Welfare Reform on the Web (April 2003): Social Care - UK

CHIEF INSPECTOR'S REPORT 2001-02 - SOCIAL SERVICES INSPECTORATE FOR WALES

Leadership and performance in social services in Wales needs to be improved to help protect vulnerable people and promote their independence. There are marked variations in performance between Welsh local authorities in provision for older people and children, and in funding.

CONSERVATIVE AND LIB DEM PEERS COMBINE TO VETO PLANS TO FINE BED-BLOCKING COUNCILS

J Eaglesham

Financial Times, February 18^th 2003, p.2

Plans to fine local authorities that cause hospital bed blocking were defeated by the Lords yesterday, despite the government offering to delay the measure by six months.

(See also The Times, February 18^th 2003, p.2; The Independent, February 18^th 2003, p.6)

THE FRAMEWORK FOR SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION IN SCOTLAND

COSLA, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and Scottish Social Services Council

Edinburgh: TSO, 2003

Reforms include:

• a pilot fast-tracking system enabling graduates with relevant degrees to retrain as social workers within 15-18 months;
• Return to Practice programmes to encourage trained staff to return to the profession;
• around £2m over the next two years in grants to help organisations meet the costs of student practice placements;
• doubling the money available to voluntary organisations to help provide formal training for their staff.

Students completing the new social work degree from 2004 could be eligible for reimbursement of their student loans if they sign up to work in areas most affected by current shortages.

SCOTLAND JOINS SOCIAL WORK EMPLOYERS WITH CREATIVE ANSWER TO SKILLS CRISIS

D Craik

Community Care, Feb 13^th-19^th 2003, p.20-21

Discusses a scheme launched by the Scottish Executive to improve social services recruitment by reimbursing up to £9,000 in student loans for social work graduates who take up posts in children's services, mental health and criminal justice.

SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTORS WELCOME LAMING'S FOCUS ON ACCOUNTABILITY

K Leason

Community Care, Feb 6^th-12^th 2003, p.18-19

The Laming report has made a raft of recommendations designed to strengthen Directors' of Social Services personal responsibility for the work of their front line staff.

A SOCIAL POLICY ROLE FOR FAITH-BASED ORGANISATIONS? LESSONS FROM THE UK JEWISH VOLUNTARY SECTOR

M Harris, P Halfpenny and C Rochester

Journal of Social Policy, vol. 32, 2003, p.93-112.

Article uses two case studies of the UK Jewish Voluntary sector to explore its capacity to expand its role in social welfare provision. The two empirical studies focused on income generation and governance. Concludes that:

• donors to these charities mainly aim to help their co-religionists, not the wider community;
• the commitment of the volunteers is fragile;
• coverage is patchy.