Eric Pickles recently announced there would be a new £5m recycling incentive fund for local councils. Many local authorities are now in touching distance of introducing a rewards for recycling programme, and will be considering bidding for the chance to change recycling behaviour in a progressive and positive way. This feature offers suggestions for selecting the right scheme to motivate the community.
John Cameron describes the criteria for successful change management in field services.
When an organisation, large or small, is implementing any change to the way it works, whether it is rolling out new technology or processes or ways of working, there are a number of challenges which need to be overcome and key criteria for success that need to be realised in order to achieve a successful outcome. To name a few, top-down leadership, engaging the workforce and having the right processes and strategies in place are essential.
Patience Atkinson-Gregory has some tips for growing edible plants in containers in community spaces.
Container gardening has become increasingly popular over the past decade, offering more flexibility than fixed beds and displays. Containers can be used to brighten up untidy areas and quirky spaces. This is also one of the reasons that councils and gardening groups use them for Britain in Bloom entries. They have also become an increasingly popular way of growing fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Read more on THE RISE OF CONTAINER GARDENING IN COMMUNITY SPACES…
Phil Neal examines the findings of a recent survey on the topic of early intervention and asks how technology can support children’s services teams in rolling out successful strategies.
The financial cost of the UK’s 120,000 troubled families is estimated to be £9 billion per year, according to government research. But a staggering £8 billion of this is reportedly spent reacting to the often complex circumstances experienced by these families.
Read more on COULD TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT MORE EFFECTIVE EARLY HELP FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES…
As IT systems come on to the market they are adopted and fitted into the pattern of existing systems. Ultimately, the point is reached where the collection of legacy systems becomes unreliable and uneconomic. This feature describes how Burnley Borough Council replaced legacy systems with a platform to handle its customer relations management needs and keep up with web developments.
Phil Neal discusses the impact of the new Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans on local authorities and explains how technology can make it easier for them to meet the needs of children and their families.
Read more on PREPARING FOR A NEW FUTURE IN SPECIAL NEEDS PROVISION…
Stephen Clark discusses how virtual school heads can more accurately monitor looked-after children.
A recent freedom of information request from the Sunday Times shows that 4,852 looked-after children were reported missing between January 2012 and December 2013.
This is a shocking figure; but the fact is that local authorities have difficulty tracking children in care as they are more likely than others to move schools or areas than children not in care.
Read more on HOW VIRTUAL SCHOOL HEADS CAN BETTER MONITOR LOOKED-AFTER CHILDREN…
Paying the rent has changed over the years. Direct debit has replaced the rent collector who took the cash on a weekly basis. Housing benefit tenants now pay the landlord. Change will continue as Universal Credit rolls six benefits into one. This feature describes how social landlords are helping tenants cope with change and minimize arrears.
The NHS is moving away from paper and into cyberspace. The move will provide a whole raft of advantages, but there is also risk. Security of data is a key issue. In this feature Graeme Stewart looks at what can be done to limit the risk of condiential data falling into the wrong hands.
It is clear that a paperless NHS is coming, given recent government announcements. As and when the NHS goes digital, huge amounts of private and confidential data will be at great risk. The Trusts around the country are made up of a complex mixture of legacy systems and due to the provision of crucial services that it provides, different Trusts have implemented varying levels of and approaches to security. Operating this way in a modern society is inefficient and it is clear the NHS needs to upgrade. But, in order to protect its data and infrastructure at the same time, the NHS needs to ensure the implementation of a cohesive security policy across the board.
Read more on A SECURE DIGITAL NHS – CAN IT BECOME A REALITY?…
Dyslexia is widespread and it can cause problems in the workplace. In this feature Mark McCusker explains what can be done to tackle the negative effects of the disability.
According to the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that affects the reading and writing of 10 per cent of the British population. It occurs independently of intelligence and varies from person to person so that no two people will have the same set of strengths and weaknesses.
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