The government started off the New Year by announcing immediate investment and new reforms to help transform adult social care in England. Alongside additional funds and reforms to improve outcomes, support the workforce and relieve pressures on the NHS, the government also announced the creation of a new independent commission into adult social care,...
Learning and development matters in social care
Skills for Care has launched its ‘Learning and development matters’ campaign to promote the benefits of training for those working in social care. Every January and February, the national workforce development charity repeats its campaign to urge adult social care managers and their teams to #KeepLearning. The annual campaign receives positive feedback from across...
Earlier preventative support in social care could save billions
A new report from leading voices in social care suggests that earlier preventative support could save billions of pounds. The report, entitled Earlier action and support: The case for prevention in adult social care and beyond, has been jointly published by the Local Government Association (LGA), ADASS, Social Care Institute for Excellence, Mencap, Skills...
Social care providers warn of risk of ‘widespread failure’ in sector
Major figures from within adult social care have penned a letter to government warning that, without “urgent action”, there will be “widespread failure” within the sector. Ministers have been warned that high employment costs, low fee rates and struggling councils all pose serious risks to the sustainability of the adult social care sector. These...
NHS bosses told to prioritise patient safety this winter
NHS Trusts have been told to prioritise patient safety over targets as they face record pressures this winter. NHS England Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard and other trust leads met with the Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting this week to address the critical situation in A&E departments across the country. The Health and...
Child safeguarding review highlights critical role of schools
A major review into child safeguarding practices has highlighted the critical role that schools play in protecting children from harm. The report, entitled I Wanted Them All to Notice, was published by the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel last month. It focuses on protecting children and responding to child sexual abuse within the family...
Low-income families struggle to access early childhood services
The NSPCC has warned that families on low incomes in the UK are missing out on vital support as they struggle to access early childhood services. In a new report with the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), the national children’s charity reveals that families living in poverty experience barriers to accessing early childhood...
Rise in concerns about children experiencing domestic abuse
The NSPCC has revealed that concerns about children experiencing domestic abuse have risen by a fifth. The national children’s charity saw a surge in people contacting its Helpline with concerns about children experiencing domestic abuse, fielding almost 4,000 concerns of this nature between April and September 2024. This represents a 19% increase in concerns...
HSE focuses on manual handling injuries this festive season
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is focusing on safe manual handling as the festive season gets underway. Britain’s health and safety watchdog has warnings and advice for the haulage and distribution industry, a new body mapping tool for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and awards for MSD risk-reduction. The HSE has warned those working in...
National Workplace Day of Remembrance remembers lives lost at work
Thursday 12th December marks the UK National Workplace Day of Remembrance. The annual awareness day was first established in 2019 to remember all those who have lost their lives at work, across all industries and job roles. The organisers urge people to mark the National Workplace Day of Remembrance by observing a minute’s silence...
Government publishes plan to Get Britain Working
The government has published its plan to get Britain working again. The Get Britain Working Whitepaper was published last week (26th November 2024) and sets out the government’s plans to tackle “spiralling economic inactivity” and get Britain growing again. It forms a key part of the government’s commitment to build “an inclusive and thriving...
New protections from workplace sexual harassment are in force
Workers in the UK are now afforded new protections from sexual harassment in the workplace, with employers required to create a safe working environment. A new duty under the Equality Act 2010 has come into force which requires all employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees, including by third...
HSE publishes latest workplace health and safety statistics
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published it’s latest workplace health and safety statistics. The annual statistics reveal the number of workers affected by work-related ill-health and workplace injuries in Great Britain from 1st April 2023 until 31st March 2024. Britain’s health and safety watchdog has revealed that the number of workers who...
NSPCC shares parent and child views on smartphones
The NSPCC has asked parents and young people how they feel about the impact of smartphones and social media on child safety and wellbeing. Young people told the NSPCC that they feel trying to keep them away from smartphones and social media was unrealistic in an online world, and that having a phone to...
New Skills for Care campaign aims to boost digital confidence
The latest campaign from Skills for Care is focused on boosting digital confidence across the adult social care workforce. Running throughout November and December, the ‘Building digital confidence’ campaign aims to help people working in the adult social care sector to understand how enhanced digital skills can support the delivery of higher quality care....