Society daily 26.01.11

Question mark — Most councils have not started introducing the government's 'big society' agenda and do not understand what it is. Photograph: Alamy

Today's top SocietyGuardian stories

• Doubts cast on coalition's 'big society' and nudging tactics

• Unions warn of growing militancy over government's 'gamble'

• Asbo breach rate among young teens hits 73%

• Carers suffer more illness and disability, survey shows

• Milibands shake hands on plan for 'army' of 10,000 activists

• Entrepreneur Kate Bleasdale suspended from Healthcare Locums

• Tim Rushby-Smith: My big chance to present the 2012 Paralympics

All today's SocietyGuardian stories

Other news

• Citizens Advice has issued redundancy notices to 900 staff employed on a programme to provide debt advice in deprived communities, according to Third Sector.

• Children's services budgets are being slashed by an average of 13% in the coming financial year, according to a survey by Children and Young People Now.

• Charity cards - they're not just for Christmas. UK Fundraising reports that a new charity greeting cards online platform aims to help charities generate income from greetings cards throughout the year.

• Boris Johnson's planning adviser, Sir Simon Milton, has warned that safeguards may need to be put in place to prevent a 'rogue mayor' abusing regeneration powers set out in the localism bill, reports Planning magazine [paywall].

On my radar ...

• Disability living allowance reform - latest. The Commons work and pensions committee is today hearing evidence from Mike Brewer, deputy director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies; Carers UK; Family Action and more on the white paper on universal credit (watch it on Parliament TV).

The Department for Work and Pensions yesterday put out latest figures on employment and support allowance (ESA) applications and the work capability assessment, claiming "the vast majority" of ESA applicants are either being found fit for work or drop their claim before completing the assessment. The employment minister, Chris Grayling, said in the DWP press release:

"It's unacceptable that so many people have been written off to a lifetime on benefits and these figures show just how vital it is that everyone who has the potential to work receives the right help and support.
We are determined to get the medical assessment right and provide the necessary help for those that need it, however these figures show just how many people are found to be fit for work and not entitled to ESA.
Our new Work Programme will ensure that those found fit for work will get the help and support they need to get a job. Those found too sick or disabled to work won't be expected to and will continue to receive the support they need to lead fulfilling lives."

The Daily Mail, the Express and the Star have all reported the "scandalous" figures today, but Society contributor Kaliya Franklin (@BendyGirl) has put up this video to give the context behind the stats. And Scope issued this statement.

The BBC has a story from its Scottish social affairs reporter, Fiona Walker, who found evidence of seriously ill patients being told they are fit enough to work and denied benefit payments. Walker's investigation centres on two former doctors for the private healthcare company Atos, which has been given the DWP contract for carrying out the medical assessments.

Meanwhile, the Where's the Benefit? blog has posted these pictures of this week's protests outside Atos's London headquarters.

• The growing spat between Grant Shapps and town halls over Supporting People cuts. Shapps has written an open letter (pdf) to the Local Government Association chair, Margaret Eaton, to voice his "disappointment" at councils' decisions to make significant cuts to services for vulnerable people. But, according to Jeremy Dunning on the Community Care blog, the LGA has hit back, saying council chiefs "had no choice but to go ahead" with the cuts.

• This manifesto for solving the care homes crisis from Johann Hari in the Independent, a follow-up to his moving piece My grandmother deserved a better ending than this.

• This heartwarming audio slideshow on the newly launched Families' Activity Breaks Fabcamps website, put together by the talented team at sounddelivery.

• Eric Pickles, who is speaking at the New Local Government Network's annual conference today. Follow the event on Twitter via #NLGNannual

• Adapt - it's the new "nudge". Nick Temple on the School for Social Entrepreneurs blog explains that adapt is the latest buzzword, and it's good news for social entrepreneurs:

"While 'nudging' focuses on influencing (and changing) behaviours, adapting is more fundamentally about encouraging action before planning, overcoming obstacles as they arise, changing approaches rapidly and, most of all, about shifting the culture of risk-aversity to one of risk-awareness and even risk-acceptance. And further accepting that there will be failures along the way. It is an approach that makes most sense in a world in which contexts and circumstances shift rapidly, and in which the pace of society's development (and life generally) seems to outpace the best-made plans of policymakers and theorists."

• This post from Tim Hughes on the Involve blog, What role for government in encouraging social action?

Latest from the Guardian Professional Networks

• Public sector spending on ICT will remain steady over the next five years, with changes to services cancelling out general cuts, according to Kable research.

• Why the cult of the chief executive damages public sector organisations.

• Live Local Government Network Q&A from noon on commissioning the third sector.

From today's SocietyGuardian supplement

• Old habits die hard for ageing addicts

• Social work colleges split loyalties

• Peter Hetherington: Will elected mayors be a rebalancing act?

All this week's Society section features and comment

Events

Public Services Summit New models, new relationships, a new era. 10 & 11 February, St Albans.

Join leading thinkers, practitioners and policy makers for discussion and debate about the future of our public services.

Mobile and Wireless Healthcare Enabling access to care at the point of need. 16 February, Birmingham.

This conference is aimed at ICT and service delivery teams in the NHS to give them practical advice and guidance at a time when all we can be certain of is a reduction in public sector budgets. 2 for 1 delegate place offer available.

Public Sector Procurement 17 February, Manchester. Only £99 to attend.

A one-day conference for public sector buyers and suppliers, exploring new policy and innovation from across the north of England.

Managing Public Sector Information 2011 Making the transparency agenda happen. 1 March, London.

An essential forum for professionals involved in managing, storing, use and governance of information in the public sector, when the push is for increased openness and transparency. Save 20% when booking before 31 January.