evidence summary

Today, it is widely agreed by experts across the world that early intervention can be of enormous benefit to children. That is why, as this paper sets out, the government is investing in a number of evidence-based prevention and early intervention programmes and supporting their roll out across the country.

This document draws together a wealth of research and good practice with the aim of supporting Children’s Trust Boards and their constituent partners to bring greater consistency, rigour and impact to the way early intervention is organised and delivered locally.

In June 1998 the Government published “Speaking up for Justice”, a report of an Interdepartmental Working Group on the treatment of Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses in the Criminal Justice System. It proposed a coherent and integrated scheme to provide appropriate support and assistance for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses. This is a summary report of the key recommendations, legislation and implementation.

This report summarises the findings of the Final Evaluation of the Working for Families Fund (WFF). WFF, which operated from 2004-08, invested in initiatives to remove childcare barriers and improve the employability of disadvantaged parents who have barriers to participating in the labour market, specifically to help them move towards, into, or continue in employment, education or training. The programme was administered by 20 local authorities (which covered 79% of Scotland’s population), operating through around 226 locally based public, private and third-sector projects.

Parental substance misuse can result in a considerable number of negative effects on the family. However, it is incredibly hard to calculate how many children and other family members might be affected. There is also growing evidence that some children appear to be more resilient than others to the negative impact of parental substance misuse. There is a need to investigate how these general statements relate to parental substance misuse across Scotland, a topic that has been given priority status by the Scottish Executive, and other key organisations.

This progress map summary includes key research findings from a C4EO knowledge review about the diverse needs of different groups of disabled children and their families, and whether services are meeting these needs. The summary includes challenge questions which can be used as tools for strategic leaders in assessing, delivering and monitoring the ways in which the needs of disabled children from differentiated groups are met.

Evidence-based policy and practice increasingly demands the use of research as a key tool to improve practice. However, little research can be directly applied to practice, many practitioners aren't equipped to digest research and appropriate support systems are lacking. What is needed is a better understanding of the relationship between social care research and the work of social care practitioners, including what organisational structures are needed to enable the use of research.

SCIE, in the formation of its good practice guidance for the social care sector seeks to include all relevant kinds of knowledge and strongly believes that it is only through looking at the sector from a whole perspective - including the views of service users and practitioners - that we can truly advise social care workers on what works best.

In the UK, political initiatives have encouraged the greater use of adoption as a solution to the care of children who cannot live with their birth families. This drive for 'permanence' has been welcomed by many, but has also given rise to debate. Where children have lingered uncertainly and for too long in the care system, 'permanence' is clearly the top priority. But not all children need the same solution. They may be 'children who wait', but they may not be waiting specifically for adoption.

Evidence review that focuses on the topic of organisational culture change in the public sector. It examines definitions and approaches to organisational culture and how they relate to the public sector; the type of change that identifies as cultural; what the enablers are to culture change; and describes some of the challenges to changing cultures in the public sector.

One of a series of evidence reports to support social services in Scotland.

This Insight focuses on the issue of involving those who have offended in shaping the criminal justice system, exploring the different models of involvement, the effectiveness of different approaches and the implications for Criminal Justice Social Work services.