A report by a committee of MSPs gave conditional support to the general principles underpinning the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill. It said that the Bill was an improvement on the existing disclosure system: but that proposals to share sensitive information among public bodies should be shelved, and the Bill should not go ahead until ministers explained how it would work in detail.
Source: Stage 1 Report on Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill, 12th Report 2006, SP Paper 702, Scottish Parliament Education Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release | BBC report | Children Now report
Date: 2006-Dec
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was given Royal assent. The Act centralized the vetting system for people who worked with children and vulnerable adults. Employers would be guilty of an offence if they employed people to work with children and vulnerable adults whom they knew were barred. The Act integrated the existing 'List 99' (for people banned from working as teachers), and the Protection of Children Act lists covering those working in childcare settings. It also established a new list of people barred from working with vulnerable adults to replace the 'Protection of Vulnerable Adults' list.
Source: Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, Department for Education and Skills, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | HOC brief
Date: 2006-Nov
A report by a committee of MSPs supported the general principles underpinning the Adult Support and Protection Bill (designed to prevent abuse of older and vulnerable people) - but only on condition that substantial amendments were made to the Bill. Key definitions within the Bill, and its relationship with existing legislation, were 'problematic'.
Source: The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill, 16th Report 2006, SP Paper 662, Scottish Parliament Health Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release
Date: 2006-Nov
An article examined how systematic reviews might best address social care research.
Source: Elaine Sharland and Imogen Taylor, 'Social care research: a suitable case for systematic review?', Evidence & Policy, Volume 2 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Nov
A new book provided a comparative account of social care services for children and older people in five key industrial nations (Finland, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States). It went beyond institutional description and sought to understand the normative and moral qualities of welfare systems.
Source: Anneli Anttonen, John Baldock and Jorma Sipil , The Young, the Old and the State: Social care systems in five industrial nations, Edward Elgar Publishing (01242 226934)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Nov
The government published a report on progress made since the publication of the White Paper in January 2006 on health and social care community services, and on the action needed to deliver on commitments made in the White Paper.
Source: Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: Making it Happen, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report | DH press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Oct
A new book examined a number of key aspects of social work - including social work values and knowledge; empowerment and choice; judgment and decision-making; and evidence-based practice and reflective practice - showing how they reflected an underlying concern with social exclusion.
Source: Michael Sheppard, Social Work and Social Exclusion: The idea of practice, Ashgate Publications (01235 827730)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Oct
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill was given a third reading. The Bill was designed to centralize the vetting system for people who worked with children and vulnerable adults. Employers would be guilty of an offence if they employed people to work with children and vulnerable adults whom they knew were barred. The Bill integrated the existing 'List 99' (for people banned from working as teachers), and the Protection of Children Act lists covering those working in childcare settings. It also established a new list of people barred from working with vulnerable adults to replace the 'Protection of Vulnerable Adults' list.
Source: Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [HL], Department for Education and Skills, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 23 October 2006, columns 1233-1352, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | WCVA press release
Date: 2006-Oct
A new book examined the interrelationships and changing boundaries between the provision of income support ('cash') and social care services ('care').
Source: Caroline Glendinning and Peter Kemp (eds.), Cash and Care: Policy challenges in the welfare state, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Sep
The Scottish Executive published a Bill to prevent unsuitable people working with children and vulnerable adults. A single executive agency would be formed to support the new vetting and barring scheme.
Source: Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SE press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Sep
The social care inspectorate launched a strategy document on equality and diversity. It said that people should have equal access to care services whatever their gender, age, sexual orientation, race, belief, or disability.
Source: Equalities and Diversity Strategy, Commission for Social Care Inspection (0845 015 0120)
Links: Strategy | Summary | CSCI press release
Date: 2006-Aug
The Welsh Assembly government published a draft new strategy for social services in Wales. It said that social services should ensure that individuals and families were properly supported by coherent services that offered continuity of care for those with enduring needs. Local authorities should remain both commissioners and providers of services, but should take a more active role in shaping the mixed market of private, public, and voluntary care.
Source: Fulfilled Lives, Supportive Communities: A strategy for social services in Wales over the next decade, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Draft strategy | BBC report
Date: 2006-Aug
A revised edition of a book examined the identity of social work, and the relationship between social care and social justice.
Source: Malcolm Payne, What is Professional Social Work?, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jul
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill was given a second reading. The Bill was designed to centralize the vetting system for people who worked with children and vulnerable adults.
Source: Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [HL], Department for Education and Skills, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 19 June 2006, columns 1083-1153, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | HOC brief
Date: 2006-Jun
A think-tank report said that spending on personal care for older people in England would have to treble to about 30 billion a year by 2026 to meet the needs of the ageing 'baby boomer' generation. The government said that it would conduct a review of social care, starting from first principles on how social care was funded. It said that the Wanless report would be "useful": but that it would also need to consider the needs of the increasing numbers of vulnerable younger adults with complex needs who also needed social care support.
Source: Derek Wanless et al., Securing Good Care for Older People: Taking a long-term view, King s Fund (020 7307 2591) | Press release 30 March 2006, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: Report | King's Fund press release | DH press release | CSCI press release | GSCC press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Mar
The Scottish Executive published a Bill to offer greater protection to adults at risk of abuse. It would provide powers to set up new multi-agency adult protection committees to oversee adult protection policies locally, and place a duty on a range of agencies to investigate suspected abuse.
Source: Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SE press release
Date: 2006-Mar
A social care inspectorate report identified the issues that mattered most to people who used care services, based on a series of public consultation events. It highlighted eight key qualities that people expected from care services, covering the issues of choice, flexibility, information, being like other people, respect, fairness, cost and value, and safety.
Source: Real Voices, Real Choices: The qualities people expect from care services, Commission for Social Care Inspection (0845 015 0120)
Links: Report | CSCI press release
Date: 2006-Mar
A report said that vulnerable adults needed legislation to guard them from abuse, in line with children and domestic violence victims. The government said that it was creating a group of 'dignity guardians' to report on ways of preventing the abuse of elderly people in care homes.
Source: Adult Protection Data Collection and Reporting Requirements, Action on Elder Abuse (020 8765 7000) | Press release 13 March 2006, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: Report | DH press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Mar
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill was published. The Bill was designed to centralize the vetting system for people who worked with children and vulnerable adults. Employers would be guilty of an offence if they employed people to work with children and vulnerable adults whom they knew were barred. The Bill integrated the existing 'List 99' (for people banned from working as teachers), and the Protection of Children Act lists covering those working in childcare settings. It also established a new list of people barred from working with vulnerable adults to replace the 'Protection of Vulnerable Adults' list.
Source: Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill [HL], Department for Education and Skills, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | DfES press release | GSCC press release | NSPCC press release | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2)
Date: 2006-Mar
A study examined the funding and operation of long-term care policy, in particular free personal and nursing care, in Scotland. It said that the Scottish approach had created a fairer system without undue extra public spending.
Source: David Bell and Alison Bowes, Financial Care Models in Scotland and the UK, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | JRF press release | SE press release
Date: 2006-Feb
The opposition Conservative Party said that it would end the 'immense injustice' of elderly people losing their family home and life savings in order to pay for care. It would introduce a new, voluntary scheme under which a one-off joining fee (estimated at around £8, 000, paid at age 65) would give a guarantee that all fees for permanent residential care would be waived for life.
Source: Press release 3 October 2009, Conservative Party (020 7222 9000)
Links: Conservative Party press release | ECCA press release | Carers UK press release | BBC report | Telegraph report | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Jan
A paper said that the government's Green Paper on adult social care did not contain sufficient detail to determine whether it would lead to a fairer settlement. Detailed, costed proposals were still needed before anyone could support any particular funding model. The need was to show in detail how people on different incomes might 'win' or 'lose' under any new set of proposals.
Source: Justin Keen and David Bell, Identifying a Fairer System for Funding Adult Social Care, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Links: Paper
Date: 2006-Jan
The government published a White Paper on improving community health and care services. The White Paper aimed to provide people with more choice and say over the care they received in the community, and much closer working and co-ordination between health and social care. This would include improved access to family doctors by increasing the choice of practices and extending opening hours; more support for people with long-term conditions; local partnerships between local authorities and primary care trusts to produce joint teams and common assessments; and a new generation of community hospitals and health centres to provide health and care services in the heart of the community.
Source: Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A new direction for community services, Cm 6737, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: White Paper | Summary | Consultation responses | Hansard | DH press release | CPPIH press release | CHAI press release | BMA press release | King's Fund press release | NHS Alliance press release | MHF press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jan