Industry News – Care Dynamics Yorkshire

Community Care > Adults

Social care providers face £2.8bn bill from wage and tax rises next year, analysis finds

Independent adult social care providers in England face a £2.8bn in extra costs in 2025-26 due to wage and tax rises announced in last month’s Budget, an analysis has found. The Nuffield Trust assessed that the almost 18,000 providers would… [...]

Government sets limit on council tax rises in 2025-26

The government has set limits on increases in council tax in 2025-26. English local authorities will be able to raise core council tax by 3% and the adult social care precept – which is ring-fenced for the sector – by… [...]

The bill to legalise assisted dying explained

By Tim Spencer-Lane On 11 November 2024, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was published. This bill makes provision for a person who is terminally ill and meets the eligibility criteria to choose to request and lawfully be… [...]

‘Social care buy-in for fair pay plan at risk after Budget tax hike’

By Simon Bottery, King’s Fund On the day before the Budget, I held a round table with social care leaders on the government’s ambition for a ‘fair pay agreement’ to raise care worker pay. This would involve creating a negotiating… [...]

How the government plans to reform the Mental Health Act 1983

By Tim Spencer-Lane On 6 November 2024, the Mental Health Bill was introduced in Parliament. The bill contains measures to amend the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) in order to strengthen the voice of the patient and ensure that that… [...]

Community Care > Children

Agency social work rules to be ‘strengthened’ and extended to other staff

The government plans to strengthen recently introduced agency social work rules by putting them into law, in a move dubbed “reckless” by recruitment firm leaders. The Department for Education (DfE) also intends to extend the rules to non-social work staff… [...]

Government to create new type of accommodation for children at risk of deprivation of liberty

The government will legislate to create a new type of accommodation for children with complex needs in England who are at risk of being deprived of their liberty. The placement type will be for children who may need to be… [...]

How to conduct age assessments: interview tips

This article presents a few key considerations from Community Care Inform Children’s guide on preparing for and conducting age assessments. The full guide explores preliminary issues to consider, how to gather information, requirements for interviews, making and sharing a final… [...]

‘Crackdown on excessive profits’ pledged as government unveils children’s social care reforms

The government has pledged to “crack down on care providers making excessive profit” from care placements, in children’s social care reforms unveiled today. Labour’s proposed reforms to tackle “profiteering” are similar to those put forward by its Conservative predecessor, including… [...]

Government sets limit on council tax rises in 2025-26

Community Care > Mental Health

How social workers can work with domestic abuse, substance use and mental ill health

Domestic abuse, substance use and mental ill health are complex safeguarding issues, all of which are reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. To support the social workers helping families and vulnerable groups to manage these problems, and more,… [...]

Government to drop Coronavirus Act provisions weakening Mental Health Act protections

The government will drop Coronavirus Act provisions weakening Mental Health Act protections that have not been needed during the pandemic. The Coronavirus Act, which was passed at great speed in March before the peak of the pandemic, provides for an… [...]

Scrutiny of social work practice as part of ‘deep dive’ children’s mental health inspections

New inspections focusing on children’s mental health will include in-depth examinations of how agencies assess and support 10-15-year-olds in care or involved with social workers, Ofsted has announced. Six joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) involving Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission… [...]

Social work professional standards to take greater account of mental health needs

Social work professional standards will be revised to increase practitioners’ knowledge and skills when working with people with mental health needs. The pledge came today as part of a package of measure on tackling mental health issues announced by prime… [...]

Council ‘reneged on agreement’ with ombudsman by not making changes to special guardianship placement

A council ‘reneged on an agreement’ with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman by failing to implement in full the watchdog’s recommended changes in support for two vulnerable siblings in a special guardianship placement. The ombudsman said Lancashire council… [...]

Community Care > Workforce

Social Work England to hold more of fitness to practise hearings as backlog continues to grow

Social Work England is to hold more fitness to practise hearings this year as its case backlog continues to grow. The regulator plans to hold 81 final hearings to determine a social workers’ fitness to practise in 2024-25, up from… [...]

Social workers more likely to quit over management than pay, poll finds

Being a social worker is no easy feat. Practitioners face a mountain of challenges: limited resources, high caseloads, increasingly complex needs, staff shortages and pay increases that have been criticised as inadequate. Yet, while inadequate pay is frequently cited as… [...]

Social care providers face £2.8bn bill from wage and tax rises next year, analysis finds

60% of social workers were yet to renew registration two weeks out from deadline

Sixty per cent of social workers were yet to renew their registration two weeks out from the deadline, Social Work England has reported. As of 14 November 2024, 41,945 (40.4%) of the almost 104,000 practitioners who must complete the three-part… [...]

Agency social work rules to be ‘strengthened’ and extended to other staff