Articles by Date : October 01 2009 - October 31 2009

DCSF moves to ease adoptions from other countries
Prospective adopters of children living overseas may no longer have to travel to the child's country of origin to meet the child before being.... more
(13 October 2009 15:00)

'Managerialism has damaged home care services'
'Why I had to get out of home care' more
(14 October 2009 12:04)

Regulatory costs could deepen recruitment crisis, says UKHCA
The home care sector in England, Wales and Northern Ireland faces a deepening recruitment crisis unless councils take into account rising regulatory.... more
(14 October 2009 11:52)

GSCC to 'focus on conduct' as register extension delayed
The Department of Health said this week that plans to extend the register to home care workers on a voluntary basis next year had been put on hold to.... more
(14 October 2009 10:53)

News round-up: Tesco boss criticises UK education system
Other headlines in today's papers include:- Patients can post online comments about GP practice; Just one in 20 sickness benefit applicants.... more
(14 October 2009 10:43)

Child neglect on the increase, says Action for Children
Action for Children has warned of an alarming rise in the number of child neglect cases in a survey released today. more
(13 October 2009 10:01)

More claimants 'fit to work' under new sickness benefit regime
More people are being deemed ineligible for sickness benefits and fit to work under the new system introduced last year by the government, according.... more
(13 October 2009 18:42)

Government accused of 'abuse' over immigration centres
The government has been accused of 'state-sanctioned neglect' over its policy of detaining children in immigration removal centres after a report.... more
(13 October 2009 17:22)

Morale among social workers at a five year low
Morale among social workers is at a five year low and the government should appoint a chief social worker, according to a group of social work.... more
(13 October 2009 13:34)

Tories urge action to give self-funders complaints rights
The Conservatives have pushed for urgent action to give self-funding adult care users recourse to an independent complaints process as legislation to.... more
(13 October 2009 12:44)

NAS says job centres are failing autistic adults
The employment and benefits system is consigning many adults with autism to poverty due to a lack of specialist support, a National Autistic Society.... more
(13 October 2009 12:20)

People with autism: the struggle to gain benefits and find work
Lack of understanding among job centre staff is limiting work opportunities for people with autism more
(13 October 2009 11:59)

News roundup: Abuser Vanessa George admits crimes were 'vile'
Other headlines in today's papers include:- Children made 'sick with fear' in UK immigration detention centres; Heavily pregnant mother of eight held.... more
(13 October 2009 10:05)

Child abuser Vanessa George admits crimes were 'vile'
Other headlines in today's papers include:- Children made 'sick with fear' in UK immigration detention centres; Heavily pregnant mother of eight held.... more
(13 October 2009 10:05)

Charities: PCTs not spending dedicated cash on carers
Primary care trusts are failing to spend the bulk of the £50m allocated to them this year to fund short breaks for carers, charities claimed today. more
(13 October 2009 07:47)

National Skills Academy for Social Care launches today
The National Skills Academy for Social Care is being formally launched today with a remit to improve the skills, management, quantity and status of.... more
(13 October 2009 00:03)

Royal College of Psychiatrists: End mental health age divide
Mental health services must abolish the 'arbitrary' division between adults' and older people's provision to end ageism in care, the Royal College of.... more
(13 October 2009 00:01)

Care Commission to investigate Good Shepherd Centre
Scotland’s Care Commission is to investigate the residential home from which two teenage girls absconded before apparently committing suicide. more
(12 October 2009 17:10)

Birmingham to spend £2m to transform social work
Birmingham City Council is spending more than £2m to transform its troubled children’s services team, Community Care has learned. more
(12 October 2009 12:56)

DH suspends long-delayed registration of home care staff
The long-awaited registration of home care workers in England by the General Social Care Council has been put on hold because of the problems.... more
(12 October 2009 12:20)

Mencap wants guaranteed support for lower-need users
Mencap has called for all English councils to provide a minimum level of help to people needing lower levels of care and support. more
(07 October 2009 11:59)

Letters published in the 15 October 2009 edition of Community Care
n the wake of World Mental Health Day we want to highlight the continuing lack of adequate mental health support services for rough sleepers and.... more
(12 October 2009 11:44)

Coping with the increase in demand for foster care services
Fostering agencies are under severe pressure to meet referral demands in the wake of the baby Peter case. By Sally Gillen more
(12 October 2009 11:19)

One in three young people 'lack parental support'
Other headlines in today's papers include: Swine flu fears grow as NHS staff shun vaccine; One in ten white boys fails to get five GCSEs as fears.... more
(12 October 2009 11:38)

News round up: One in three young people 'lack parental support'
Other headlines in today's papers include: Swine flu fears grow as NHS staff shun vaccine; One in ten white boys fails to get five GCSEs as fears.... more
(12 October 2009 11:37)

Research Realities: the experiences of birth parents
Susannah Bowyer looks at the importance of sharing information and maintaining contact with birth parents in the long-term foster care of children more
(12 October 2009 10:21)

Housing 21/Counsel and Care: Policies must be age proofed
The government should introduce a robust review process for policies to make sure they do not disadvantage older people, Housing 21 and Counsel and.... more
(12 October 2009 00:01)

One-third of social workers on anti-depressants in South East
More than a third of council social workers in south east England are taking anti-depressants or other medication, according to Unison. more
(09 October 2009 18:51)

Shoesmith appeal: Haringey Council hearing 'a farce'
Sharon Shoesmith, the former director of Haringey’s children’s services sacked over the Baby Peter case, has claimed the council hearing into her.... more
(09 October 2009 17:14)

Why employment and support benefit is now a battleground
As claimants argue over entitlements and the jobs market dries up, early fears about benefit changes are being realised more
(09 October 2009 15:40)

Police referrals swamped Haringey
Haringey social workers were facing a deluge of "unnecessary" referrals from local police at the time of the Baby Peter case, the High Court was told.... more
(09 October 2009 15:57)

Exposing the vetting and barring scheme myths
The Vetting and Barring Scheme launches this week after a wave of public criticism and occasional hysteria. Corin Williams looks at its workings more
(09 October 2009 15:55)

Career clinic: Should I become a limited company?
Q: I am about to leave my local authority social work post to become an independent social worker and plan to find work via agencies. I have been.... more
(09 October 2009 14:32)

Review: Ouch! Live at Liberty Festival , Trafalgar Square, London
Ouch! Live Liberty Festival Trafalgar Square, London As a huge fan of Ouch!, the BBC's monthly disability podcast, I made a beeline for... more
(09 October 2009 14:11)

Review of reminiscence books
Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today: Reminiscence in Dementia Care ★★★★★ Pam Schweitzer and Errollyn BruceJessica Kingsley ISBN 9781843106494 .... more
(09 October 2009 12:21)

Review of Social Work Skills for Adults
Social Work Skills with Adults ★★★★★ Andy Mantell (Editor)Learning Matters ISBN 9781844452187 The contents page reveals a book covering... more
(09 October 2009 12:20)

Book review: Falling and Laughing: The Restoration of Edwyn Collins
Falling & Laughing: The Restoration of Edwyn Collins ★★★★★ Grace MaxwellEbury Press ISBN 9780091929992 Edwyn Collins was the enigmatic... more
(09 October 2009 11:46)

We must learn to appreciate the less gifted
Headteacher Dawn Forshaw is concerned that young people's adulation of celebrities might diminish the... more
(09 October 2009 10:29)

Shoesmith sent text appeal to Ofsted inspector
Other headlines in today's paper include:- David Cameron's war on the state; Pre-admission MRSA screening may harm patients, says doctor; Thousands.... more
(09 October 2009 10:34)

News round-up: Shoesmith sent text appeal to Ofsted inspector
Other headlines in today's paper include:- David Cameron's war on the state; Pre-admission MRSA screening may harm patients, says doctor; Thousands.... more
(09 October 2009 10:33)

Changing the behaviour of boys from ethnic minority communities in south London
An Action for Children project to support ethnic minority boys affected by absent fathers has brought huge improvements in behaviour and family.... more
(09 October 2009 10:16)

Top Welsh official: Social care commissioning 'inconsistent'
A top Welsh government official has said social care commissioning in the country is inconsistent and that new standards will provide an "important.... more
(09 October 2009 09:54)

Legal challenge against YJB secure home cuts fails
A former secure children's home provider has failed in a legal challenge against the Youth Justice Board tendering process that triggered the home's.... more
(02 October 2009 08:24)

Mental health chiefs to meet CQC over controversial survey
Mental health trust chiefs are set to meet with the Care Quality Commission in two weeks time amid continuing concerns over the regulator's handling.... more
(08 October 2009 13:44)

Charter of rights for people with dementia in Scotland launched
A charter of rights to empower people with dementia and their carers in Scotland is being launched by MSPs today. more
(08 October 2009 12:00)

Shoesmith received supportive emails, High Court hears
Sharon Shoesmith received supportive emails from senior children’s professionals after the notorious press conference on Baby Peter’s death, it.... more
(08 October 2009 11:55)

Phil Hope announces study into personal health budgets
Twenty sites across England are to take part in a study to identify the benefits of personal health budgets, care services minister Phil Hope.... more
(08 October 2009 11:36)

Taskforce finalising plan for 'consultant' social workers
The Social Work Task Force is finalising proposals for an advanced or "consultant" social worker status as part of a national career structure to.... more
(08 October 2009 11:35)

Care commissioning alliance may force out 'poor providers'
Six West London councils have joined forces to procure and commission adult care services worth about £220m in a move one director said would drive.... more
(08 October 2009 10:35)

News round up: Sharon Shoesmith seeks compensation
Other headlines in today's papers include:- Daughter sees father jailed for three decades of sexual abuse; Scots could get pay rise while England.... more
(08 October 2009 08:43)