There has been an 11 per cent increase in the number of children subject to child protection plans in the past year, latest government statistics show.

Social workers are facing burnout due to their heavy workloads and the extreme pressure they are under, says UNISON, the UK’s leading public sector trade union. The union has reiterated its call for more social workers, and for changes to their working lives, following figures released about their sickness absence. The sickness rates, say the union, highlight the intolerable pressure being put on social workers.

A new graduate trainee scheme will be providing the social care management executives of the future. What does it offer?

Social workers are taking “shocking” levels of sick leave – far higher than the national average – prompting protests they are being subjected to intolerable pressure.

SCHOOLS and child social services in Stoke-on-Trent could be brought back under council control within months. Children’s services have been run by contractor Serco since the Government imposed an intervention order on Stoke-on-Trent City Council in 2007.

WORK on a £6 million social care housing development for elderly people with long-term disabilities got underway on Monday.

A SOCIAL care provider is aiming to create 60 jobs in the next 12 months to meet the increasing demand for personalised services from the elderly and people with learning disabilities.

CALLS are growing for a public inquiry into Haringey Council’s social services department, in the wake of revelations a child was placed in foster care with relatives of a Muslim terrorist.

In social work at present it never rains but it pours. At a time of continuing public scrutiny, the last thing the sector needs is to be told that nearly half of those frontline social workers who plucked up courage to blow the whistle about poor practice or workplace problems subsequently reported that their employer failed to tackle the issues raised.

SOCIAL workers were involved with an eight-year-old girl found hanged in her bedroom since the day she was born, the Post understands.