The Latest Bulletin

Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p each. We hope you will like them and feel able to give them a positive review. https://astore.amazon.co.uk/neilthomp-21?_encoding=UTF8&node=14

We are well aware, of course, that if something doesn’t work, we should stop doing it – although that knowledge doesn’t necessarily prevent quite a few people from pressing on regardless with tactics that just don’t deliver the required results. Part of the problems is the power of habit (particularly when such habits have become ingrained in the culture and become part of the expected norms of the workplace concerned. So often people get into an established way of working that they feel comfortable with and stick with it, whether or not it actually works. Much of the time they don’t even know whether or not it is working. So embedded are they in this standardised way of working that…

David Cameron is leading a charge into land that was once undisputed Labour territory: tackling racial inequality. His recent comment that the failure of top universities to recruit black students “should shame our nation” has been followed by the appointment of David Lammy, the Labour MP, to head a review into race and criminal justice. The Government has set other wheels in motion to investigate various aspects of unequal racial outcomes although it is unclear whether they all fit together in a coherent vision. There has been little debate in Conservative publications about these interesting moves, even though they could potentially form an important part of Cameron’s legacy. Perhaps Tories are taking it all in their stride, having grown comfortable…

Life is a practice and what you choose to practice is what will make up your character. It’s worth considering what you value in life and then making an intention and plan to live alongside those values. This is the direct back to living Ghandi’s words, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Consider how simple it really is: If you want to be more grateful in life, practice being grateful. If you want to be confident, practice confidence. If you want to be more mindful, practice mindfulness. If you want to be more loving, practice loving yourself and others. If you want to be more forgiving and let go of stress-laden emotional burdens, practice forgiveness. If…

Since the Dying Matters Coalition was set up in 2009, we’ve created a wide range of resources to help people start conversations about dying, death and bereavement. These have been a great success: to date, we have distributed more than 750,000 different items, from DVDs, posters and leaflets through to pens, postcards and balloons. A host of different organisations including hospices, hospitals, care homes, community centres, financial advisers and funeral directors have all used them to successfully raise awareness in their area. Click here to read more

This report identifies and discusses evidence about the relationship betweenpoverty and child abuse and neglect. It explores the economic costs of childabuse and neglect and outlines broad policy implications, with a particularfocus on the UK.The report outlines: UK and international evidence about the association between family poverty and child abuse and neglect; UK and international evidence about the impact of childhood abuse or neglect on poverty in adulthood; evidence about the costs of child abuse and neglect; strengths and weaknesses in the evidence base; implications for policy-making. Click here to read more