SocialWorkStuff - Gateway to Social Work

Social Workers support and assist people in every walk of life, protect the vulnerable, help at times of crisis, respect as individuals those they care for, challenge injustice, and promote the well being of others.

Social Work Stuff UK Government page

On this page you'll find links to the UK Central Government, UK devolved assemblies & UK Local Governments:

UK GOVERNMENT LINKS:

The Department of Health. This link will take you to the DoH home page. Here are some more specific links for you:

The Department of Health adoption site - links to UK adoption laws.

Department of Health document about the Relationship between Health & Social Services.

Department of Health Social Care Group - the 'Latest News' page.

SCIE - the new NISW. The Department of Health is initiating The Social Care Institute for Excellence, to be established in the summer of 2001. SCIE will create a knowledge base of what works in social care, will rigourously review research and practice, and will produce guidelines on best practice.

Social Services Performance Assessment Framework Indicators 2000-2001. The DOH has recently published these - you can download the whole document here.

Care Direct - a new service being developed by the Department of Health in partnership with some local councils for people aged 60 years and older and their carers and relatives. Its aim is to make it easier for older people to get information and help when they need it. CAREdirect can help you get in touch with the organisations that provide social care, health, housing and social security benefits.

Listening to People - A Consultation on Improving Social Services Complaints Procedures.

Post Qualifying Child Care Award - you can download information about TSP funding, the conceptual framework, etc.

The Care Standards Commission - registers, monitors and inspects service providers. Go to The Care Standards Tribunal Consultation Document for Regulations comprising Procedural Rules of the Tribunal (The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults and Care Standards Tribunal Regulations).

The Social Services Inspectorate - provides professional advice for Government, assists agencies in planning and delivering services, and runs inspection programme.

The National Task Force on Violence Against Social Care Staff.

Quality Protects.

Modernising Mental Health Services.

Registered Homes Tribunal - or go direct to The Guide for Homeowners & Registering Authorities.

NIMHE - The National Institute for Mental Health in England. A DoH site "Establishing the mental health research network."

DFES - Department for Education and Skills information. This is the home page - here are some more specific links:

Every Child Matters - the Green Paper resulting from the Climbie enquiry - the DFES's suggestions for change.
DfES - Disability (UK) - This site, provided by the Department of Education and Skills includes a news section and links to information about disability.
DfES - Excellence for all Children: Meeting Special Education Needs (UK) - These pages contain a summary of a consultative Green Paper, Excellence for all Children: Meeting Special Education Needs, showing how DfES aims to improve the achievements of children with special educational needs (SEN) in England over the next five years.
DfES Special Education Needs Division (UK) - The Special Educational Needs Division of the Department for Education and Skills is committed to ensuring that special educational needs are given appropriate consideration and recognition in DfES policies, and that best practice is encouraged in all aspects of special educational needs. This website provides information on the work of the division and on Special Education Needs.
DfES Day Care - National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding under Part VI of the Care Standards Act 2000.

Valuing People: A new strategy for learning disability for the 21st Century - on March 20th 2001 Health Secretary Alan Milburn unveiled the first major new strategy on learning disability to be published in England for 30 years. The strategy - which included a Ł100 million fund to "revolutionise care" - outlined key initiatives to tackle social exclusion and discrimination by people with learning disabilities and their families based on the principles of civil rights, independence, choice, and inclusion.

The Audit Commission. This link will take you to the Audit Commission home page. Here are some more specific links for you:

Joint Reviews of Social Services - carried out by the Audit Commission, they provide 'an independent assessment of how well the public is being served by social services locally. The reviews identify what authorities do well, and highlight those areas that could be improved'.
Community & Mental Health Services - links to various AC reports on mental health.
BEST VALUE - Social Services - Performance Indicators.

The Home Office information.

Children and Young People’s Participation in the Planning, Delivery and Evaluation of Policies and Services - The Action Plan of the Department for Work and Pensions.

UK 'Open Government' site. A gateway to all sorts of Public Sector information - Wide range of documents including press releases, white papers, policy statements, news, and much more.

The UKState.com. A gateway to official UK Government information [previously called 'Itsofficial'] put up by The Stationary Office.

National Publishing - another source of official publications from the UK gov.

And another source of Gov. info.

The House of Commons website.

The Central Office of Information - government press releases.

Disability Rights Commission - fact sheets, news and advice for disabled people plus details on the body's campaigning role. Features legislation and FAQs. The site explains the rights of people with disabilities under the Disability Discrimination Act and The Disability Rights Commission Act 1999 and the role of the DRC in relation to this.

Modernising Social Services. UK government initiative, 1998. Full document to download/print.

The Child Support Agency - set up in 1993 "to assess, collect and pay child support maintenance, ensuring that parents who live apart meet their financial responsibilities to their children". An executive agency of the Department of Social Security.

CAFCASS - Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service - looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. It works with children and their families, and then advises the courts on what it considers to be in the children's best interests. CAFCASS only works in the family courts.

Better Government for Older People - part of the UK's Modernising Government Agenda and is steered by a consortium of six partners: Modernising Public Services Group in the Cabinet Office; Age Concern; Anchor Trust; The Carnegie Third Age Programme; Help the Aged; and Warwick University Local Authorities Research Consortium. The Local Government Association are active supporters.

National Assembly for Wales Social Services.

Scottish Executive Regulation of Care Project - Scottish plans for modernising the delivery of social work services in Scotland.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT:

The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care - registers, monitors, inspects and enforces standards for service providers.

Scottish Social Services Council - registers key groups of social care staff, publishes and enforces codes of practice, and is responsible for education and training.

Social work Services Inspectorate - inspects, reviews and advises the First Minister and the Scottish Executive about social services matters.

Audit Scotland - ensures that public money is used properly, efficiently and effectively.

WELSH GOVERNMENT/NATIONAL ASSEMBLY:

Welsh Assembly Social Care - encompasses a wide range of political and social issues related essentially to the delivery of personal social services and support to children and young people, older people and their carers, and to people with learning disabilities, mental health problems, physical and sensory disabilities.

The Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales - registers, monitors and inspects service providers.

Audit Commission for Wales - ensures that public money is used properly, efficiently and effectively.

Care Council for Wales - regulates the social care workforce including codes of practice, education and training.

Social Services Inspectorate for Wales - inspects service providers, 'Best Value', and reviews services.

Children's commissioner for Wales - has overall responsibility for promoting and safeguarding children.

Children's Commissioner for Wales Act 2001 - The Bill presented to parliament on December 11, 2000 received Royal Assent on May 11. The new Act extends the powers of the UK's first children's commissioner appointed in March. Under the Act the commissioner's principal aim is safeguarding and promoting children's rights and welfare, including making representations to the Welsh Assembly on any matter affecting the rights and welfare of children in Wales.

Welsh Assembly Social Services White Paper "Building for the Future" - March 1999. It sets new standards through 42 policy commitments. The main measures cover the new arrangements for the regulation of social care services and the workforce, a new performance management framework for social services, better joint working between local and health authorities and a strategy for children's services.

NORTHEREN IRELAND GOVERNMENT/ASSEMBLY:

The Northern Ireland Social Care Council - registers social care workers, enforces codes of conduct, and takes responsibility for education and training.

The Northern Ireland Social Services Inspectorate - inspects care providers and is involved in promoting and managing training and staff development.

The Northern Ireland Audit Office - independent assurance, information and advice to the Assembly on proper accounting.

UK LOCAL GOVERNMENT:

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