Articles by Date : April 01 2003 - April 30 2003

Minister recalls juvenile establishment visit as his 'most depressing moment'
Home Office minister Hilary Benn admitted last week that visiting a secure juvenile establishment was "the most depressing moment of my life". more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Babies' bonds and regional pay take pride of place in Brown's new vision
Last week's Budget, while overshadowed by news from Iraq, contained several measures of much interest to the social care sector. Lauren Revans.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Danger of losing independent role
Voluntary organisations and charities are enjoying a much greater say in policy-making than in the past but risk losing their "autonomy and critical.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Inspectors pinpoint services that councils need to improve the most
Councils are not expecting to meet all their targets in key areas, according to a mid-year report from the Social Services Inspectorate. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Schools crucial to children's services
Schools and education have a key role to play in delivering children's services, a leading member of the Association of Chief Education Officers.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Cross-agency staff to support services
New types of multi-agency workers are to be piloted in six local authorities to support children and families teams. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Social care not marginalised says NHS chief
The restructuring of the department of health is not about marginalising social care, but ensuring wider understanding of the issues that affect the.... more
(17 April 2003 11:24)

NHS chief moves to allay fears that social care will be sidelined in rejig
The restructuring of the Department of Health is intended to ensure wider understanding of social care issues rather than allow the sector to be.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Checks could reduce ex-offenders' hopes
The introduction of basic criminal records checks could result in a significant rise in the number of ex-offenders excluded from employment,.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Government denies 'large number' of false abuse claims against care staff
The government has rejected a claim that large numbers of care workers employed in children's homes have been falsely accused of abusing children. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Children's trusts prove popular
The government has received bids to run pilot children's trusts from 45 local authorities. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

MPs round on Anti-social behaviour bill
The government was attacked last week for its failure to consult adequately on the Antisocial Behaviour Bill. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

New standards for hospitals spell out child protection responsibilities
All hospitals must ensure they have child protection protocols and 24-hour access to child protection advice and support under new national standards.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Long deals may hit small care homes
The future of small residential care providers was called into question during a workshop session. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

'Throw a party to build relationships'
The way to improve relations between health and social care locally is to have more parties, directors were told. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Plea to Short over role in Iraq rebuild
The ADSS agreed to approach the Department for International Development about taking a proactive role in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Behind the Headlines
Our regular panel comments on a topic in the news. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Break with tradition needed to find staff
New, radical solutions are needed to tackle staff shortages in mental health services as there is still too much reliance on traditional educational.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Expert group to review services
The government has established a group of leading experts from the voluntary, statutory and private sectors to review care arrangements for.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Bursaries offered to secure staff
Reed Social Care has become the first recruitment agency to offer bursaries of £3,000 to people planning to study the new social work degree. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Care council defends review timetable
The General Social Care Council has defended the timetable for its review of education and training on inter-agency working commissioned by the.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Social workers 'fail' to protect inmates
Social workers have been criticised for "washing their hands" of responsibility for children in young offenders institutions. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Charities succeed in doubling jail terms
Care workers found guilty of having sex with a person with learning difficulties will now face 14 years imprisonment, following an amendment to the.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Long detention causes child trauma
Children of asylum-seeking families who are detained in removal centres experience physical, mental and social harm, according to a new report by the.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Social care help for Iraq not feasible
It is not feasible for social workers from Britain to make a significant contribution to the reconstruction effort in Iraq, according to nearly.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

My life as a punch-bag
A young woman leaves care with optimism and pride despite her history of abuse and trauma. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

What happened to the 'ethical vision'?
Care home residents will forfeit more than a roof over their heads thanks to a court ruling. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Put sign language on statute books
The means to a right of communication for deaf people needs to be guaranteed through legislation, writes Jill Jones. more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

A route to stability
Concurrent planning, the new Big Idea in adoption, aims to remove the state of flux felt by children in the system. The emotional demands are high,.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Protecting or patronising?
The Sexual Offences Bill, now going through parliament, will outlaw sex for people who have learning difficulties if they lack the capacity to.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Thursday 17 April 2003
Swiss authorities criticised for allowing British couple to commit suicide. Shadow Chancellor calls for inquiry into tax credit chaos. more
(17 April 2003 10:02)

Meet the job challenge
After years of stagnation in workforce planning, social care employers are slowly building up a toolkit with which to repair the damage caused by the.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Clear thinking needed
The fact that 45 local authorities have expressed an interest in piloting children's trusts - despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of.... more
(17 April 2003 00:00)

Minister depressed after visit to secure juvenile unit
Home office minister Hilary Benn admitted that visiting a secure juvenile establishment was the most depressing moment of his life, writes Clare.... more
(10 April 2003 10:38)

Sex offender fails to prevent baby being taken into care
A convicted sex offender has failed in his eleventh-hour bid to prevent Gloucestershire council taking his baby into care as soon as it is born next.... more
(16 April 2003 16:08)

Early findings of children's blueprint revealed
All hospitals must ensure they have child protection protocols and 24-hour access to child protection advice and support under new national standards.... more
(16 April 2003 00:00)

Older people in Scotland not protected, charity warns
Vulnerable older people in Scotland are not receiving adequate protection, the charity Action on Elder Abuse has warned. more
(16 April 2003 15:03)

Social workers in Northern Ireland take strike action
Around 1,400 social workers across 11 community health trusts in Northern Ireland are taking strike action for two days this week in protest over pay.... more
(16 April 2003 14:58)

Wednesday 16 April 2003
Tax shambles leaves thousands of families out of pocket. Parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman to face the man accused of murdering their.... more
(16 April 2003 09:59)

Four children taken from social services care found in Spain
Four children, allegedly abducted by their parents from the care of Shropshire social services during a routine contact visit in February, have been.... more
(15 April 2003 15:35)

Care workers given longer sentences for sex with people with learning difficulties
Care workers found guilty of having sex with a person with learning difficulties will be jailed for 14 years, under an amendment to the Sexual.... more
(15 April 2003 15:20)

Shortage of mental health staff needs radical approach
New and radical solutions are needed to tackle staff shortages in mental health services as there is still too much reliance on the education system.... more
(15 April 2003 12:23)

Tuesday 15 April 2003
Couple go to Switzerland to commit suicide. Mother becomes first parent in Wales to be jailed for truant child. more
(15 April 2003 09:53)

Ministers to consider children's trust bids
The government has received bids to run pilot children’s trusts from 45 local authorities, writes Derren Hayes. more
(14 April 2003 15:35)

New cash to boost practice learning announced
Health minister Jacqui Smith has announced £7 million of extra funding this year to cover the costs of increasing practice learning days from 130 to.... more
(14 April 2003 14:59)

Court considers power of adoptive parents to change child's name
The surname of the child is normally changed to that of the adopters on the making of the adoption order. more
(14 April 2003 12:42)

Social workers fail to take up starter homes under 'key worker' schemes
A scheme to help 10,000 public sector workers buy a home has reserved only 400 places for social workers. Amy Taylor explains why even fewer have.... more
(10 April 2003 00:00)

A month of upheaval as profession is buffeted by the winds of change
From asylum rights to at-risk children, a flood of policy and practice changes has hit the social care sector this month. Community Care .... more
(10 April 2003 00:00)

Children in foster care suffer too many moves
Foster children in Scotland are suffering too many moves between foster parents, a new study reveals. more
(11 April 2003 11:45)

What’s really behind most marital splits?
Labour's tax adjustments fail to reflect the link between poverty and marital instability. more
(10 April 2003 00:00)