed as head of the Commission for Racial Equality. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Sector may lose cash to schools
Councils may come under increasing pressure to cut social services spending to meet government targets on schools. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

NHS seeks views on sharing data
Social workers are being asked to tell the NHS how personal medical information should be managed and shared. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Furore over Home Office tactics
The government is to conduct an urgent review into plans to convert hotels into induction centres for asylum seekers after councils complained they.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Task force set to boost training
Health minister Jacqui Smith is set to launch the practice learning task force for social work training next week ahead of the publication of the.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Durham faces judicial challenge and Scottish residents refuse to move
A son fighting to stop the demolition of his 89-year old mother's care home has been given permission to seek an urgent judicial review. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

MPs from all parties line up to attack Delayed Discharges Bill
The government is under increasing pressure to abandon its plans on delayed discharges from MPs who claim that no one in the sector is in support of.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Charities tell MPs to reform benefits
A more flexible and simplified benefits system that allows people with mental health problems to work part time would help sufferers back into work,.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Sweeping all before them
Older people need their homes cleaned and their gardens tended and people with learning difficulties want meaningful training and work. Alison Miller.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

news analysis of new local government cash distribution system
The government has made more money available for social services yet some councils might have to make cuts thanks to cash distribution anomalies. .... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Search for a solution
Wales has set up an attendance task group to confront the principality's historic truancy problem, says Ken Reid. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Children, Welfare and the State
Edited by Barry Goldson, Michael Lavalette and Jim McKechnie. more
(23 January 2003 11:23)

Our Homes, Our Lives
Edited by Keith Sumner. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Thursday 23 January 2003
By Amy Taylor, Nicola Barry and Alex Dobson. Climbie report rules out child protection agency A separate agency for child protection.... more
(23 January 2003 10:14)

Friday 17 January 2003
Matthew Kelly released on bail as police investigate allegations of child sex abuse. Six men stabbed as gangs of asylum seekers fight in Kent. more
(17 January 2003 10:16)

Guardians crisis worsens
The crisis in family court proceedings shows no sign of abating. Last year the chronic shortage of guardians ad litem to represent children's.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Asylum hotel hysteria
Immigration issues are difficult to handle and finding an effective way of coping with thousands of asylum seekers is a challenging task. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

McTernan on politics
Government needs a vision to inspire public sector change - not more central control. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

I'm doing it my way...
Michelle Chinery's personal triumphs have come despite social services rather than because of them. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Behind the headlines
Our regular panel comments on a topic in the news. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

When duty calls
Government attempts to tackle truancy suggest that rights and responsibilities make for a tricky balancing act. Lisa Harker looks at how far we can.... more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Safety at work is an issue for all
Employers and social workers must ensure violence and abuse is not part of work culture, says Martin Challender. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Children who are seen but not heard
Those who rally around voyeurs of child porn on the internet are ignoring the real victims. more
(23 January 2003 00:00)

Charities lukewarm on boarding schools plan for children in care
Looked after children’s charities have cast doubt that plans being considered by the government to send children in care to boarding schools are.... more
(21 January 2003 16:22)

Opinions divided on impact of Valuing People
Visitors to Community Care's website are divided in their assessment of the Valuing People white paper on learning difficulties services. more
(22 January 2003 12:19)

Mental health workers' jobs safe
The new mental health primary care workers, first announced in 2000, will be additional members of staff and will not jeopardise the jobs of current.... more
(22 January 2003 12:07)

Back to the fuchsia
People might have a dig at gardening, but it can have great benefits for social care users, writes Graham Hopkins. more
(21 January 2003 15:03)

Wednesday 22 January 2003
Children who use cannabis are more likely to use harder drugs later. Celebrity chef convicted on child porn charges. more
(22 January 2003 10:01)

Inspector finds wide performance variation in Wales
Wide variations in performance among Wales’ 22 social services departments are confirmed in the annual report of the chief inspector of social.... more
(22 January 2003 10:30)

Care commission 'failing' service providers say
Service providers north of the border have accused the body now responsible for regulating care services in Scotland of being in a state of chaos and.... more
(21 January 2003 00:00)

Tuesday 21 January 2003
Blunkett attacks incompetence in his own department over 'asylum hotel' in Kent. Paralysed man goes to Switzerland for assisted suicide. more
(21 January 2003 10:06)

Charity calls for communities to work with child protection staff
Just days before the publication of the Victoria Climbie inquiry report, a leading children's charity has called for recruitment of unqualified.... more
(20 January 2003 15:37)

Fall in Scotland's delayed discharge numbers
The number of delayed discharges in Scotland’s hospitals is at its lowest level for two years, according to the Scottish executive’s latest.... more
(20 January 2003 15:13)