Social services condemned over death of girl found hanged – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 21st, 2010 in child cruelty, news, social services by sally

“Social workers responsible for looking after an eight-year-old girl found hanged in her bedroom after weeks of neglect were poorly trained and over-worked, a report found.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 21st May 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Death tax law ruled out next parliament – The Guardian

Posted March 30th, 2010 in elderly, news, social services, taxation by sally

“Andy Burnham, the health secretary, will today rule out legislation in the next parliament to impose a death tax to pay for social care for the elderly, but will promise new laws to cap the cost of residential costs after two years in a home.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Free care for vulnerable’ bill killed off by Lords coalition – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2010 in bills, elderly, local government, news, social services by sally

“The government conceded that its eye-catching bill to provide free care at home for the vulnerable will have to wait until after the election after peers inflicted a series of defeats.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Adviser warns Ed Balls over children’s social care funding ‘concerns’ – The Guardian

Posted March 17th, 2010 in children, news, social services by sally

“Fresh package of funding and reform unveiled as the government’s independent child safety adviser warns the children’s secretary of a rise in demand on frontline services.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Apology to daughters raped by Sheffield man – BBC News

Posted March 10th, 2010 in child abuse, incest, news, rape, reports, social services by sally

“Two daughters made pregnant 19 times by their abusive father were given an apology by the authorities which failed to protect them.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th March 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Courts distrust evidence from social workers – The Guardian

Posted March 8th, 2010 in evidence, expert witnesses, judiciary, news, social services by sally

“Courts are refusing applications to take children into care because some members of the judiciary hold social workers in such low esteem that they do not trust their evidence, it will be claimed this week in a major study.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Adult Social Care: Consultation Phase – Law Commission

Posted February 24th, 2010 in consultations, Law Commission, social services by sally

“On 24 February 2010 we published a consultation paper on adult social care, which contains our detailed proposals for law reform.”

Full consultation paper

Law Commission, 24th February 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Social care law needs simplifying, says Law Commission – BBC News

Posted February 24th, 2010 in consultations, Law Commission, news, social services by sally

“The law and duties covering social care provided by councils in England and Wales need simplifying, experts say. The Law Commission, which advises the government on law reform, said the current system, incorporating 39 different acts, was confusing.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child killing rate ‘drops by 40%’ in England and Wales – BBC News

Posted February 4th, 2010 in children, murder, news, social services by sally

“The number of violent deaths among children in England and Wales has fallen by almost 40% since 1974, research has suggested.”

Full story

BBC News, 4th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Forced marriage law not being used enough – BBC News

Posted December 17th, 2009 in forced marriages, news, social services by sally

“Laws introduced to stop forced marriages are not being used widely enough and social workers’ efforts to tackle the issue are also being hampered, according to experts.”

Full story

BBC News, 17th December 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Couple’s son, 2, taken into care by social workers after they ‘refused to feed him junk food’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 3rd, 2009 in children, news, social services by sally

“A two year-old boy was taken away by social services and put into foster care after his parents, Paul and Lisa Hessey, refused to follow doctors’ orders and feed him junk food, they have claimed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd December 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legality of Tory ‘easyCouncil’ experiment to be tested in high court – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2009 in housing, judicial review, local government, news, social services by sally

“The legality of a Conservative experiment in ‘no-frills’ local government will be challenged in the high court today by more than 250 sheltered housing residents who are furious at their council’s decision to remove live-in wardens to cut costs.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd December 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Baby P emails: judge demands explanation from Ofsted – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2009 in child abuse, disclosure, evidence, news, social services by sally

“Newly disclosed court documents suggest Ofsted inspectors who wrote a damning report on Haringey children’s services were ordered to delete emails relating to Baby Peter and the council, a high court judge disclosed today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd December 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ambitious reforms to transform the social work profession – Department for Children, Schools and Families

Posted December 1st, 2009 in press releases, social services by sally

“Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls and Health Secretary Andy Burnham today announced the Government’s acceptance of a radical package of recommendations from the final Social Work Task Force report, to transform social work and public understanding of social workers’ crucial contribution to our society.”

Full press release

Department for Children, Schools and Families, 1st December 2009

Source: www.dcsf.gov.uk

Sweeping change to social work standards – The Guardian

Posted December 1st, 2009 in news, social services by sally

“Guidelines will be introduced to ensure all social workers have manageable workloads, high quality supervision and time for professional training, the children’s secretary, Ed Balls, and the health secretary, Andy Burnham, will announce today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st December 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judgement reserved on Baby P boss – BBC News

Posted October 13th, 2009 in child abuse, judicial review, news, social services by sally

“A judge has reserved his decision in a legal action brought by the dismissed head of Haringey children’s services, Sharon Shoesmith.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sharon Shoesmith was told of failings, court hears – The Guardian

Posted October 9th, 2009 in child abuse, judicial review, news, social services by sally

“Sharon Shoesmith, the former head of children’s services at the centre of the Baby Peter case, was made aware of ‘very significant professional failings’ in her department at Haringey before she was sacked, the high court heard today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Shoesmith launches legal challenge against Ed Balls – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2009 in child abuse, judicial review, news, social services by sally

“Former director of children’s services at the centre of the Baby Peter case goes to the high court today to seek compensation for dismissal.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Solicitor claims council guilty of Dunkirk veteran’s manslaughter – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 1st, 2009 in care homes, homicide, news, social services by sally

“A solicitor is prosecuting a council for the alleged manslaughter of a Dunkirk veteran, who died two weeks after being told his care home was to be closed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Baby P: Sharon Shoesmith ‘compares her treatment to that of James Bulger’s murderers’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 1st, 2009 in child abuse, judicial review, news, social services by sally

“Sharon Shoesmith, the social services chief who was sacked over the Baby P scandal, compares her treatment to that of the killers of James Bulger in a legal challenge, it has been reported.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk