Researchers found that fertility in Scotland was below that of other countries and regions in the United Kingdom. In comparison with their English neighbours, Scottish women left longer gaps between their children, and were more likely to stop at two children. As a result, fertility in Scotland was below the average required to replace the population.
Source: Elspeth Graham, Paul Boyle, George Bouliotis, Vernon Gayle and John Ermisch, Why Is Fertility in Scotland Lower than in England?, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000) | Fran Wasoff, Fertility Variations in Scotland: Attitudes and interactions, Economic and Social Research Council
Links: Report (1) | Report (2) | ESRC press release | Telegraph report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Dec
An audit report said that increased funding and a stronger focus on youth justice services in Scotland had delivered some positive changes: but it was still not possible to demonstrate clearly that resources provided value for money, and were being used effectively.
Source: Dealing with Offending by Young People: Performance update, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Audit Scotland press release | COSLA press release
Date: 2007-Aug
Researchers evaluated pilot home zones in Scotland. They highlighted the potential benefits of children?s involvement in the process of home zone design: the creation of safer places for outdoor play (formal and informal) could be an important factor in identifying potential locations for home zones, and informing the process by which projects were designed and implemented.
Source: Land Use Consultants, Home Zones in Scotland: Evaluation report, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Aug
A report said that the level of support that young people in Scotland experienced on leaving care was variable. Certain kinds of services, such as supported accommodation, appeared to be more effective than accommodation with less access to on-site support. The ability to sustain tenancies was affected by high costs and expenses, too little support, loneliness, and a lack of independent living skills.
Source: Susan Elsley, Kathryn Backett-Milburn and Lynn Jamieson, Review of Research on Vulnerable Young People and Their Transitions to Independent Living, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Aug
A report examined the implementation of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child in Scotland during the period 1999-2007.
Source: A Report on Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Scotland 1999-2007, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Aug
A study examined the awareness and experience of the education maintenance allowance among young people in Scotland. Awareness and understanding was poor among those aged 14-15. The majority of EMA recipients had planned to stay on at school, regardless of the financial allowance.
Source: York Consulting LLP, Young People?s Awareness and Experience of Educational Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) and Their Impact on Choices and Pathways, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jul
An article examined a 'fast track' policy in Scotland designed to speed up the processing of persistent youth offending cases, and reduce rates of persistent offending. The policy was initially welcomed by a wide range of practitioners, decision-makers, and managers involved with children's hearings, who mostly thought that it was a positive innovation consistent with the hearing system's commitment to a welfare-based approach. 'Fast track' cases were handled more quickly than others. After two years, however, the policy was discontinued, largely because of negative evidence about re-offending.
Source: Malcolm Hill et al., 'More haste, less speed? An evaluation of fast track policies to tackle persistent youth offending in Scotland', Youth Justice, Volume 7 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jul
Researchers (drawing on the Millennium Cohort Study) said that Scottish children at the age of 3 had a wider vocabulary, and a better understanding of colours, numbers, sizes, and shapes, than children in other United Kingdom countries.
Source: Kirstine Hansen and Heather Joshi (eds.), Millennium Cohort Study Second Survey: A User?s Guide to Initial Findings, Centre for Longitudinal Studies/University of London (020 7612 6875)
Links: Report | CLS Briefings | CLS press release
Date: 2007-Jun
An article examined the effectiveness of the Scottish model of youth justice. Labelling processes within agency working cultures served to recycle certain categories of children into the youth justice system, whereas other serious offenders escaped the tutelage of the formal system altogether. The deeper a child penetrated the formal system, the less likely they were to desist from offending.
Source: Lesley McAra and Susan McVie, 'Youth justice?', European Journal of Criminology, Volume 4 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jun
An article identified the costs and benefits of the 'sitter' service in Scotland (home-based childcare outside normal working hours, for children of shift workers and of lone parents/carers, and for children who required additional support). For very little expenditure, the service resulted in a range of individual and community benefits.
Source: Valerie Wilson, Stuart Hall and Julia Davidson, 'Do the benefits justify the costs? An evaluation of the "sitter service" in Scotland', Children & Society, Volume 21 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-May
A report said that children living in poverty in Scotland were being denied access to basic services such as swimming pools, youth clubs, dentists, and local shops. Even when a service was 'free', children were denied access because they could not afford the travel, equipment, or something to eat while they were out.
Source: Fiona Wager et al., Serving Children? The impact of poverty on children's experiences of public, private and voluntary services, Glasgow Centre for the Child & Society/Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde (0141 3305923)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-May
Researchers examined the attitudes to fertility of men and women of child-bearing age in Scotland. Men and women wanted to have more children than they actually did, with the average ideal family size being 2.48 children, whereas in practice the average was 1.24 for this group.
Source: Fran Wasoff and Ian Dey, Fertility Variations in Scotland: Actual, expected and ideal fertility, Centre for Research on Families and Relationships/University of Edinburgh (0131 651 1832)
Links: Briefing
Date: 2007-Apr
An article examined the emergence of parenting orders in Scotland, which became available in April 2005. Scottish local authorities were sceptical of an approach they perceived as an ideological and legislative mix premised on punitive notions of individual responsibility and justice.
Source: Reece Walters, 'Punishing "poor parents": "respect", "responsibility" and parenting orders in Scotland', Youth Justice, Volume 7 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Mar
A study in Scotland examined children's and young people's views, concerns, and experiences regarding their sexual health and well-being. Concerns were often interwoven with experiences and relationships with peers and partners, normative values within the peer group, and lay communication about sexual issues within peer settings. Specific attention was required to challenge the stigmas that threatened young people's sexual health and wellbeing, such as that surrounding homosexuality.
Source: Kathryn Backett-Milburn et al., Children and Young People's Concerns about Their Sexual Health and Well-Being, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report examined the effectiveness of drug education in schools in Scotland. Virtually all pupils received drugs education. There was much good practice in drug education, but more could be done to enhance its effectiveness.
Source: Martine Stead et al., Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Drug Education in Scottish Schools, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report | Summary | Literature review | SE press release
Date: 2007-Mar
A study examined the perspectives of young people in Scotland on what kinds of support, both formal and informal, were helpful during periods of family change. Informal support networks were often disrupted when families changed, through changes in schools, losing touch with some relatives, or moving house or country: this could leave some young people very isolated.
Source: Gill Highet, Cool with Change: Young people talking about support, Centre for Research on Families and Relationships/University of Edinburgh (0131 651 1832)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Mar
The Scottish Executive published (following consultation) a strategy for improving young people's chances through youth work.
Source: Moving Forward: A strategy for improving young people's chances through youth work, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Strategy | Consultation responses | SE press release
Date: 2007-Mar
The Scottish Executive published (following consultation) an action plan for improving the health of children and young people in Scotland.
Source: Delivering a Healthy Future: An action framework for children and young people's health in Scotland, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | Consultation responses
Date: 2007-Feb
The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 was given Royal assent. The Act was designed to reform and extend the adoption system in Scotland. It placed a legal duty on each local authority to provide an adoption service.
Source: Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007, Scottish Parliament, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act
Date: 2007-Jan
The first results were published of a study - 'Growing Up in Scotland' - which tracked families' experiences, including attitudes towards children's services, pregnancy and birth, childcare, parenting, health, and education. Around a fifth of the sample lived in a lone-parent household. Most children had regular contact with grandparents, and 4 per cent had five or more grandparents - showing the growing significance of stepfamilies.
Source: Simon Anderson et al., Growing Up In Scotland: A study following the lives of Scotland's children, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | Summary | Childcare findings | Pregnancy/early parenting findings | Support findings | SE press release
Date: 2007-Jan
