It is well-known that Hartlepool has some of the highest levels of deprivation in England, and that its council tax is higher than that of Kensington and Chelsea. This dangerous combination goes some way to explain Hartlepool’s un-exalted position of 3rd highest place in England for numbers of children in care. But, it doesn’t explain…

Last week, the Minister for Children and Families, Josh MacAllister MP, was interviewed by Sky News about the government’s plans to increase the number of foster carers. In the interview, MacAllister stated that “fostering isn’t work, it isn’t a job”, the IWGB union’s foster carers branch quickly responded, outlining the complexity, regulation and more that…

In December, a landmark ruling was made in the New Zealand Supreme Court. The ruling stated that two full-time family carers (parents of a disabled adult man) should be classed as “homeworkers” and as such be treated as employees entitled to employment protections including the minimum wage and holiday pay. The ruling was rooted in the…

Care Full analysis finds unpaid carers at risk of losing between £1.2bn – £1.7bn in income as a direct result of government changes to PIP eligibility announced this week. Carers are set to be hit hard by the government announcements to cut PIP this week with an estimated 150,000 themselves in receipt of the benefit…