Social Care
Ofsted chief in 'blind spots' warning
Ofsted’s chief has warned of ‘blind spots’ in the children’s services inspection system that could mean youngsters are ‘potentially coming to significant harm’.
Online tool helps residents assess likely care costs
Anton Hodge describes how a new online tool to help people assess the likely cost of adult social care services has brought benefits to residents and to North Yorkshire CC.
Government social care plans to be published this year - Johnson
Prime Minister Boris Johnson today vowed to publish the Government’s long-awaited social care plans this year.
£12m cash boost for council care workers
A council plans to put an extra £12m in the hands of its 30,000 care workers by adding two per cent to its council tax.
Councils are faring well on finance
Last month, CIPFA published its resilience index tool – and the picture for local government is better than expected. Heather Jameson looks at the data.
Stoke-on-Trent warns of job cuts
The council is aiming to make £9.2m of savings next year.
LGA care talks offer rejected
The Government has declined an offer by the Local Government Association (LGA) to host talks on how to fund social care.
'Ambitious programme of domestic reform' promised in Queen's Speech
The second Queen’s Speech in almost as many months has promised an ‘ambitious programme of domestic reform’.
Counties are key to unleashing the entire country's potential
David Williams says Boris Johnson’s Government has been elected on a domestic pledge to ‘level-up’ the ‘left-behind’ parts of the country, and, in taking his agenda forward, it has a ready and willing partner in counties.
First and foremost we need clarity on finance
Getting ‘Brexit Done’ should open up an oven-ready settlement for local government to implement real change, says chief executive of APSE Paul O’Brien.
‘Unaffordable and unsustainable’ care demand creates £14m funding gap
Shropshire Council officers have warned that all services are facing costs next year to cover increases in demand for social care.
This will be a different Conservative Government
Head of local government at Grant Thornton UK, Paul Dossett, says the fact that the Conservative majority has been won by gaining seats in towns in Wales, the Midlands and the north of England will make a difference.
Four Seasons hands 44 care homes to rivals
The facilities will be transferred to Roseberry Care Centres, Belsize Healthcare and Harbour Healthcare under an agreement with one of its largest landlords.
EXCLUSIVE: LGA to provide vision to solve social care crisis
Local government will put forward its vision of a reformed social care funding system to the next Prime Minister following criticism of parties’ election policies.
Crossing the divide
Here Emmet Regan and Michael Wyatt set out a balanced methodology for considering the transition from children’s social care to adult social care that takes as wide a view as possible.
Surge in people seeking help with care bills
The number of adults in care requiring council help due to depleted funds increased by more than a third last year.
General Election manifestos ‘not credible’ on social care
Experts have cast doubt on election pledges to fix the social care system.
Major parties ‘fall short’ on social care funding commitments
None of the three major parties have pledged enough in social care funding to fix the ongoing crisis, a health think-tank has concluded.
Unlock potential of social workers through self-management, report argues
A new report has called for a radical reduction in middle management to boost the time social workers spend with families.
Voters face 'stark choice' on public spending - IFS
The choice could not be clearer on public spending plans by the main political parties according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.