research report

Essential Care : a report on the approach required to maximise opportunity for recovery from problem substance use in Scotland

This report was commissioned by the Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse (SACDM) to address the additional non-medical aspects of service required to ensure that people with substance use problems are given every opportunity to recover from their problems.

Social Services Inspectorate audit of services to children in need in response to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbie inquiry

This report contains a framework of recommendations set out by the Social Services Inspectorate in response to the outcomes of the Public Inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. This framework is to be used by councils with social services responsibilities to audit their position in relation to the practice recommendations of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry report. It provides performance criteria against each of the recommendations linked to statutory requirements and guidance.

Joint inspection of services to protect children and young people in the Aberdeen City Council area

The Joint Inspection of Children’s Services and Inspection of Social Work Services (Scotland) Act 2006, together with the associated regulations and Code of Practice, provide the legislative framework for the conduct of joint inspections of the provision of services to children.

This report is the result of the inspection of services to protect children in the Aberdeen City Council area. It covered the range of services and staff working in the area who had a role in protecting children.

Performance inspection of social work services: Midlothian Council 2008

Midlothian Council social work division performed to an adequate standard in delivering positive outcomes for people who used services. The performance was good in relation to service users who had mental health problems, throughcare and aftercare services for care leavers and educational attainment of looked after children.

This report is not a detailed description of all the social work services in Midlothian. It gives an overview and concentrates on the work being undertaken with people who need assistance and the areas where improvements are needed.

Growing up in Scotland study: exploring the experience and outcomes for advantaged and disadvantaged families

This report uses data from the Growing up in Scotland (GUS) study to explore the contribution of specific measures of advantage and disadvantage in relation to a number of specific health related behaviours for parent and child and, in doing so, seeks to identify the characteristics of more vulnerable and more resilient families. Findings are based on the first sweep of GUS, which involved interviews with the main carers of 5,217 children aged 0-1 years old and 2,859 children aged 2-3 years old, carried out between April 2005 and March 2006.

Attitudes towards alcohol: views of the general pubic, problem drinkers, alcohol service users and their families and friends

Research that highlight's some important issues surrounding the role alcohol plays in society, perceptions of what constitutes problem drinking and awareness of and attitudes towards services. It also explores perceptions of 'what works'. A problem for policy-makers is the questionable compatibility of strategies to, on the one hand, stress that ‘getting legless’ is not normal or socially acceptable, while on the other, trying to reduce stigmatisation associated with alcohol problems so as to encourage people to seek help through services.

Learning from Targeted Mental Health in Schools phase 1 pathfinders : summary report

The Office for Public Management was commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to design and deliver a series of Action Learning Sets (ALS) to support 25 Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) phase 1 pathfinders. This report presents the key points of learning from the quarterly ALS summary reports and 11 interviews with people involved in delivering TaMHS.

Reducing the risk : improving the response to sex offending

The aim of this Report was to develop a cohesive framework for dealing with sex offending. Some of the 73 recommendations build on the policies and processes already in place in order to strengthen existing measures aimed at protecting communities from sex offenders. Other recommendations support the introduction of new measures and new arrangements which will help to deliver a safer environment.