Articles by Date : February 01 2004 - February 29 2004

Thursday 19 February 2004
Police should step up efforts to tackle domestic violence. Inquiry launched after mental health patient found in dead man's flat. more
(19 February 2004 09:44)

Domestic violence bill does not protect children, warns expert
The government's proposals to tackle domestic violence fail to adequately protect children from abusive fathers, a domestic abuse expert warned this.... more
(18 February 2004 12:32)

U-turn on Children's Fund budget cuts
Charities have given a cautious welcome to the £20m found by the Department for Education and Skills to save the Children’s Fund from a 15 per cent.... more
(18 February 2004 11:37)

Eastern European asylum seekers face uncertain future when EU expands
Asylum-seeking families and adults who should have become the responsibility of the National Asylum Support Service four years ago but remain.... more
(18 February 2004 11:29)

Plans for sector skills council dropped
Proposals to create a dedicated sector skills council for the children’s workforce outlined in the green paper are likely to be dropped, according to.... more
(17 February 2004 17:07)

Wednesday 18 February 2004
Conservatives would pay mother to stay at home Soham case leads to police data review more
(18 February 2004 10:00)

Government rejects three Bennett inquiry recommendations
The government has rejected three of the key recommendations from the independent inquiry into the death of David Bennett, writes Katie Leason more
(17 February 2004 17:19)

Tuesday 17 February 2004
Free fruit for poor children Benefit staff strike over pay more
(17 February 2004 10:05)

Smoking harms child health
Smoking causes widespread damage to children’s health and may increase the risk of foetal malformations according to a report from the British.... more
(16 February 2004 16:52)

Health boost for poorest children
Thousands of parents will receive free fruit and veg vouchers in a bid to boost the diet of the poorest children. more
(16 February 2004 16:53)

U-turn on children’s fund cuts
The government has found extra money to rescue the Children’s Fund from a 15 per cent budget cut in the coming financial year. more
(16 February 2004 17:00)

Protest at change to child poverty stats
Anti-poverty campaigners are protesting about government plans to wipe a million children from the official poverty statistics by ignoring housing.... more
(16 February 2004 16:54)

Special needs strategy launched
More children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) will be educated in mainstream schools and special schools will become centres of excellence under.... more
(16 February 2004 16:49)

Children's commissioner accuses executive of "punitive approach" to antisocial behaviour
Scotland's first children's commissioner has criticised the "punitive approach" of the Scottish executive towards the antisocial behaviour of.... more
(16 February 2004 12:15)

Live and let live
The need to ensure that benefits and pensions are spent prudently risks turning social workers into morality police and denying freedom to the.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Monday 16 February 2004
Woman of 94 froze to death in care home. Drummer is sentenced for sex assault. more
(16 February 2004 10:08)

Training materials
Our Voice in Our Future and What if...? Speaking up and Speaking out. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Independent living derails study plans
Young people leaving care are forced to shun education and employment just to cope with living independently, according to a study carried out for.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

School's out
Children with Asperger's syndrome are being excluded from the education system, writes specialist schools director Stephen Bradshaw. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

I'll complain the way I want
Having good, clearly understood complaints procesures in residential settings does not mean children will want to use them, writes NCH complaints.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Practice teaching: the gap years
Why do so many participants drop out of practice teaching after waiting so long to qualify? Practice learning officer Ian Mathews discusses a survey.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Spend it wisely
Is it fair for a local authority to manage a person's finances even if it prevents them falling into debt and protects them from unscrupulous people?.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Quality of nursery staff under scrutiny
People with little or no experience are being attracted to nursery nursing because of the low-entry level qualification, a leading nursery provider.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Unregistered social workers will be fined £5,000
Social workers who do not register with the General Social Care Council by next April could be fined up to £5,000, the government has announced, .... more
(13 February 2004 17:05)

Express yourself
For people suffering from poor mental health, poetry and creative writing can offer a valuable outlet. Kate Evans explains. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

A hard act to follow
During half a century's association with the Caldecott Foundation, Simon Rodway has seen the children's charity and social work develop. He has.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Should we have known?
The case of Ian Huntley has thrown the spotlight on the confusion about the handling of sensitive information or job applicants. Social work academic.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Inspectors highlight improved schools
Three-quarters of special schools were found to be better last year than in 2002 and almost a third were very good or excellent, according to.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Dad can't stop hoarding
Ruth Jones* describes how her fathers' obsession with hoarding junk has affected her mental health. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Behind the headlines
Our regular panel comments on a topic in the news: this week, should people with dementia have a right to free NHS care at home? more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Gunn on politics
Asylum and immigration policy should not be treated as a race issue. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Should providers return 'in house'?
To integrate health and social services the purchaser/provider split in social care has to be ended, says Peter Scourfield. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Abuse reviews need balance not panic
Action must be taken to prevent those guilty of child abuse either going free or becoming martyrs. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Alzheimer's ruling reignites debate on the provision of long-term care
By upholding all the complaints made by the wife of a man with dementia, the health ombudsman shows the issue of funding care remains unresolved..... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Training considered dispensable despite pressure for better services
Despite receiving ring-fenced money for training social care staff, many councils are failing to do enough. In the voluntary sector the record is.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

'More joint working needed at councils'
A "sea-change" is needed in local authorities to make social services tackle the problem of homelessness alongside housing departments, Shelter has.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Cookham Wood concerns grow
Women held at Cookham Wood prison in Rochester, Kent, have been prevented from contacting their families because of staff shortages, a report by the.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Hodge's 'hiccup' undermines bid to mollify Children's Fund managers
Children's minister Margaret Hodge has been forced to apologise after describing the chaos surrounding the Children's Fund budget as a "hiccup". more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Scottish care homes to get fire checks
Every Scottish care home for older people is to be visited by fire prevention experts in the wake of the Uddingston nursing home fire which killed 14.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Edinburgh IT boost for child protection
Edinburgh social work department is to install a £15m IT system to help social workers carry out child protection work. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Local authorities urged to develop extra safeguards for child prisoners
Children in prisons should be treated by local authorities as having the same status as children in the community when child protection issues are.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Employers unaware of act's definitions
A change in the way housing benefit will be paid will put poorer households at a greater risk of amassing rent arrears and being evicted,.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Benefit change may prompt rent arrears
A change in the way housing benefit will be paid will put poorer households at a greater risk of amassing rent arrears and being evicted,.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Call for action for web abuse victims
Children's charity Barnardo's is calling for a centre of excellence to be established to find children who have been abused and had their images.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Mother demands answers on deaths
The mother of an 18 year old who died at Styal Prison in Cheshire has attacked the government for failing to act sooner to prevent her daughter's.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Lords' decision puts pressure on housing
Local authorities have warned that a House of Lords ruling giving freedom of movement to asylum seekers after they have been granted asylum could.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

High Court rules in favour of asylum seeker over 'degrading' treatment
Refugee campaigners have hailed a High Court judgement as a "potential major turning point" for thousands of asylum seekers affected by section 55 of.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Lack of staff points to rules 'difficulties'
Proposed regulations requiring adoption reports to be compiled by qualified social workers will be difficult to implement given the vacancy rate in.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Staff feel let down on training provision
Nearly six out of 10 visitors to Community Care 's website said their organisation did not have a strong commitment to staff training. more
(12 February 2004 00:00)

Autism Boy's room request renewed on appeal
Calderdale Council must reconsider its refusal of a grant for a loft extension to provide an autistic child with a room of his own, the Court of.... more
(12 February 2004 00:00)