local authorities

The number of children aged seven and under who are excluded from primary schools is very small but some children of this age are receiving fixed-period exclusions, occasionally leading to permanent exclusion. This study investigated the reasons for this and the ways some schools manage to avoid using exclusion. Sixty nine schools participated in a survey. Thirty schools had excluded several young children. Another 27 schools, each near to one of the first 30 schools, had not excluded any children in the same period. Twelve schools had only excluded one child, but on several occasions.

Report of a study focusing on the support available to asylum seeker and refugee children and their families and how effectively this support meets the educational, social and cultural needs of asylum seeker and refugee pupils in school.

Guidance containing information and advice to help social work departments and other agencies support people with learning disabilities who become parents.

This guide for practice booklet is based on the key findings of the national research of Scottish Government-funded pilot projects in 18 Scottish local authorities carried out by the University of Strathclyde between 2006 and 2008.

This Act of Scottish Parliament is in three parts, covering local government elections, membership of local authorities, as well as a general section which looks at election expenses, ancillary provision and orders and regulations.

Document stating the joint views and position of the NCIL and the ADSS on issues associated with independent living for disabled people such as direct payments and user-led support services.

A survey carried out by Community Care has found a chronic shortage of statutory practice placements for students in London. This article looks difficulties some student social workers have had in finding a placement, and the poor quality if some placements provided.

What barriers are preventing older people from accessing practical every-day services and what improvements can be made in assessing their needs and providing these services? The authors argue that public services can only help older people to lead fuller lives if there are local collaborations of paid staff, politicians, service providers and older people themselves.

The present law of marriage in Scotland is governed by the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977. The current position is that there is no restriction on places where religious marriages may be solemnised but a civil (non-religious) marriage may be solemnised only within a registration office, unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. where an individual is unable to attend a registration office as a result of serious illness or serious bodily injury and there is a good reason why the marriage cannot be delayed.

This Act of Scottish Parliament is in twelve parts: protection of the public at large; victims' rights; sexual offences; prisoners; drugs courts; non-custodial punishments; children; evidential, jurisdictional and procedural matters; bribery and corruption; criminal records; local authority functions; and a miscellaneous part which includes sections on offences aggravated by religious prejudice, wildlife offences and anti-social behaviour strategies.