Articles by Date : October 01 2003 - October 31 2003

Inspections chief promises lighter touch for social care
The chairperson of the Audit Commission has pledged a commitment to a “lighter touch” form of public sector regulation, writes Katie Leason. more
(15 October 2003 16:24)

Council leaders warn of social care 'battle royale' with education
The Local Government Association has warned of a “battle royale” taking place in councils over whether education officers or social workers gain.... more
(15 October 2003 14:56)

Flawed agencies failed to prevent baby death (NEW VERSION)
The death of an 11-week old baby at the hands of his father could have been avoided, but all the agencies involved were flawed “at almost every.... more
(15 October 2003 11:15)

Professionals warned they face sack for antisocial behaviour failures
Professionals working against antisocial behaviour who fail to tackle offenders using new powers awarded to them by ministers, should be sacked, the.... more
(15 October 2003 12:03)

Wednesday 15 October 2003
Man with HIV convicted after infecting lovers. Reid set to announce new social care tsar to tackle delayed discharge. more
(15 October 2003 10:35)

Service failures down to poor leadership systems
Weak corporate governance is a major factor in service failures in the public sector such as the Victoria Climbie case, a report by the Audit.... more
(14 October 2003 16:13)

People with learning difficulties win compensation for care home abuse
Care home residents with learning difficulties who suffered a “regime of punishment” in which they were raped and systemically abused could receive.... more
(14 October 2003 16:01)

More funding for students in Wales
Social work students who normally reside in Wales will be able to apply for funding for their studies, health and social services minister Jane Hutt.... more
(14 October 2003 09:32)

Voluntary sector commission set up in Wales
A new independent commission to review the way the Welsh assembly supports the voluntary sector is to be established. more
(14 October 2003 09:23)

Scotland fast tracks another 70 social work students
The Scottish executive is to fast track another 70 graduates into social work posts to meet increasing demand. more
(14 October 2003 09:28)

New survey of recruitment practices
Recruitment Talk and Community Care, in collaboration with the Roehampton University of Surrey, is undertaking a national survey of Recruitment.... more
(14 October 2003 13:16)

Recruitment special
For the issue of 16 October, Community Care has 10 pages of features on recruitment and retention in social care. more
(14 October 2003 13:14)

Care in the Capital Report
The report 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' was written for the Care in the Capital Week by Andrea Rowe, chief executive of the training body Topss.... more
(14 October 2003 13:12)

Government agenda for home care could be undermined
New national standards and a government commitment to developing home care services will be seriously undermined by lack of status, poor pay and.... more
(13 October 2003 15:50)

Tuesday 14 October 2003
More than 50 adults with learning difficulties awarded £1 million in compensation for abuse in private care homes. more
(14 October 2003 09:57)

Give buddies a go
Giving social workers a voice and providing them with an informal support network through a mentor or "buddy" was one idea proposed by delegates who.... more
(14 October 2003 09:36)

New social work degree up and running in England
Universities welcomed their first intake for the social work degree last month. more
(14 October 2003 09:25)

Pay children’s social workers more
Children’s social workers need higher salaries if they are not to leave their jobs for less pressurised posts, delegates at a child care conference .... more
(14 October 2003 09:21)

Results boost for most deprived schools
The academic performance of children in the poorest schools has improved two and a half times faster than children in other schools, GCSE/GNVQ.... more
(13 October 2003 19:41)

Children more welcome – until they reach teen years
In England children are held in higher esteem than teenagers, research carried out for the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has revealed. more
(13 October 2003 19:37)

Childcare must take more account of minority ethnic communities
The needs of black and minority ethnic communities are overlooked by childcare providers, according to a research published by the Daycare Trust. more
(13 October 2003 19:33)

Monday 13 October 2003
Social work comes bottom of list of courses ranked by the A level results achieved to take them. more
(13 October 2003 10:05)

Social services not serving people well
Around 45 per cent of social services departments are not serving most or all children well, according to a new multi-agency inspection report. more
(10 October 2003 17:42)

Half of service users find meeting with professionals 'difficult'
More than half of service users find their first meeting with mental health professionals "difficult", a new survey reveals. more
(10 October 2003 15:36)

Friday 10 October 2003
The 'world's most prolific' internet paedophile was jailed for five years. Two bailed over Toni-Ann killing. more
(10 October 2003 10:03)

Alliance attacks government record on children
A year after a damning report into the UK’s treatment of children was published by the United Nations little progress has been made in some key.... more
(09 October 2003 17:12)

news analysis of delayed discharge fines
Councils have three months to get used to the delayed discharges system before new financial penalties come in. Natasha Salari reports on their.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Minister ends hopes of awareness drive for Access to Work initiative
The government has no plans to increase promotion of the Access to Work scheme for disabled people despite evidence of lack of awareness among.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Inspectors accused of leniency towards residential care homes
The National Care Standards Commission is being too soft on care home owners whose staff neglect residents, Action on Elder Abuse's chief executive.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Blunkett aims to wrong-foot critics by accepting 500 'victims of terror'
Up to 500 "victims of terror" will be able to claim asylum in the UK in the first year of a new United Nations-backed scheme unveiled by home.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Paedophiles 'slipping through loopholes in police checks'
An expert in the behaviour of paedophiles says organisations are relying too heavily on Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks to detect child abusers.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Economic fears if immigration slashed
Trevor Phillips, chairperson of the Commission for Racial Equality, said Britain would face disastrous economic consequences if immigration was.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Files to follow dispersed children
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children will no longer be left in unsupported bed and breakfast accommodation hundreds of miles from their social.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Priests fear church has shielded abusers
Many parish priests in England and Wales believe the Catholic Church has covered up incidents of child sex abuse, according to a study. more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

12-hour child care for lone parents
Unemployed lone parents are to be offered affordable child care for up to 12 hours a day in a scheme to help them return to work. more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Conservatives 'Mental health bill is fatally flawed'
The Conservative Party mental health spokesperson has called for the NHSto prioritise mental health care. more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Change case records style, says charity
Adoption social workers should consider changing the way they record an adopted child's case history, Baaf Adoption and Fostering recommends. more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Scots blame rise on temporary measures
Bed-blocking in Scottish hospitals has increased in the past three months despite previous targets being met. more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Head teachers could get powers to fine
Education welfare officers, head teachers and police would be given powers to issue £100 fines to the parents of children who are persistent truants,.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Young people might be 'written off'
Children are in danger of being split into the "deserving and undeserving" in our future care systems, a leading academic has warned. more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Inquiry finds killer was poorly assessed
There were serious failings in the care and treatment of a paranoid schizophrenic who killed his ex-partner, a report of the independent inquiry into.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Timetable for bill remains vague as hint dropped on more consultation
The government is still unable to indicate whether the mental health bill will appear in the Queen's Speech in November. more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Voluntary sector 'being destroyed' by relationship with government
The voluntary sector is being undermined by the government push to increase its involvement in the delivery of public services, research published.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Minister warns care homes over 'cartels'
Care homes that threaten to turn-away council-funded residents could be breaking the law. more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Home Office approach fails to tie in with green paper, say professionals
The document launched alongside the children's green paper by the Home Office, Youth Justice - The Next Steps, fails to promote the welfare of young.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Platt seeks clarity on children's trusts
Denise Platt, shadow chairperson of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, has urged the government to allay fears that integrated children's.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Shortage of social workers eases
Efforts to train more social workers have resulted in a 3.4 per cent fall in the vacancy rate, the latest report from the Social Care and Health.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Pension helpline giving 'bad advice'
Many people who attempted to apply for the pension credit, launched this week, were given bad advice by the government helpline, according to new.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Keep your distance
This week, research findings show that large voluntary organisations have been transformed - not necessarily for the better - by their symbiotic.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)

Silence speaks volumes
Just three weeks after the government published its vision for the future of children services, it hardly warranted a mention at the Labour party.... more
(09 October 2003 00:00)