local authorities

The exclusion from school of children aged four to seven

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.

Joint protocol between National Centre for Independent Living (N.C.I.L) & Association of Directors of Social Services (A.D.S.S) for the provision of Centres for Independent Living (CILS) and user led support services

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.

Lack of statutory practice placements for students leaves newly qualified social workers struggling for jobs

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.

The support older people want and the services they need

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.

Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002

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.

Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003

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.