research utilisation

Over several years now commentators have raised concerns that an increasing administrative burden is deflecting social workers from working directly with children and families to identify and meet their needs. This study involved a secondary analysis of existing research data to provide information on the extent to which social workers report spending their time on direct activities with children, young people and their families, and on indirectly related activities such as liaising with other professionals or recording information.

The study, commissioned by the Scottish Government, was intended to inform a series of papers on ‘Building the Curriculum’ being prepared as part of the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE).

This document comprises two separate reports on research undertaken in 2008/09 on the Pensions Education Fund (PEF). Part 1 is on the costs associated with the delivery of the main outputs associated with PEF, such as workplace seminars, by Risk Solutions, and Part 2 on the role and activities of pensions information intermediaries (or pensions ‘champions’) in the workplace, by IFF Ltd.

This report presents a number of contributions that relate to analysing communal wastewaters for drugs and their metabolic products in order to estimate their consumption in the community. This area of work is developing in a multidisciplinary fashion, involving scientists working in different research areas. For this reason, the contributions to this publication come from a variety of different perspectives including: analytical chemistry, physiology and biochemistry, sewage engineering, spatial epidemiology and statistics, and conventional drug epidemiology.

This report is based on a research study carried out by The Children's Society in the West Midlands during 2007. Charities in the West Midlands have become increasingly concerned about destitution amongst children. The British Red Cross destitution clinic in the West Midlands identified an increasing number of babies, children and young people coming through the project, mainly with their parents.

Systematic mapping is a transparent technique for describing research literature on a broad topic. It allows us to take stock of the research available in any given area of social care, so that we can decide how to develop it. A map provides both a searchable database for researchers and policy makers, and a stand-alone piece of work describing the literature on that topic.

The overall aim of this review was to establish the effectiveness of SDF in delivering its aims and objectives, in particular the extent to which it provides value for money in respect of funding received from the Scottish Government; and to evaluate the current and future capacity of the organisation to deliver value for money in light of the new strategic approach to tackling drug use in Scotland.

The Growing Up in Scotland study (GUS) is an important longitudinal research project aimed at tracking the lives of a cohort of Scottish children from the early years, through childhood and beyond.

The study is funded by the Scottish Government and carried out by the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen). Its principal aim is to provide information to support policy-making, but it is also intended to be a broader resource that can be drawn on by academics, voluntary sector organisations and other interested parties.

This report provides a summary of the ‘Review of Developments in Inclusive Schooling’, commissioned by the Scottish Executive Education Department. The aims of the review are to: report research on significant developments related to inclusive schools or inclusive schooling; summarize emerging issues and trends; and identify areas which could benefit from further research.

Policy document that sets out the Scottish Government's action plan for building on existing work to improve mental wellbeing in Scotland up until 2011 by identifying strategic priorities for action and putting in place the infrastructure support and coordination necessary to facilitate implementation and support delivery. The government is committed making sure adequate services are in plance and to working through social policy and health improvement activity to reduce the burden of mental health problems and mental illness and to promote good mental wellbeing.