Head teachers who are socially inclusive and embrace the Every Child Matters agenda will improve results, according to a study. The soon-to-be-published National College of School Leadership study examined six schools based in disadvantaged areas.

More must be done to cut the number of former soldiers sleeping rough on London’s streets, a major homelessness conference has heard. In fact, a third of all of rough sleepers are former armed forces personnel, said Caroline Spelman MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Proposed £3.3 million cuts to the social services budget could cost a council its “excellent” rating, a meeting was told. The adult social care service operated by Blackburn with Darwen Council has a three-star very good’ assessment, as part of annual quality checks by the Audit Commission.

Teenagers on work experience were forced to blow the whistle about abuse in a care home, despite regular visits from council and health workers. Two 15-year-old girls reported gross neglected in Elmwood Care Home, Bickley to their school, sparking an inspection from the care home watchdog.

A groundbreaking project that gives young people who have been in care a chance to inspect local authority children’s services has been launched at the House of Commons.

The NHS is still spending too much on stand-in nurses to cover absences, with the 2005 bill topping £1bn, MPs say. The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee pointed out this was 9% of the total nursing budget.