Articles by Date : October 01 2006 - October 31 2006

Open Forum - 19 October
As Coram Family loses another director, it is time to introduce a semblance of democracy into charities, writes Terry Philpot more
(19 October 2006 09:53)

Frontlines - One of our team of practitioner columnists gives his take on dress codes - including Jack Straw's
The day after Jack Straw’s now infamous remarks about Muslim women wearing veils (niqabs), I was wandering through Tesco and stopped briefly to watch.... more
(19 October 2006 09:52)

Opinion: Tory pledge is brave but might be doomed
Never mind about hugging hoodies, if they’re hugging social workers the Conservative Party really are thinking the unthinkable. more
(19 October 2006 09:50)

Front line views
Should social workers for looked afterchildren get their own GP-style practices, as proposed in last week’s green paper? more
(19 October 2006 09:48)

Problems in information sharing trigger child protection procedures
Child protection procedures are often invoked to overcome problems in interagency working rather than where children are at risk of significant harm,.... more
(19 October 2006 09:45)

Learning requirements for part-time workers could be cut, says regulator
Part-time social work practitioners could face reduced postregistration training and learning requirements because they have less time to meet the.... more
(19 October 2006 09:44)

Children in care ‘need full section 8 rights’
Looked-after children should be able to use the full range of powers to apply for residence and contact orders with carers if they are unhappy with.... more
(19 October 2006 09:41)

Ray Wyre targets paedophile partners
Giving parents the right to know whether their new partners were paedophiles would be a highly effective child protection policy change, sex crimes.... more
(19 October 2006 09:38)

Self-harm: health services should lead
Health bodies should take the lead on tackling self-harm by young people because it is a “significant public health issue”, according to the head of.... more
(19 October 2006 09:36)

Focus on Technology in social care
Many councils and charities across the UK are embracing the possibilities on offer through new technology. Information-sharing, record-keeping, the.... more
(19 October 2006 09:03)

Always there
The internet has enabled new communities to develop. Parents of disabled children and young people needing friendly advice are among the groups who.... more
(19 October 2006 09:00)

Keep in touch
Communications gadgetry might enable social workers to spend more time with clients and prevent dangerous situations from developing. Simeon Brody.... more
(19 October 2006 08:55)

Is telecare 'care'?
Can the use of telecare systems tip the balance in allowing vulnerable people to live independently or are they merely a useful adjunct to existing.... more
(19 October 2006 08:53)

‘If we think we can relax on Every Child Matters we are deluded’
The incoming president of the Association of Directors of Social Services will also be the last one. Here, John Coughlan tells Amy Taylor about his.... more
(19 October 2006 08:26)

Carstairs patients apply for transfer
Thirty-nine patients at Carstairs high-security hospital have applied to Scotland’s Mental Health Tribunal to be detained in less secure settings. more
(19 October 2006 08:18)

Faster growth for acute mental health
Spending on hospital-based mental health services in England has increased faster than on community services despite the government’s commitment to.... more
(19 October 2006 08:17)

Number of social work students rises
The number of people on social work courses in England rose by nearly a fifth from 2000 to 2004. more
(19 October 2006 08:16)

Independent probe under way into Haringey ‘child snatch’ allegations
An independent investigation has been launched into allegations that a foster child was “snatched” by two social workers from Haringey Council. .... more
(19 October 2006 08:14)

Latest challenge to Northants cuts fails
Service users have failed in their latest court battle to halt Northamptonshire Council’s cuts to adult services. more
(19 October 2006 08:12)

Barring system to be strengthened
New regulations to bar sex offenders from working in schools and other education settings in England have been published. more
(19 October 2006 08:10)

NCAS news: CRB checking procedures are still inconsistent
Inconsistencies are still present in Criminal Records Bureau checking procedures, delegates at the National Children’s and Adult Services Conference.... more
(19 October 2006 07:21)

CRB checks still 'inconsistent'
Inconsistencies are still present in Criminal Records Bureau checking procedures, delegates at the National Children’s and Adult Services Conference.... more
(18 October 2006 00:00)

Adult care services: where are we now, by Andrew Cozens
In the second and concluding part of his articles on the direction of services, Andrew Cozens examines how the adult care agenda is shifting at an.... more
(19 October 2006 00:57)

Social work returners. How difficult is it for professionals to come back to social work after a career break?
Fear of changes in a fast-moving profession deter many ex-social workers from returning to the sector. But in the North West and West Sussex.... more
(19 October 2006 00:34)

Post registration training and learning skills for social workers (PRTL): what is required around the UK
How are the UK’s social workers coping with the requirements for post-registration training and learning – requirements that many describe as overly.... more
(19 October 2006 00:48)

Ivan Lewis charts future government social care policy
After six months bedding in as care services minister and listening to professionals’ concerns, Ivan Lewis sets out the issues he wants to tackle more
(19 October 2006 00:41)

Mentally ill people will receive more information to help manage their conditions
People with mental health problems and long-term conditions are to be given “information prescriptions” to help them stay independent, health.... more
(18 October 2006 13:36)

Home care is inflexible and chronically short of staff, say inspectors
Home care services are inflexible and suffer from chronic staff recruitment and retention problems, a sector overview has found. more
(18 October 2006 10:13)

Care Matters: analysis of the green paper for children in care
Last week’s green paper on children in care has been broadly welcomed by those working in the sector but, as Lauren Revans explains, doubts remain.... more
(19 October 2006 00:28)

Editorial comment: A line in the sand
In the heart of the New Forest something of a modern-day Robin Hood tale is emerging. more
(19 October 2006 00:59)

Editorial Comment: Take the strategic view
The messages from the white paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say are clear: more resources must be shifted into prevention, more care provided in.... more
(19 October 2006 00:54)

Training boss accuses councils of inadequate workforce investment
Skills for Care’s chief executive has challenged more of England’s councils to invest adequately in workforce development, but warned extra.... more
(19 October 2006 00:48)

Plans fail to consult disabled children
Councils’ children and young people’s plans are failing disabled children, according to research published at the conference. more
(19 October 2006 00:41)

Laming to lead Tory social work inquiry
Lord Laming, who led the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié, is the patron of a new commission on social work launched by the Conservatives.... more
(19 October 2006 00:38)

Budget-holding lead professionals: special report
In the green paper on children in care published on 9 October, the government proposes extending the piloting of the budget-holding lead professional.... more
(18 October 2006 11:27)

Hampshire ditches bid to cut deficit through tighter eligibility criteria
Hampshire Council is to drop plans to restrict adult social care eligibility to people in “critical” need despite a £10m deficit across the.... more
(19 October 2006 00:32)

Watchdog’s ‘shame’ over Cornwall
A Healthcare Commission chief has expressed regret over the high performance ratings it gave to Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust before abuse of people.... more
(19 October 2006 00:27)

Intensive support backed by study
Almost nine out of 10 “antisocial” families change their behaviour after receiving intensive support, according to a study. more
(19 October 2006 00:21)

High Court backs parole hearing right
Young offenders should be told they have the right to attend their parole hearings and be offered help from an appropriate adult to prepare for them,.... more
(19 October 2006 00:18)

Special needs response under fire
A group of children’s organisations say they are “deeply concerned” about omissions in the government’s response last week to the education select.... more
(19 October 2006 00:15)

‘Renewed effort’ to tackle child poverty
The government has pledged to review its strategy to halve child poverty by 2010 as part of its Opportunity for All programme. more
(19 October 2006 00:37)

One in three foster carers investigated
More than a third of foster carers have faced abuse allegations and one in 10 inquiries last longer than a year, research has found. more
(19 October 2006 00:36)

Mother of suicide boy to go to Lords
The mother of a 16-year-old boy who committed suicide in custody plans to take her case for a public inquiry into his death to the House of Lords.... more
(19 October 2006 00:32)

GP budgets ‘herald social care tensions’
The devolution of health budgets and commissioning powers from primary care trusts to GPs will cause a number of tensions with social care, a PCT.... more
(19 October 2006 00:30)

Alzheimer’s drug appeal rejected
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has been condemned for rejecting appeals against its decision to restrict NHS access to.... more
(19 October 2006 00:28)

Looked-after children's green paper has 'underlying antipathy' to residential care
Commission for Social Care Inspection chair Denise Platt has criticised the “underlying antipathy” to residential care in the green paper on children.... more
(17 October 2006 14:55)

Changing client needs prompt call for shake-up in home care services
Home care services need radical change to meet the demands of an ageing population, government policy on older people and service users’.... more
(19 October 2006 00:15)

Home care needs overhaul
Click on the above headline for social care related news from today's papers. more
(18 October 2006 09:57)

Foster carers let down by allegations process
The Fostering Network has called on the government to overhaul the way allegations against foster carers are handled after a new survey revealed that.... more
(17 October 2006 18:22)

One third of foster parents suffer false abuse claims
Click on the above headline for more social care related news from today's papers. more
(17 October 2006 09:39)