The government’s extra £2bn in the spending review for caring for the elderly within four years is likely to be swallowed up by the demands placed on local councils to cut costs over the next four years, said charities and experts.

Children in care in the Isle of Man could be suffering because improvements to social services have been too slow, according to MHK Chris Robertshaw.

300,000 more elderly will need care in next four years – and so will 70,000 more people of working age

WIRRAL’S director of adult social services is to retire after six years’ service. John Webb, who joined Wirral Council in 2004 and became director of adult social services in 2007, is taking early voluntary retirement.

A FORMER care home director has been jailed for 22 months after stealing nearly £50,000 from an elderly resident in order to keep her struggling business afloat.

BASW England’s Mental Health Group has produced a report on the experiences of social workers in multi disciplinary mental health teams, highlighting a mixed picture of support for practitioners, with those receiving excellent backing overshadowed by those getting nothing at all from their employers.

People working in voluntary organisations and local government are downbeat about the government’s hopes that the big society will produce a marked increase in active citizenship.

A 95-year-old woman suffered serious burns and five other residents were injured in a suspected arson fire at a care home in Cleveleys, Lancashire.

Teachers and healthcare and social workers must work together better to improve the lives of children in care, new guidelines say.

Ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, JRF commissioned Ipsos MORI to look into the views and perceptions of local authorities and service user/carer organisations as they prepare for the challenges they now face.