Articles by Date : April 01 2005 - April 30 2005

Lib Dems push joint working up agenda
The Liberal Democrats emerged as the party most vocally committed to social care at a pre-election debate at the King's Fund last week. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Children's homes take worries to MPs
The government is losing credibility with the children's home sector after three reorganisations of inspections in as many years, according to.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Pensioners' £1.60 a week rise attacked
Millions of women whose state pension is based on their husband's national insurance contributions received a rise of less than £1.60 this week. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Plea to scrap penal custody for children
Retiring Labour MP Hilton Dawson and a group of charities are lobbying parliamentary candidates to demand an end to penal custody for children. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

If you ask me...
Anthony Mitchell has dual sensory impairment with mobility and mental health problems. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Southall should not be struck off register, judge rules
Paediatrician David Southall should not be struck off the medical register for accusing the husband of Sally Clark of killing their children, a High.... more
(18 April 2005 11:27)

Monday 18 April 2005
Charities to be invited to run prisons Former teacher becomes oldest woman to receive asbo more
(18 April 2005 09:54)

Round up of the week
Round up of the week beginning 11 April 2005. more
(15 April 2005 14:52)

Blair outlines Labour's election manifesto pledge
The Labour Party has pledged to overhaul the youth justice system and improve conditions in Young Offender Institutions in its election manifesto.... more
(14 April 2005 13:01)

More than half of professionals believe Labour has let children down
More than half of social care professionals believe the government has performed poorly on children’s policies for young offenders, children in.... more
(13 April 2005 10:24)

Exclusive: Around 20,000 social services staff on long-term sick in 2004
An estimated 20,000 local authority social services staff were signed off work for a period of two months or more last year, an exclusive poll by .... more
(14 April 2005 13:16)

Scottish executive looking to cut back social work directors
The Scottish Executive is to look at cutting back the number of social work directors in Scotland as part of a wider cull of top tier management, .... more
(14 April 2005 16:41)

Friday 15 April 2005
Southall will not be struck off Labour apologises for police murder more
(15 April 2005 09:45)

Kennedy to outline Lib Dems manifesto
The Liberal Democrats will today reiterate their pledge to introduce free personal care if they were elected into government, writes Clare Jerrom . more
(14 April 2005 13:36)

On The Move
Care for your career more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

'Laws are breaking Geneva Convention'
The government is violating the Geneva Convention by deporting asylum seekers whose claims have failed to dangerous countries, states to a report.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Moving images
A short film produced by Leicestershire social services has got cinema audiences thinking about foster carer recruitment. Graham Hopkins reports. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Judge 'astonished' at £1m legal bill
A High Court judge has expressed "astonishment" over the £1m legal bill run up in a protracted case relating to a council's treatment of two disabled.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Plan to tag parents dismissed by MPs
Government plans to tag parents who breach contact orders have been rejected by the parliamentary committee scrutinising the draft Children (Contact).... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Nearly half back Labour
Forty-five per cent of visitors to Community Care's website believed that Labour should win the election in light of its social care policies over.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Job File: Programme Manager
Care for your career. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

A central role alongside health
Under the Lib Dems, social care would cease to be the poor relation of the NHS, pledges Paul Burstow. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Alone with her memories
An 87-year-old woman wants to stay in the home she lived in with her husband despite this no longer being a safe option. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Beware of dilution
Too much paperwork, too little time spent with clients" is a common refrain among social workers and one that is at last being heard if recent.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Call to catch them young to correct gender imbalance
There are few men in social care - hardly surprising as schools seem to do their best to discourage boys. But the profession wants change, writes.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Local government could be weakened after the election
Local government could be further weakened after the election because of the hostility of the two government departments dealing with social care to.... more
(14 April 2005 11:22)

Vetting scheme may make clients wary
Clients considered a risk to children or vulnerable adults could be reported to a new central vetting scheme by social workers. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Sector seeks reassurance on plans for social worker support staff
Government plans to remodel the children's workforce along the lines followed by the teaching profession must not undermine the role of social.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Fostering charity takes on adoption
A national fostering charity has moved into the adoption field in an attempt to find permanent families for hard-to-place children. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Probation officers fail to buy into antisocial behaviour policies
Some probation officers are refusing to supervise anti-social behaviour orders because they “don’t believe” in the policy, a conference in.... more
(14 April 2005 10:38)

Guidance outlines safeguarding roles
Police forces will be required to have a senior manager who leads on children's issues to ensure they are safeguarded under statutory guidance.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Dial b for benefits
Jobcentre Plus clients are being asked to claim benefits over the telephone, writes Gary Vaux. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Cultural barriers keep out claimants
People from ethnic minorities are being denied benefits because of culturally insensitive procedures and inadequate language services, according to.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Thursday 14 April 2005
Lord Chief Justice expected to retire Immigration strategy backfiring on Tories more
(14 April 2005 09:50)

Spot the scapegoat
...it isn't too difficult - they both are. Labour and the Conservatives are flexing their muscles to show who has the toughest election policies, and.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Ethical stance could risk child happiness
A proposed US approach to family law would endanger the notion of child-centredness, writes Yvonne Roberts. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Heart surgery
Emotional literacy programmes not only benefit individuals but can help entire organisations to function better. First they were used in schools, and.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Poll reveals high level of long-term sickness among social services staff
An estimated 20,000 local authority social services staff were signed off work for a period of two months or more last year, an exclusive poll by.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Chaos revealed at Child Support Agency
Staff at the Child Support Agency deliberately entered false information onto the IT system and stockpiled claims which meant they were not dealt.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Get well soon or else
Our newspapers love to climb on to their high horse about something, and sick leave in the public sector is a particular favourite. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

The Personal Touch
The government has proposed an overhaul of adult social care that aims to hand users greater control over budgets, assessments and services. But.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

The Big Question
In the light of the coming general election, how would you rate this government's performance on social policy? more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

My own place at last
After a series of living arrangements that proved stressful, Bob Smith has found support that suits him. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Perspectives: The Politics of Hate
The Tories' stream of racism directed at immigrants and asylum seekers is matched only by Labour's kowtowing to this macho malevolence. But at least.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

On the up
Trish Hafford-Letchfield looks at how one council developed a targeted programme to maximise the potential of managers from under-represented groups .... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Drinkers urged to admit drug habit
Alcohol services are so stretched that people with drink problems are being encouraged to admit taking drugs so they can gain access to treatment, it.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

How to support a bereaved colleague
Death can be a difficult and embarrassing subject to deal with at work, particularly if you do not know a bereaved colleague well. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

The Simon Heng column
Admin workers, such as those in finance, struggled to see how their roles had a direct impact on service users. more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Training Materials - The Lost Child
I hope this DVD is an indicator of just how far on-a-shoestring, role play-reliant social care training has come. The fact that this is a DVD for one.... more
(14 April 2005 00:00)

Training Materials - Not that "different" ...just treated that way
This video aims to "give food for thought and promote discussion around issues of disabilism" (that word again). more
(14 April 2005 00:00)