Health and Social Care

Family Hubs to open in every council area

07/07/2025
The Government has announced a plan to open 1,000 Sure Start-inspired Family Hubs by 2028 to help deliver support to parents in every council area in England.

Health and Social Care News

EHCPs jump up 11% in a year

27/06/2025

The number of children on Education, Health and Care Plans has increased by 11% in a year, official statistics have revealed.

Call for proactive social care to support pensioners

27/06/2025

Researchers have recommended proactive social care to support pensioners’ ‘right[s] to live and age well’.

Scrap council tax for terminally ill people, charity says

24/06/2025

An end-of-life charity has called on councils across England to scrap council tax for people living with a terminal illness.

Number of family hubs down by a third

24/06/2025

The number of family hubs and children’s centres in England has reduced by more than a third since 2009, freedom of information (FOI) requests have revealed.

Council chiefs welcome home cervical cancer screening kits

24/06/2025

Local authority leaders have welcomed the Government’s announcement that self-sampling kits used to check for cervical cancer will soon be available.

Scale not key to social care disaggregation

23/06/2025

Adult social care disaggregation should not focus on scale, according to research published today.

Council places boy in unregistered children’s home

19/06/2025

A High Court judge has condemned the Isle of Wight Council’s ‘inadequate’ placement of a boy in a £500,000 children’s home.

Social care commission shelves cross-party talks

17/06/2025

Leader of the Government’s social care review of social care, Baroness Casey, has shelved plans for cross-party talks, it has been reported.

Council seeks advice after Botox hospitalisations

16/06/2025

Fourteen people who received cosmetic injections in County Durham and Darlington were recently admitted to hospital following ‘adverse reactions’.

Spending Review: Silence on SEND reform

11/06/2025

Councils will have to wait until the autumn for details of reforms to services for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Council chiefs call for boost to occupational therapist workforce

09/06/2025

Council leaders have called on the Government to invest in occupational therapists (OTs) to improve health, care, and prevention strategy outcomes.

‘Urgent’ call for sustainable homecare funding

06/06/2025

New research reveals local authorities are ‘consistently failing to fund homecare’, with 27% of contracts falling below minimum wage.

'Burning platform' warning on early years' services

05/06/2025

Early years’ services are on a ‘burning platform’ with UK outcomes among the ‘worst in the civilized world’, a leader has warned.

Council told to apologise for mishandling of school transport

05/06/2025

Derby City Council has been told to apologise to three families for mishandling their school transport applications.

Call for 10-year sexual health strategy

03/06/2025

The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for a 10-year sexual health strategy as services face unprecedented pressure.

Abuse audit delayed

03/06/2025

A nationwide audit of child abuse has been delayed, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has confirmed.

School meals posing ‘worrying’ health risks, charity warns

29/05/2025

Schools must do more to support children’s long-term health by reducing the quantity of processed meat served at mealtimes, charity says.

Children face ‘catastrophic’ care waiting times

22/05/2025

Hundreds of thousands of children are being left waiting for vital community care services, children’s health care professionals warn.

Care coalition calls for significant social care funding in Spending Review

22/05/2025

A coalition of stakeholders has called for significant investment in social care in the Spending Review on 11 June.

Public health officials ‘disappointed’ by junk food ad ban delay

22/05/2025

Local authority directors of public health have voiced their disappointment in response to the Government’s decision to delay the ban on junk food advertising.

Auditors call for action on delays to children’s care cases

21/05/2025

The proportion of children subject to care proceedings who have had to wait over a year to have their cases resolved has increased, report finds.

Sure Start financial benefits could double costs, finds IFS

21/05/2025

The financial benefits of the Sure Start early years programme could be twice as high as its costs, according to new analysis.

NHS and local government partner on gonorrhoea vaccine

21/05/2025

The NHS and local government have partnered on the roll-out of a world-first vaccine programme to prevent gonorrhoea.

Rise in drug-related deaths reveals ‘stark’ inequalities

20/05/2025

A recent study by the Health Foundation reveals a drastic increase in the number of drug-related deaths in the UK and striking geographical inequalities.

Think tank calls for early intervention for children’s mental health issues

19/05/2025

Children with mental health issues are facing long-term health conditions and employment barriers, says new research from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

Health organisations call for smacking ban

16/05/2025

An open letter signed by 13 leading health organisations has been sent to Government demanding that the ‘reasonable’ defense of physically punishing children is abolished.

EXCLUSIVE: Family decision making model keeps children out of care

15/05/2025

A new charity report highlights how an evidence-based model of family-led decision making can help keep children out of care.

International recruitment of care workers to end

12/05/2025

The Government is set to end the recruitment of care workers from overseas to bring down the migration figures, but critics call the move a ‘crushing blow’.

Blueprint document sets out changes to ICB functions

08/05/2025

A blueprint document has set out changes to integrated care board (ICB) functions with a number being transferred to neighbourhood providers and NHS regions.

NHS backlog not driven by surge in benefit claims

02/05/2025

The increase in NHS waiting lists is unlikely to be connected to the recent surge in health-related benefits claims, according to the IFS.

Casey Commission: 2036 deadline for social care reform ‘too late’

02/05/2025

The terms of reference for the Casey Commission’s review of adult social care have been published, but critics remain concerned care is 'back of the queue’.

Record number of children in temporary accommodation

30/04/2025

A record 165,510 children are now homeless and living in temporary accommodation, according to the latest homelessness figures.

Hunger costs put severe strain on public services

29/04/2025

Public services are under £13.7bn worth of pressure due to the Government’s negligence in addressing hunger and hardship, according to anti-poverty charity.

Councils could be forbidden from using destructive pesticides in parks

25/04/2025

MPs will today debate a proposal that could see the use of 'toxic' weedkillers by councils banned.

Social workers warn of rising risk of unsafe housing

23/04/2025

Over 21% of social workers have had to remove a child from their family in the last three years due in part to unsafe housing conditions, new research reveals.

LGA: Children’s social care buckling under budget pressures

17/04/2025

Council chiefs have urged the Government to invest more into early intervention to support the children’s social care system as it reaches ‘crisis point’.

Swindon barbers to help boost mental health support

16/04/2025

Swindon Borough Council urges local barbers to engage with a new training programme designed to improve and destigmatise mental health issues amongst men.

Charity criticises 40% adoption funding cut

16/04/2025

Adoption experts have criticized the Government’s decision to cut funding for therapy for adopted children in England.

NHS contract proposals pledge 'greater control' for ICBs

15/04/2025

New proposals by NHSE pledge to give ICBs greater control over NHS contract activity.

Streeting: Care staff to be trained in ‘cutting-edge’ tech

09/04/2025

Social care workers will be trained to use the latest ‘cutting-edge technology’ to help improve the social care system, Wes Streeting has said.

Councils spend £40m fighting ‘ratflation’

09/04/2025

Local authority pest control services made nearly 300,000 visits to people’s homes to deal with pest infestations last year at a cost of £40m.

Council apologises for failing to assess carer’s needs

03/04/2025

Southend-on-Sea City Council has agreed to apologise to a mother for failing to assess her needs as a carer on two occasions.

Local area partnership promises urgent improvements

03/04/2025

Bracknell Forest Council and NHS Frimley ICB have promised ‘urgent and sustained improvements’ following a critical Ofsted and CQC report.

Council to pay family nearly £8k after education failure

03/04/2025

Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to pay £7,900 in compensation after council failures led to a child missing out on four terms of education.

Croydon woman breaks back after care funding cut

28/03/2025

A woman in Croydon sustained a serious back injury using an NHS bed turning aid after the local authority cut funding for her night-time care.

Exclusive: Ministers set to reject social care trust plans

27/03/2025

Ministers are likely to reject plans for children’s or adult social care trusts that come as part of local government reorganisation (LGR), The MJ understands

Cuts to disability benefits could cost councils £1.2bn

24/03/2025

The Government's cuts to disability benefits could lead to £1.2bn of extra costs for social care services and the NHS, according to a think tank.

‘High’ air pollution alert in London

19/03/2025

City Hall has issued a ‘high’ air pollution alert in London on Thursday due to an increase in air pollution from mainland Europe.

Black country councils in £45m child protection pilot

19/03/2025

Walsall and Wolverhampton councils have announced they are continuing to work with Government on a £45m pilot programme aimed at improving child protection.

New animation raises air quality awareness

17/03/2025

BCP Council is raising awareness of the dangers of air pollution among children across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole using the power of animation.

The £37,000 SEND Problem image

The £37,000 SEND Problem

Natalie Kenneison, COO at Imosphere, argues that the real SEND funding crisis isn’t just about budgets - it’s about the systems behind the decisions.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

PRINCIPAL TRANSPORT PLANNING OFFICER

Hull City Council
£43693 - £46731
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team in Hull as a Principal Transport Planning Officer. Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Recuriter: Hull City Council

HIGHWAYS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEER - 4 POSTS

Hull City Council
£43693 - £46731
We have several exciting opportunities for suitably qualified Highways Civil Engineers and Traffic Engineers Wilson Centre, 1st floor, Hull HU1 2AG
Recuriter: Hull City Council

Strategic Director, Finance and Resources (S.151 Officer)

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
£110,799 - £120,706
Blackburn with Darwen is a distinctive, welcoming and vibrant borough with a strong identity and a genuine buzz about the place. Blackburn, Lancashire
Recuriter: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Residential Worker, Edge of Care Service

Durham County Council
Grade 7 £29,093 - £32,654 PAY AWARD PENDING
Join a Groundbreaking Team Supporting Families in Seaham Salary
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Bikeability Cycling Instructor

Durham County Council
Grade 4 £24,790 to £25,992 pro rata (Pay Award Pending)
The Road Safety Team are keen to recruit additional Casual Bikability Instructors to join our team of instructors delivering Bikeability cycle trainin Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner