Articles by Date : March 01 2004 - March 31 2004

'Include dementia in disability act'
Cognitive impairment is one of the fastest growing disabilities and should be included in future disability discrimination legislation, professor.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Young arrivals face section 55 interview
Unaccompanied asylum seekers approaching 18 and awaiting decisions on their claims will face a section 55 interview like their adult counterparts, it.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Care home victims are awarded £780k
A group of vulnerable adults who were abused in Buckinghamshire care homes have been awarded £781,000 damages - more than £200,000 less than.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Scottish authorities feel marginalised
The Scottish executive should have consulted local authorities about national strategies for a single correctional agency and the antisocial.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

'Flawed' vetting processes rely on honesty of individual, inquiry told
Thousands of people may be able to cheat the Criminal Records Bureau vetting process because of shortcomings in checking information, the Bichard.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Charities call for 'firm commitments'
Charities have raised concerns over the lack of clarity about the voluntary sector's role in children's services in the Children Bill. more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Child database may lead to false claims
The government's proposal to create a database containing basic information about all children could lead to many parents being faced with false.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Funding for children's centres in doubt
Although children's centres play an important role in the implementation of the bill, the centres have virtually no funding attached to them,.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

MP seeks to remove smacking defence
Labour MP David Hinchliffe has pledged to table an amendment to the Children Bill when it comes before the House of Commons to remove the defence of.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Failure to end custody for all children draws criticism from campaigners
Government plans for the future of youth justice do not go far enough, campaigners in the sector have warned. more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Most schools to be service hubs by 2012
Almost all schools will become extended schools by 2012, Charles Clarke told the General Teaching Council annual conference last week. more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Thursday 18 March 2004
Brown 'feted' as the childcare champion. more
(18 March 2004 10:03)

Little confidence in commissioner's role
Seventy-four per cent of visitors to Community Care 's website believe the children's commissioner for England will not have enough power and.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Brook quits agency after Seroxat row
The chief executive of mental health charity Mind has resigned from the expert group set up to look at the safety of modern antidepressants over.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Campaigners warn over sex 'phobias'
The number of teenage pregnancies is rising fastest in areas where the government has tried hardest to reduce it, according to campaigners. more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Families still in B&B over six-week limit
Nearly 1,000 families with children are still living in bed and breakfast for longer than the six-week limit, which could result in legal action from.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Charities attack alcohol strategy's neglect of funding for treatment
The long-awaited alcohol misuse strategy launched this week has been slammed for failing to tackle urgently the chronic underinvestment in treatment.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Fears over social care body's future
Fears that the future of the General Social Care Council may be under threat have been raised by the president of the Association of Directors of.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Keep investing in services, union urges
Public sector union Unison called on the chancellor to "hold his nerve" and maintain investment in public services, arguing that it would pay.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Owners protest against red tape
More than 250 care home owners lobbied MPs last week to protest over too much red tape, which they claim is forcing many owners to leave the sector. more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Groups welcome human rights ruling
Disabled groups have hailed a legal ruling as a "huge step forward" in protecting the rights of disabled people receiving medical treatment. more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

'GPs' new contracts threaten services'
One in five GPs will withdraw existing services for alcohol and drug misusers when they start working under the new GP contract from 1 April,.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

A victory for justice
The government has been forced to drop its plans to curtail the right of appeal for asylum seekers. This is not just a small concession to head off.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Government backtracks on appeals
The government performed a U-turn this week on plans to remove the right to challenge asylum decisions in the courts after an intervention from Lord.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

A weak brew indeed
Despite much anticipation, an extended gestation period, and plenty of good advice, the government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy has been.... more
(18 March 2004 00:00)

Chancellor announces increase in Sure Start funding
Chancellor Gordon Brown announced an increase of 17 per cent in funding for Sure Start and an extra £100 for older people to help them pay council.... more
(17 March 2004 14:37)

Social services 'should not run database of abusers', directors urge
Social services should not be responsible for operating a database that holds information about alleged abusers, the president of the Association of.... more
(17 March 2004 14:49)

Wednesday 17 March 2004
Careless GP faces prison over manslaughter. Surrogacy deal mother 'sold same baby to two couples'. more
(17 March 2004 10:03)

Care label sticks
Despite the BBC's attempt to reflect the experiences of children in care, it would take a massive push to lodge the issue in mainstream consciousness.... more
(11 March 2004 00:00)

Girls in prison "out of sight and mind" of social services
Some social services departments are guilty of an “out of sight, out of mind” culture in their approach to girls in prisons, according to the Howard.... more
(16 March 2004 17:40)

Big charities grow
The UK voluntary sector has nearly doubled in size during the past 10 years, according to a new study. more
(12 March 2004 18:06)

Government climbs down in asylum appeals dispute
The government performed a u-turn when ministers dropped plans to remove the right of asylum seekers to challenge asylum decisions in the courts, .... more
(16 March 2004 15:36)

Unions attack 'derisory' pay offer
Local government unions have warned that hundreds of thousands of council workers will be “dismayed” at the “derisory” pay offer from local.... more
(12 March 2004 10:53)

Long-awaited alcohol strategy under attack
The long-awaited alcohol misuse strategy, published on Tuesday, has been attacked for failing to tackle the chronic lack of investment in treatment.... more
(16 March 2004 11:34)

Tuesday 16 March 2004
Children's charities warn government that £6.8 billion needed to help poor families. Ministers retreat on asylum appeal. more
(16 March 2004 09:57)

Connexions must involve voluntary sector
Connexions partnerships must develop local strategies for involving the voluntary sector in their work, according to a guidance document launched.... more
(15 March 2004 17:46)

Food watchdog tackles children’s diets
Adverts promoting foods high in fat, salt and sugar to young people should be matched by messages selling a healthy diet according to the Foods.... more
(15 March 2004 17:44)

Minimum wage for young workers
Children’s charities have broadly welcomed government plans to extend the minimum wage to 16 and 17-year olds. From October young workers will be.... more
(15 March 2004 17:41)

OFT downplays anti-competitive care homes complaint against councils
The Office of Fair Trading delivered its preliminary response to the ‘super complaint’ lodged in December by the Consumers’ Association, about.... more
(15 March 2004 00:00)

Monday 15 March 2004
Shipman case spurs inquest shake-up. School head admits failing to vet Huntley. more
(15 March 2004 10:08)

New research from Community Care on voluntary sector
Community Care is running a series of seminars on recruitment and retention in the voluntary sector. The seminars are based on research that compares.... more
(12 March 2004 18:09)

E-learning tool launched
communitycare.co.uk has launched its first e-learning product in partnership with Topss, the training organisation for social care. more
(12 March 2004 18:11)

More staff and more demand, says Scottish report
Investment in Scottish social work has doubled in the past 10 years, said Scotland’s chief social work inspector last month. more
(12 March 2004 18:04)

Government to overhaul staff training
A new UK-wide sector skills council for all social care professionals will be set up, the government has announced alongside its Children Bill.... more
(12 March 2004 17:59)

Responses to bill
Overall the bill has been welcomed but concerns have emerged including the independence of the commissioner more
(12 March 2004 17:57)

Children Bill to reform services
The Children Bill was published earlier this month along with a series of documents outlining the future of children’s services in England. more
(12 March 2004 17:55)

Debate on whether multi-disciplinary teams work
We asked people:- Do multi-disciplinary teams really work in practice? more
(12 March 2004 16:59)

Criminal checks flaws exposed at Huntley inquiry
Thousands of people may be able to cheat the vetting process carried out by the Criminal Records Bureau because the body has no way of checking that.... more
(12 March 2004 16:35)

Children Bill: Timescale of bill's measures
April 2004. Consultation on voluntary and community sector and children’s services, including streamlining of funding. Inspectorates consult.... more
(11 March 2004 10:15)

Charity chief wants professionals to shift focus away from risks and on to outcomes
A leading children’s charity head has called on professionals to focus on how to improve outcomes for children rather than on their risk of coming to.... more
(11 March 2004 00:00)