Society daily 04.11.10

• Care groups - including the English Community Care Association, the UK Home Care Association, the National Care Association and the National Care Forum - are warning the government risks failing to deliver on a pledge to reform the funding system for the long-term care of elderly people in England, says the BBC

• New tenants could be offered fixed term tenancies lasting as little as two years, according to Inside Housing

On my radar...

• Cutting it: the New Economics Foundation's superb report on "big society" (pdf)

• Redundant Public Servant's fantastic post on the media and the cuts: a brilliant dissection of the malice, laziness, prejudice and blatant disregard for truth displayed by some parts of the press when it comes to reporting the public sector:

"It seems to many of us in public service that too much of the debate about the work we do and the people we are is dominated by the same principle adopted by many of us when abroad. IF WE REPEAT SOMETHING OFTEN ENOUGH AND LOUD ENOUGH IT IS BOUND TO STICK."

• Cribsheet daily: the Guardian's new education news and views aggregator blog (a sort of Society daily for schools, FE and universities). Was weekly, now you can get it every day.

• My son is gay. Or not. A powerful blog by Cops Wife about prejudice and bullying. It's about the reaction of other parents to her five year old's boy's decision to dress up as Daphne from Scooby Doo for Halloween (thanks @MJCarty)

• Suffolk county council's riposte to supposedly "innacurate" reports of its "virtual council" plans to outsource all its services (that'll be the Guardian then). I was particularly struck by this "read my lips" pledge:

"We want to provide new opportunities for Suffolk-based businesses and not-for-profit enterprises to deliver services previously run by the council. More Suffolk-based enterprises, employing local people and trading in Suffolk will boost our economy ...It's also why we won't be inviting a single national consultancy or outsourcing company to take over all our services – that wouldn't maximise opportunities for local economic growth."

@BigSocSuffolk

• Directory of Social Change's overview of the spending review, and what it means for the voluntary sector (declaration of interest: Patrick Butler is a trustee of DCS)

• Health Policy insight, where editor Andy Cowper has discovered a letter which sheds some light on the recent, brutal shafting of NICE by the government. Here's an extract from the letter, written by NICE chief executive Andrew Dillon to his committee members:

"I am sorry that speculation on the future of the appraisal programme has appeared without me being able to forewarn you. We were also taken by surprise."

Guardian and Observer Christmas Charity Appeal 2010

Nominations are now closed for our Christmas appeal 2010, which will support charities working with vulnerable teenagers and young adults. Many thanks to everyone who applied.

Our Christmas charity 2010 partners New Philanthropy Capital are now sifting through the 300 applications we received. A shortlist of projects will be submitted to a selection panel comprising Guardian/Observer and NPC staff at the end of October. Ten projects will be chosen.

We will contact both successful and unsuccessful applicants once the panel has reached it decision in early November. The appeal will launch towards the end of November and run until mid-January.

Events

Transforming Social Care through IT. Finding your way in a changing service environment 8 December, LondonTake a practical look at social care provision, address the changing face of services and explore the reasons why technology is fundamental to the future of care. Register now and save 30%

Capital Ambition Delivering services for London in an age of austerity, 15 November, London. Join leading practitioners across London to rethink, redesign and reassess the way services are delivered

Guardian Social Enterprise 2010, 16 November, London. An interactive conference for anyone delivering public services or supporting social enterprises. Speakers include: minister for civil society Nick Hurd; Peter Holbrook, chief executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition; Allison Ogden-Newton, chief executive, Social Enterprise London; Lord Victor Adebowale, chief executive, Turning Point; Rod Schwartz, chief executive, Clearly So; Dai Powell, chief executive, HCT; Alastair Wilson, chief executive, School for Social Entrepreneurs.

Transforming Blue Light Services Innovating ICT for the emergency services, 24 November, London - Free places available. Discover how the innovative use of technology will improve performance and response in difficult financial times. Speakers include Dr Timothy Brain, former chief constable of Gloucestershire; Andy Marles, chief fire officer from South Wales fire and rescue; Jason Killens, London ambulance service's deputy director of operations; Steve Whatson, director of ICT for the Olympics at the Metropolitan police service and Olympic security directorate.