Welfare Reform on the Web (January 2012): Social care - UK

Councils on alert after providers and users taste victory in cuts challenges

M. Samuel and J.Dunning

Community Care, Nov. 17th 2011, p.7

Councils have been put on notice that they risk having adult care cost increases reversed by the courts after three significant victories for campaigners. Isle of Wight Council has had to reverse a rise in eligibility thresholds after its decision-making process was ruled unlawful at the High Court. Sefton Council was ordered to review its decision to freeze care home fees for 2011/12 after a judicial review in Manchester. In addition, Staffordshire Council agreed to review its fee levels for care homes under threat of judicial review.

Implications for integrated care of the Law Commission's review of adult social care law

E. Mitchell

Journal of Integrated Care, vol. 19, no. 5, 2011, p. 25-29

In May 2011, following a review of existing legislation, the Law Commission published proposals for the reform of adult social care law to make it more transparent and user-friendly. Many of the recommendations in the Commission's report are designed to promote integrated care. This paper analyses the changes to practice that would result from implementation of the Commission's recommendations.

Problem families to get 'troubleshooters'

R. Winnett

Daily Telegraph, Dec. 15th 2011, p. 1 + 2

In the wake of the English riots of August 2011, the government announced plans for a network of 'family troubleshooters' who would be paid to turn around problem families. The troubleshooters, drawn from charity, council and private sector workers, would draw up an action plan for each family, with targets to return parents to work, to stop alcohol and drug misuse, and to end school truancy. The troubleshooters would be paid an average of £3,750 per family, with 60% upfront and the remainder handed over on results.

Reforming the legal framework for adult safeguarding: the Law Commission's final recommendations on adult social care

T. Spencer-Lane

Journal of Adult Protection, vol. 13, 2011, p. 275-284

The legal framework for the provision of adult social care services dates back to 1948 and consists of a complex and confusing patchwork of legislation. This article provides a summary of the Law Commission's main recommendations for a new legal framework for adult safeguarding. It also contrasts them with proposals put forward at the consultation phase of the review.

The waves of change

A. Truby

Professional Social Work, Dec. 2011, p. 14-16

Subject to royal assent of the Health and Social Care Bill, the regulatory functions of the General Social Care Council will be transferred to the Health Professions Council in July 2012. This article considers what the change will mean for individual social workers and the standards expected of the profession as a whole.

Working with adults at risk of harm

M. Greenfields, R. Dalrymple and A. Fanning (editors)

Maidenhead: Open University and McGraw-Hill Education, 2012

This book acknowledges the overlap between different states of adult vulnerability within a range of health, social care and community contexts. It looks beyond social work practice and legislative focus to examine the categories of `at risk' and `vulnerable adults'. These include often forgotten groups such as homeless people, prisoners and migrant workers. Through a range of practical examples, it illustrates how professionals can usefully and effectively intervene to lessen the chance of a member of an excluded community becoming at greater `risk' of further vulnerability. The book includes:

• Explanations of core themes and implications for a range of professionals and service providers with a practical and accessible focus Case studies and practice examples from work with vulnerable groups
• Illustrative examples of how different states of vulnerability are frequently contingent upon one another