The new head of social services at Kingston Council has been criticised by a High Court judge for launching an “unlawful” child abuse investigation into an innocent family in her old job.

CONCERNS are growing about the impact of social-care cuts as figures show many of those affected have seen their needs increase.

Elderly people should not be viewed as a burden but a blessing, Andrew Dilnot has said, as he argues old people are currently so “terrified” of their future needs that they are hoarding their money.

“There’s no place for disabled people in the Chancellor’s aspiration nation”, Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of disability charity Scope said in response to Chancellor George Osborne’s 2013 budget.

About 200 carers of elderly residents and people with learning disabilities in Coventry could lose their jobs under council proposals.

TWO dementia care homes in Sheffield which were spared the axe following a campaign could be under threat again, it is feared – because of concerns over empty beds.

A damning report found Northamptonshire had a “legacy” of children “exposed to chronic, and periodically acute, harmful experiences” some of which were “unlikely to have been either assessed or addressed”.

Celebrating social work is not something which is reported that much, but this week it is something we should all do. On World Social Work Day, yesterday, politicians and communities around the world gave recognition to the commitment of social workers and the role they play in helping families, communities and people with difficult problems.

People with experience of learning disability or age-related support are contributing to Care Quality Commission inspections

PLANS to share social services between three councils could save taxpayers £1.4m.