Directors of children’s services want Ofsted to take more of a role in helping councils to improve their child protection arrangements, following publication of the results of the first round of safeguarding spot checks.

FEARS have been raised over the future of services for people with mental health issues in Sevenoaks. It has emerged that the St John’s Community Health Care Centre, on St John’s Road, could be closed as part of a redesign of local healthcare, intended to lessen the stigma of having a mental illness.

The National Youth Agency’s annual audit of youth work training has highlighted concerns about the qualifications held by supervisors.

When the LSC suddenly ended its contract with Coleg Elidyr, a specialist college, many children with learning disabilities were left without a place.

TIGHTER criteria for state funded care has hit profits at an Essex-based care firm’s community care division, but its overall trading remains “in line” with its forecasts, it says.

So much has been written about social work since the trial of Baby Peter’s mother and partner which attracted the attention of the media some 10 months ago.

By Nushra Mansuri

Almost two-thirds of social workers looking after adults claim they are under greater work pressure than five years ago, a union survey claims today.

THE elderly are facing a home care crisis in London because of tougher restrictions on entitlement and a shortage of care workers.

OVERSTRETCHED social workers in Wakefield are struggling to cope with a huge rise in referrals since the shocking Baby P case, a council report has revealed.

A former children’s social worker who failed to make enough visits to vulnerable children has avoided being struck off following a conduct hearing.