Social Care Network | The Guardian

From the Social Care Network

Our love of a free NHS ignores the hole in social care finances

As the Barker report suggests, a fairer system is required, argues Janet Morrison
Does social work have a morale problem? Live debate

Join our expert panel to discuss issues affecting the profession around the world
- 22 tips for newly qualified social workers

What role will councils play in the social care system of the future?

Councils can be the proactive curators and brokers of truly personalised care with five main functions, writes Carrie Bishop
Social media should be an essential part of new social workers’ toolkits

Digital media enables professionals to communicate more effectively with service users and each other, says Claudia Megele
Barker report confronts injustices of long-term care

Commission on the future of health and social care has unveiled a radical but deliverable plan, says Richard Vize
More social care comment

Rotherham: 'It's sad that it's taken something so horrific to give voice to these girls'

Last week's report on widescale sexual abuse in Rotherham has put huge strain on the South Yorkshire town. With anger directed at the Muslim community, and a growing influx of the far right, Homa Khaleeli talks to residents
- Councillors 'were told abuse information was confidential'
- Rotherham scandal to be investigated by ministers, says Cameron – video
Low-cost home-transport is 'a disaster waiting to happen'

Patrick Butler: Cuts to a £1m specialist bus contract are putting disabled children's lives at risk, say parents
Care workers take Hampshire home employers to tribunal over pay and working hours

Zero-hours staff say they were paid by minutes spent with clients at below the minimum wage

Commission on the future of health and social care – Twitter response

Economist Kate Barker’s report underlined the need for more social care funding. Here’s what you had to say about it
Designing personal services for people with learning disabilities and autism

Jocelyn Savage works as a support adviser, helping clients to be as independent as possible while also remaining safe
Teaching homeless people basic skills transforms lives

Literacy tutor Simon Phillips helps people to read and write, enabling them to do what they value in life
The community is key in tackling loneliness

We held a discussion on what public services professionals can do about social isolation. Here’s what our panel had to say
More social care features

‘You need to understand issues affecting the child’: Early intervention social work at Cafcass

Family court advisers must be able to make quick decisions, but helping children at an early stage is hugely rewarding
Equality and diversity in social work practice, not just a box to be ticked

Sponsored feature Equality and diversity ambassador Heidi Crampton explains how her role helps professionals improve their day-to-day practice

Programme aims to build more diverse leadership in the social care sector

Sponsored feature Less than 1% of directors and chief executives in health and social care are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. The Moving Up programme seeks to challenge race-related limitations
How do you solve a problem like care recruitment?

Sponsored feature
The future of the social care workforce is a burning issue – so Skills for Care helped match up jobseekers with employers

Alan Wood booed at social work conference

Social work academics furious over negative comments. Ruth Hardy reports
Social workers 'should be more political in tackling inequality'

Opening day of Melbourne conference discusses how professionals can promote social and economic equality
Older and disabled Londoners loneliest as 'friendly north' lives up to reputation

London is a lonely place to live for those using care services, according to a new survey. David Brindle reports
Adult social care 'unsustainable': responses from the sector

Directors of adult social services have said fewer people are receiving care services as a result of budget cuts. Here's what key people in the sector think of the findings
More social care news

Justin Prescott, service manager, health and social care, British Red Cross

The Guardian Social Care Network is an invaluable resource for all those involved in the management and co-ordination of social care activities. To have all the latest and most relevant news and updates delivered straight to my inbox save countless hours a week trawling the web and leaves me more time to get on with the job.
Eileen Means, deputy borough director , NHS Brent

I find the Guardian Social care network very thought provoking; it provides information about the wider social care world and looks to the future in government thinking. It helps me to avoid becoming too parochial and inward-looking in my current role.

If you would like to contribute to the comment section or Social Life blog on working lives in social care, please email socialcare@guardian.co.uk.