Why has the number of childminders fallen by nearly a third in a decade … and should we be concerned? Jennifer Beckles reports

Unwitting professionals are putting vulnerable children at risk of bullying by labelling them as obese or suffering from mental health problems, according to an outspoken charity leader.

Hundreds of vulnerable people will see their care package disappear or shrink from next February – but a county council chief says those in need will not be “cut adrift”.

{mosimage}County councillors have rubberstamped a decision to reduce the qualification level for adult social care from “moderate” to “substantial”, as part of a decision which will affect households across Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley.

And gateway’ services, signposting people to alternative provisions in the voluntary, faith and community sectors, will not be fully up and running until September 2008.

But Cllr. Chris Cheetham, Lancashire’s adult social care cabinet member, said: “We do recognise that people who are affected by these changes will need help.

“But we are going to help them through that process. This is not about saving money but it is about using money differently. We are not going to cut people adrift.

“In future we are not going to be seen as a major provider of care but we will be looking at providing services through the voluntary, faith and community sectors.”

Social services are keen to employ the services of organisations such as Help The Aged and Age Concern to cater for people’s care needs. The county council already contracts Age Concern to provide some OAP services in Preston.

A nurse was kicked out of the profession yesterday after she urged an assistant to put a brown paper bag over a dementia patient’s head and then took a photo with her mobile phone.

Almost 35,000 single parents have been waiting more than five years for the Child Support Agency to resolve their claims, it has emerged. {mosimage}New government figures underline the extent of

About 100 children a month are being rescued from physical and sexual abuse after contacting specialist police officers online, The Times has learnt.

An elderly resident whose treatment sparked a police investigation into a care home in Bournemouth has died.

A plymouth carer has been presented with an award in recognition of her outstanding work with older people.

A former head teacher, his brother and a care worker have been convicted of cruelty against children at a special school between 1975 and 1988.

Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, has stepped in to block a £250,000 pay-off to the hospital boss at the centre of Britain’s worst superbug outbreak.