Social work news

Report by IPPR and peers says reform would cut 'catastrophic care costs' of over a yearOlder people should receive free help with basic chores such as washing dressing and eating in an overhaul that would see social care matching access to the NHS ministers are to be urged Personal social care should be free at the point of need just like medical help on the NHS according to a report by Lord Darzi the ex-Labour...

Nigel Richardson chair of a care crisis review group says there is a surge in children being taken into careFailure to support families at risk and reduce pressure on the care system will lead to child protection services becoming financially unsustainable the chair of an expert care review group has warned Nigel Richardson a former director of children's services at Leeds city council said that the struggle to cope with the rapid surge in children...

The profession works in risky sometimes dangerous situations yet is treated differently to other emergency service colleagues Social workers prioritise people who are most marginalised desperate and often unhelped overlooked and angry as a consequence we work often in risky sometimes dangerous situations Yet we are treated differently to other emergency service colleagues Why In I wrote a piece describing social work as the forgotten emergency service Six years on judging by a bill moving...

Sir Andrew McFarlane speaks out as review says austerity makes it hard for services to cope in England and WalesThe family justice system is in crisis fuelled by an untenable workload created by a glut of applications to take vulnerable children into care the senior judge about to become the next head of the family courts has said Sir Andrew McFarlane who takes over as president of the family division of the high court of...

New integrated care models hampered by poor communication and an 'acronym spaghetti' of terms report findsThe Commons health and social care committee has -- over many years and under successive chairs -- been concerned by the fragmentation and poor coordination of care and health services Its latest report adds to this scrutiny focusing on the approaches to developing new integrated ways of planning and delivering health and care services Sustainability and transformation partnerships STPs integrated...

Children's commissioner says nearly half of budget is spent on children in care systemIncreasing numbers of children will fall through the gaps into the care system risking school exclusion or falling prey to gang violence because of cuts to early years and youth services the children's commissioner for England has warned Anne Longfield said cuts of to Sure Start and other preventative services since had effectively removed vital safety nets for at-risk youngsters and families...

Some councils in England 'cannot go on' without long-term funding to underpin careSocial care services for vulnerable adults are on the verge of collapse in some areas of England despite the provision of extra government funding senior council officials have warned The fragile state of many council social care budgets -- coupled with growing demand for services increasing NHS pressure and spiralling staff costs -- is highlighted in research by the Association of Directors of...