Articles by Date : March 01 2003 - March 31 2003

Social work to gain foothold in schools
Social workers could provide services in more than 200 schools across the country under government plans to have at least one school in every local.... more
(20 March 2003 00:00)

Pop goes your childhood
The pop industry's sexualisation of children is growing unchecked despite evidence pointing towards serious personal problems for the young.... more
(20 March 2003 00:00)

Behind the Headlines
Our regular panel comments on a topic in the news more
(20 March 2003 00:00)

The right of consent
Sex can be a tricky issue at the best of times. But when it comes to trying to balance the need to protect people with learning difficulties who may.... more
(20 March 2003 00:00)

When fear drives policy
By the government's own admission, its latest plans to tackle antisocial behaviour have nothing to do with rising crime rates because, as a matter of.... more
(20 March 2003 00:00)

Second class treatment outlawed by court
Last week the High Court ruled that a boy with learning difficulties is entitled to a kidney transplant. Craig Kenny asks if this will end.... more
(19 March 2003 17:08)

Plan to publish childminders' addresses 'puts children in danger'.
Plans to publish the addresses of childminders have led to claims that thousands of children may face increased risk, writes Amy Taylor . more
(18 March 2003 13:59)

Not Quite Sisters: Women with Learning Difficulties Living in Convent Homes
By Mary Stuart. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Social work can learn from police
Child abuse investigations should be carried out by confident staff trained in detective techniques, writes Hilary Searing. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Truce for family at war
A mother and daughter explain how the Sands project helped repair a major rift. Others will not be so lucky. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

A valuable legacy
It is time snior managers got out of their offices and found out what is really going on in front-line social work. This is one of the lessons of the.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

McTernan on politics
A US case highlights the stark dilemma at the heart of the compulsion debate. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Caring attitudes
Researcher Hilary Arksey looks at findings from a review of mental health carer support and the effectiveness of the services on offer. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Are we ready for the day disaster strikes?
Would social services know how to react if terrorists mounted a devastating attack on the UK? more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

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

Enough is enough
Worries about eugenics should not be allowed to prevent severely disabled people gaining the right to choose how and when to die - as long as the.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Three Bristol social workers face inquiry
Three social workers are to face an internal inquiry over the way they handled the care of a man with mental health problems. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Wednesday 19 March 2003
Blunkett fails to overturn ruling on asylum seeker benefits. Deaf community wins recognition for sign language. more
(19 March 2003 09:42)

Families with mentally ill parents fear child protection procedures
Parents with mental illness and their children worry that professionals will try to separate the family and implement child protection procedures,.... more
(19 March 2003 09:56)

Appeal Court upholds ruling on late asylum claims
The Court of Appeal has upheld a ruling that it was wrong for the Government to refuse support for six late-claiming asylum seekers, writes Anabel.... more
(18 March 2003 16:19)

Lords vote to halt weekend hospital discharges
The House of Lords have backed an amendment to discourage discharges of older people into the community on weekends and bank holidays, writes Katie.... more
(18 March 2003 15:34)

Let's face the music and dance
In the third of our special feature series Julia Nelson kicks off her shoes to explore how the art of dance can improve the quality of life of.... more
(14 March 2003 12:14)

New pension entitlements for foster carers
Up to 8,000 foster carers will be entitled to the same pension provision as parents who do not work from 1 April, the government said this week, .... more
(18 March 2003 10:30)

Tuesday 18 March 2003
Suffering of couple 'treated like child abusers'. Minimum wage to rise to £4.80. more
(18 March 2003 10:03)

Social workers to go into schools
Social workers could provide services in over two hundred schools across the country under Government plans to have at least one school in every.... more
(18 March 2003 09:48)

Social workers should not make excuses for clients' behaviour, says minister
The White Paper on anti-social behaviour is a clear signal for social workers that they must recognise the impact of their clients’ behaviour on the.... more
(17 March 2003 16:04)

GSCC survey shows public faith in regulation
Nine out of ten members of the general public believe regulation and registration of the social care workforce will deliver higher standards and.... more
(17 March 2003 10:27)

Reduced police powers on child abuse prompt call for 24-hour social workers
Child protection social workers will need to begin offering a 24-hour service because police powers to remove children from carers suspected of abuse.... more
(17 March 2003 10:37)

Fear of 'sex consent' test for people with learning disabilities
People with learning difficulties fear their right to a sex life may be curtailed under proposed new laws aimed at protecting vulnerable groups from.... more
(17 March 2003 14:36)

Fair access to care services
Councils must implement the new Fair Access to Care Services eligibility criteria whether they are ready to or not, according to revised guidance.... more
(17 March 2003 09:30)

Monday March 17 2003
Judges free care home workers jailed for abuse. 'Disgraceful' plight of Scottish asylum seeker children. more
(17 March 2003 09:50)

New guidance to standardise services in Wales
The Welsh assembly has issued new guidance on the quality of care people can expect from health and social care providers in a bid to help ensure.... more
(14 March 2003 17:30)

Criminal checks bureau to be investigated following protection concerns
The National Audit Office has confirmed that it is investigating the ability of the beleagured Criminal Records Bureau to protect children and.... more
(14 March 2003 14:59)

Some will be more equal than others in proposed anti-discrimination body
Plans for a single equality body to replace existing commissions and tackle age, religious and anti-gay discrimination have received a mixed.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Friday 14 March 2003
New survey shows most men would prefer to stay at home with their children. Number of children in poverty has dropped by half a million since 1997. more
(14 March 2003 09:58)

Care home owners to refuse older people
Scotland’s older people are facing a serious crisis after private care home owners rejected the latest offer from the Scottish executive and local.... more
(13 March 2003 17:12)

New legislation to establish social care inspection body
The government has published a new bill which will establish the new Commission for Social Care Inspection to supercede the National Care Standards.... more
(13 March 2003 11:24)

Sharply rising insurance costs cast a long shadow over residential homes
Hundreds more children's care homes could be threatened with closure as the cost of insurance premiums for employer liability continues to rise, the.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

New commission to unify inspections
The forthcoming Commission for Social Care Inspection will bring most sectors involved in delivering care services under the same inspection process.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Councillor calls for care leavers' fund
The youngest councillor in the country, a former resident of a children's care home, has called on private home providers to set up a fund to help.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Referrals in Scotland at highest ever level
The number of young people in Scotland referred to the Scottish hearing system has risen to the highest level since records began. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Child care threat to poverty targets
The government needs to invest more heavily in child care to reach its target for getting lone parents into work, warns a new report. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Hackney tenants not informed of policy
Supported housing tenants in Hackney, east London, complained last week that they had not been informed about the government's new single-stream.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Mother loses High Court challenge
A mother convicted of failing to ensure her son attended school lost a High Court test case last week to challenge truancy laws. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Blackpool staff 'inexperienced'
Child protection services are overstretched and understaffed at Blackpool Council, according to a joint review. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Discrimination still common in schools
One in three disabled children are still being treated unfairly in the education system despite recent laws to prevent discrimination, according to.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Drugs and crime teams 'must merge'
Drug action teams and crime and disorder reduction partnerships should merge, Home Office minister Bob Ainsworth told MPs last month. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

It's tougher at the top
Lord Laming had little time for the senior managers who came before him at the Victoria Climbie Inquiry. A succession of managers and chief.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

Unit bids to improve access to paid work
Home Office minister Barbara Roche launched two projects to tackle the social exclusion of vulnerable groups last week. more
(13 March 2003 00:00)

New act aims to end homelessness north of the border within 10 years
The Scottish parliament passed the Homelessness (Scotland) Bill this week, which committed the assembly to ending homelessness in Scotland within 10.... more
(13 March 2003 00:00)