November 2009 - The Social Work Blog

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Pay debate rages on CareSpace

Social workers' salaries have been a hot topic on CareSpace for the past couple of weeks. On one thread, the discussion has focused on whether or not social workers deserve to be paid more or less than other public sector staff . A central question...

Published 27 Nov 2009 12:12 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: local authorities, pay, Recruitment, social work, social workers, training, workforce
First opportunity to discuss the Social Work Task Force report

Care services minister Phil Hope and children's minister Baroness Morgan will give the government's response to the Social Work Task Force report at a special Community Care conference next Thursday. Social Work Task Force and Beyond: Rising to...

Published 27 Nov 2009 11:59 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: social work, social workers, workforce
The future of adult social care in England

Quick straw poll: Has the delivery of frontline adult social care services remained high on the agenda for your organisation, despite the economic crisis? A large majority (84%) of social care workers and managers at the Transforming the Adult Social...

Published 26 Nov 2009 9:23 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: adult protection, dementia, disability, Learning Disabilities, older people, personalisation, social work, social workers, workforce
Suffolk Council accused of "kidnapping" newly born babies

Tim Yeo, Conservative MP for South Suffolk, has accused Suffolk Council of "kidnapping" newly born babies in cases where the birth parents do not wish to give them up for adoption. Writing ahead of last night's adjournment debate on the...

Published 26 Nov 2009 9:12 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Care Homes, care leavers, child protection, children and young people, children in care, safeguarding, social work, social workers
Swansea Council may close two children's homes

Two children's homes in Swansea could close under plans to restructure the council's child and family services. The department is expected to have a £6.5m overspend this financial year, with nearly half relating to children in the council's...

Published 18 Nov 2009 2:36 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Care Homes, children and young people, children in care, social work, workforce
Gordon Brown will apologise to children in care sent abroad

Gordon Brown to apologise to former child migrants: Care leavers charity wants more apologies from UK government As reported by World News Australia , Gordon Brown is to issue a formal apology next year to thousands of Brits who were put into care as...

Published 16 Nov 2009 8:00 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: camilla pemberton, care leavers, Care Leavers Association, child migrants, children in care, Gordon Brown, Kevin Rudd, Will Macmahon
I'd rather be watching X Factor

by Daniel Lombard It was Saturday night in Bedford, and the room was filled with gyrating bodies dressed in dinner jackets and dresses. My first taste of the Social Worker of the Year awards , and as the guests let their hair down to put talk about low...

Published 13 Nov 2009 7:07 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: anthony douglas, social worker of year awards, stand up now for social work, Tim Loughton
Politicians dodge question of BASW's future role

A national college of social work is being mooted as a "fresh start" for the profession, but questions remain about where this will leave the British Association of Social Workers. At BASW's "taking back our profession" rally in...

Published 13 Nov 2009 4:01 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: social work, social workers, workforce
Assorted news from children's services

Today we have Ofsted reports, bits and pieces from the youth justice annual conference and an advice line for scottish foster carers Read More...

Published 12 Nov 2009 11:26 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: fostering; youth justice; ofsted; unannounced inspections; children's commissioner; wales
Review: BBC 'When a Mother's Love is Not Enough'

David Cameron praises his "brilliant" social worker while taking part in a moving and frank BBC documentary about the realities of caring for disabled children When both the PM and the leader of the opposition have parented a disabled child...

Published 11 Nov 2009 6:09 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: aspergers syndrome, BBC, camilla pemberton, children and young people, David Cameron, disability, disabled children, Down's syndrome, Parenting, rosa monckton, television programme
DJ Toby Anstis: "Why I'm speaking out about being adopted"

This week I spoke to DJ, TV presenter and I'm a Celebrity star Toby Anstis about his struggle to come to terms with being adopted, why he's backing Action for Children's call for more adoptive parents and why he won't be doing any more...

Published 11 Nov 2009 3:00 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Action for Children, adoption, Heart FM, National Adoption Week, Toby Anstis
Sir Michael "Parky" Parkinson boosts dignity champions' numbers

The Department in Health is celebrating the success of its Dignity in Care campaign which has so far attracted 10,000 Dignity Champions . The department credits the rise in applications to be champions to the involvement of Sir Michael Parkinson who has...

Published 11 Nov 2009 2:04 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: adult protection, ageing, bullying, Care Homes, dementia, disability, home care
Should social workers be given the swine flu vaccine?

by Daniel Lombard Hilton Dawson seems to think so, and has written to health secretary Andy Burnham to ask why social workers haven't been included in the priority groups for the programme . The chief executive of the British Association of Social...

Published 11 Nov 2009 9:03 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: swine flu
Ofsted 'only now' discovers vital Sharon Shoesmith evidence

by Molly Garboden Ofsted has "discovered" vital evidence relating to the judicial review hearing for Sharon Shoesmith, the sacked former director of children's services at Haringey. (Pic credit Rex Features) Read More...

Published 10 Nov 2009 4:32 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Baby P, child protection, evidence, high court, Ofsted, Shoesmith, whistleblower, workforce
How to appreciate your client group

This has happened to me before. I'm presently sat at home typing this rather than in the office because in my attempt to be Kobe Bryant I ended up sprawled on the floor clutching a badly sprained ankle. That's not what has happened before though...

Published 9 Nov 2009 5:08 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: ageing, disability, social work
Lords fail to decriminalise child prostitutes

Moves by the House of Lords to decriminalise child prostitution have failed. Peers voted by 80 to 68 to retain the current position on Friday night. Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer tabled an amendment to the Policing and Crime...

Published 9 Nov 2009 2:34 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: child protection, children and young people, children in care, children's services, Ruth Smith
News from children's services

Today: Rise in number of children reporting sexual assaults by women to Childline; BBC West Midlands investigates parents with learning disabilities fighting to keep their children. Read More...

Published 9 Nov 2009 2:20 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: child protection, child protection; learning disabilities; childline; adoption, Learning Disabilities
High social worker sickness rates reported in Liverpool

Liverpool social workers took 28,727 days - equivalent to 78 years - of sick leave in the first nine months of 2009, the Liverpool Echo reported today . This works out at an average of 12.7 days off per staff member between January and September. However...

Published 9 Nov 2009 12:05 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: liverpool council, local authorities, sick leave, sickness rates, social work, social workers, stand up now for social work, workforce
National Adoption Week: 9th-15th November 2009

This week is the UK's 12th annual National Adoption Week . The theme this year is 'the adoption gap' which organisers say represents the gap between the types of children adopters want and the types of children waiting to be adopted. The week...

Published 9 Nov 2009 11:28 AM by The Social Work Blog
It's time for politicians to stop using social work as a election tool

It's becoming obvious that reform of the adult social care system has now become wrapped up in pre-electioneering by the political parties. So-much-so that now as the King's Fund has pointed out the green paper - Shaping the Future of Care Together...

Published 6 Nov 2009 12:43 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: funding
Ofsted to revise social care inspection frameworks

Ofsted has said it will revise its frameworks for inspecting the children's social care remits over the coming 12 to 18 months. The inspection body said changes will involve developing new inspection frameworks for children's homes, residential...

Published 5 Nov 2009 12:05 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: child protection, children and young people, Molly Garboden, Ofsted
Jack Straw defends Public Guardian/Court of Protection

Justice secretary Jack Straw has been forced to defend the Office of the Public Guardian and the Court of Protection following media attacks on the two institutions, whose role is to protect the interests of those who lack capacity. Read More...

Published 5 Nov 2009 9:46 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Court of Protection, mental capacity, Mithran Samuel, Office of the Public Guardian
DH on rack over no show on green paper modelling

It may sound a dry topic but the financial modelling underpinning the government's green paper - or rather the non-appearance of said modelling - has all of a sudden become the hottest issue in adult social care at the moment. Read More...

Published 4 Nov 2009 5:16 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: adult green paper, age concern, Department of Health, help the aged, King's Fund
Conservatives say muscular dystrophy care is "unco-ordinated"

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The shadow secretary of state for communities and local government, Caroline Spelman, has ignited the debate over the quality of care delivered to those with muscular dystrophy . She criticised the...

Published 4 Nov 2009 1:12 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: ageing, carers, disability, funding
Rod 'Seacole' Liddle holds council equality officer up for ridicule

by Adam McCulloch Rod 'Seacole' Liddle, former editor of Radio 4's Today programme and Guardian columnist has signposted a diary article in a trade journal by a Devon Council equality officer . From his preamble to the article 'this is...

Published 4 Nov 2009 11:30 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Adam McCulloch, Devon Council, Equality, gypsy, Media, racism, Rod Liddle, roma, Spectator website
Assisted suicide critics found dead

A couple that sent a letter to the BBC criticising assisted suicide laws have been found dead. They said in their letter to the broadcaster that they could no longer attain the quality of life they desired. Read More...

Published 4 Nov 2009 10:34 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: adult protection, ageing, Care Homes, home care, vern pitt
Family courts-information pilot

Family courts are beginning to open up to the public and the media after repeated criticism they are not transparent enough. Read More...

Published 4 Nov 2009 9:12 AM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Family courts, family courts; care proceedings; contact; residence; child protection
Let's make care aids sexy

On any given day on the internet you can find a whole load of tweets, blogs or news about the grooviest gadgets. They all have one thing in common - they look sexy. Care products on the other hand, don't. Read More...

Published 3 Nov 2009 5:41 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: ageing, disability
Review: Panorama- The child protectors

Review: Panorama goes on the frontline with Coventry's child protection team looking at the challenges social workers face BBC, Monday 2 November ***** Read More...

Published 3 Nov 2009 4:35 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Baby P, caseloads, child protection, children's services, Media, safeguarding, social workers, television programme
"Independence" and "expertise" key for government advisors

by Bronagh Miskelly The essential attributes for those advising the government on bodies such as the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs are expertise and independence of any political party. Such bodies are only useful if they review the science...

Published 2 Nov 2009 5:07 PM by The Social Work Blog

Filed under: Addiction, alcohol, drugs, Politics

November 2009 - The Social Work Blog

Syndication

Recent Posts

Tags

Archives

Pay debate rages on CareSpace

First opportunity to discuss the Social Work Task Force report

The future of adult social care in England

Suffolk Council accused of "kidnapping" newly born babies

Swansea Council may close two children's homes

Gordon Brown will apologise to children in care sent abroad

I'd rather be watching X Factor

Politicians dodge question of BASW's future role

Assorted news from children's services

Review: BBC 'When a Mother's Love is Not Enough'

DJ Toby Anstis: "Why I'm speaking out about being adopted"

Sir Michael "Parky" Parkinson boosts dignity champions' numbers

Should social workers be given the swine flu vaccine?

Ofsted 'only now' discovers vital Sharon Shoesmith evidence

How to appreciate your client group

Lords fail to decriminalise child prostitutes

News from children's services

High social worker sickness rates reported in Liverpool

National Adoption Week: 9th-15th November 2009

It's time for politicians to stop using social work as a election tool

Ofsted to revise social care inspection frameworks

Jack Straw defends Public Guardian/Court of Protection

DH on rack over no show on green paper modelling

Conservatives say muscular dystrophy care is "unco-ordinated"

Rod 'Seacole' Liddle holds council equality officer up for ridicule

Assisted suicide critics found dead

Family courts-information pilot

Let's make care aids sexy

Review: Panorama- The child protectors

"Independence" and "expertise" key for government advisors