At least seven morbidly obese children were taken into care last year by social services. A boy of six who was seriously overweight, a girl of seven with a Body Mass Index three times higher than normal, and an eight-year-old girl who weighed nine stone, were among those taken from their parents.

FAMILIES coping with a child with autism or Asperger syndrome can now benefit from a new service that provides autism awareness workshops at The Bonded Warehouse in Stourbridge.

COUNCIL leaders in Southampton caused an outcry last night when they unanimously voted to close down two care homes and evict 62 residents to save cash.

THE lives of elderly residents could be at risk if Tory council leaders today agree to close two care homes says a pensioners’ group.

A Bristol couple with learning disabilities are too afraid to have a longed-for child in case the baby is taken away from them. Andrew and Michelle Bennett, who have been together for 15 years, have already had one child adopted against their wishes.

Vulnerable and elderly people in Birmingham face a huge increase in the cost of home care services in an attempt to plug a city council cash crisis.

Few households seek specialist financial advice when paying for the care of their elderly, according to FirstStop Care Advice.

The nation’s leading social services director has spoken of his fear that the government’s personalisation agenda will leave out some of the country’s most vulnerable people.

Child poverty is not only causing extreme hardship, but is imposing a large cost on taxpayers and reducing the UK’s economic potential. At a time when the government is having to spend billions to support its economic infrastructure, new research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation published today estimates that child poverty costs at least £25 billion each year in losses to the Exchequer and in reduced GDP.

Solihull NHS Care Trust is introducing innovative ways of working to transform services. Patients, service users and carers across the borough should soon be noticing improvements as mixed teams of health and adult social care professionals are created.These will provide joined up services, near to where people live and linked to local GP services.