community care

Smart technology and community care for older people : innovation in West Lothian, Scotland

Report evaluating West Lothian Council's approach to the care and support of older people at home in which smart technology is integrated into a model of care which stresses choice, independence and capacity building for older people and aims to support them to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The evaluation looked at the views and experiences of stakeholders and the cost effectiveness of the programme.

Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services

The Our Health, Our Care, Our Say White Paper sets out a vision to provide people with good quality social care and NHS services in the communities where they live. NHS services are halfway through a 10 year plan to become more responsive to patient needs and prevent ill health by the promotion of healthy lifestyles. Social care services are also changing to give service users more independence, choice and control.

Understanding later stage dementia

This learning object focuses primarily on the later stages of dementia and on managing the more significant or prominent challenges - and symptoms - associated with this level of dementia. The material aims to reflect, where possible, the experiences of people with dementia and their family carers. Many of the examples given are located in a care home setting although the issues are also very relevant to supporting a person with dementia in the community. This resource contains both audio and video.

Asking the experts : a guide to involving people in shaping health and social care services

This guide was developed to bring together relevant research evidence and practical experience of involving people, focusing on community care settings. It also aims to help practitioners to consider the most appropriate ways of involving the people they serve, to provide some practical guidance on getting started and to present examples of effective or innovative ways of involving people that could illustrate how an approach was used.

Supporting older families of people with learning disabilities : a briefing from the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities

This is a briefing on the Foundation’s Older Family Carers Initiative. The three-year Initiative has come up with a clear set of policy messages to help health and social care service providers to meet the needs of older family carers and their relative with a learning disability. The briefing makes recommendations for policy makers, commissioners, Learning Disability and Older People’s Partnership Boards and the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities.

Growth and development: national overview

This is the second annual report prepared by the Chief Social Work Inspector. Completed in 2002, it includes a national overview of social work services across Scotland and short reviews of services in each of the 32 councils.

The annual report is based on analyses, carried out by a small Inspectorate team, of existing data, plans, reports and reviews. The team also visited all 32 authorities and had full discussions with senior officials.

Report from the 'Getting it right for every child in kinship and foster care' reference group

This report is the outcome of the work of many people across Scotland. Shortly before the publication of the Getting it Right for Every Child in Kinship and Foster care report the Government in Scotland asked BAAF and tFN to set up a Reference Group composed of the main stakeholders in kinship and foster care.

The group worked through the areas identified by the Government in Scotland through five Task Groups each of whom were allocated a specific area of the Strategy to develop.

Win a million! [an interactive game show introduction to the law and social work] Updated to December 2008.

An interactive game designed to help students test their knowledge about law and social work. It will help users: acquire and consolidate knowledge of specific legal rules; develop a critical perspective on those rules; describe the location of specific legal rules. It is designed as a fun game similar in structure to the TV show 'Who wants to be a Millionaire'. NOTE: This game is based on the law and practice in England and Wales.