Articles by Date : October 01 2003 - October 31 2003

Less paper work for health visitors
Health visitors will not have to measure and record the time they spend with patients from next April. more
(31 October 2003 11:29)

Local authorities spending more on children in need.
Spending by local authority social services departments on children in need increased by 23 per cent in 16 months, according to a survey by the.... more
(31 October 2003 11:27)

Guide confirms lack of knowledge
Government guidance on an expanded system of parenting orders and new powers to issue fixed penalty fines to parents admits that the government is in.... more
(31 October 2003 11:02)

Leading social care academic killed in freak accident
Professor Sally Baldwin, former director of the Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of York, has died in an accident in Rome, aged.... more
(31 October 2003 11:01)

Child care link with poverty unclear, says study
Providing high quality child care may not be as effective in reducing family poverty as previously hoped, a new study suggests. more
(31 October 2003 11:00)

Antisocial behaviour: new policies unveiled
Parents whose children display antisocial behaviour may be required to attend a residential parenting scheme set up by the Home Office, under a new.... more
(31 October 2003 10:58)

Child friendly, teen unfriendly
Britain has become more friendly to children but our friendship apparently still lasts only until they reach puberty. Of course it’s nothing new to.... more
(31 October 2003 10:56)

Training materials
Enhancing the Health of Older People: Complementary Approaches to Well-being and Autism: You Are Not Alone! more
(30 October 2003 00:00)

It's the survivors who thrive
A lack of understanding among professionals and unhelpful immigration laws are undermining attempts to improve the mental health of asylum seekers.... more
(30 October 2003 00:00)

Learning the hard way
The post-qualifying awards for social workers are sound in principle but many staff have to juggle heavy workloads and convince wary employers..... more
(30 October 2003 00:00)

Safe passage
People from ethnic minorities often distrust mental health services, as they find themselves patronised and treated unprofessionally. Report editor.... more
(30 October 2003 00:00)

Friday 31 October 2003
Restrictions on legal aid for asylum seekers condemned. 11-year-olds drinking at danger levels. more
(31 October 2003 09:56)

Thursday 30 October 2003
Villagers turned fire on gipsies instead of Guy Fawkes. Disabled man beaten and run over by car thieves. more
(30 October 2003 10:02)

Pay body rejects minimum rate for low paid social care staff
Calls by unions for a minimum rate of £6.50 an hour for public sector workers, including home care staff, have been rejected by the Local Government.... more
(29 October 2003 14:47)

Wednesday 29 October 2003
Children could receive up to £35,000 in child trust funds. UN refugee chief criticises Tony Blair over asylum seekers convention. more
(29 October 2003 10:05)

Would a new tracking system protect children?
Invasion of privacy and putting too much faith in IT systems are among criticisms of the government’s desire to identify, refer and track children. .... more
(28 October 2003 17:27)

Government's trailblazer children's scheme hits legal snag
One of the government's 10 identification referral and tracking pilots has halted plans to create a pooled database of children's details due to.... more
(24 October 2003 00:00)

Cafcass backs down over allocation concern
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) has backed down over plans to allow its managers to allocate cases to children’s.... more
(28 October 2003 12:10)

Tuesday 28 October 2003
Preliminary hearing for Soham pair. Blunkett to toughen controls on asylum. more
(28 October 2003 09:50)

Children say antisocial orders will cause tension
A coalition of children’s charities called for the government to change plans for anti-social behaviour rules after research revealed the proposals.... more
(27 October 2003 18:17)

Services tackle youth drug crime
Young people who commit crimes to fund a drug habit will be targeted in a Home Office initiative that aims to tackle offending and drug problems at.... more
(27 October 2003 18:20)

Schools welcome asylum seeker pupils
Schools provide a good education for asylum seeker children and a welcome environment, according to a study by school inspectors Ofsted. more
(27 October 2003 18:23)

Civil servant to lead new children's directorate at DfES
Tom Jeffrey has been appointed as the first director general for children and families at the Department for Education and Skills, it was announced.... more
(27 October 2003 18:11)

Government's trailblazer children's scheme hits legal snag
One of the government's 10 identification referral and tracking pilots has halted plans to create a pooled database of children's details due to.... more
(27 October 2003 18:09)

MPs push for evaluation of children's trusts
Pilot children’s trusts should be evaluated before being implemented nationally, a group of MPs has recommended, writes Sally Gillen. more
(27 October 2003 18:07)

Education director to head social work in Edinburgh
The director of education for Edinburgh Council has been given interim responsibility for the social work department after the resignation of former.... more
(27 October 2003 15:49)

Civil servant to lead new children's directorate at DfES
Tom Jeffrey has been appointed as the first director general for children and families at the Department for Education and Skills, it was announced.... more
(27 October 2003 15:13)

MPs to hold inquiry into abuse of older people
An inquiry into the causes of abuse of older people and ways to protect them will be launched by the House of Commons health select committee. more
(27 October 2003 12:56)

Interview with chief inspector of prisons Anne Owers
Anne Owers talks to Community Care two years after becoming chief inspector of prisons. Clare Jerrom asked her about the conditions of 18 to 21.... more
(24 October 2003 18:10)

Monday 27 October 2003
Up to 50,000 asylum seekers granted amnesty. Council criticised over death of baby. more
(27 October 2003 10:03)

Exclusive: Community Care workforce survey of 2,000 people
Our exclusive Community Care survey asked more than 2,000 people why they choose to stay in their jobs, and what drives them to leave. more
(23 October 2003 17:53)

Blunkett's plans to get tough run into disapproval from charities
The antisocial behaviour bill has kicked up a storm of controversy. So what kind of measures would its many critics propose instead, asks Amy Taylor..... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Friday 24 October 2003
Appeal court jails two paedophiles. Child protection scheme in disarray. more
(24 October 2003 10:02)

Rough sleepers total reaches all-time low
The number of rough sleepers is down to an all time low of just over 500 across the whole of England, according to the latest government statistics. more
(24 October 2003 00:00)

New cash for social work training in Scotland
Social work training in Scotland will benefit from an £11 million package announced by Euan Robson, deputy minister for education and young people, .... more
(23 October 2003 16:49)

Lack of resources hampers reform of young offenders institutions
Chief inspector of prisons Anne Owers tells Clare Jerrom of her worries about a punishment regime that locks away 18 to 21 year olds for up to 22.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

McTernan on politics
How taking a leaf out of Disney's book could help raise morale in public services. more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Mapping out the future
Children from East London's Bangladeshi community are being engaged at schools by an innovative project which gives its clients the time to build.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Linda makes a flying visit
Actress Linda Robson knew little about the contribution of social workers - until she shadowed Newham's Aydin Mehmet as part of Care in the Capital.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Who's in charge here?
Lead professionals who would co-ordinate the work of agencies involved with a child are among the most important proposals in Every Child Matters ..... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Commission will stand up for rights of service users, says Platt
The new Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to reward and promote good practice, but will not shrink from using tough enforcement powers to.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Clarke addresses fears that children's social services will slip down agenda
Education secretary Charles Clarke reassured social services officers and councillors that children's social services would not lose out to.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Employers urged to be self-critical
Employers who want to encourage their staff to complete workplace learning and training must examine their own operations closely, the Learning and.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Social care 'not a rescue service'
The government is at risk of marginalising social care and seeing it as a "rescue service" rather than a means to ensure the overall well-being of.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Tories and Lib Dems scorn fines
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats were united in their criticism of delayed discharges fines last week, three weeks after the system was launched.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

MPs' call for review of funding rejected
The government has rejected calls from the House of Commons health committee to review social care funding. more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

MPs urge plans to be put to the test
Pilot children's trusts should be evaluated before being implemented nationally, a group of MPs and Lords has recommended. more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Post of director of social care will boost sector's presence, says Reid
The Department of Health is to create a post of director of social care for England in a bid to ensure the voice of social care is heard in Whitehall. more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Haringey caseloads remain 'stressful'
Despite improvements in recruitment, the morale among front-line staff in Haringey's children's services is "fragile" and caseloads are still "very.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)

Court guardians Review of board membership agreed
The government has accepted calls by a select committee of the Lord Chancellor's department to seriously review the board membership of the Children.... more
(23 October 2003 00:00)