The government’s plan to offer the most vulnerable people free social care in their own homes in England has been met with a cool response.

COUNTY social work chiefs have stopped taking on new recruits and banned conferences in a bid to balance the books.

Looked-after children are pleading with the government to ensure they can stay with their brothers and sisters when taken into care, according to a damning report presented by Roger Morgan, children’s rights director for England.

Gordon Brown will make social care for the elderly the centrepiece of the Queen’s speech by introducing free care for some of the most needy pensioners in their own homes.

A NURSING home has closed after independent inspectors found that the elderly residents were at risk of injury, malnutrition and mistakes involving drugs.

SOUTH Yorkshire care home boss Jane Harris has walked free from court after a judge suspended her jail sentence for abusing the patients she was paid to look after.

Patients with dementia are staying too long in hospital and receiving “disgraceful” care that worsens their condition, campaigners said.

The case of Baby Peter (Peter Connolly who died aged 17 months while on the at risk register of Haringey Children’s Services) is having major ramifications throughout the social services sector.

More than 100 social workers gathered in London today to challenge politicians on the crisis in their profession.

The education of children in care in the UK has been labelled “a national disgrace” by the chief executive of think tank the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU).