August 2008 Archives

By Daniel Lombard

To describe the vetting procedures employed by three councils in the Christopher Nwokoro case as amateurish would be an insult to amateurs everywhere. 

He joined them as an ultra-qualified, registered social worker with bags of experience. But what clinched it for this idealistic young people's champion was an unsolicited reference purporting to be from a former employer, describing him as an "easy-going fellow" with a "passion for children".

Slight problem - Nwokoro was neither registered, qualified, nor remotely competent, as Denbighshire council in Wales, Highland council in Scotland and Stockport council in north west England discovered to their cost.

By Derren Hayes

I took a trip down memory lane last night - back to year 1980 when I was a wee lad of seven. Stumped for anything better to watch on the box I decided to tune into a BBC4 documentary about Juliet Bravo, the hugely popular police drama from the early part of that decade. I remember watching it on a Saturday evening most weeks, while chomping on my fish and chip supper.

 By Maria Ahmed

Convicted paedophiles are being offered chemical castration for the first time in the UK to help manage their sexual behaviour, according to a report.

By Sally Gillen

Agency social work has many attractions. But this week another, less appealing face of locum life emerged.  

 By Bronagh Miskelly

David Cameron has plans to change your jobs and your lives.

In the publicity for a new biography of the Conservative party leader we learn that he plans to be "as radical a social reformer as Mrs Thatcher was an economic reformer".

by Anabel Unity Sale

In a week full of dreadful news (what on earth is happening in Georgia?) I finally read some good news in Metro today. Kenny Cridge has become the world's oldest living man with Down's syndrome after reaching his 68th birthday. When he was born doctors thought he was stillborn and assumed he was dead.

By Bronagh Miskelly

Anyone immersing themselves in the debate on the future of adult services, leading hopefully to a green paper next year, will be taken with the story of a 93-year-old first-time novelist who has taken residential care into her own hands.

One simple phrase springs to mind in response to the sudden departure of high-flying family services director Andrew Webster from Surrey council - how are the mighty fallen!  Webster resigned more than two months ago, shortly before publication of an Ofsted joint area review which raised serious concerns about some services to vulnerable children.  Although there has been no confirmation that the two events were linked, the coincidence is too thunderous to ignore.

By Daniel Lombard

Exciting times at the Sutton headquarters of Community Care, as June saw the mainstream media carry 251 references to our articles.

Sharp-eyed colleagues spotted 209 name-checks in newspapers that month, with other mentions coming in industry publications and newswires.

by Derren Hayes

As I'm writing this I can hear the faint cries of my four-week old son coming from the front room