Daily roundup: Care applications, child health and social workers
Neil Puffett
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Data reveals decrease in care applications; slight fall in child obesity levels; and social workers elected to College of Social Work faculties, all in the news today.
New figures reveal that Cafcass has received received 816 care applications in November, a decrease of 15 per cent compared with the number received in November last year. The data also reveals that between April and November, 7,080 applications were received, a three per cent reduction on the equivalent period last year.
The number of obese and overweight children in the final year of primary school in England has fallen for the first time in six years. Figures from the National Child Measurement Programme, show 33.3 per cent of pupils aged 10-11 measured in 2012-13 were obese or overweight, compared with 33.9 per cent the previous year. The number of obese and overweight children also fell in reception (age four to five) for the second year, the BBC reports.
Members of the College of Social Work (TCSW) have elected social workers to represent their interests in the college’s three faculties, which are responsible for the development of policy positions and practice guidelines. Brigid Featherstone will chair the children and families faculty, Ruth Allen will chair the mental health faculty, and Bernard Walker will chair the adults faculty.
Meanwhile, 55 social work degree programmes have been endorsed by the College of Social Work (TCSW). College endorsement is intended to indicate quality, allowing prospective social work students, to have a quality benchmark for comparing qualifying programmes.
The National Association of Independent Reviewing Officers has appointed a new chair. Maggie Duggins, a senior independent reviewing officer currently working in Derby, has been appointed to the position. Zoe Martin from Essex, and Jon Fayle, the outgoing chair, were elected vice chairs.
And finally, social media users are being asked to tweet their concerns about education and children’s services to the education select committee. The aim is to ensure committee members raise the public’s most pressing concerns with Education Secretary Michael Gove when he gives evidence to it on 18 December.
