A new Social Care Institute for Excellence is to be set up to raise the standard of social care provision throughout England and Wales. 

The National Audit Office has sent a wake up call to the 400 colleges of further education in England. Almost half the 3.8 million students who attend the colleges fail to achieve the qualifications they are seeking. The failure rate takes into account students dropping out of courses as well as failing to achieve the required standard. The gap between the best and worst performing colleges is extremely wide.