About 150 people, service users and carers, protested today noisily in front of Edinburgh City Chambers against the privatisation of the care and support services. The final decision on the competitive tendering processes is planned to be made on 19th of November. The protesters called to stop the selling off of this vital service to private companies.

A new system to check that people are safe to work with children and vulnerable adults was announced by the Scottish Government yesterday.

A WOMAN who subjected two children to appalling neglect has been warned she faces jail for inflicting a lifetime of cruelty upon them.

PRESSURE is mounting on the city council over its controversial decision to change the care packages of 800 vulnerable people.Two large-scale protests have been planned because of the re-tendering plans, while national organisations have joined in the criticism of local authority chiefs.

A local authority social work department which was heavily criticised in two government inspection reports has got rid of almost four out of 10 members of staff in the last two years.

A MINISHANT woman is off to London to collect a lifetime achievement award. Jane Sloan’s inspirational work with national charity Headway has bagged her the top gong.

A RAPE crisis centre could be what North Ayrshire is missing – that was the finding of a special conference held in Irvine.

A devastating new analysis of Scotland’s budget predicts that the country could see a spending shortfall of close on £3 billion within four years, placing some of devolution’s most cherished policies under threat.

A councillor has been suspended following his opposition to the creation of a new management post in his council’s social work department.

A NEW report has lifted the lid on the appalling abuse being suffered by vulnerable adults – with a shocking 400 cases investigated by protection workers in Renfrewshire over the past year alone.