research report

Choice and independence over the lifecourse

Report that looks at how far government and other organisations are making information about social care more easily available. It examines the challenges that organisations providing home care services face in responding to service users’ choices and the help that local authorities can give these organisations to meet such challenges.

It also reviews the available research evidence on how service users, carers and professionals balance the benefits of choice against the potential risks involved.

Meals and messages: a focus on food services for older people living in the community in Scotland

Report that outlines the main findings from a study by ODS Consultants commissioned by Consumer Focus Scotland and Community Food and Health Scotland. The study included a survey of all Scottish local authorities, three community organisation commissioned case studies, and focus group activity and telephone interviews with older people using food services.

Joint inspection report on the experience of young victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system

Report of the Chief Inspectors of Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) into the treatment of young victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system (CJS). It has been undertaken as part of the criminal justice Chief Inspectors’ joint inspection programme for 2010-11.

Multiple risk factors in young children’s development

Paper that quantifies the prevalence of multiple risks for families with very young children in the UK, and their prevalence by ethnic groups.

It also examines the associations of multiple risks to deficits in developmental outcomes at three and five years of age for children born in 2000 to 2001. The paper uses an ecological model of child development as a framework to map out risk factors, which are obtained from data from the Millennium Cohort Study.

Social care (Fourteenth report of session 2010-12)

The purpose of the inquiry has been to consider the issues facing the future of social care, and to make recommendations for consideration by the Government in advance of publication of its White Paper on social care and update on funding.

Although the report focuses particularly on those people aged 65 and older, many of the recommendations are equally relevant to services for younger people who have a disability, and other people who have long-term conditions.

Overview of outcome measurement for adults using social care services and support (Methods review 6)

This review discusses the measurement of outcome for individuals and their carers for research purposes, particularly the type of research which evaluates the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of social care for adults and which has implications for social care practice. It discusses what is meant by outcome in social care, presenting a model that describes different ‘types’ of outcome and how these are related to one another.

Long-term conditions and mental health: the cost of co-morbidities

People with long-term physical health conditions – the most frequent users of health care services – commonly experience mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, or dementia in the case of older people. As a result of these co-morbid problems, the prognosis for their long-term condition and the quality of life they experience can both deteriorate markedly. In addition, the costs of providing care to this group of people are increased as a result of less effective self-care and other complicating factors related to poor mental health.

Post-immigration ‘difference’ and integration: the case of Muslims in Western Europe

Paper that analyses the various ways in which the British government has sought to manage the expanding black and minority ethnic communities which now form large proportions of the population in cities. It goes on to argue that government needs to appreciate that there are different modes of integration and that successful integration needs to draw on approaches that go beyond non-discrimination, important though that is.