THEY are a lifeline to Hampshire’s most vulnerable residents and their families – but now vital care homes and day centres across the county are facing closure.

Social workers are not always receiving the amount of supervision they need and most are not getting adequate support for professional development issues or the emotional problems their work presents, according to a survey released today by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).

The owners of a Bristol nursing home have been told they must take immediate action to improve standards of care – or face legal enforcement action.

Specialist social work recruitment consultancy Liquid Personnel has urged local authority managers to maintain staffing levels among frontline social workers, and to ensure that staff are properly supported despite recent spending cuts.

Gloucestershire County Council needs to improve its assessment of the needs of people with mental health problems, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said.