Rescare AGM – Stormy Weather, Old friends & new faces…
Despite the weather on the morning of the 28th October, which brought storms the South of England and torrential rain to the North (and which prevented Rescare’s chair, Anita, from attending!) our AGM nevertheless went ahead successfully in Stockport Town Hall. A fuller report of the meeting will be posted here soon: to […]
Dobson’s Choice – a ‘Google’ for people with learning disabilities
A newsletter posting from the specialist ‘Easy Read’ company Easy Read Online reminded us at Rescare that we are committed to producing some content in this website in Easy Read format. It just a matter of finding the time and resources, and developing the expertise! The same newsletter also notified us of the launch of […]
First Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care sets agenda…
“Britain’s first Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care is preparing to recruit an army of ordinary people with personal experience of the care system to help conduct inspections.” This was the headline to an article published 14th Oct. by Emily Dugan, Social Affairs Correspondent of the The Independent, following her interview with Andrea Sutcliffe who […]
Learning Disability and ‘the national conversation’: Love Your Vote
Just 10% of people with learning disabilities supported voted in the last election – proof that people are still disengaged from the electoral system. The charity Dimensions is launching its Love Your Vote campaign to increase awareness and the number of people who vote, in a bid to engage people in helping to shape the future […]
WCA – The Upper Tribunal and its role…
An recent exchange in Parliament, on 16th October, about the Work Capability Assessment sent the Rescare ‘blogger’ scurrying off to Google and Wikipedia to find out what precisely the Upper Tribunal is! Stephen Timms (East Ham, Labour) “To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the recent […]
NCAS Conference: ‘Tough times, good decisions’
The National Children and Adults Services Conference is taking place in Harrogate this week (16th – 18th October). This year’s event, organised by the Local Government Group, Association of Directors of Social Services, and Association of Directors of Children’s Services, is entitled ‘Tough times, good decisions’; and describes itself as ‘vital to councillors, directors, senior […]
Farewell Esther, Hello Mike…
Reshuffle at the DWP… The government reshuffle last week saw the departure of Esther McVey from the role of Minister of State for Disabled People: she was promoted to Minister of State for Employment. The new Minister for Disabled People is Mike Penning (Conservative MP for Hemel Hempstead). Mike Penning’s (predictable) statement upon his appointment, […]
Open consultation – Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice and regulations
The Children and Families Bill, currently in Parliament, will bring radical changes to the special educational needs (SEN) framework, subject to royal assent. The Department for Education and the Department of Health are consulting on a draft new (age) 0 to 25 SEN code of practice. The code is statutory guidance. They are also consulting […]
Lords Committee takes evidence from health and social care experts
October 2013: the Lords Committee on the Mental Capacity Act hears evidence from professionals in the health and social care sectors. On 15th October, the Committee will receive evidence from experts in health care, psychiatry and medical ethics: Professor Amanda Howe, Royal College of GPs; Dr Julie Chalmers, Royal College of Psychiatrists; Dr Dorothy Apakama, […]
Home care charges: a postcode lottery
An illuminating report on the Which? Conversation website describes the massive variations in the levels of support and of financial assistance provided to people requiring home care. Particularly astonishing are the high contributory charges levied on service-users in the some council areas – the highes rate per hour was charged in Bridgend…. … £20.84 per […]