Articles by Date : April 01 2004 - April 30 2004

Charity attacks teachers over legal threat to children
Calls by teachers union NASUWT to introduce a policy that will allow teachers to sue children who falsely accuse them of abuse have been criticised.... more
(16 April 2004 16:44)

Executive proposes new measures to protect children in family disputes
New legal safeguards to prevent children being used as 'pawns' in family disputes are being proposed under new legislation from the Scottish.... more
(15 April 2004 17:11)

Regional plan for commissioning being considered
The Department of Health is considering a proposal for regional commissioning of domiciliary services and residential nursing care for older people, .... more
(19 April 2004 15:09)

Monday 19 April 2004
Huntley jail move postponed again. Treasury plans tax on charity street collections. more
(19 April 2004 10:06)

Friday 16 May 2004
Migrants held in police cells Teachers want action on violence more
(16 April 2004 09:59)

Care Ambassadors
Young care workers in Dorset are pitching the profession to the next generation of recruits in secondary schools. more
(15 April 2004 12:49)

Scots warn on safety checks
Scottish councils could be employing social workers without the necessary checks because of staff shortages and the time it took to do a check, the.... more
(15 April 2004 12:48)

Bichard Inquiry
The Bichard Inquiry into the events surrounding the deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were killed by Ian Huntley, ended earlier this.... more
(15 April 2004 12:47)

Cost of Criminal Records Bureau spirals
The cost of vetting applications by the Criminal Records Bureau has risen by £150 million, it has been revealed in an evidence session of the House.... more
(15 April 2004 10:36)

Time to put safety first
Former London inspection chief Jack Valero wants the Bichard Inquiry to lead to a set of protocols for agencies to work together to protect children.... more
(15 April 2004 11:39)

Out of the loop
Children whose parents have mental health problems might not be well served by the separation of children's and adult's services implied in the.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Ready for the worst
A major terrorist incident would have severe implications not only for the emergency services but for social services. Anabel Unity Sale looks at how.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Behind the headlines
Our regular panel comments on a topic in the news: this week, additional increments paid to children's services staff. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

I will beat the bullies
Bullies led Terry Millet to abuse drugs. But now he is in shared housing and is helping other people. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

The flaws that Bichard must address to keep another Ian Huntley at bay
With the close of the Bichard inquiry, Sally Gillen asks professionals what measures could be introduced to prevent a repeat of the circumstances.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Councils 'must get closer to Cafcass'
Local authorities and the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service need to work closer together to improve the family court system, a.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Tracking plans risk putting parents off seeking support, claims charity
Tracking systems proposed in the Children Bill will deter parents from seeking help and advice, according to the policy director for a leading.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Trailblazer projects worry about future
Managers of identification, referral and tracking schemes are concerned about their projects' sustainability, according to new research. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Nottingham police to operate curfew
Young people in the Clifton area of Nottingham could be fined £2,500 and imprisoned for three months for persistently breaking a night-time curfew. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Poor decisions attacked by MPs
MPs have warned that "rushed or inadequate" medical assessments are still causing many mistakes to be made on benefit decisions. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Council presses on with children task
Gloucestershire has become one of the first councils to appoint a senior manager to develop the role of new children's services directors outlined in.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Lost generation is estimated at 50,000
More than 50,000 people are lost in the "forgotten generation" of long-term service users who have been left behind by mental health reforms, a new.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Fears for future of children's homes
One in seven local authority secure children's homes (Lasch) could close, the head of the Secure Accommodation Network has warned. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Incentives could aid staff retention
Extra payments to children and families workers could ease the recruitment and retention problems, according to the majority of visitors to .... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Action demanded over racist services
A new campaign group to put pressure on the Department of Health to tackle racism in the wake of the David Bennett inquiry has been set up by a.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Pressure is greatest for social workers
Social services staff experienced more workplace pressure than any other council employees, according to the 2003 local government workplace survey. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Changing jail culture
For the first time social workers are being directly funded to work in young offenders institutions, potentially a seminal moment in the care and.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Health and holistics
We hear the chief medical officer in Scotland has pleaded with health professionals to protect vulnerable people by sharing information with other.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Survey backs need for drug monitoring
Campaigners in Scotland have called for psychiatric drugs to be independently regulated after six out of 10 users claimed to have experienced.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Tax change threat to Connexions
The quality and delivery of the Connexions service is under threat after a £25m cut to its budget to help fund services outlined in the children's.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Health chief stresses information sharing
Scotland's chief medical officer has told health professionals that they must share information about children or vulnerable adults if they fear they.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Charities call for extra support from outside prison for social workers
Penal reform campaigners have criticised the Youth Justice Board's decision to base social workers full-time inside young offenders institutions. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Appeal Court strikes blow against proposals to deny asylum support
The government's plans to withdraw support from failed asylum seekers and take their children into care has been dealt a blow in a court ruling for.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Groups hail launch of go-betweens to ease contact with birth parents
Adoption groups believe new agencies to assist contact between adopted children and birth parents will end the postcode lottery many parents now face. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Battle lines drawn
Tension is rising within local authorities following a pay offer that has angered an already demoralised workforce, reports Mark Hunter. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Television review - Happy Birthday Thalidomide
Channel 4, 1 April, 2004. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Thursday 15 April 2004
Council workers may strike over pay Media puts children at risk, doctors warn more
(15 April 2004 09:45)

Gunn on politics
There has not been a proper debate over the idea of compulsory ID cards. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Rewards matter
Civil servants and politicians spend a lot of time devising ways of delivering services on the cheap. But it won't work. Improved services require.... more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Fair play for all can bring us together
Problems with multiculturalism result from a lack of fraternity not a lack of Shakespeare. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Soulless services destined to fail
The treatment of people with mental illness needs to address their spiritual well-being, writes Judy Clinton. more
(15 April 2004 00:00)

Interview with Rod Morgan
Full transcript of interview with new Youth Justice Board chair Rod Morgan. more
(14 April 2004 16:10)

Charity identifies lost generation of 50,000 mental health service users
Over 50,000 people are lost in the “forgotten generation” of long-term service users who have been left behind by mental health reforms, a new report.... more
(14 April 2004 11:39)

Alcohol strategy - will it cause a hangover?
A long-awaited alcohol strategy was launched by the government recently - Katie Leason assesses its impact on struggling services. more
(06 April 2004 16:13)

Wednesday 14 April 2004
More than 50,000 people with mental health problems 'forgotten' by ministers. Report from MPs shows Criminal Records Bureau costs set to top £150.... more
(14 April 2004 10:02)

Staff in benefit offices take strike action
Almost 100,000 workers from three government departments have started strike action to campaign for better pay, writes Clare Jerrom. more
(13 April 2004 14:25)

Six out of ten oppose smacking ban, says poll
A new opinion poll suggests most adults still oppose a ban on smacking children, but more than 40 per cent would now support a change and 72 per cent.... more
(13 April 2004 18:17)

TV watching by toddlers leads to attention disorders
The more television young children watch, the more likely they are to develop attention deficit disorder, according to a new study. more
(13 April 2004 18:12)

Make parents your partners, Twigg tells schools
Government is urging schools to rethink the way they work with parents in a bid to encourage them to get more involved in their children’s.... more
(13 April 2004 18:07)

New adoption contact measures 'set to end postcode lottery'
Adoption groups believe new agencies to facilitate contact between adopted children and birth parents will end the current postcode lottery many.... more
(13 April 2004 17:47)