Welfare Reform on the Web (January 2004): Social Care - UK

CHANGES PROPOSED TO REGULATIONS AND NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS RELATING TO ADULT PLACEMENTS

Department of Health

2003

The consultation seeks views on proposed changes that will enable the focus of regulation to move from individual carers to adult placement schemes.

GUIDANCE ON THE NOTIFICATION OF DEATH, ILLNESS AND OTHER EVENTS

National Care Standards Commission

2003

New guidance from the Commission on reporting serious incidents at a residential home to the care regulator. The Commission has produced a template for care homeowners to use to make reporting of these incidents easier and clearer.

THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE (COMMUNITY HEALTH AND STANDARDS) BILL

Social Care Law Today, Issue 15, October 2003, p. 5

The article examines the implications the bill (now act) will have in England and Wales.

LEARNING FOR COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS AND AGENCIES: A STUDY TO INFORM DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK

Department of Health

London: 2003

Students of the new degree in social work will be expected to undertake specific learning and assessment in a number of key areas, including partnership working and information sharing across professional disciplines and agencies. The report identifies factors that help and hinder development of learning opportunities and lists twelve points for review and action.

PAT RESCUE

R. Winchester

Community Care, Dec. 11th-17th 2003, p. 26-27

Performance action teams made up of management consultants were sent in to improve failing social service departments in 2002. The article discusses their effectiveness in raising standards.

'SKILLS FOR CARE'

Anon.

Registered Homes and Services, Vol.8, 2003, p.100

Reports that the government has approved the creation of a sector skills council for the social care workforce, to be called Skills for Care.

SOCIAL WORK AND DIRECT PAYMENTS

J. Glasby and R. Littlewood

Bristol: Policy Press, 2003

The 1996 Community Care (Direct Payments) Act came into force on 1 April 1997, empowering social services departments to make cash payments to some service users in lieu of direct services provision. This book summarises current knowledge about direct payments in the UK and considers developments for other European countries.