Useful links

www.adass.org.uk - the Association of Directors of Social Services (Leaders in social care) represents all directors of social services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The association brings together expertise on all issues covering managerial policy and professional activities of social services departments.

www.basw.co.uk - The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is the largest association representing social work and social workers in the UK. BASW campaigns on all social work issues and is recognised throughout the UK as the voice of social workers, contributing to social policy development nationally and internationally.

www.barnardos.org.uk - Barnardo's stopped running homes for orphans over 30 years ago – today their vital services include: Counselling, fostering and adoption, vocational training and disability inclusion groups.

www.cafcass.gov.uk - CAFCASS looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. It works with children and their families, and then advises the courts on what it considers to be in the children's best interests. CAFCASS only works in the family courts.

www.caipe.org.uk - the UK Centre for Advancement of Interprofessional Education. CAIPE is an independent charity, founded in 1987, with both individual and organisational members. It works to promote and develop interprofessional learning wherever health and social care professions come together, in universities and the work place.

www.cqc.org.uk - The Care Quality Commission regulate care provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies and voluntary organisations. They aim to make sure better care is provided for everyone - in hospitals, care homes and people's own homes.

www.cwdcouncil.org.uk - The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) aimed to improve the lives of children and young people. CWDC closed on 31 March 2012 with its key work transferring to either the Teaching Agency (for Early Years, Educational Psychology and Standards and Qualifications) or the Department for Education (Sector Leadership and Social Work).

www.education.gov.uk The Department for Education was formed on 12 May 2010 and is responsible for education and children's services.

www.dh.gov.uk - Department of Health - government plans/projects and initiatives for health and social care.

www.gscc.org.uk - established to regulate conduct and professional standards in social care. Have produced Codes of Conduct, are responsible for the management of the new register, also the accreditation and approval of social work degree programmes.

www.hefce.ac.uk- The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)

www.idea.gov.uk - the Improvement and Development agency was established by and for local government in April 1999 to support self-sustaining improvements from within local government.

www.juc.ac.uk/social-work-education-committee.aspx - JucSWEC - Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee. The Joint University Council (JUC) was founded in 1918 to promote the interests of the universities in the fields of Public Administration and Social Policy. In the 1970s, Social Work education was added to its brief. The Social Work Education Committee (SWEC) represents higher education and training institutions to government departments and other agencies, and the UK'S schools of social work on the international scene.

www.learntocare.org.uk - the National Association of Training Officers in the Personal Social Services represents people engaged in the management and implementation of staff development and training in the personal social services.

www.nopt.org - the National Organisation for Practice Teaching has a membership of individuals committed to promoting good performance standards of practice teaching within an anti-oppressive practice framework.

www.nspcc.org.uk - NSPCC - National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

www.practicebasedlearning.org - This website includes information about a government funded project that aims to enhance the quality of student experiences whilst on practice. The project aims to make practitioners more effective at supporting and supervising students in the workplace across a range of health and social care disciplines.

www.qaa.ac.uk - the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has a mission to safeguard the public interest in sound standards of higher education qualifications and to encourage continuous improvement in the management of the quality of higher education.

www.qca.org.uk - the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is a guardian of standards in education and training, working with others to maintain and develop the school curriculum and associated assessments and to accredit and monitor qualifications in schools, colleges and work.

www.rethink.org- Rethink, mental health membership charity, who work to help everyone affected by severe mental illness.

www.scie.org.uk - The Social Care Institute for Excellence gathers and publicises knowledge about how to make social care services better.

www.swap.ac.uk - UK-wide Learning and Teaching Support Network. Activities include exchange of good practice, information on teaching approaches, online databases and much more.