government publication

Analysis of external consultation on, and the Scottish Executive’s response to ‘Reducing the Risk : improving the response to sex offending’, the report of the Expert Panel on Sex Offending

This report analyses the responses to a consultation on the report ‘Reducing the Risk: Improving the Response to Sex Offending’ by the Expert Panel on Sex Offending. It also sets out the Executive’s response to the Expert Panel’s report.

Scottish Executive response to the report from the Education, Culture and Sport Committee on the inquiry into the need for a Children's Commissioner in Scotland

This report is submitted by the Scottish Executive in response to the Report from the Education, Culture and Sport Committee on the Inquiry into the Need for a Children’s Commissioner in Scotland.

Safer lives: changed lives - a shared approach to tackling violence against women in Scotland

Scottish Government document providing a shared understanding and approach to guide the work of all partners involved in combating violence against women in Scotland. The document includes a definition of violence against women, a set of guiding principles and a focus for the work in this area.

The educational attainment of looked after children: local authority pilot projects - summary of the final research report

A summary version of the research report identifying interventions that appeared to make the most differences in terms of both the educational experience and the educational outcomes of the looked after children and young people participating in the pilot projects. The report was produced by Strathclyde University and published by the Scottish Government.

Stepping up to the challenge: the government's response to tackling worklessness - a review of the contribution and role of English local authorities and partnerships

The government here welcomes the Houghton report, accepts its main recommendation that helping people to find and stay in work should be a local government priority, and describes the support put in place, strengthened integration and greater devolution, a challenge to local partnerships and support for the third sector and social enterprise. An annex summarises government response to Houghton and DWP's devolution offer.

Assessment and support for kinship carers of looked after children

Scottish Government interim guidance to local authorities on assessing the capacity of a child's relatives as potential kinship carers for a looked after child and the support they will require.

The assessment process should help kinship carers to feel more involved and consulted and able to identify the kinds of supports they believe they need to look after the child safely and in a way that promotes the child's best interests.