research and evaluation

In the last seven years the number of children locked up on remand has increased by 41%. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says that imprisonment should only be used as a measure of last resort. This report on the overuse of remand for children is based on information gathered from a number of sources: interviews with senior practitioners and sentencers; a literature review of research and statistics; a survey of bail and remand officers; a national seminar. It discusses why the problem has arisen and presents a series of twelve policy and practice solutions.

This booklet is produced by Scottish Down's Syndrome Association and provides a wide range of information for parents, carers, professionals and students about Down's syndrome. The resource includes facts and figures, information about health problems associated with Down's syndrome, screening and testing, growing up and growing older with Down's syndrome, as well as current research.

The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia, their families and carers. They produce information and advice sheets to support those affected by dementia. Many people with dementia and their relatives are interested in the possibility of brain donation for research after their death. Donations from people without dementia are equally important to enable comparisons to be made. Scientists are very grateful for the generosity of the families concerned, especially as this process has to be carried out soon after the person’s death.

This review examines the available research about both the impact of problem drug use and interventions designed to reduce that impact. It starts by looking at definitions, the extent of problem drug use, and its impact across important aspects of children’s lives. The review is intended for social care workers involved with adults – using or affected by drugs – and their children and young relatives.

This report presents the findings of a qualitative evaluation of the Jobseeker Mandatory Activity (JMA) pilot. The JMA provided extra support to help Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) claimants back into the labour market.

The focus was on those aged 25 years or more that had been claiming benefits for six months. The intervention comprised a three-day work-focused course delivered by external providers followed by three Jobcentre Plus personal adviser interviews. The pilot was tested in ten areas over a two-year period with the first customers entering provision in April 2006.

In early 2006, the Scottish Executive Justice Department commissioned a review of the available evidence on volatile substance abuse (VSA) among young people in Scotland, particularly, in relation to the prevalence and nature of VSA, successful prevention of VSA and effective communication of VSA information and messages.

This report details the findings of that review and makes recommendations for the way in which the review of evidence can be used to take forward the volatile substance abuse agenda in Scotland.

This report presents findings of a study of public bodies’ approach to implementing the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (the DDA) and provides evidence for a baseline against which to assess the extent to which the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (the 2005 Act) prompts authorities to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.

This review examines the education of children in need. It discusses the education of children looked after by local authorities; the impact of the Children Act 1989; the education of children out of school and the way these issues can be addressed.

In July 2008 the Scottish Government commissioned Scott Moncrieff to review the data security procedures within eight research contractors who had regularly been commissioned to carry out social research on behalf of the Scottish Government.

One year ago the Scottish Government launched Scotland’s first drugs strategy since devolution. Central to the strategy was a new approach to tackling problem drug use based firmly on the concept of recovery. The action set out in the strategy reflects that tackling drug use requires action across a broad range of areas. This progress report takes the same approach.