Access to Social Services: the Changing Urban Geography of Poverty and Service Provision
http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20040816_allard.htm
This report by Scott W. Allard (a professor at Brown University) was published in August 2004 by the Brookings Institution based in USA. It examines the variation in access to social services for those on low incomes, between urban and suburban areas. Although areas of the inner cities, with high poverty rates, provide services in close proximity to those in need, this is not so for those poor households living in the suburbs. The full report is in PDF format and access to Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
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Administration in social work
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/03643107.asp
Administration in Social Work is the official journal of the National Network for Social Work Managers, published by Routledge, part of the Taylor and Francis Group. It provides information to human services administrators, managers, and educators, aiming to keep readers "up to date on theory, practice, and research, with special attention given to the relationship between social administration and social policy planning".
Tables of contents and abstracts from 1999 onwards are available and you can register to access a sample copy. Access to full-text articles is for subscribers only or it is possible to purchase individual issues. Please ask your college or university library about full-text access.
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All Our Lives: Social Care in England in 2002/03
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsIns
This report considers the performance and quality of social care services in England in the year 2002-03. It provides an overview of how far social care services are responsive to the needs, and promote the rights, of the people who use them. It also highlights some of the key issues and challenges faced by those committed to improvement in the sector. The main evidence used in this report is the findings of the inspection, performance assessment, review and regulatory work of three agencies: the Social Services Inspectorate (SSI), the SSI/Audit Commission Joint Review Team (Joint Reviews), and the National Care Standards Commission.
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Association of Directors of Adult Social Services 
http://www.adass.org.uk/
"The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) represents all the directors of adult social services in England. It evolved from the former ADSS (Association of Directors of Social Services" with children's services transferred to The Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS). ADASS contributes to policy development and facilitates research programmes. Contents includes information about the Association's membership, its work and policies and its latest press releases and responses to government consultation documents.
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Australia's Welfare
http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/subject/3021
These biennial welfare reports which began in 1993 are from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. "Australia's Welfare is the most comprehensive and authoritative source of national information on welfare services in Australia. Topics include welfare services expenditure, the welfare services labour force, children's and family services, child protection, housing assistance, services for homeless people, ageing and aged care services and disability services." The documents from 1993 onwards are freely available in PDF format but Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
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Australian Council of Social Service
http://www.acoss.org.au/
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is a membership organisation comprising of community welfare organisations throughout Australia. The aims of ACOSS are "to end poverty and help build a just and inclusive society that values difference and the right of all people and communities to the social and economic resources they need to control their own lives". As well as campaigning on such issues ACOSS produce a range of publications including a magazine, papers, policy documents and media releases. Many of these are accessible from this site although some must be requested.
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Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
http://www.aihw.gov.au
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is an independent health and welfare statistics and information agency in the Commonwealth of Australia's Health and Family Services portfolio." It provides statistical information that governments and the community can use to promote discussion and make decisions on health, housing and community services in Australia. Among its publications are "Australia's Health" and "Australia's Welfare" which are published on alternate years. The website includes an online publications catalogue, a What's New section and interactive data "cubes" on a number of topics. Full text reports and data tables and statistics are available from this site.
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British services
http://www.britishservices.co.uk/
A useful directory of links to key British service websites which is maintained by Infoactive Media Ltd. It includes sections for central and local government, trade associations, charities, consumer advice organisations and industries. Entries are brief, including key contact addresses and links to the website. However, it would be useful for quickly locating the relevant website.
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Center for Social Services Research
http://cssr.berkeley.edu/
The Center for Social Services Research (CSSR), established in 1994, is based in the School of Social Welfare at the University of California at Berkeley. CSSR oversees six separate research and training units including: the Family Welfare and Poverty Research Group, the Child Welfare Research Center, the Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services, and the Health Research Group. The website includes information on CSSR publications and newsletter. The newsletter and excerpts from some publications are available in PDF file format. Users will require Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view the PDF files.
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Centre for Civil Society (CCS)
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CCS/
The website of the Centre for Civil Society (CSS) based in the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics. CCS was founded in 1999 (formerly Centre for Voluntary Organisation) and aims to further understanding of the set of organisations located between the market, the state and household institutions (non-governmental, voluntary, non-profit, or third-sector organisations, foundations, and social enterprises). Includes a summary statement on "what is civil society", recent publications and information on CCS projects and study programmes. Also includes details on Centre for Voluntary Organisation publications. Some CSS publications are presented in the PDF file format, users will require Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view it.
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Children's Social Services Core Information Requirements Version 4
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/resources-and-practice/IG00009/
These documents set out systematically the core information and processes which underpin the delivery of children's personal social services by Councils with Social Services Responsibility (CSSRs). It is intended that they bridge the gap between the expertise of social care managers and information technology specialists and are designed to assist Councils to commission and update effective information systems.
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Civil Society Working Paper Series
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CCS/publications/cswp/civil_society_wp.htm
This website provides access to a collection of working papers at the London School of Economics that explore " theoretical and empirical work undertaken on non-governmental, voluntary, non-profit or third sector organisations, foundations, and social enterprises - as part of wider civil society." The series of papers constitutes an area of work undertaken by researchers based at, or linked to, the Centre for Civil Society (CCS), within the London School of Economics (LSE). The papers are freely available to view online, they are presented in the PDF file format. Users will require Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view them. Print copies may also be bought from the Centre.
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CUSSNET mailing list
mailto:listserv@listserv.uta.edu
The CUSSNET (Computer Use in Social Services) mailing list is dedicated to the use of IT and networking in (mainly) the public social services. Join the list by emailing: subscribe CUSSNET firstname lastname, to: listserv@listserv.uta.edu.
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Department of Health and Human Services, USA (HHS)
http://www.hhs.gov/
"The Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves." The Department has more than 300 programs over a very wide range of health and social areas. These include: food safety, child support, substance abuse, and services for older Americans. The site also includes information on a very extensive range of individual diseases and topics, news and hot topics, accounts of research and of the different agencies of HHS, and special topics on women's health and ethnic health.
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Department of Health: Statistics
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Statistics/fs/en
This website from the Department of Health provides access to statistical information for England, including Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). The Statistical work areas provides access to the Health and Personal Social Services Statistics (HPSSS). This is subdivided into public health, social care, workforce, health care, and expenditure statistics. The link to Statistical work areas provides more data in these subjects. The information includes charts and tables.
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Developing social care: service users' vision for adult support
http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report07.pdf
This report was published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence in September 2005. This collaborative report looks at service users' views for the future of adult social care looking at their views of the strenghts and weaknesses of existing provision as a basis to build on. The report is in PDF format and users will require Adobe Acrobat Reader software.
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European Institute of Social Services
http://www.kent.ac.uk/eiss/
Website of the European Institute of Social Services is a department within the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at the University of Kent at Canterbury. It aims to research and share best practice throughout Europe and access European funding to support this. Website gives access to project information and full text of research papers on a range of topics including drug policy, juvenile crime and violence.
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European Journal of Social Work
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/13691457.asp
The European Journal of Social Work (EJSW) is a forum for academic debate in the social professions. Published by Taylor and Francis, the journal analyses and promotes European and international developments in social policy, social service institutions and strategies of social change by publishing refereed papers on contemporary key issues. The website contains information about subscriptions, the editorial board, advertising and subscription rates, and instructions for prospective authors. The article titles and abstracts can be searched by keyword and there is a facility for emailing new tables of contents.
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European Social Network
http://www.esn-eu.org/home.htm
The European Social Network is an independent network of directors of social services in Europe established to provide a systematic means of communicating and working together at a European level. The website includes conference presentations, news and links. It also has online documents on social service systems country profiles; service user participation; performance measurement; and integration and diversity. The full website is available in English, French and German, Italian and Spanish.
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Government's Objectives for Children's Social Services
http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/04/28/22/04042822.pdf
Government's Objectives for Children's Social Services is a 1999 publication from the United Kingdom Department of Health. It brings together the national objectives which were first announced in the Quality Protects programme and were included and expanded in the Modernising Social Services White Paper of 1998, with the addition of some subobjectives. It aims too increase effectiveness in children's social services, and states that these should be monitored by performance indicators This document is in PDF format and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Has service user participation made a difference to social care services?
http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide04/index.asp
This position paper was published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence in March 2004 and looks at the impact service user participation has made on social care services. It sets out key issues for consideration and recommendations to help improve consultation with service users and carers. The paper is available in PDF format and users will require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Health and Social Care: Institute for Public Policy Research Resources
http://www.ippr.org.uk/policyareas/?id=1226
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) is a Uk based think tank. This section of its website provides information on its recent research relating to UK health and social care services. This covers the funding of the National health Service (NHS), health and social care policy in the Uk, mental health policy. The website provides free access to recent IPPR press releases, articles and some full-text pamphlets and reports. Materials are available from 2000 onwards
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Joint Review in Wales
http://www.joint-reviews.gov.uk/
Joint Reviews "provide an independent assessment of how well the public is being served by social services locally. The reviews identify what authorities do well, and highlight those areas that could be improved. In Wales Joint Reviews are continuing although in England the responsibility for this work has now passed to the Commission for Social Care Inspection." "Joint reviews are a partnership between the National Assembly through the Social Services Inspectorate in Wales (SSiW) and the Audit Commission in Wales (ACiW). The first five-year cycle of reviews covered all local social services authorities in Wales and England and was carried out by a special team on behalf of SSIW, SSI (England) and the Audit Commission." The website gives gives details of the review framework, process, and programme. All the reports are available for download and users will require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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Journal of Social Work in Long-Term Care
http://www.haworthpressinc.com/store/product.asp?sku=J181
The Journal of Social Work in Long-Term Care is aimed at "..practitioners in the fields of social work, gerontology, and health care who are involved in providing services across the continuum of care for frail older adults and patients with chronic illness". Tables of contents are available from volume 1, 2002, to the current issue with the full-text of articles available via subscription.
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Journal of technology in human services
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/15228835.asp
The Journal of Technology in Human Services is edited by Professor Dick Schoech from the School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, and published by Routledge, part of the Taylor and Francis Group. It "explores the potentials of computer and telecommunications technologies in mental health, developmental disability, welfare, addictions, education, and other human services".
Tables of contents and abstracts from 1999 onwards are available and from 1985 under its previous title, Computers in Human Services. You can register to access a sample copy. Access to full-text articles is for subscribers only or it is possible to purchase individual issues. Please ask your college or university library about full-text access.
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