Newly launched - the UK Data Service

 

 The new UK Data Service aims to bring together a mass of collected survey data into one service, where registered users acan interrogate or download the data. The service, hosted by the University of Manchester under the auspices of the ESRC holds census data from 1971-2011, household survey data, long-range cohort study information, cross-national European data, business data, crime surveys and much more. It's not often I get excited about statistics, but this service has it all!

Services for Signers

Elaine Duncan's experiences in Nine Wells Hospital have highlighted poor practice in offering interpretive services for deaf people. Duncan was admitted to hospital for an emergency appendectomy, but did not have any interpretation services offered during her 12 day stay, despite asking  for these, leaving her frightened and isolated. Sometimes the problem can be due to a shortage of registered interpreters, but at other times the incorrect assumptions of those working in public services, that deaf people should be able to communicate adequately through lip reading or writing, may be the problem.
Murray, K (2013) Lack of British sign language interpreters putting deaf people at risk. Guardian, 7 May, 2013.
Signature is a charity promoting and delivering BSL education, with offices in Glasgow, Durham and Belfast.

Surviving the first day - infant mortality

Save the Children (2013) Surviving the first day: the state of the worlds mothers 2013.

"Save the Children’s 14th annual Mothers’ Index assesses the well-being of mothers and children in 176 countries – more countries than in any previous year. Finland, Sweden and Norway top the rankings this year. The top 10 countries, in general, attain very high scores for mothers’ and children’s health,
educational, economic and political status. Democratic Republic of the Congo ranks last among the countries surveyed. The 10 bottom-ranked countries – all from sub-Saharan Africa – are a reverse image of the top 10, performing poorly on all indicators. The United States places 30th this year. Conditions for mothers and their children in the bottom countries are grim. on average, 1 woman in 30 dies from pregnancy-related causes and 1 child in 7 dies before his or her fifth birthday. These statistics go far beyond mere numbers. The
human despair, lost opportunities and impaired economic growth represented in these numbers demand mothers, families and communities everywhere be given the basic tools they need to break the cycle of poverty and improve the quality of life for themselves, their children, and for generations to come. "

Able Radio

Able radio is an internet radio station which combines music with news, debate, information and support on disability, caring and living with chronic conditions. In addition to live broadcasting, there are podcasts and interviews available to listen on demand.

Housing and dementia

Andrews, J & Molyneux, P (2013) Dementia: finding housing solutions.
"This report highlights how good housing and related services can impact positively on the lives of people with dementia, from delaying more intensive forms of care to preventing admission and readmission to hospital. Case studies from housing associations and home improvement agencies show how appropriate housing can:
• reduce or delay demand for health and social care services for people with dementia
• improve the rate of diagnosis of dementia
• deliver improved health and social care outcomes at a lower cost"

How Safe Are Our Children

A new report from the NSPCC:
"This report compiles the most robust and up-to-date child protection data that exists across each of the four nations in the UK.

It sets out 19 different indicators and each indicator looks at the question from a different perspective. These indicators will be regularly updated as new statistics are published.

The report allows us not only to understand how many children are being abused and neglected, but also to track progress so that society can be held to account for its responsibility to children. Only by monitoring the extent of child abuse and neglect in the UK can we judge whether efforts to prevent maltreatment and to protect children are working."

Neglect and Serious Case Reviews

A research report conducted by the University of East Anglia on behalf of the NSPCC examines data on neglect from serious case reviews covering the period 2003-2011. Findings include

• Neglect is far more prevalent in serious case review than previously understood
• Neglect needs to be treated as urgently as other forms of maltreatment, due to the potentially life-threatening nature of neglect 
• Neglect with the most serious outcomes is a danger to children of all ages.

Brandon, M., Bailey, S.,Belderson, P. & Larsson, B. (2013) Neglect and serious case reviews: a report from the University of East Anglia commissioned by NSPCC 

Child Poverty

An infographic from the Washington Post using UNICEF data on child poverty across 35 nations.

Burnout in Child Protection Work

The experience of child protection has been documented in a study (not yet published) of child protection workers in Northern Ireland. The research has been conducted in the province since 2009, gathering data on five characteristics of resilience, organisational factors and demographic variables. Lowered resilience among staff often started with an excessive workload, leading to emotional exhaustion, de-personalisation and low levels of personal accomplishment. More information is available in the Guardian, 23 April, 2013.

Social Pedagogy in Fostering

The Fostering Network has launched a programme called Head,  Heart, Hands which aims to promote social pedagogy in fostering in the UK. Downloadable resources associated with the programme can be accessed via the link above. Read more about it in the Guardian.

Corporate Parenting

"Since 2010 the Scottish Government has been funding Who Cares? Scotland to develop and deliver a national corporate parenting training programme. This training course is due to complete in March 2013 and there is the potential for a second phase of the programme. The Scottish Government commissioned an independent evaluation of the National Corporate Parenting training programme, with a focus on the impact of the programme to date. Qualitative and quantitative research was conducted among participants. The research was carried out between December 2012 and February 2013. "
Research Report:
Granville, S. & Mulholland, S. (2013). National Corporate Parenting Training Programme Evaluation. Scottish Government.

Mental Health Act Annual Report

Care Quality Commission (2013). Monitoring the mental health act in 2011/12.
This report provides detailed information on the application of the Mental Health Act in England and the Commission worked with health professionals and patients detained under the Mental Health Act in gathering their evidence. The key findings include:

• the number of people detained is rising
• services are under pressure
• most of the concerns from their previous report remain valid e.g. little evidence of consent to treatment, or patients being fully informed
• cultures of control and containment continue to dominate over concerns for treatment and support for individuals

The Commission make a number of recommendations to policy makers, mental health trusts and NHS stakeholders.

Parliamentary inquiry into asylum support for children and young people

The publication of the Report of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Asylum Support for Children and Young People, on 30.1.13, provided a damning account of the treatment of asylum seeking families. 

"We believe that successive governments have failed children by delivering an 

asylum support system that keeps children in poverty, leads to dependency on 

the state and denies asylum seeking families the resources they need to meet 

their needs. Not only must the levels of support be increased to make sure no 

child is condemned to poverty, but many other aspects of the asylum support 

system which prevent children and families from having a dignified existence 

need to be addressed. We hope that the government will consider our report and 

recommendations." (Children's Society).

Nine benchmarks to test social work decision making

Andy McNicoll, writing in the Community Care magazine  Social Work Blog offers a nine point framework against which to measure decision making in social work. The nine characteristics were developed in the 1980s, but may still prove useful for reflective social work practice.

Pocket Guides from BASW

BASW have produces 5 downloadable pocket guides with basic information, hints and tips for practicing professionals and students of social work. The guides are:

• Alcohol and other drugs
• Children families and alcohol use
• Mental health and substance use
• Alcohol and older people
• Young people and alcohol

PDFs for all five can be downloaded from the link above.