research report

The impact of welfare reform on third sector care and support services in Scotland

IRISS, in partnership with Coalition of Care and Support Providers (CCPS), commissioned research to understand how Scotland's third sector care and support workforce is being affected by the welfare reforms introduced in 2012.

The report focuses on how welfare reform is affecting service demand and delivery of third sector social care and support services including: the impact on staff roles, welfare and wellbeing; and the impact on staff training needs.

Welfare reform: the impact on homelessness and tenancy sustainment for Scottish Housing Associations

Towards the end of 2013 evidence emerged in England and Wales that the recent cuts to Housing Benefit, coupled with the increase in Jobseekers Allowance sanctions, are putting some families at risk of losing their homes, in addition to impacting upon social landlords' ability to prevent and alleviate homelessness.

Self-directed support

Audit that examines councils' progress in implementing the SDS strategy and their readiness for the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013.

It focuses on councils because they have the lead role, working in partnership with users, carers, third and private sector providers, NHS boards and other organisations. It was carried out between December 2013 and February 2014.

Contemporary issues in the public management of social services in Europe

Paper that aims to look at the potential of research methodologies to test a social policy intervention or social service models. It takes a particular interest in the evaluation of cost- effectiveness, impact and transferability. Research evidence is absolutely vital for social work, yet there are barriers at the interface between research and practice:

Growing up in Scotland: family and school influences on children's social and emotional well-being

Document that presents key findings from a project that investigated family and school influences on children's social and emotional well-being.

The project explored possible influences on children's behavioural and emotional difficulties, and on their subjective well-being. It used data collected from mothers and children in the first birth cohort of the Growing Up in Scotland study, interviewed in 2012/13 when the child was seven years old. Mothers were asked about the child's behavioural and emotional problems, and children were asked about their life satisfaction.

Creative Breaks 2012-13: Evaluation of Time to Live projects

The Time to Live strand is part of the Creative Breaks programme and awards grants directly to individual carers so that they can arrange and pay for the short break that suits them best. In 2011 the Time to Live strand was piloted with 12 organisations who offer support to carers based upon geographical boundaries. In 2012 the application was extended to include organisations with a national, condition specific focus. This evaluation examines the projects running from October 2012 through to September 2013.

On the outside: identifying and supporting children with a parent in prison

In this report, Barnardo's is asking for children to be identified when a parent is sentenced to prison so that they can receive the practical and emotional support they need as soon as possible. The organisation is calling on the Ministry of Justice to appoint a Minister to look after the needs of children afffected by parental imprisonment and to deliver a National Action Plan to ensure that this large and vulnerable group of children are recognised.