inspection

This leaflet summarises some key findings of the inspection of South Ayrshire Council’s social work services, which are set out in the full report published in September 2009.

In April 1997 the Social Services Inspectorate undertook an inspection of the child protection services in Cambridgeshire's Social Services Department. This inspection took place at the request of the Parliamentary Under Secretary in the Department of Health following the non-accidental death of Rikki Neave, a child on Cambridgeshire's child protection register. The 1997 inspection identified serious deficiencies in the standard of child protection services in Cambridgeshire.

This edition of 'How good is our school?' replaces that published in 1996. It is designed, as were the earlier editions, to help headteachers and teachers in school self-evaluation and to assist education authority officials in discharging their responsibilities for quality assurance. The continuing strength of this set of quality indicators is that it is used in external evaluation by HM Inspectors as well as in self-evaluation by schools and by local authorities in quality assurance procedures.

This is the second of four volumes of comprehensive guidance on the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. The Regulations, Directions and Guidance which are included in this and the other volumes are designed to provide guidance on the implementation of Parts II, III and IV of the Act. Volume 2 sets out the legal framework for local authority responsibilities for children who are looked after; home supervision; fostering service; residential care; registration and inspection of certain residential schools; secure accommodation; throughcare and aftercare.

This paper sets out the government's proposals for improving the quality of social work services provided, offering better safeguards for those being cared for and strengthening professional standards. Two key proposals of this document: Creation of a new body - the Scottish Social Services Council - which will register the workforce, put in place a code of conduct and standards to support them, raise professional and training standards, and so raise service standards.

This is the second report submitted to the Scottish Executive in line with the Guidance for Child Protection Committees published in January 2005. It is a review of key policy and work over the past year.

Edinburgh Prison is almost entirely new. With the exception of one hall built 11 years ago the whole prison has been rebuilt in the last five years. Different stages of this rebuilding have been welcomed in previous inspection reports; at each stage, however, the difficulties of managing a prison while massive rebuilding work was taking place on the same site were observed.

Report detailing the findings of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland's (MWC) unannounced visits to sixteen continuing care wards across Scotland. At these visits the MWC interviewed patients, relatives and staff and examined data such as needs assessments.

Document giving guidance to local authorities and their health agency partners in England on carrying out their functions in regard to the promotion of co-operation to improve the well-being of children and young people and the making of arrangements to ensure they take account of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children when discharging their duties.