government publication

The Road to Recovery : a new approach to tackling Scotland's drug problem

this strategy sets out a significant programme of reform to tackle Scotland’s drug problem and make a contribution to the Government’s overarching purpose, which is to increase sustainable economic growth. Central to the strategy is a new approach to tackling problem drug use based firmly on the concept of recovery. Recovery is a process through which an individual is enabled to move-on from their problem drug use towards a drug-free life and become an active and contributing member of society.

Review of Research on Vulnerable Young People and Their Transitions to Independent Living

A literature review carried out by the University of Edinburgh in August 2007 which found that most young people move on from being looked after at 16 or 17 years; this tends to be an abrupt transition which has been referred to as 'accelerated and compressed', further impacting on other aspects of their lives such as education, relationships and health and well-being.

Local and National Information Requirements for Social Work inScotland : Joint StatementAugust 2000

This document concludes the first stage of a serious and systematic attempt to address the deficiencies in the social work information base in Scotland. Senior social work managers, the wider local government community, the Scottish Executive and the Accounts Commission for Scotland have all demonstrated their commitment to working together, through the Social Work Information Review Group, to define a list of information about social work that will meet the needs of all the organisations.

Healthy children, safer communities: a strategy to promote the health and well-being of children and young people in contact with the youth justice system

This cross government document aims to help tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour, and contribute to community safety in England. It sets out a strategic approach to inform the work of the Healthy Children, Safer Communities programme board to fulfil the vision that children and young people will be safer, healthier and stay away from crime.

Meeting the best interests of children facing homelessness

Draft guidance is presented. Local authorities’ duties to homeless people are set out in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 as amended by both the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003. Section 32(8) of the 1987 Act sets out that a local authority, in exercising its functions under section 31 or 32 in respect of an applicant having a priority need for housing by virtue of a dependent child residing with them, must have regard to the best interests of the dependent children.

The Adoption Information (Scotland) Regulations and The Adoption (Disclosure of Information)(Scotland) Regulations

These regulations make provision concerning (a) the information which an adoption must keep in relation to adoptions and the form and manner in which such information must be kept and (b) the disclosure by adoption agencies of information relating to adoptions.

Research into Private Fostering

This research into private fostering was commissioned by the DCSF and carried out by a team from the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) and the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF). The purpose of the research was to inform the DCSF Advisory Group on Private Fostering in making its recommendations to Ministers on increasing notifications of private fostering arrangements.