Articles by Date : November 01 2002 - November 30 2002

Behind the headlines
Our regular panel comments on a topic in the news. more
(14 November 2002 00:00)

One mountain climbed
Stuart Baker-Brown is going on a trek to Mount Everest, which is symbolic of his struggle with schizophrenia. more
(14 November 2002 00:00)

Put diversity on the stage
The recent social services conference was supposed to recognise diversity. So why did Jane Campbell feel left out? more
(14 November 2002 00:00)

What has happened to David Blunkett?
David Blunkett used to have creative, radical ideas. He needs to rediscover them on immigration. more
(14 November 2002 00:00)

Friday 15 November 2002
Home secretary says youngsters should be taught boxing, and the mental health bill is still on the agenda. more
(15 November 2002 09:59)

Casey to head new anti-social behaviour unit
Louise Casey has been appointed by the government to head up a new anti-social behaviour unit. more
(14 November 2002 14:45)

Minister urges councils to take responsibility for childcare services
Baroness Cathy Ashton, minister for Sure Start, early years and childcare, has called for local authorities to get more involved with shaping.... more
(13 November 2002 17:33)

Mental health bill's omission from Queen's Speech prompts warnings from campaigners
Campaigners have applauded the government’s decision to rethink its approach to new mental health legislation, but warned that reform must not be.... more
(14 November 2002 13:04)

Thursday 14 November 2002
Prime minister pledges new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour, and plans to remove child benefit from parents whose children play truant are.... more
(14 November 2002 10:06)

King's Fund calls for long term funding solution to avert social care crisis
A long-term financial settlement for social care must be secured in order to stave off further crises in the sector, according to a new report from.... more
(13 November 2002 18:01)

Pembrokeshire latest Welsh authority to receive poor review
Pembrokeshire council has become the latest Welsh local authority to receive a poor rating for its social services department from the joint review.... more
(13 November 2002 15:36)

Victoria Climbie social workers sacked
Two Haringey social workers involved in the case of Victoria Climbie have been sacked for gross misconduct following disciplinary hearings held in.... more
(12 November 2002 17:25)

Special report: First adoption law for 26 years
For Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith the issue of same sex and unmarried adoptions has done nothing but harm his attempts to unite the party, .... more
(11 November 2002 14:37)

Rise in number of children at risk in Scotland
The number of children in Scotland at risk of physical, sexual or emotional abuse has increased, writes Nicola Barry. more
(13 November 2002 12:39)

Six local authorities given lower star rating
Six social services departments across England are believed to have been downgraded during the star refreshing exercise, the results of which were.... more
(13 November 2002 11:52)

Wednesday 13 November 2002
Two social workers involved in Victoria Climbie case are sacked by Haringey council, and government warned new crime measures not viable. more
(13 November 2002 09:59)

It all adds up
Marketing the much maligned profession of social work is a tough brief. Advertisers Ali Bucknall and Adam Collins explain how their agency’s campaign.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Proud parents
People with learning difficulties are assumed by many not to make good parents. But some have successfully raised families and many more could, given.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

A global movement
Self-advocacy is seen by many people with learning difficulties as the cornerstone of their movement for civil rights. In the UK there have been.... more
(07 November 2002 16:09)

Measures to fight anti-social behaviour given new impetus despite criticism
The home office has issued new guidance to maximise the use of anti-social behaviour orders despite new evidence that the orders are costly,.... more
(12 November 2002 16:09)

Exclusive: Hospitals for people with learning difficulties set to miss closure deadline
More than three quarters of the long stay hospitals for people with learning difficulties are at risk of not meeting the April 2004 deadline for.... more
(12 November 2002 15:49)

Government under fire for low numbers of disabled children in mainstream schools
An education think-tank has launched an attack on the government over its failure to force local education authorities to place a higher number of.... more
(12 November 2002 13:07)

MPs warn draft mental health bill could threaten human rights
The draft mental health bill could threaten people’s human rights, the House of Commons joint committee on human rights has warned, writes Katie.... more
(12 November 2002 11:30)

Tuesday 12 November 2002
Parents who allow children to truant face fines, and Cherie Booth says children are failed by social services. more
(12 November 2002 10:04)

Social housing in Scotland faces overhaul
Social justice minister Margaret Curran has announced a major review of Scotland’s social housing, writes Nicola Barry. more
(11 November 2002 17:28)

Local authorities set to take control of Sure Start
Responsibility for delivering the government’s Sure Start initiative looks set to be handed over to councils as part of a wider programme to devolve.... more
(11 November 2002 17:09)

One in three older people in London live in poverty
More than a third of the capital’s older people are living in poverty, according to figures released by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, writes Sally.... more
(11 November 2002 16:13)

Quirks in children's needs census leaves service providers baffled
The department of health study into how councils look after children has thrown up some strange findings that have puzzled many social workers. .... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Initiatives must involve local people in renewal, say community groups
MPs were told last week about the need for more community involvement in regeneration and grassroot fears about changes to funding. Anabel Unity Sale.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Breakthrough
Academics Helen Weatherly, Sarah Byford, Pauline Heslop and the Shared Care Network's Vicky Jones look at whether paying for short-break schemes for.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

London councils cut rape charity's funds
A charity supporting victims of rape has warned that it could be left without support after the Association of London Government cut its funding. more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Milburn appeals in care funding case
An Appeal Court challenge launched this week by health secretary Alan Milburn may have huge implications for the funding of long-term care for older.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Chancellor slams 'no one works' culture
An onslaught on the "unacceptable culture of worklessness" that exists in some of the country's most deprived neighbourhoods was launched by the.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Rise in low income Scots households
One third of all children in Scotland are living in low-income households, according to a new report. more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Study reveals young carers' problems
A study for Edinburgh Young Carers Project reveals that 60 per cent of young carers surveyed reported difficulty in sleeping. Thirty per cent had.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Report praises Werrington jail
Werrington Young Offenders Institution in Staffordshire has some of the best relationships between staff and young people in the juvenile estate,.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Cardiff wants help from commissioner
The Children's Commissioner for Wales is to be asked to join a special forum that will look at ways to improve Cardiff social services following a.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Containers could house social workers
Can't afford to buy your own home? Social workers and other key public sector staff won't have that problem in future years if a consortium's plans.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Backing for disabled chief executives
A slight majority of visitors to Community Care 's website believe disability charities should appoint disabled chief executives. more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Tories outline crime reduction policies
More effective community-based policing and "breaking the conveyor belt that takes young people into crime" is the key to crime reduction, according.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Treatability test must go, Blunkett tells mental health professionals
Home secretary David Blunkett last week insisted that the government should press ahead with its Mental Health Bill proposal to remove the concept of.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Prime Minister signals overhaul of services for children at risk
Prime Minister Tony Blair promised a green paper last week on identifying ways of improving services for vulnerable children and young people. more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Scottish executive warned of shortfall
Local authority leaders have warned of a huge funding shortfall between Scottish executive spending calculations and the cost of funding local.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

'Consult disabled people on design'
Accessibility would be improved by involving disabled people at the consultation stage of building design, infrastructure development and transport,.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Welsh Shelter raises awareness of rights
The Welsh arm of the homelessness charity Shelter has launched a major campaign to make people aware of their housing rights. more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Couple lose appeal over death of child
A couple who refused to reveal which of them caused the death of their foster child had their appeal against their eight-year sentences dismissed by.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

More time for checks on care staff after fiasco at crime records bureau
The time limits set for criminal records checks to be completed for staff working in care homes, nurse agencies and domiciliary care agencies are to.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Staff shortages threaten law reform
The Scottish parliament's finance committee was warned last week that a serious shortage of specialist staff in the sector could damage plans to.... more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Panel tells Plymouth to keep home open
Plymouth Council has been urged to reconsider its plan to close Granby Way residential home in a report by an independent panel. more
(07 November 2002 00:00)

Few in Wales on direct payments
Just 21 older people in Wales are currently receiving direct payments, a survey by Age Concern Cymru has shown. more
(07 November 2002 00:00)