Articles by Date : January 01 2003 - January 31 2003

Selection panel could cover gaps
Agencies meeting once a month to discuss the most at-risk children could be a life saver, writes Godfrey Holmes more
(16 January 2003 00:00)

The key to new doors
Humerah Miah reflects on the 18 years since his first compulsory detention under the Mental Health Act 1983. more
(16 January 2003 00:00)

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

Yes it's payback time - for society
There's no room for complacency over the UK's accommodation of people from ethnic minorities. more
(16 January 2003 00:00)

Boys make up two thirds of children in residential care in Scotland
New figures show that boys make up two thirds of the children in residential care in Scotland with half of that number between the ages of 11 and.... more
(15 January 2003 11:25)

Wednesday 15 January 2003
Brother held in connection with murder of teenager. Thousands more paedophiles to be identified by investigation. more
(15 January 2003 10:12)

Staff accuse managers of being 'macho'
Staff working for social services in Cardiff have accused managers of being 'macho' and failing to offer them the support they need, writes Alex.... more
(15 January 2003 00:00)

TV advert pulled after complaints from meals on wheels
A television advert portraying the neglect of an older person has resulted in 280 complaints to the Independent Television Commission. more
(14 January 2003 15:08)

Improved benefits system needed to help people with mental health problems
Mental health charities have told MPs a simplified and more flexible benefits system is needed that recognises people with mental health problems can.... more
(14 January 2003 15:01)

Tuesday 14 January 2003
Rock star arrested after admitting he looked at child porn on the internet, and there are more famous names yet to be revealed in the police.... more
(14 January 2003 09:57)

Less people satisfied with London's social services
There has been a fall in the number of people in London satisfied with their social services departments, according to a survey by the Association of.... more
(13 January 2003 13:03)

Government control could undermine new Sure Start unit
The director of the new inter-departmental Sure Start Unit has expressed worries about the effects of increased control from central government, .... more
(13 January 2003 12:38)

Monday 13 January 2003
Nursing home manager convicted of conning former legal adviser to the Beatles. Terrorist suspects are asylum seekers living on benefits. more
(13 January 2003 09:51)

Store may owe cash to woman with learning difficulties previously paid in gift vouchers
A woman with learning difficulties, who was paid in gift vouchers for five years by a major high street newsagent , could have a claim for back pay,.... more
(10 January 2003 17:24)

MP calls for social services inquiry after girl found dead
An MP is demanding an inquiry into social services actions after a five-year-old girl was discovered this week in a frozen Highland canal, writes.... more
(09 January 2003 17:23)

Social workers may quit in face of congestion charges
Unison has warned London mayor Ken Livingstone that the introduction of congestion charges in February could force huge numbers of public sector.... more
(10 January 2003 12:06)

New figures reveal 16 suicides by young offenders last year
Sixteen young offenders committed suicide in prison last year, the latest figures from the Howard League for Penal Reform show, writes Clare.... more
(10 January 2003 11:55)

Inspectors praise councils' services
Nottinghamshire social services department has the potential to be one of the best-performing departments in the country, according to a joint review.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Friday 10 January 2003
As a father names and shames his own poorly behaving children on the internet, an expert warns that public humiliation may make things worse. more
(10 January 2003 10:04)

A matter of trust
Rules regarding how money from trust funds can be spent have changed, writes Gary Vaux. more
(09 January 2003 15:25)

news analysis of landmark adoption ruling
Three weeks ago, a high court judge delivered a landmark ruling that could have major repercussions for adoption services. Derren Hayes reports.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Adoption chief cleared of bullying
A former employee of Baaf Adoption and Fostering, who claimed she was bullied and harassed by the organisation’s chief executive, Felicity Collier,.... more
(09 January 2003 10:42)

Lost from view
Wide gaps in services for visually impaired people have emerged in a new study. John Percival discusses the results. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Man sues council for 'unlawful detention'
A psychiatric patient who claims he was unlawfully detained for eight months is waiting to find out whether he can sue his local council for.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Health visitors seek greater protection
The leading membership body for health visitors is to begin talks with the Department of Health to create a better system for dealing with families.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Sensory impairment services to be cut
Tameside Council is hoping to clear an overspend of £500,000 by 2004 by reducing its sensory impairment services. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Councils pledge to help each other
More than 100 councils have pledged their commitment to help each other improve their performance. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Cleared nursery nurses win pay-out
The home secretary is to pay compensation to two former nursery nurses who won a libel case after being wrongly accused of child abuse. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Dossier on racism sent to watchdog as Unison damns Hackney in report
Unison is urging the Commission for Racial Equality to use its legal powers against Hackney Council after a report by the public sector union.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Thursday 9 January 2003
Two teenagers questioned by police over terrorist charges were helped by Islington social services. more
(09 January 2003 09:59)

More money to help pay for nursing care
Nursing home residents are to receive more money to help them pay for the cost of their nursing care from April. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Charity claims High Court ruling contradicts Valuing People principle
A learning difficulties charity has lost its application for a judicial review of the National Care Standards Commission's decision not to allow it.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Diploma applicants tumble by one fifth
The number of new applicants for the Diploma in Social Work has fallen by 19 per cent since 1998, according to the Social Work Admissions System. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Parking boost for blue badge holders
The government has agreed to press ahead with improvements to the disabled persons parking scheme. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Clarke sets out Sure Start spending plan
Education secretary Charles Clarke has announced detailed spending plans for the £4bn promised in the spending review for Sure Start by 2005-6. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Government looks to allocate key workers for all potential adopters
Every prospective adoptive parent will be allocated a "key worker" to support them through the adoption process under draft regulations unveiled by.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Public and voluntary sector people honoured in New Year's list 2003
Social services directors of three of the 11 three-star social services departments were rewarded in the New Year's Honours List. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

GP surgery staff need more training
Primary health care workers do not receive adequate training in mental illnesses, according to a report by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Few clued-up on human rights law
Nearly three-quarters of visitors to Community Care 's website say they have not received any training on how the Human Rights Act 1998 affects.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Standards for domiciliary staff fail to include criminal record checks
The need for home care staff to undergo criminal record checks before starting work has been omitted from the Department of Health's new domiciliary.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Trouble-tamers to train teachers
Disruptive pupils in secondary schools will soon be tackled by behavioural consultants rather than teachers, as part of an initiative to stop.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

More money for pilots and adoption
The government has announced £1m of money for the first wave of councils to pilot children's trusts later this year. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

New inspection regime for teams
Youth offending teams are to be assessed under a new joint inspection programme announced just before Christmas. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Pressure leads to 'ill- judged' placements
A leading child care lawyer has raised fears that the government's drive to promote adoption is resulting in some looked-after children being placed.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Care trusts Investigations into trusts launched
Two of the existing five care trusts are under investigation following incidents involving service users. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Sacked worker wins case against NSPCC
A social worker who was sacked from his job at the NSPCC after he alerted Community Care to staff concerns over restructuring and job losses at the.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

MPs attack councils' money allocation
A House of Commons select committee has attacked the government's proposals for reforming local government finance as "confusing". more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

New policy will force asylum seekers into destitution, say refugee groups
Many asylum seekers will be left sleeping rough and destitute as a result of a new government policy, according to asylum and refugee groups. more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Call me up
A project in Northern Ireland is providing older and vulnerable people with support and information through a daily telephone call. Anabel Unity Sale.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)

Model answer
Consultant Bob Welch believes the Laming report is an opportunity to recast the child protection model, with the emphasis put on training, better.... more
(09 January 2003 00:00)