Briefings

Filter

Members

Children’s social care – rising costs and other pressures

Children’s social care cost pressures and variations in unit costs The Children’s social care cost pressures and variations in unit costs report of a project commissioned from Oxford University’s Rees Centre by the DfE, to support and supplement internal analysis by the Department as part of the preparations for the spending round in summer 2019…

England & Wales
Members

Oireachtas Review: February 2021

Oireachtas affairs at a glance 2nd February – Physical inspections of goods coming from the UK into Northern Ireland were suspended following reports of threats to staff as tensions increased in relation to the Northern Ireland protocol particularly in the context of the EU’s ill-fated decision to invoke Article 16 of the protocol to prevent…

Ireland

County Councils Network: The Future of Social Care

The CCN’s Future of Adult Social Care report is another addition to the discussion on how social care is delivered and how it fits into the wider healthcare system. It highlights the critical need for reform and proposes a system of ‘optimised local delivery’ with local government at its heart.

England & Wales
Free with sign in

Personal stories from a Spanish town

When the waves hit the town of Benifaió Benifaió is a modest town of about 12,000 inhabitants located 20 minutes South of the city of Valencia, in the comarca (a cultural and administrative unit like UK shires) of the Rivera Alta. As for most towns in the Rivera Alta, the local population has remarkably close…

England & Wales, Global, Ireland, Scotland
Members

Special Report on Covid-19 in Northern Ireland and its impact on structures of Government one year on

Overview The Northern Power-Sharing Executive had only just been re-established in January 2020 after three years in suspension when the new regime, jointly headed by First Minister Arlene Foster (DUP) and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill (Sinn Féin), were faced with the crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic. The first case reported in Northern Ireland came…

England & Wales, Ireland, Scotland
Free with sign in

A Nordic approach to Covid-19 a year of learning

Background – The Swedish Model The ‘Swedish Model’ is a term that has been used in a variety of contexts ranging from industrial relations to foreign policy. It has re-emerged as a label for Sweden’s approach to Covid-19. In contrast to most European countries, Sweden chose not to impose a lockdown and has kept society…

England & Wales, Global, Ireland, Scotland
Members

Special Report on Covid-19 and its impact on structures of government one year on

Key dates at a glance 29th February 2020 – First reported case of Covid-19 in the Republic; 11th March 2020 – First fatality from Covid-19; 12th March 2020 – An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announces closure of all schools; 29th March 2020 – An Taoiseach announces Stay-at-Home Order (Lockdown 1); 17th May 2020 – There have…

Ireland
Members

Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland

An Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland was published in February 2021, chaired by Derek Feeley, Chief Executive of the Institute for Health Improvement. This briefing outlines the review’s main recommendations, how they will be financed and responses to the review. This briefing will be of interest to elected members and officers working…

Scotland
Members

Swift Read: Food Insecurity and Poverty

The pandemic has highlighted various faults in the UK’s food systems, from the quality of free school meals and their provision over holidays to soaring food bank numbers. This briefing outlines some of the most recent issues and policies regarding food and poverty in Scotland, where food insecurity is more prevalent than in the rest…

Scotland