The trial of a Birmingham couple who it is alleged starved a child to death has had to be halted following three jury members being discharged.  See the Community Care article here:

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2009/06/30/111975/khyra-ishaq-accused-face-retrial-after-jury-discharged.html

Wilt, keeping his ear to the ground, has heard a whisper that during 2009 Birmingham City Council (BCC) have had a further 7 child deaths and are keeping this quiet. This is of course unconfirmed, as yet. Even so, it may not follow that BCC (if the whisper is true) were involved with any of the families concerned, although it would be hard to imagine that they would not have been.

Let us see what news may emerge. The source previously worked for BCC but left because ‘it felt unsafe’. Wilt knows that feeling too.

Wilt

Why is Ed Balls being increasingly wheeled out instead of Alistair Darling to talk up the economy and how well placed Labour are to mend it? First Balls is on the Andrew Marr show whinging on about the wonders of Gordon and Alistair and now on the Today programme (here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8125000/8125872.stm).

Who does Balls think he is kidding. His ambition (self confessed) to become Chancellor or even PM might be an indication that he would be Gordon’s preferred succesor. If that were to happen, that would seriously cause me to think of leaving the country! Of course he and the cabinet continue to rely on this argument of Labour investment -v-Conservative cuts which is fast becoming as boring as the ‘we are the government that takes action -v-the Conservative do nothing’ mantra. Ah well, simple minded people, or is it we cannot think of anything better to say.

Now the latest economic indicator reported in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/recession/5695352/UK-economy-shrinks-most-since-1958.html

illustrate what a mess we are in. The only people who seem to be sticking their head in the sand are Gordon and Ed. The rest of the world recognise that the UK economy is up shit creek without a paddle.

Wilt’s mate (yes he has a few, still) is a local Tory councillor and he is quite clear that there are cuts being made and social care is not immune. And those cuts will continue long into the future to stop the ever growing public expenditure currentl at 50% of GDP. Yes, 50% – you heard me right the first time! That cannot be sustainable and of course Vince Cable on the Andrew Marr show again sets out the realities of future cuts in public expenditure.

And where exactly will social care funding stand whilst budgets are slashed? Not too well I say as Balls is too busy arguing ‘problem, what problem’ rather than putting his efforts into promoting the social care needs alongside other competition for an ever decreasing pot of money. Balls is not in my list of admired political figures at the best of times and I am certain he has never had his eye on the ball (sorry!) and gives the impression that his current position is simply an irritating stepping stone to higher office.

Keep an eye on your local council news to see how the cuts are going to impact – its a better indicator of the real world than anything you may hear from the Prime Minister or his allies.

I suppose if Balls did replace Alistair Darling or the Prime Mentalist (as Guido referes to him) it would mean that social care might benefit by a more focused minister – every cloud has a silver lining!

Wilt (will never get a gong at this rate!)

This was to be expected, see Community Care article here:

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2009/06/29/111964/government-rejects-national-fees-for-foster-carers.html

However, I agree local schemes need to be set in the location where carers operate and (let us not forget) there are other fostering agencies other than local authorities, in both the private and (dwindling) voluntary sectors. Furthermore, the tasks of fostering are vast and carers operate at differing levels of competence. Fees need to be competence based, combined with task and needs to reflect the relationship between the child and carers e.g. kinship carers.

Although perhaps a minority view, I believe still that kinship carers undertake a unique task and it is rarely associated with professional fostering and more akin to following family obligations.

It was ever the case that incoirporating kinship care under fostering was utter folly Most kinship carers will not see themselves as foster carers.

No national registration of foster carers will seriously piss off the GSCC who would have been given the task to regulate foster care. They, of course want to regulate 5the world and his wife and grow as an agency out of all proportion to need, and common sense.
We need not more regulation but less – the GSCC seem however to have lost the plot and would, self serving as they are, like to expand. Gawd help us if they ever did.