A DISGUSTED judge has condemned social workers for ­failing a three-year-old girl who was abused by her father from just months after she was born.

Local authorities today launched a campaign to persuade 5,000 social workers to come out of retirement to tackle a child protection staffing crisis in the wake of the Baby P controversy.

Macmillan Cancer Support is offering 48 online courses as an alternative to face-to-face training for 4,000 health and social care staff.

Reading borough councillors put aside their differences to agree a strategy to oppose the closure of the School of Health and Social Care at The University of Reading.

What social care will look like in the future, and how it will be funded – is one of the most pressing challenges in public policy.

The central heating at a care home was broken for 10 days just before half of its residents died, it emerged today.

A specialist fostering programme for children with challenging behaviour has saved councils money despite initial problems.

Two mental health hostels are to open in Croydon – but the councillor in charge of them is refusing to say where they will be. Margaret Mead insists the homes will not pose a threat to neighbours.

Children’s services departments are paying £100m a year over the odds on contracts with companies providing fostering and residential care services, it has been claimed.

A specialist centre which helps women recover from mental health problems caused by sexual abuse could be shut down.