Articles by Date : January 01 2004 - January 31 2004

Damned - If You do
In the second of two articles looking at the outcomes of court cases involving health and social services, solicitor Alison Castrey looks at the.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Shifting the burden
Proposals for councils to register adult placement schemes will come as a relief to individual carers who will be spared the regulatory load. Anabel.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Get your act together
Does the Data Protection Act work? Recent cases suggest that organisations are utterly confused by it. Is that because of their lack of common sense.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Behind the headlines
Our regular panel comments on a topic in the news: this week, expert witnesses in child protection cases. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

GUNN on Politics
The means-tested pension credit causes confusion, distress and irresponsibilty. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

How I survived crack
The future looks rosy for Kate Brightmore now she has finally kicked her crack and heroin habits. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Still getting away with bias
It is very hard for disabled people to prove they have been discriminated against at job interviews, writes Julie Turner. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Adults' needs eclipse rights of the child
It will still be difficult for some children conceived using donor sperm to trace their histories. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Digital dangers
Allowing computers to "make decisions" which affect people's lives is decidedly risky, and make a mockery of the good intentions behind the Data.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Bed-block fines off the Scottish agenda
The Scottish executive says it has no plans to introduce a fining system for delayed discharges. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Paedophile wins review on contact
A judge has criticised a social worker who banned a convicted paedophile from having contact with his daughters. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Well-being of children 'losing ground as attention switches to protection'
The government might be over-focusing on child protection and controlling children at the expense of their well-being, a leading academic warned last.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

'Link allowances to true cost of care'
Maintenance allowances should reflect the "true costs" of caring for a child, according to the deputy minister for education and young people in.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Styal deaths probe highlights failures
An investigation into six deaths in Styal women's prison in Cheshire has identified "serious inadequacies". more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Man's conviction for child rape quashed
A man who was found guilty of raping a five-year-old boy has had his conviction quashed after doubts were thrown on the expert testimony of Dr.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Plans for centre to go to judicial review
The government's plans to create a series of accommodation centres for asylum seekers were delivered a blow last week. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Children gain right to trace parents
People conceived from sperm, egg and embryo donations will be able to find out the identity of their donor once they turn 18. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Government casts doubt on level of elder abuse claimed by campaigners
The government looks set to carry out research into the abuse of older people after community care minister Stephen Ladyman questioned the scale of.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

'Beaten' prisoners win compensation
Seven former young offenders, who claim they were assaulted by prison officers at Portland Young Offenders Institution, have been awarded £120,000 by.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Adult jail not best for girl, says judge
A High Court judge ruled this week that although it was not a breach of human rights to hold a teenage girl in an adult prison, it was not in her.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Council to pursue alternative to trust
Manchester Council has confirmed it has no intention of establishing a children's trust, despite the key role set out for trusts in the children's.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

'Centres needed to provide good food'
Homeless people are having to choose between eating and paying for other essentials, a survey from a housing charity has revealed. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

MPs told bill's clause is an 'abomination'
The proposal to stop judges reviewing asylum decisions in the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc) Bill was attacked as an.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Split verdict on three-star rewards
Opinion is divided evenly among visitors to Community Care 's website on whether social care staff should be rewarded if their department achieves a.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Call for help to hire Third World staff
Employment agencies are calling on the government and councils to give them greater support when recruiting social workers from developing countries. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Toddler's death provokes inquiry
North Lincolnshire area child protection committee is to investigate the case of three-year-old Jasmine Galyer, whose stepfather was jailed for her.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Liverpool shake-up putting client confidentiality at risk, says union
Cuts and new working practices at Liverpool social services department risk compromising confidential client information, union leaders have warned. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Teenagers given a lease of student life
Unaccompanied teenage asylum seekers are to share accommodation with students at the University of Glasgow. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Camden upheaval as member resigns
Camden social services department has seen a second senior figure leave just weeks after the shock resignation of director Jane Held. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Police 'wrong' to pass on allegation
A High Court judge has ruled that West Midlands police was wrong to tell the Criminal Records Bureau about allegations of indecent exposure against a.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Bill to close murder loophole hits snag
Plans to close the loophole that allows parents to remain silent in court on questions relating to the death of their children could infringe human.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Care proceedings excluded from review of expert witness cases
Solicitor general Harriet Harman has backtracked over plans to review civil care proceedings where parents have had their children removed because.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

'Scots' hearing system must refocus'
A major inquiry into the Scottish children's hearing system reveals a system under strain because of the huge rise in referrals on the grounds of.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Potential sperm donors may be turned off by lack of anonymity
The government's decision to allow children to find out who their biological parents are is a victory for children's rights, but where does it leave.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Welsh councils want more flexibility in spending extra bed-blocking cash
The Welsh assembly is to hand out £20m for delayed discharges but councils need the cash to alleviate pressure on a variety of other social services..... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Charities demand advocacy action
Disability charities have called for statutory duties to force councils to outline how advocacy provision will be developed and how services will be.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Permission given to sue home for abuse
A man who said his life had been ruined after he was abused at a children's home in the North West during the 1970s has won permission to seek.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

MPs voice disquiet support policies
The Home Affairs select committee has called for an independent review of the government's policy of denying housing and support to asylum seekers.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Training materials
Who Wants a Direct Payment? and Induction and Foundation Care for the TOPSS Standards. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Pendulum politics
The furore over the Sir Roy Meadow affair shows no sign of abating and certain sections of the media have the bit between their teeth. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Still too punitive
The children's hearing system in Scotland has important lessons for the handling of youth justice across the UK. When we said in this column before.... more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Friday 30 January 2004
A man who attacked an asylum seeker with a knife walks free from court. Divorced women are the poorest older people. more
(30 January 2004 09:58)

Cash boost for children's services in Northern Ireland
Services for vulnerable children in Northern Ireland will receive a cash boost of over £200 million this year. more
(29 January 2004 16:53)

Service users speak out
User involvement is regarded as a “good thing”. But some users detect the whiff of tokenism about it while some service providers complain that users.... more
(27 January 2004 17:26)

Charities spend less on staff training
Charities spend on average 30 per cent less on training for their staff, according to a new survey, writes Sally Gillen. more
(29 January 2004 00:00)

Thursday 29 January 2004
Government warned extra spending will not yield improvements in public services.,br> Diet in pregnancy may affect how long child lives. more
(29 January 2004 09:58)

Staff rewards for star performance range from nothing to £150
Rewards from managers to social care staff in three-star departments to thank them for their efforts have ranged from nothing to £150 bonuses,.... more
(22 January 2004 14:42)

Government goes cool on docking benefit of antisocial neighbours
Over 80 per cent of councils are against the idea of docking the housing benefit of antisocial neighbours, a consultation by the government has.... more
(28 January 2004 15:35)

Essex loses appeal against adoption compensation award
In A and another v Essex County Council the court of appeal dismissed the authority’s appeal against a high court order holding them liable for.... more
(28 January 2004 10:28)

Wednesday 28 January 2004
Antisocial neighbours will not lose benefit Suicide boy was bullied for 12 years more
(28 January 2004 09:52)