This document is in response to the 'Towards a strategy to support volunteering in health and social care' consultation. It sets out messages heard during the consultation process through nine regional workshops held around England, an on-line questionnaire; and detailed written responses received by the Department of Health.
A literature review carried out by the University of Edinburgh in August 2007 which found that most young people move on from being looked after at 16 or 17 years; this tends to be an abrupt transition which has been referred to as 'accelerated and compressed', further impacting on other aspects of their lives such as education, relationships and health and well-being.
A review of the issues around paying for long-term care for older people, asking how the current system could be improved. This study brings together evidence and discussions assembled by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. It identifies some key challenges that need addressing in order to start moving towards a fairer, more rational and adequate system of funding It deliberately avoids proposing a radical redesign of the whole system, though there is a case for that. Rather it provides a platform for sensible discussion of how to design improvements in the funding system.
This publication builds on current guidance, and highlights existing information and good practice for commissioners in primary care trusts and local authorities who have responsibility for commissioning services for adults with autistic spectrum disorders. It aim is to ensure that commissioners enable, empower and promote independence and meaningful choices for adults with autistic spectrum.
On 25 March 2008, the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland laid before the Scottish Parliament a report called Sweet 16? The Age of Leaving Care in Scotland. It was debated on 25 June 2008. The Scottish Government has responded positively to most of the report’s recommendations, which are attached as an appendix to this paper, together with a short summary of the full report. In January 2009, a feedback survey was circulated to local authorities to help identify progress on the issues raised in Sweet 16? and also what more needed to be done.
The authors, from Dorset Council, explain how they are trying to get the best out of the Integrated Children's System despite its limitations. The ICS was intended to enable a single consistent approach to case-based information gathering, case planning, case aggregation and case reviews. As such, the easily generated and clear reports would help social workers collect, organise, analyse and retrieve information.
The latest Changing Lives Newsletter, produced bi-annually by the Scottish Government. This edition includes articles by Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years, Alan Baird (President, ADSW), Justin McNicholl (Chair, Local Practitioner Forums). Also, updates on Changing Lives, the Practice Governance Change Group and the User and Carer Forum.
The Social Work Task Force has signalled its intent to come up with a new definition of social work to counter public misconceptions. Anabel Unity Sale reports that with the negative coverage that social work attracts, it is hardly surprising that the public is not clear about what social workers do, and that people are led to believe that professionals swoop in and steal babies from families, give older people with limited mobility a bath and then make their dinner.
L'Arche is an international federation of communities for people with learning disabilities and assistants. There are eight communities in England, Scotland and Wales. The website provides information about L'Arche communities and their underlying philosophy, information about becoming an assistant, text of L'Arche charter, information on the Overseas Development Fund for sister communities in developing countries, articles written by those involved in the L'Arche Communities, suggestions for further reading, contact details and links to other L'Arche sites.
This booklet provides an overview of ‘Your health, your way – a guide to long term conditions and self care’ for healthcare professionals. It introduces the concept of personalised care planning for people with long term conditions and supported self care, and discusses points to consider when starting the care planning process.