Welfare Reform on the Web (January 2005): Social Care - UK
A DAY TO REMEMBER
I. Johnston and others
Community Care, Nov.25th-Dec.1st 2004, p.26-28
Six people involved with social care give their views on the impact of compulsory registration with the General Social Care Council on the social work profession.
ESRC RESEARCH, SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL CARE
I. Shaw, H. Arksey and A. Mullender
London: Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2004
Report of a review of the actual and potential coverage of social work and social care research within Economic and Social Research Council programmes, and of the implications of that review for social work and social care research in the UK.
INSPECTING FOR BETTER LIVES
Commission for Social Care Inspection
London: 2004
The Commission aims to transform the way it carries out inspections of care homes. With this end in view it will:
- make more unannounced spot checks on providers it regards as high risk;
- focus more on interviewing service users;
- introduce more self-assessment by care homes;
- recruit an army of paid informers to spy on homes and report malpractice.
NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE WORKFORCE IN SCOTLAND 2005-2010: A PLAN FOR ACTION: DRAFT FOR CONSULTATION
Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2004
Strategy aims to produce a competent, confident and valued social care workforce delivering high-quality, person-centred services, responsive to the diverse and changing environment of Scotland in the 21st century.
PERFORMANCE RATINGS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES IN ENGLAND
Commission for Social Care Inspection
London: 2004
Analysis shows steady yearly improvement. The best local authorities have improved the quality of people's lives. However, a handful (about 8) simply failed to provide proper care services and were awarded no stars. Others have become stuck in a rut and appear unable or unwilling to improve beyond one or two star status.
STILL THE POOR RELATION: SOCIAL CARE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
J. Rankin
New Economy, vol. 11, 2004, p.213-216
Social care in the 21st century should offer seamless services delivered by a more skilled and professional workforce. The realisation of this vision could be undermined by inadequate funding and the low public esteem attached to caring work. There is demand for services which are user-led, which in practice means an expansion of direct payments, which enable people to design and purchase their own care packages.
SURER FUNDING: THE ACEVO COMMISSION OF INQUIRY REPORT
Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, 2004
Argues that health and social care services are being commissioned from the voluntary sector with insecure short-term contracts. Payments often do not cover the full cost of services provided. Calls for the introduction of a Voluntary Finance Initiative under which charities would be given long-term contracts similar to those awarded to the private sector under PFI.