research report

The role of safeguarders in Scotland

Safeguarders are persons who may be appointed by children’s hearings or sheriffs when they think this is required to safeguard the interests of the child in the proceedings. Their role is to provide support and advice for the proceedings.

The aim of this study is to describe and evaluate the current use and operation of safeguarders in Scotland.

Access to justice: evidence of the experiences of adults with mental health problems

This is the report of a systematic review that was undertaken to investigate how adults with mental health problems experience civil, family and criminal justice. The findings are presented and discussed under the following headings: associations and characteristics of adults with mental health problems; services and agencies accessed by adults with mental health problems and their effectiveness; experiences, barriers and potential barriers to accessing justice for adults with mental health problems.

Means to an end: joint financing across health and social care

Report reviewing the joint financing and integrated care arrangements between NHS bodies and councils in England with adult social care responsibilities.

Using the examples of learning disability, mental health and older people it discusses how these arrangements are used and makes recommendations to help national and local bodies better understand the options available and how to use them to achieve better outcomes for service users.

Hidden harm: responding to the needs of children of problem drug users

In this ground-breaking report, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs considers the impact on children of parental problem drug use. For the first time ever, it assesses the number of affected children in the UK.

It examines the evidence for significant harm to their health and well-being. It considers what is being done at present to help them and what more could be done.

Reporting changes in circumstances: factors affecting the behaviours of benefit claimants

The purpose of this study was to inform the DWP's approach to tackling fraud and error and find practical ways of improving the prompt reporting of changes in circumstances by benefit claimants, covering jobseekers' allowance, income support, housing and council tax benefit and pension credit and exploring awareness of the type of information that needs to be reported, when, which authority should be informed and other factors.