London mayor Ken Livingstone is lobbying for a Single Waste Disposal Authority in the capital.

Dismissing current waste management provisions and future plans outlined by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as “wholly ineffective”, the mayor has proposed a unitary approach to rubbish in the Greater London Authority Bill. (more…)

The government has unveiled its New Deal for Carers, which it hopes will provide more funding to local councils to provide better respite care.

Announcing the new initiative, the Department of Health revealed that £33 million of additional funding would be made available to carers. Of this money, £25 million will be used to deliver emergency respite care. (more…)

Hampshire County Council has become the first such authority in the country to be awarded an “excellent” rating for its social care by the Audit Commission.

The independent watchdog, in discussion with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation and the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate, gave the council a three-star rating, the highest possible score. (more…)

Child protection services north of the border have been boosted by the launch of a new information line.

The 24-hour service permits straightforward access to vital services for vulnerable children, allowing callers to share concerns with the most appropriate local agency, or speak to a trained operator on a confidential line. (more…)

British social workers helping autistic children are to be given a helping hand by an animated DVD that helps teach facial expressions and emotions.

Research shows that people with autism often struggle to identify and understand feelings, and also to look others in the eye. Difficulty in relating to other human emotions is also a common symptom of autism.

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